Pictures from the Celebrations! :)

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays to you!  Here are just a few pictures (with my new camera!!!)  from a couple of our celebrations..............ENJOY!

My Handsome & Talented Hubby--the FIRST picture I took with my new camera!!! Yay!

Mmmmm....cupcakes for our guests.  (My Christmas theme is Silver & White)

Tryistan, Michelle & Alyse on Christmas Day. :)

Alyse was having a GREAT time--such personality!!! This was after opening her presents--lol.

Oh....Tryistan is one happy young man.... :) :)

Laura, Blake & Doug at our home for a Christmas party!  

Our sister-in-law Allison, and Doug's brother, Jeff at the party (after the dinner & before gifts!) 

Opening one of my gifts and obviously having a great time doing it! 

Presents under the tree (pre-parties, of course!)

The table was set for the dinner party.......

Bitty (our cat formerly known as "Miss America, the Kitty") making me laugh with her expressions....she's a fun pet...we love her :)

:) BEAMING :)

“Photography is a small voice, at best, but sometimes one photograph, or a group of them, can lure our sense of awareness.”
W. Eugene Smith quotes

“Photography is a way of feeling, of touching, of loving. What you have caught on film is captured forever... it remembers little things, long after you have forgotten everything.”
Aaron Siskind quotes

This was my early Christmas present from the hubby (Can you tell I am excited and BEAMING??--LOL) !!! :)

Doug, thank you SO MUCH for always surprising me and encouraging my passions. :) :) :) Those of you who know me, know that I have been wanting a Digital SLR for a long long LONG time (This one is a Nikon D90). I LOVE taking pictures.......I LOVE the art of photography (I took two photography classes in college using my Dad's Nikromat from the 1970s and developed my own photos--awesome)....I LOVE capturing moments. One picture really can say "a THOUSAND words" (no doubt about that).

Needless to say, this just may be my favorite gift I ever received!!! I am having a blast learning how to use this thing and reading all about it!!! I am excited to use it on our coming vacation (yay for warm weather and a break from work and school!) and with all the guests that will be staying with us over the Christmas holiday. :) :)

Can't wait to share these photos with you--CANNOT WAIT! :)

Merry Early Christmas & Happy Holidays to you and yours,

Kate

WOLVERINE !

Congrats to the WOLVERINE team for the cover of EGM!

It's Party Season!!!

Doug (Hubby) & I at Doug's brother and sister-in-law's party (Jeff & Allison)

Some of the ladies enjoying the party--Bridget, Emily, Jennifer & Carla :)

Cinsy & I at Raven's Christmas party (Doug's work) :)

A candid shot (sort of --lol) of Marisa, me, Adele & K.C. at the Raven party

Doug and his good friend, Brandon. Hanging out before AXIS at Willow Creek.  Brandon is one of the head pastor's at AXIS. 

Liam playing with his Mom's (my sister Valerie's) necklace (I thought this was a cute moment).  

 Dad, Erica (my sister) and my niece, Jenna.   Note:  the matching blue outfits ;0)

Steve (my fantastic brother-in-law :)  ) and Doug :) 

My Step-Mom, Julie, & Jenna

Happy Monday to you!  Hope everyone had a peaceful weekend. :)  Doug and I had 3 Christmas parties this weekend (Friday, Saturday & Sunday) and Doug had class all-day Saturday (which, of course, means we were up at 5 a.m. after getting to bed at 1 a.m. from party #1--we were tired--lol!).  All the parties were very fun and different!  Friday night was Doug's company's work party here in Madison at a hotel ballroom (it was lovely and a lot of fun!).  Saturday was Doug's brother, Jeff, and sister-in-law, Allison's Christmas party at their home in Palatine, IL--they threw a great party!  And Sunday, Doug and I celebrated Christmas with my Dad and Julie at their Chicago place with the fam--great times, great food (thank you, Julie!!).   Also, on Saturday night, we had the opportunity to stay with the Grissom Family, Brandon, Beki & Stella. :)  Doug and Brandon are great friends and it was awesome to catch up.  :)  Needless to say though, by 8 p.m. last night when we finally pulled into our driveway, we were very excited to get home and REST!!!  Of course, I took 70 pictures over the weekend (I know...that's A LOT...thank the Lord for Digital cameras!-lol).  So, here are a bunch.  Happy Holiday Season to you and yours.... Love, Kate 

Baby!

Congratulations to our friends, R.J. & Marisa on the birth of daughter, Eden Rei!!!! What a gorgeous name--LOVE IT! Eden arrived this morning--Mom and baby are doing well. And, Noah is now the super cute big brother to Eden. :0)
What a gorgeous day to be born--it's a bright beautiful day here in Madison!

Pictures of Eden to come!

Congrats again!
Doug & Kate :)

"It's Going to Be Alright"

My very good friend, Matt, of almost nine years (he and his family are like family to me), who resides in Carmel, Indiana, wrote out the lyrics to this song and sent them in a letter after a phone conversation I had with him months ago. I posted the written lyrics up on our home office 'note board,' and Doug and I have been reminding each other of these words whenever we need to hear it (you know.... on 'those days') :) It is comforting because it reminds us that in life, we can only do what we can do, and the rest we can surrender to God (it's liberating, actually). And, that, ulimately, when everything is said and done...."It's going to be alright."
I believe it really will.

Hopes these words also bring you peace today....

Happy Wednesday! Kate :)

Lyrics to It's Going To Be Alright
(Song & Lyrics by Sara Groves--my favorite lyrical songwriter).

It's going to be alright
It's going to be alright

I can tell by your eyes that you're not getting any sleep
And you try to rise above it, but feel you're sinking in too deep
Oh, oh I believe, I believe that

It's going to be alright
It's going to be alright

I believe you'll outlive this pain in you heart
And you'll gain such a strength from what is tearing you apart
Oh, oh I believe I believe that

It's going to be alright
It's going to be alright

When some time has past us, and the story is retold
It will mirror the strength and the courage in your soul

Oh, oh, I believe I believe,I believe I believe

I did not come here to offer you clichÈ's I will not pretend to know of all your pain
Just when you cannot, then I will hold out faith, for you...

It's going to be alright
It's going to be alright