Shane's Graduation Party and Family Fun

My daughter Kara and I

Last weekend I traveled to Spooner and then I headed to Minnesota for my nephews graduation party. My sister and my mom worked very hard on this party and it was a complete success. Here are a few pictures of the event.

My daughter Alyssa and my son Kasey

My daughter Kara, her husband Trav, my mom and step-dad Ray

My sister in-law Ruth and my nephew Andy

My nephew Shane (who is the graduate) and I. Shane enlisted in the Marines. He heads to California for boot camp in November, so we cherish every minute we have with him right now.

Kara, Shane, and I

My mom

We had some good laughs, good food and enjoyed being together. It is always the highlight of my summer being able to be with family!!!!!!

After the party, my mom and Ray head out west on vacation to the black hills of South Dakota....lucky dogs!!!!! Someday soon, Brent and I are hoping to be able to sneak away for a weekend and spend it in Door County, Wisconsin. That is where we went on our honeymoon and LOVED IT!!!!!! We have always wanted to go back there so hopefully that will happen this Summer or this Fall....but we will see.

Well, I am going to spend the rest of my day finishing up my primitives. I have many dolls and fall items that just need finishing touches and then they will be heading to "The Country Freckle" to find new homes. I will post pictures later on my progress.....God Bless....Rhonda

Sale At The Country Freckle

The past few days, I have been at "The Country Freckle" helping Joni with her BIG store garage sale. She has so many wonderful items at such a GREAT buy.

Here is a view of one of the garages she has FULL of all her overstock and seasonal items. She was able to fill 3 garages which are located in the back of her shop. They are actually storage units that she rents to park vehicles in.

Here is a view of the other 2 garages. There is mostly furniture and silk flowers and candles in these.

Dig ladies dig!!!!!

The sale in going to run through Saturday. Saturday she is having a brat and hot dog feed with proceeds being donated to the Humane Society. Joni LOVES dogs...she has such a big heart for animals!!!!!!!!

But today I am heading to Spooner again because my Aunt Hertha died on Tuesday. I am planning on going to the visitation but will not be able to attend her funeral because I am heading to Minnesota on Saturday for my newphews graduation party which has been planned for months. My sister is almost nuts with all the work she has done for this party. I know who she feels, I have had 3 kids graduate. But anyway, Brent can not come with because he can not take anytime off so I am on my own. I will be back in Rapids Saturday night and plan on working all week on my dolls....I am so far behind right now.

I had to show you this awesome bin cabinet that my daughter picked up at an antique sale we went to last weekend. The cabinet was in an old store and is so primitive!!!!! This picture is right after we unloaded it from the truck.

And here it is in her living room all decorated up.....it is soooooooooooooo cool!!!!!

Have a great weekend everyone!!!!! God Bless....Rhonda

My Daughter Enjoying Her Annual Cotton Candy At The Rodeo

I had to post these picture of my daughter Alyssa enjoying her annual Rodeo cotton candy. When she was little, cotton candy at the Spooner Rodoe was one of the highlights of her summer. She is now 21 and still enjoys her cotton candy....some things never change :)

Finally cotton candy at the Rodeo......

Here I go....

I LOVE cotton candy.......

MMMMMMMMMM.......

Wow....MMMMMMMMM

I am totally out of control!!!!!!

NEVER a dull moment when Alyssa is around she keeps me laughing all the time and also keeps me young...what a gift she is to me!!!!! Thank you Jesus for my little girl!!!!!!!!! Just had to share these pics.
God Bless......Rhonda

Rodeo Is Over And It's Back To Work For Me

I spent last weekend at the Spooner Rodeo and also spent precious time with my family...I had an awesome time in Spooner!!!!!

This was my grandson Noah's first Rodeo. Here I am holding my little precious gift from God. I LOVE this little boy SO much!!!!!! When he is around, I make such a fool of myself, my husband says that I dump him like a hot rock and it's Brent who when Noah is around.....it's true Noah has stolen my heart!!!!!

Here is my son Kasey and his son (my grandson) Noah....I can't believe how much Noah looks like Kasey when he was little. It's like I go back in time when I am around Noah except I am a bit older now :)

How precious!!!!!

My daughter Kara and I enjoying the Rodeo

Here I am getting us some pops at the 4-H stand. When my kids were little we spent many hours at this 4-H food stand. My girls were in 4-H and we LOVED the Washburn County Fair which was held in August. We knew summer was almost over and school was about to start when the fair was on....memories, I LOVE them!!!!

My husband Brent was able to get a few days off and come to the Rodeo on Friday night....as you can tell, he wears his sunglasses a lot on the marsh...he has coon eyes. But isn't he cute!!!!! I think so!!!!!!
The Grand entry that kicks off the Rodeo...I LOVE this part!!!!!1

I love the when the flag go by...it's so patriotic!!!!!

Here is Carly about to sing our National Anthem and she sounds like an angle when she sings it. She is riding a horse I used to own years ago. His name is Ice and is now 20 years old, I think he looks pretty good for 20. His owner uses him to rope off of. He is doing what he loves.....he always LOVED to run!!!!!

Here is shot of the barrel racing, my favorite event

Barrel Racing

It rained on Friday night, not a lot but just enough to make it miserable...but after there was a beautiful sky and also a double rainbow. The rainbow is God's promise that he will never destroy the world with a flood again. I always think of that when I see a rainbow.

Well that's it for the Rodeo for another year. I am back in Wisconsin Rapids working on my primitives and feeling a bit behind. I am also helping Joni with a garage sale she is having at "The Country Freckle". Today we were pretty busy but the sale goes on until Saturday so hopefully she will get rid of a lot of overstock. I did take some pictures today during the sale and will post them tomorrow. God Bless....Rhonda

It's Time To RODEO!!!!!

I am back in Spooner this week for the 56th Annual Heart of The North Spooner Rodeo
yah whoo!!!!

The Rodeo is my favorite part of summer, I have experienced many many years of Rodeo fun through out the years and have LOVED every minute of it!!!! My Mom's band "The New Edition" used to be the Rodeo band years ago. It made me so proud to hear her beautiful singing through out the rodeo grounds!!!!!

Below is a picture of my Mom and her band at the Spooner Rodeo
I think this picture was taken in the late 80's - early 90's
isn't my Mom beautiful!!!!

"The New Edition" from right to left....Fritz, Steve, Jim and my beautiful Mom Carol

Tonight is the first of 3 performances and my daughter and I will be front and center. It is so amazing to watch the athletes, both the cowboys and the rough stock doing what they LOVE. The grand entry chocks me up every year, I LOVE seeing all the horses, cowboys, cowgirls and American flags flying. Believe it or not....THEY STILL PRAY AT THE RODEO before each performance...it's awesome!!!!

Bull riding is most peoples favorite part...but I think my favorite is the Barrel Racing!!!!! My daughter Kara used to love to run barrels when she was a teenager. She is an amazing rider and I was always her biggest fan and STILL AM!!!!!

There is also a train robbery on Saturday here is a picture of the robbery in progress

The kids love it

Stick em' up

There is a Rodeo Parade on Saturday too...there is FUN for everyone!!!! I will post pictures when I get back to Wisconsin Rapids.....So until then I will Cowboy up and hang on the weekend is going to go by too fast (can you tell I LOVE the Rodeo, I know I'm obsessed!!!!!!

It's RODEO Time!!!!!

God Bless....Rhonda

Happy Birthday America

God Bless America Again.....you see all the trouble that we're in....wash her pretty face.....dry her eyes and then....God Bless America Again..Amen

I want to THANK all who have served and are now serving in the military, who have sacrificed so much to make us FREE, Thank you from the bottom of my heart!!!! We are so BLESSED to live in the GREATEST country in the WHOLE world!!!!

I AM PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN!!!!!!

GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!!!

Here are some pictures of a few items I have been working on this week.

I finished up these sheep and gave them a Americana look. They are made out of a chenille bed spread that has been coffee stained and dusted with cinnamon. The tag is stamped "God Keeps His Promises" and HE does......AMEN!!!!!

Here is another sheep proudly displaying our American flag along with a symbol of summer.... a slice of watermelon.

Here is a church doll stitchery I finished up, I have been working on this for awhile. A project like this is what I bring to work on when I go home to Spooner and I work on it in the evenings or when I sit and relax outside...I LOVE to stitch when I have free time anywhere.

If we all would only follow these ten commandments this society would not be in the mess it is in. I don't believe we have a financial crisis in this country, I believe we have a MORAL crisis!!!!! If people and our politicians would get back to the basics, this country would turn around quickly....I wish they would try it....it would work...God's ways are always RIGHT!!!!!

I love imagining how mother's would make these for their little girls...what a labor of love!!!!

All tucked away ready to warm a little girls heart

Here is a view of the back to the church doll pouch...I love the way it folds up and is ready for little hands to carry.

I used a vintage linen with stitching on it for the fabric...the vintage linen gives it such a old vintage feel....I LOVE IT!!!!!

Seeing it has been so cool here it got me thinking about Fall, so I decided to get a head start and made a few Fall items.

Pumpkins ornies on a vintage spool to warm up any spot in your house.

Here are some pillows I made last year but thought I would bring them out of the season.

That's about it....Enjoy your 4th everyone!!!! God Bless America....Rhonda