Time For An Update: Cruise Part One

February was eventful because we went on our first cruise, on the Serenade of the Seas, Royal Caribbean.

Planning for the trip was lots of fun, and included a ride down to St. Louis with the dogs.  They were invited to stay with Annie and Shotzie while we cruised the high seas. Here are some pictures from Annie's:

The Butterfly painting (with knife attached to the back of the frame) that Chris made Annie for her birthday.

Annie's Christmas present from Chris and Steph.  She asked for  things to put on her walls and utensils.... here is the gift that fulfilled both requests!

Back at home we packed... 

And the next thing we knew, we met up with Deb and Bruce at the Detroit airport.

Next Stop Puerto Rico!

There it is.. The Boat!!!!

We all went aboard...

Here are pictures of our stateroom....

I especially liked the bathroom.... it was cozy!

After getting a bit settled, we went on a tour of the ship.  This was the center of the ship, from where you could see all of the decks.

Bruce and Deb posed for the photographer

View from the ship as we set sail

Sunday Morning we docked in Tortola, the largest and most populated of the British Islands

Mark and Bruce plotting er, planning something

Shopping in Tortola

 

Beautiful 

And WARM!!!!!

We did make sure we knew where the life boats were located

 Many more pictures to share.... Stay tuned in the days ahead for more posts!

January is a Long Month in Wisconsin

 January 2012 was an eventful month for us.  I am adjusting to being a working woman again - and I am really liking being back in the work force.  (I am a library assistant at the Lester Public Library of Rome, where my duties include teaching people how to use e-readers, tablets, digital cameras and IPods.)  It has been a bit of a challenge learning to use these devices well enough to show others how to use them, but it has also been fun.  Once you use a touch screen, you never want to go back!


Annie came up to Madison to go wedding dress shopping with Mary Dale and decided to come up to watch the Packer game with us.  Something about the fact that we were having Mark's famous ribs for dinner seemed to make the trip worthwhile!

Annie comforting Stella - she was pretty upset with the way the Packer's played!

Even Gwennie got into the game

 

She likes to have a good vantage point to see all of the action

Mark's lap seems to be where she can get the best view of all of the plays

It hasn't been an especially cold or snowy winter... although we have had our grey, or as i like to call them black and white days.  Good thing the Blue Jays have been visiting our bird feeder, or I might think the world has gone black and white.  We have also had some blooming flowers in our window... which have added color and awe (I can't believe the plants are still alive, let alone blooming!)

Molly - plant Molly gave me when I was her Confirmation Sponsor

Christmas Cactus Mark gave me

I have been spending some of my free time working on my quilt... and I am happy to report that I reached the half-way point last week.  I am driving to St. Louis next week to leave the dogs with Annie while we go on our Catholic Cruise (we will be going to Saint Islands in the South Caribbean), so i hope to get some sewing done while I am there and Annie is sleeping.  I will stop at Mike and Meg's on my way back and celebrate George's second birthday.  


The next time you visit the blog you'll be treated to scenery from outside of Wisconsin!

Christmas Times 2011

George, Grandma and Stella enjoy some quality time

SCENES FROM A HATTON CHRISTMAS 2011

Steph working on her family's famous apple pie!

Annie.... happy to be in Wisconsin with the family

Chris recovering from his mishap with china

Mark demonstrating the new bottle opener

It's AMAZING!

Steph showing Mark how the Apple pie is placed in a brown paper bag

Sealed with Saples

And baked in the oven

While the pie was baking the lights went on the tree

 

Annie and the girls supervised the lights going on the tree

 

It was my year to put the angel on the tree

And I did a GREAT JOB!

And then it was time to put the ornaments on the tree

 

It goes so much faster with a crowd!

Chris went a little nuts with the decorating, and decorated the fire place rocks

And then there was pie!

Of course I went a little crazy with the decorating too and created this  centerpiece

One of the many cute puppy pictures (sorry you don't get to see them all... in fact currently Gwennie is lying on Shotzie's head, and I am refraining from taking a picture, although they are adorable!)

 

Out of order... but here are pictures of us going to the sincere tree farm to get out Christmas Tree

Gwennie especially enjoyed the tree cutting, and watched Mark closely as he cut the tree down

Stella is an old hand at the cutting down of the tree

This is our future tree

Chris and Steph arrived first and enjoyed some of Mark's (really Paula's) award winning Chicken Chili

Annie arrived next, and Stella was very happy to see her!

Sandhill Crane created by Gary Gast, Mark's nurses husband
It will reside by the side of the Lake

Annie admiring our new kitchen

Chris and Steph wrapping presents in our Special Wrapping Room

Another picture of that pie!

We saw Mark doing quite a bit of cooking during the festivities

The Hanging of the stockings

Chris and Steph making Spritz

Turns out Steph is a big fan of orange bling

It wouldn't be Christmas without Burt and Ernie on the tree

Lap time with Grandma, Becca, Patrick and Gwennie... sorry Stella, it's not your turn!

But we will make room for George!

Grandpa gets a turn showing the thumb piano

Georgie!

Tree sure turned out pretty!

So THIS IS CHRISTMAS!!!!!

George opening the Hammer of Thor from Uncle Chris

Not sure if he or Mike liked it better

Patrick received a Captain America Shield from Uncle Chris

Meg was awestruck by the gifts of weapons

Mark showing his stain glass

Becca sitting on a gift... because she could!

Opening presents is fun!

Mike models training gear

Becca models bubble wrap

Getting ready for the wrapping paper war

Steph modeling her BackPack

And I model the 100 ways to wear it wrap I received from Steph!

Opening Stockings

George was delighted with the click clack toys

Later he tried his hand (left hand!) at coloring

Meanwhile the rest of us vegged out

Chris found a spot on the floor to read

Steph and Becca found a chair and Waldo!

And the dogs enjoyed lively conversation

Mark modeled his Milwaukee T-Shirt

Mashing potatoes was a family event!

Gwennie and Shotzie were pooped Pooches!

 

Vote for which picture you think is the cutest! I couldn't decide.

Enjoying Christmas goodies

Mike and his crew all dressed up on Christmas morning

I was dressed up too!

Mark and I posed in front of the tree

Being creative with glitter, pompoms and such

George needed to get his hands de-colored!

Becca decided Stella was lonely and needed company when she went to hang out in her kennel

Mike took the kids for a ride!

Becca is a good Big Sister

Lydia and Jean Dodge came for lunch on Monday

And so did Tom

Tom modeling his new Biking Jacket

 

If you need a good reader give me a call

I got lots of practice

Merry Christmas to Everyone!