Lots of stuff....

 Once again, it's been awhile since I've blogged.  And, once again, I've just been too darn busy to sit and write anything.  Really... you say, how busy can one woman be??

Well, first I did this....

Yup, Ann and I went to Spring Quilt Market in Salt Lake City.  I didn't take many photos though - sorry, but I know there's a lot of pictures out there in blogland if you're interested.  We found lots of great stuff and many of the books and patterns are already in the shops.  Most of the fabric we ordered won't be arriving until fall, tho; but I know you're gonna love 'em.

Then, once I got home home, I had to sit down and write this...

That process usually takes two to three weeks from beginning to end (with a whole lot of editing and rewriting!), and since I do all the writing for the newsletter - I get kinda of "written out" and the last thing I want to do is write a blog posting.  I'm tired of writing and tired of ME!

But it's chock full of great new classes, BOMS, events, and more; so if you haven't got a copy of the Country Sampler summer newsletter yet, be sure and stop by one of the shops and pick one up... or go to:  www.countrysampleronline.com    and click on the "newsletter" button. 

Then... we took a couple of days and did some rearranging in the two shops.  I don't have a picture of this - sorry again, you're just going to have to stop by and take a look!  I can tell you that we moved alot of things around (especially at the Papillion store) and we've set up a full size bed at each store so hopefully, we'll have some fun vignettes to rework every once in a while, with a new quilt and accessories.

Then... it was off to Florida for my son's wedding!  (Editor's note:  If you don't want to see wedding pictures - stop now!  Nope I mean it, I'm a proud mom and I've got just a "few" pictures to share!)

Soooo, Crystal and EJ wanted to get married at the beach, so we found a beautiful resort on Sanibel Island to hold the wedding.  They also wanted a small wedding with just family and a few friends, and it was wonderful!

The morning of the wedding a bunch of us went to the resort and put up the lanterns for the tent.  It was me trying to boss around five guys... but it went amazing well, though.  I told them where I wanted the lanterns and they figure out how to get them there.  

That's my husband, Ed, on the ladder.  I kept telling him he was too old to be up there and to pleeezz let the younger guys do it - but, of course, in typical "guy fashion" he didn't listen to me.  Why should it change after 33 years, huh?

Then, Friday afternoon, it was time for the wedding!!  It was REALLY warm in Florida.  I know, you're saying "dahhhh, what did you think??", but it was unseasonably warm in southern Florida for the end of May.  Florida didn't get a real spring either - it just went to summer, kind of like here - but there was a wonderful breeze at the beach, so it was pretty comfortable.

The guys entered from a separate entrance down the beach... to music from one of the Star Trek movies (big sigh).  Luckily, it was all instrumental and obscure enough that most people had no idea what it was.  :)

EJ's in the suitjacket.  Here's my baby boy waiting for this bride.

Crystal had her five nieces and nephews in the wedding. They were sooo excited - even the boys - and boys looked so cute and beachy in their matching yellow polos and the girls in their matching dresses!

Andrea (my other baby) was a bridesmaid...  isn't she pretty??  Definately takes after my side of the family - ha!

And, Crystal's sister, Heidi, was the matron of honor....

My husband walked Crystal down the aisle.  I was in the front row and I kept trying to signal them to slow down -- to no avail.  They both walked down the aisle so fast you would have thought they we're being chased by a pack of wild beach dogs. I had to click really fast to get a picture of the two of them ... at least they're both smiling, huh?

She looked beautiful...

  

A quick service conducted by Uncle Jerry (who got ordained for the day - and yes, I checked, it's legal!) that included references to philsophers and Captain Jack Sparrow... and whosh... they're Mr. and Mrs. EJ Cizek!

And then it was on to the reception.  I LOVED the flowers (maybe because I got to help pick them out!), but they were lovely.  Here's the bridesmaid's bouquets and the table decorations...

And another pic of the table centerpieces.  The hydrangas were so beautiful!

After they took some more pictures at the beach, they entered the tent as Mr. and Mrs.... you can see EJ has already ditched the suitcoat - it was just too hot.  The resort did bring in a couple of big fans to circulate the air under the tent, so that helped.

The cake was simple, just like Crystal wanted it, but it was sooo beautiful. The seashells on top were made from white chocolate.  I would have been happy just eating the seashells!

I like this cake cutting picture 'cause I caught the sunlight at their backs.  It created such a nice glow.  I'd like to tell you I planned it that way, but most of you who know me, know that it was really just dumb luck.

Here's their first dance as man and wife - sweet, huh?  I took several of these pictures and in every one, Uncle Paul (Ed's brother - in the background - who looks kinda like Colonel Sanders), is in the background. Ah well, it looks like we brought in famous dead people for the wedding, huh?

Then, I got to dance with my baby boy and Ed danced danced with the beautiful bride.  Mostly EJ and I just kinda swayed back and forth 'cause he doesn't really know how to dance - but it was wonderful! I got to pick the "parent dance" song, so I choose "I Hope You Dance" by Lee Ann Womack.

I LOVE this song.  It's a perfect song for a parent to give to a child at their wedding.  

Okay, now you're gonna find out I'm really a dork too, 'cause I've included some of the lyrics here, just to prove what a great song it is.  Go ahead and read it... I'll hum along as you read ....

I hope you never lose your sense of wonder 
You get your fill to eat 
But always keep that hunger 
May you never take one single breath for granted 
God forbid love ever leave you empty handed 
I hope you still feel small 
When you stand by the ocean 
Whenever one door closes, I hope one more opens 
Promise me you'll give faith a fighting chance 

And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance 
I hope you dance 
I hope you dance 

I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance 
Never settle for the path of least resistance 
Living might mean taking chances 
But they're worth taking 
Lovin' might be a mistake 
But it's worth making 
Don't let some hell bent heart 
Leave you bitter 
When you come close to selling out 
Reconsider 
Give the heavens above 
More than just a passing glance 

And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance 
I hope you dance 
(Time is a real and constant motion always) 
I hope you dance 
(Rolling us along) 
I hope you dance 
(Tell me who) 
I hope you dance 
(Wants to look back on their youth and wonder) 
(Where those years have gone) 

I hope you still feel small 
When you stand by the ocean 
Whenever one door closes, I hope one more opens 
Promise me you'll give faith a fighting chance 

And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance 
Dance 
I hope you dance 
I hope you dance 

Big sigh.  It was the only time I teared up.  Pretty good for the mother of the groom, huh?

Ed and Andrea shook it up on the out dance floor too.  I chose this picture 'cause I love Cystal's niece, Cadence, in the background.  By this time, her pretty dress had been ruined by playing in the water, the sand, and the dirt; and it was just easier to have her run around in her diaper.  At least she was cool.

Here's me and my honey....

And even Andrea's Japanese boyfriend, Yutaro, scheduled his trip to America (17 hours), so he could attend the wedding ....

So, that's it.  Probably more pictures and information than you needed, but I promise to ohhh and ahhh at your kid's wedding pictures when you come in the shop.

No, really .... I promise.

Comments

[Shiree]

oh what a fabulous wedding, everything looks so beautiful. My son married in Nov last year, so this post brought back so many happy memories, thank you!
I gave my daughter Leanne's song when she was going thru a bit of a rough patch, it is such a fabulous song and a wonderful gift to your newlyweds!

[Carmen]

I just love everything! The flowers, the cake, the dresses, the colors; just perfect!

[Deb Cizek]

Thanks for taking the time to write me, Shiree! Your childrens wedding is really a special day, isnt it? I think I had just as much fun at EJs wedding as I did at my own!

Deb Cizek

Country Sampler - Omaha, NE

www.countrysampleronline.com

[Deb Cizek]

Carmen,

Thank you so much for you comment - you warmed my heart with your note! It really was a special day. One down, one to go!

Deb Cizek

Country Sampler - Omaha, NE

www.countrysampleronline.com