Useless Ramblings of Our Creative Minds

a few photos i took...

2011-06-13T20:58:00.000-06:00

here are a few photos i took this past week when lindsay, nate, a few guests of theirs, and myself headed out to iverson park. they are an awesome couple! i have known lindsay from 1st grade and to this day, still love her energy. her and nate are both passionate about their jobs, sports, and their two adorable dogs. i just met nate this past year but he gained some quick points when i heard he proposed to her on the top of a roller coaster... how cool is that?!

plus check out my facebook page to see a few more
-ellie

//golf//

2011-05-11T20:32:00.000-06:00

golfing in marshfield..... we were following a group of 5 older gentleman.. since they were hacking at the ball and took their sweet, sweet time {not going to lie, i hacked a few times too}.... we grabbed the camera... nice form in the last picture, wouldn't you say? even captured the tee in mid-flight..

have a wonderful week!

-ellie

not {alone}

2011-04-19T09:53:00.000-06:00

so i have been away from the blog, shop, and other social networks for the past few weeks. i have put my life on hold. i have stepped back from the world and have been with family and friends...

march 29th was one of the toughest days of my life. on that day my mom went into urgent care because she'd been feeling sick for the past four days. she had random bruises all over her body and a constant headache. she arrived at 2:30 PM and was diagnosed with acute leukemia by 4:00 PM. what a whirlwind these past 21 days have been (almost 22, we keep track quite accurately up here).

since she arrived that afternoon, she has been in an immune sensitive isolation room up on the top floor. its a private room with an extra set of doors that encloses a place for staff and guests to wash and clean up before entering. everyone needs to be nice and clean because the chemo is destroying her white cells since most of them were leukemic, while also killing her healthy ones too. she has no 'warriors' in her blood to protect her from germs, viruses, and bacteria. her iv pole, 'slim', is always hanging different products to keep things going in the right direction. i think i have most of the stats, vitals, numbers, and counts down. i assume my brother thinks i am a geek for already knowing what are good white counts and bad, what are low fibronigen numbers or not, and what DIC ANC AML APL PLT HGB all stand for. my dad has been wonderful too. he enjoys just sitting by her side while she sleeps just so she knows someone is always there if she needs them. john, my husband, is incredibly supportive. hes the guy that helps with all the odds and ends. he helps with car rides, awesome foot rubs, candy hunts, and late night ginger ale runs. all of our family and friends have been so supportive and helpful. it is great to see and hear from all of them. she actually used to work on this same floor years back and knows most of the doctors and older staff members. they are amazing and treat our family wonderfully.

it was an incredibly scary time the first few days. it still is, but a routine has set in and everything is a bit more, well, settled. i have spent most nights here with her on a cot... which i have enhanced with an egg crate recently. and speaking of sleep, i do have a bit of downtime while naps are occurring. so as shown above, i am practicing my photo-journalistic skills. my mom doesn't mind, as long as i don't snap too many of her ;-) with good days and bad days, we came up with an idea to help her fight through them all. we created orange bracelets (orange for leukemia) with a saying we thought fit the situation and used her nickname. we mailed and handed them out to family and friends with a few instructions: to wear it with pride in support of her & to take a self portrait with it while holding a sign with an encouraging word 'strength, courage, love, fight' etc. hopefully when we get the pictures in, they will be a reminder to my mom to keep fighting, to take it one day at a time, that chemo's a bitch, and she is not alone - we are all here to fight with her. {i will probably make a photo book with all the pictures, inspiration quotes, and memories.}

so i shall be around again... here and there... when i have time and need to design. creative work helps take my mind off things and i enjoy decompressing with it. i am learning that 1.} one must step away to regroup at times to stay healthy and 2.} to trust in science. its amazing to me how the body works in all its intricate ways.

{Courage is the first of human qualities because it is the quality which guarantees the others. -- Aristotle}

i created an {orange treasury} on etsy too. full of unique tints, hues, and shades of orange.

-Ellie

{marshfield} wisconsin

2011-02-24T10:15:00.000-07:00

today i am sharing photos i took and displayed on my design blog - {marshfield} wisconsin, the place where i was born (almost 26 years ago). its place of industry, agriculture, medicine, and history. i also added them to {the wisconsin project: a photographic perspective} too. enjoy!
-E

photos by Ellie {5 Letter Design}

Snow Storm

2011-02-02T12:53:00.001-07:00

managing the snow storm with some much needed play time outside!

Go Packers!

2011-01-23T09:58:00.000-07:00

Cheering on the Packers today at the Blohm's cabin - Go Pack!

image from confetti system

John's latest blog on Scorers 1st

2011-01-06T19:43:00.000-07:00

Head over to Scorers First to see John's latest basketball blog post "Shoot Around"

5 Letter Design: inspired custom creations

2010-12-22T09:23:00.000-07:00

5 Letter Design: inspired custom creations: "Here are a few custom necklaces that will be delivered this week for a dear old friend of mine. It was exciting to review what pi..." (link with some of my necklaces I recently sold) Happy Holidays!!

5 Letter Design: Flying over some large water!

2010-12-05T17:31:00.000-07:00

5 Letter Design: Flying over some large water!: "Now, {alloy}, {drips}, and {swing} are flying over some large water, Lake Michigan this time! They were sold to a lovely lady in Michigan t..." (follow the link for more info on the necklaces)

John's Basketball Blog: Post 1

2010-11-25T13:03:00.001-07:00

Scorers 1st College Basketball Blog by John Nonemacher. Check it out and feel free to comment :)

5 Letter Design: Controlled Chaos

2010-11-21T20:32:00.000-07:00

5 Letter Design: Controlled Chaos: " Having fun with Paisless Press's new release {curated}. I will need to add a few to my 2010 photobooks!" Follow the link to see some I did this weekend.

perk of being a mile high

2010-11-12T16:08:00.000-07:00

If you think you know us then this is no suprise. If it is a suprise, then, this is an important lesson.

Battle for the Boot from Ryan Demers on Vimeo.

Yup, I think this is a great reason to move to colorado.

Your welcome,
John

Windy Day in Arpin

2010-11-06T15:48:00.000-06:00

Windy days leads to lots and lots of fire wood at the Feenstra residence. At the end of October the Midwest witnessed one of the lowest pressure weather days on record. It created wind gusts between 50-70 mph all over the area. With the excitement of moving objects, we took a tour of the woods behind the house in Arpin. A few trees were uprooted and the next logical thing to do is saw up some firewood for the winters to come!

And of course, Dakota wanted in on some of the camera action. I caught her in some awkward positions.

5 Letter Design: Happy as a Lark - Personal Photo Book

2010-11-04T11:26:00.000-06:00

5 Letter Design: Happy as a Lark - Personal Photo Book: "I created another smaller, personal book after our wedding last year too. It was a gift to my husband on our 1 year anniversary to always r..."

Follow the link to see another quick photo book with our wedding pictures. Last one with the wedding, on to a book of our trip to Europe!

Sunday Photo Hunt

2010-10-25T17:47:00.003-06:00

When the rain keeps you in on the weekend, life can get a little boring. But after it finally moves on, it's great to head outside and go on a photo hunt. It has been quite gray these past couple days but we managed to have a few clear hours Sunday afternoon. John and I went on a walk along the Fox River and found some amazing details of the area.

{Sunshine with a mix of Fog and Rain}

Carving Time

2010-10-20T06:40:00.001-06:00

Its almost Halloween!! Which means it's pumpkin carving time!! (and also Rob Feenstra's Birthday on the thirty first - but we will address that when its closer, maybe with some flash backs to some great Halloween costumes from our younger days.) But back to PUMPKINS, John and I took up the challenge this past week and came to the conclusion that we have slightly different flares for design when it comes to pumpkins. Can you tell which one is mine (Ellie's) and which one is John's?

couple days and a couple cold nights later

We will see what approach Jake and Jenna take when they carve theirs - TBD.

Adult KickBall

2010-10-19T08:57:00.000-06:00

This fall John and I were invited to play on a kickball team in Menasha or was it Neenah (who knows, it was one of these cities here in the fox valley). It was a blast, to say the least. Our last game night, we decided to make it a little interesting......

warm ups...

.... more warm ups

line-up time

John actually kicking the big yellow ball

walking away with a win!

Orlando Magic - Shaq and Penny

here you can get a full look at John's outfit for the night

teammates

Below are continuous images of John's in-the park 3 run home run to give us the lead in the 8th inning - exciting!!

John rounding 3rd while Rocky waving him and Tracy in....

Tracy made it...

John making it home...

HOME RUN!

And just a little bit more fun we had that night. Most of us have been coaches at one time or another, or we have been high school athletes and with that in mind we had a flash back to awkward individual photos.

Bubble

2010-10-16T09:36:00.000-06:00

Had a blast with the Freshman team this year at Appleton North. Here are the rest of the fun photos we took after our last practice. Thanks ladies! You have taught me a lot about coaching and I hope I have taught you a little more about the game and volleyball this season :)

caught Mackenzie in mid-sentence

ENJOY the memories !!

End of Season

2010-10-14T12:08:00.003-06:00

Well, the day has finally come. It is the end of Appleton North's Freshman and JV's seasons. We had our last practice last night and our final game is tonight against Appleton East. We practiced quickly last night, then took some time off from the court and did a little team bonding. I hope all the girls enjoyed their first high school season and made some new friends and teammates. They were excited to take some pictures so I printed a few copies for them tonight. I will post more once I get a little more time. They will be looking for them to copy and add to facebook. (Girls, I will post a link on the side that will take you directly to the photos, plus a blog post soon).

All 13 teammates and myself "Coach Ellie"

Mackenzie, Leah, Samantha, Emily, Savannah, Morgan, Me, Angela, Makenna, Caroline, Zoe, Allie, Kayla, and Maddie

5 Letter Design: Fly Away Finch

2010-10-09T07:42:00.002-06:00

Check it out, click the link to take you to some exciting news:
5 Letter Design: Fly Away Finch: "First necklace is sold! {finch} sold on October 7th to a customer over in the United Kingdom. It's going International this weekend and hop..."

5 Letter Design: Snowflakes

2010-10-07T13:38:00.001-06:00

5 Letter Design: Snowflakes: "Sneak Peak - Snowflakes for 2010 Greeting Cards from {5 Letter Design}"

Appleton North Volleyball

2010-10-06T09:03:00.003-06:00

We had one of our last home games at Appleton North last night. Varsity lost in 3 (14-25, 16-25, 23-25) to Kaukauna (Ranked #1 in WI). They almost pulled off a win in the third game, but couldn't quite get there. The frosh team struggled in the beginning of their match, but pulled out a game 3 win at the end! Congrats to them :)

Below is a photo from our warm-ups, from the Post Crescent newspaper. Click HERE for more pictures from them.

"Freshman girls' volleyball coach Ellie Nonemacher and varsity coach Steve Scheuerell feed the assembly line of Appleton North hitters prior to the start of the varsity match with Kaukauna at Appleton North High School in girl's volleyball on Tuesday October 5th 2010 in Appleton, WI."

With only a few more practices and two more matches to go, hopefully we end on a positive note. Surely the girls will have learned a lot in the short 2 months of high school volleyball this year.

Insight into what I do in my spare time...

2010-09-28T10:22:00.000-06:00

As you can tell by our blog, I usually post more pictures than text. I like to visually share with family and friends what we have been doing or have been up to lately. So as that theme continues, below are a few things I have been doing in my free time. They are just snippets of the full projects I have been creating. I have been trying to figure out my personal style in design.

Trees.....

Cities.....

Hummingbird

2010-09-15T09:38:00.000-06:00

A little hummingbird stopped by today, at my parents' place, for some sweets. It was so tiny I kept thinking it was a bumble bee until it slowed down by the flowers in front of the porch. It was moving so fast that its wings are a blur in the photo below.

2 Hearts of Love for My Shop

2010-09-07T11:48:00.003-06:00

My {Drips} Necklace was shared on Etsy alongside some other lovely pieces. Etsy showing a little love for my shop! (Click on the link to see)

"POUNCED FOR FALL!! Undiscovered treasures from new Etsy sellers.." by Evadabeada

The necklace {Drips} was also shared on "Deal or Ordeal" by paulahiga today too :)

New Necklace {Packer inspired}

2010-09-05T17:14:00.003-06:00

etting ready for our fantasy football draft tonight and was inspired by the Green Bay Packers, as you can see below. I started with the center yellow beads, not really sure what direction I was going in. As I slowly clipped them on, I was attracted to the greens and golds to accent it. Tied with a simple white ribbon added the final touch.

{colorful & minimal} - {bunch}

Congrats to Ryan and Darcy

2010-09-03T13:52:00.002-06:00

First picture of John's sister's baby boy. Just born this morning.

Stats: 8 lbs 15oz, 21 in long - Arlo Sherman Patrick

What a cutie!!!

John & Jake

2010-08-29T19:45:00.002-06:00

A few images from John and Jake working this past week. They re-roofed a part of a house in Green Bay, WI. John is helping Jake (JTN Legacy Builders) with a few projects around the area.

john making some key cuts in the shingles

caught a reflection of john in the work truck - aka black whale (we have a thing with naming our vehicles)

jake hammering on the ridge

roof jack

working together

click on any image to get a bigger view

Appleton

2010-08-21T14:52:00.007-06:00

For all those who don't know, John and I are currently living in Menasha with Jake and Jenna (John's brother and his wife) for the next couple months. John is helping Jake with a few projects in the area and I have taken a High School Freshman Volleyball Coaching position at Appleton North. The team just started this past week and I have been frantically getting everything organized. Last week we had tryouts, 2-a-day practices, a scrimmage, team pictures, weight lifting, meetings, etc. Hopefully things should calm down more this coming week. I have only coached "club" ball before, so coaching a high school sport is new to me. There are different rules, policies, conflicts, and responsibilities. I am adapting well and finally get a chance to play again.

With some down time friday evening John and I went on a little photo hunt. There was a big storm that rolled through the fox valley. We tried to go out and see if there was any damage in town but apparently Appleton didn't get hit quite as hard as Green Bay (lots of flooding there we heard). Enjoy the pictures below:

{three}

{after}

{lines}

Black & White

2010-08-15T19:00:00.006-06:00

Sharing a few black and white images I have been working on this summer....

{speed}

{storm}

{crash}

{grain}

{glide} - small little sailboats on the leftside

{float}

{whole}

{frost}

My Photos from Rob and Jen's Wedding

2010-08-12T16:24:00.004-06:00

Here is slide show of my favorite pictures I took over the weekend. It was a blast and the band was awesome! Congrats Rob and Jen!!!!

You can also see them on facebook: Facebook Album

MoMA Store - Color Wheel Stick Umbrella

2010-08-10T14:37:00.004-06:00

This striking generously-sized umbrella brightens any day! Composed of 24 distinct panels, it surrounds the user in every shade of the rainbow when open. Too cool, I want one :) so I thought I would share with everyone.

MoMA Store - Color Wheel Stick Umbrella

Some pictures from the Photographer: 08.07.10

2010-08-09T16:56:00.009-06:00

To all our family and friends who weren't able to attend Rob and Jen's wedding and reception, I am posting some photos from their photographer Diana Ornes Photography. She has posted a few photos on facebook and i wanted to share them with you. I will also share with you her blog link once she posts them later this week. Enjoy!!

We went to an apple orchard for photos

Dowtown Marshfield

the ring bearer helped pull out flower petals for the bride - super cute!

we were able to buy our own bridesmaid dress, as long as they were satin and knee length

Jen switched into a shorter, cooler dress after the dinner

yummy candy bar

Information cards she placed at each place setting to help guests discover all the activities of the night. I helped design them, with a little spunk and a mad-lib on the back for fun advice for the couple.

To the happy couple!! We hope you enjoyed your special day and safe travels back to Montana!

Preview to Aug 7th 2010 - Rob and Jen's Wedding

2010-08-02T08:45:00.004-06:00

A little preview to my brother's upcoming wedding. Jen and Rob have been working hard to get everything ready and out of town family and friends are starting to arrive! Hopefully see you all on Aug 7th for a wedding celebration and a little party!

2010-07-22T12:09:00.001-06:00

Here is a glimpse of the photos we took at the showcase for Scorers 1st, in Las Vegas. John was working hard to help organize for Scorers 1st and I took photos :) Enjoy.

Vegas

2010-07-18T12:47:00.003-06:00

A quick update. We are surviving the heat in Las Vegas this week and enjoying the basketball center of world right now. I have taken a few pictures of the Scorers 1st Showcase (if you know me, a few equals close to a hundred) and will post the good ones once we return to Wisconsin this coming week. We also took a quick trip to the Hoover Dam and strolled down the strip a few times this week. Hope everyone is enjoying the beautiful summer!

(oncoming traffic on the strip of Las Vegas)

Missoula At Night

2010-06-11T11:53:00.004-06:00

We ventured up into the hills last night to grab this shot (well like 6 shots) of Missoula at night. It has been really rainy in Missoula the last month, so we caught a quick break for the image. As we were taking the last shot (right side of the image), rain had already moved in on the left. A little window of opportunity, but we got it.

(click to see it larger)

Missoula

2010-06-08T16:00:00.004-06:00

I have been working on my panoramic shots - here is one of Missoula we took today. We are above the university and the west out in front of us. (Click on image to see larger - I had to turn the resolution down to half so Blogger would let me upload - Enjoy!)

The image is a compilation of 8 individual images.

Rainbows

2010-06-06T22:28:00.003-06:00

Our first actual lighting and thunderstorm in Missoula left behind this full rainbow! It was so big I stitched together two pictures to get the full one. I thought full rainbows were what dreams were made of and not actually real! Enjoy :)

Another Day... Another Hike... Another Tired Dog

2010-06-03T13:41:00.001-06:00

Mt. Jumbo

Checking off all the letters in Montana

2010-05-22T11:30:00.009-06:00

Well, we have conquered another letter in Missoula this week. The letter "L" is located on Mount Jumbo (it sits just north of Mount Sentinel). The "L" stands for Loyola - a private school in Missoula. The hike was a 500 foot gain and a total of 1.5 miles. We had a lot of fun; it was a little easier than our previous hike (had some steeper parts though) and it was a quick out and back.

(beautiful greens as we left street level)

(you can see the L in the distance. we just finished hiking the easy gravel part of the trail. now for the steeper parts)

(Dakota, Axle, John, and me sitting on the L taking in the view, and catching our breath. axle kept trying to climb up the L, but then would slip down to John - hence the butt in the picture)

(the big L)

(Mt Sentinel behind us in the picture - the university below it)

(I-90 and Missoula. Just to the left is Mt Sentinel)

On a side note, house sitting is going well - Rob - the house is still standing :)

Our trip up to the "M"

2010-05-18T16:07:00.011-06:00

We have conquered the "M." On our visit to Missoula this week, visiting Rob and Jen, John and I finally climbed Mt Sentinel Trail to the big "M". Yes, it is quite the tourist thing to do, but it is finally checked off our list. It was a great beginning hike to get us back into shape this summer. We plan to hike it more often and work on our stamina to make it past the "M" to the top of the mountain - there shall be a new post for that someday!

Here is a quick summary of the trail:
Distance: 3/4 Mile to "M"

The "M" on the west face of Mount Sentinel has been a Missoula landmark since 1908, when Forestry Club members forged a zigzag trail up the mountain and students carried up stones to shape the symbol of the University. As you gain elevation, the view expands to include all of Missoula, the valley, the Clark Fork River and distant mountains. While the trail is less than a mile long, the hike can be quite strenuous, depending on how quickly you cover the distance. The hike is a steep climb, with 11 switchbacks and gains 620 ft in elevation.

Here is a distance shot to relate yourself and the surroundings once you view the photos below. Right below the "M" is the University of Montana - Go Griz - and trail head.

Once we reached our destination - the views were spectacular! It was a gorgeous, warm afternoon.

(Downtown, Clark Fork River...)

(John, Dakota, and Axle (Rob and Jen's goldendoodle) relaxing at the top)

(University of Montana)

(Football Stadium and I-90)

We have returned to Montana

2010-04-23T12:26:00.002-06:00

After a few weeks in Wisconsin, we have returned to Montana with a tired dog. She came with us to my parents and played all she could.

Hope everyone is having a great spring!

The Girls

2010-04-11T20:04:00.006-06:00

John and I are spending a little quality time back in Wisconsin and this past weekend we visited John's brother Matt, his wife Emily, and their 3 girls (Lucy, Amelia, and Ingrid). It was a gorgeous weekend and we had fun playing outside. I was a little camera happy but they didn't mind - runny noses and all!

Pink Snow

2010-03-19T14:00:00.002-06:00

I just wanted to share one of my favorite things in Montana, the opposite side of a sunset. When the sun goes down, it reflects off the snow covered mountains on the east side. It looks like the snow has turned pink! Love it :)

I took the pictures back in January, but just added them to my photo book. The mountains still have snow on them, but it has all melted in the valley.

2010 Photo Book

2010-03-11T17:18:00.010-07:00

As you can tell, over the holidays this year, I received a new camera from my parents and have been taking a TON of pictures. I have started to organize them on the computer but feel its a shame to leave them sit in boring computer folders. So I have decided to create another photo book. It will be similiar to our wedding book (2 images below) but will cover our new adventures and travels in 2010 (a few in 2009, used as a prelude). Here are a few examples I have worked on already and thought I would share on our blog!

Our wedding book

Inside our wedding book

Pages below are from the new book --->

Day at the Beach

2010-03-08T17:44:00.012-07:00

On John's work trip to Oregon this past week, we took a little detour to Florence, OR to visited their beach. Here are a few of the images we took - yes, "we" - John was a great assistant :)

Waves crashing into the rocky penisula

Cool piece of drift wood!

Heading out to the end - we stopped about half way though, the tide was coming in and the waves were crashing high onto the rocks.

One of the 3 seals we saw enjoying the waves and warm weather (high 50s, low 60s)

Pretty blue/green ocean...

Shoreline and lots of drift wood along the beach

Sweet bird that flew over us - I was quick with camera reflexes to catch it

We were goofing around with the tripod and the 10 sec timer. We almost made it to the water.

Second time around, but this time the tide came in hot and fast. I dashed quickly back to save the camera and tripod. In this picture the tide is heading back out and John got stuck in the water (at one time it was about waist deep on him, thank goodness he moved his phone and ipod to a higher pocket in his jacket!)

All in all, a fun day running around on the beach and getting sandy and wet! Hopefully the rental car company doesn't mind a little sand in the floormats.

Oregon reminded us a lot of Wisconsin while we were there, while except for the ocean and mountains. We hope to visit there again soon!

(Dad and Mom, you should be able to click on the picture for a larger view/file and save if you want a digital copy of any of the pictures! - love ya)

Stories to come......

2010-03-06T00:07:00.001-07:00

Random thoughts from the tall one

2010-01-25T17:02:00.003-07:00

Ok, so I am happy that I do not have to watch Favre compete (and maybe win) a superbowl with the Vikings. Happy may not be a strong enough word for the feeling that I have. In deeper thought the conclusion is that I still care about him as a Packer. Don't get me wrong I am a fan of Rogers and think that he is doing a great job, but Favre was like a member of the family for years. The breakup was bitter, and one that I supported from the start, but him in purple makes me want to drive a car through a brick wall, give-or-take. In the end I was pulling for him to fail, but I always pull for the Vikings to lose.

It is like watching a girfriend that you really liked, maybe loved, leave you and find happyness with your mortal enemy. But everytime you catch eyes you both skip a heart beat thinking about how it used to be.

With that said GO SAINTS!!!!! There is no other city that could use a win like New Orleans, we all know it. But Ellie is in a hard place. She loves Peyton Manning. I don't know why but she just finds him to be the perfect football player and man (besides me of course). She is torn but in the end I feel that she will go with Peyton over New Orleans. By the way, when she drafted Peyton for her fantasy team was the second happiest I have seen her (the first being our wedding). What can I say, I love her, and it gets her interested in football so we can watch it together.

On Febuary 9th we will be seeing Dessa and POS in concert and we are pumped about it. For those of you who are younger and like hip-hop give them a listen.

Dessa's new cd came out last Tuesday called "A Badly Broken Code". Here is the song Dutch, enjoy.

Self-Portraits

2010-01-06T18:43:00.015-07:00

Here are a few self-portraits I took with my new camera back in Wisconsin. It was pretty dang cold out and started snowing near the end. I toughed it out for some fun and colorful shots. I even reused my wedding shoes. Enjoy!

A Preview of our time in Wisconsin for the Holidays

2010-01-01T11:00:00.010-07:00

Here are a few pictures that describes our time in Wisconsin - 2009 .....

I received a new camera from my parents and have been taking tons of pictures and trying new settings. In this image, John and I stepped outside at 11pm and took a long exposure image of the night sky. It was close to a full moon.

We all have been taking lots of walks around the land with our two favorite friends (Roxy and Axle). Axle is Rob and Jen's new puppy who drove out for the holidays.

There has been a lot of Tiger wii Golf 2010 being played in the living room on the big screen. Here is an action shot of John's golf swing.

John and I have been attending a lot of basketball games too. This picture is at UW-GB vs. Youngstown state. We also traveled to Northern Iowa during the crazy ice/snow storm before Christmas and also traveled to Madison for a Badger game.

Happy New Year!

Photo Book

2009-12-11T10:42:00.015-07:00

A sneek peak into a photo book I am creating for our wedding. Its an untypical size book (10x8 portrait) but I really enjoy is size, being like an actual book from the shelf. I hope to some day make a 12x12 book, but with tight budgets : ) I found a book making website with my smaller size for now. As you can tell below, I enjoy being a minimalist with my own creations in scrapbooking.

I hope to have it ordered and shipped to WI so I can see it and share it while I am there for the holidays.

-Peace, Love, & Hope

Halloween 2009

2009-12-03T14:47:00.005-07:00

Well, its been awhile since Halloween but I just copied over our pictures to the computer. John and I traveled down to Missoula to spend our Halloween with my brother, plus it was Rob's birthday! John and I went out on the town with a couples outfit - John being a ref with quite the identity crisis and me as a soccer gal (I felt more like a roller derby girl instead). Jen went as quite the lovely lady - a 50s like pin-up and Rob as a scary jester. As you can see in the pictures below, Dakota was scared of Rob and had to hide behind us until we all left.

Dakota scared.... plus her lovely glowing green eyes

Rob and Jen - quite the couple!

Mom, you can see some of their new wall color in their house too.

The Tiger Woods Story

2009-11-29T21:45:00.005-07:00

We are jumping on the rumors/stories of Tiger Woods this week. Here is one of our favorite comedian's take on the story. Enjoy!

Also - We haven't blogged in awhile - so Happy Thanksgiving!!

Johns Random Thoughts: #2

2009-10-29T14:34:00.002-06:00

First, its halloween and for the first time in years I am going to dress up for it. Ellie is out getting stuff for our outfits right now and turning her loose will only help my costume. There are a couple reasons as to why I am coming back into the halloween spirit after some time off. I feel that it will be a good way to get out of my head and just have fun with it. I am a kid at heart yet I find that I'm conservative in public and Saturday is the perfect opportunity to open the door back up. Another reason is that my brother-in-laws birthday is halloween and wants to do this, when he sees me he may not want to anymore, I am sure that Ellie will post some pics.

I would tell anyone who wants to take a step into getting out of their own way try it too, who knows, it may be fun.

Second, we have reatched the second game between the mighty Green Bay Packers and the less than mighty Vikings. Ellie and I have tried to come up with an appropiate way to "honor" you know who when he gets introduced:
-The whole crowd just turns their backs to the field and quietly waits to boo Peterson. This would personify the way he turned his back on the Pack when he made it about himself and not the team.
-Instead of booing maybe just yell "WHOOOOO", sure it may sound a lot like "BOOOO" but it is a little more classy. Other things to yell are "ROGERS-ROGERS", "PACKERS-PACKERS", or even "THOMPSON-THOMPSON" which would really get into his head.
-Hold it, maybe clap a little but wait untill the Packers have the game in hand and then let him know how great of a place Green Bay is by cheering the Pack off the feild.
-If all else fails just flip the bird and boo like crazy.

Happy halloween and..... run turkey's RRRRUUUUUNNNNNNN

Collection

2009-10-23T13:16:00.004-06:00

John and Ellie from the past year...

and one from our wedding book.. quite colorful!

Fall is Back

2009-10-19T16:31:00.003-06:00

After our little winter ordeal, fall has come back to us. The leaves are changing and sadly the flowers are dieing. We hope the weather stays decent for the rest of October (then more winter can come in November) because its time for pumpkin carving!

We hope you will enjoy the extra candy and sweets!

Weekend in Missoula, Montana

2009-10-13T14:59:00.001-06:00

This past weekend John and I spent our time in Missoula with Rob, Jen, and my dad (he drove straight out - 19 hours). We were lucky enough to score some tickets to the Griz Football game, so we bundled up and showed my dad the true Griz experience. The picture is from the game after we filled up on hot chocolate. It was record lows in the area, about 28 degres with a wind chill of 8 degrees.

Our First Big Snow Fall

2009-10-08T11:46:00.005-06:00

We had our first big snow fall on the mountains yesterday! Yes, it does seem early, the leaves just started to change to fall colors. The temperatures are also dropping, which seems just about right. I think every time a "Feenstra" travels into the state during winter, they bring frigid cold weather. Last year, a week before Christmas, my parents came to visit and brought Wisconsin cold temperatures with them (negative degrees with even colder wind chills). My dad just arrived in Missoula at my brothers house on Wednesday and this weekend is supposed to have lows in the single digits! It should be a fun weekend though - my dad is helping Rob in house renovations, there will be three dogs terrorizing the his house, and we scored some Griz tickets!

Pictures taken up at Lone Pine State Park - Oct. 7th 2009

John's random football thoughts

2009-10-01T14:04:00.005-06:00

So we are three weeks into the football season and there are two things that are very clear to me. First, the fact that I am 3rd in one fantasy league (kudos Joe Flacco) and last in another (damn you Micheal Tuner) means fantasy is a crap shoot. Second, the Packer loss to Cincy looks better since they beat the Steelers.

Somewhere in the pregame tailgating there is my twin and younger brother doing everything they can to rid the world of beer and brats... good effort guys

Now it has come, some guy named Brent Farva(?) play against the greatest single professional organization to ever grace this earth. Needless to say I am jacked up for the game but is it to much to ask Aaron Kampman to lay out Brent 4 times? I think not. While my gut hates the Vikings I have to be honest, my gut hates whatever team the Packers are playing. It is not about one player but team vs. team and I am concerned about how the Bungles dominated the line on both sides of the ball and the Vikings are pretty good there. Suck it up line, keep Rogers on his feet.

Early in the season this game is big with or without Brent because the Packers can go up 2-0 in conference beating two contenders.

We all know that this has never helped in the past.

The Packer D has 7 INT's this year (thanks Jay Cutler), that is their best chance of beating the Vikes. Forcing turnovers and scoring off of them (it helps that I have the Packers D in one of my fantasy leagues). Brent, throw to the yellow helmets, look for number 21 and it would be a touchdown pass.

Go Packers, go Rogers, go Defense (don't forget to stop AP).

2009-09-23T16:01:00.011-06:00

This week the Nonemacher family lost one of the greats, Gene McGlenn. He was John's grandfather and we would like to post some pictures we have of him.

Holding John and his Twin brother

On our wedding golf scramble he met some old friends on the course. The golf event is held at every wedding in honor of his love for the game, and he too played on the day of his wedding. We were privileged to have him at ours.

Wearing a traditional golf outfit, and making it look good.

Dancing with his wife on their 60th wedding anniversary, in the same suit that he got married in.

Two couples; one together for an hour, the other 60+ years

Gene gave so much to so many, his impact on our lives will last forever. He was loved and will be missed but his legacy, his memory and his family lives on.

I love you Grandpa, now and forever.

New Posts to Come....

2009-09-11T13:26:00.003-06:00

So... we have finally sent in our computer to the HP Shop this week. Its been a very sick computer this month. We will continue posting when it returns to us. Until then....

Tribute to our Keens

2009-08-22T20:21:00.006-06:00

John and I really enjoy our Keen sandals we got last year. My mom was lucky enough to find a pair of size 17s for John (he usually fits in an 18, but these fit perfectly!) So, since we love them so much, I thought they deserved a little time on our blog. The first picture is taken at John's parents' house by the entry stairs and the second one was taken at St. Mary's Lake on the east side of Glacier National Park (right after our wedding). Hope you enjoy and maybe you will be persuaded to purchase your own pair, there are lots of fun colors to pick from!

Some of My Photography

2009-08-18T16:57:00.010-06:00

I was outside trying some photo techniques and ideas and wanted to share a couple. I am inspired at odd times of the day, so I will be sharing what I capture on our blog every now and again. Enjoy!

Photo Opportunity

2009-07-30T18:35:00.006-06:00

While John and I were driving to the dog park today we noticed something unusual on the train tracks. Afterwords, when Dakota was all done and tired, we took a closer look..... can you guess what we saw?

There was probably a hundred or so wind turbine propellers that were being transported across the country. So we had to stop by the local Whitefish Train Station and grab some quick pictures to remember the site.

(future assembly)

RFB

2009-07-25T00:47:00.013-06:00

Fellow "Olympian" Jared Blohm has a Brewer blog that Ellie and I love: http://www.rightfieldbleachers.com/

It is awesome and makes us proud to be Brewer fans. So, if anyone wants to check it out we will have a link in our friends and family blog section making it 3 links on there (but if my brother does not make a new post soon he may get moved off the list).

We do not have near the followers that Jared has (if we have any followers) but we are trying to help.

WARNING: Ellie and I will be moving on to our useless ramblings since the wedding is over but I have one thing I would like to pass on. If any of you have photos from the wedding that are fun, nice, funny or maybe embarrassing to anyone there, we would love to get a copy. If you are lucky we will post it.

Our ramblings are not meant to make you mad or feel anything at all. We just would like to post random thoughts that we have and random things that we do, example;
Montana thunderstorms suck. Wisconsin has great storms with sirens and people running for cover, Montana has..... rain, maybe wind. Montana does win when it comes to forest fires but sometimes that just isn't enough. I want to have a nice day followed by a tornado warning that makes me fear for my life a little.

The one and only cool storm in Montana. The wind and rain made these cool cloud formations and the sun light was cutting through a hole it made.

Smoke from a fire last year rolling over the mountains. Its nice when the smoke stays high up in the sky like this... totally sucks when it fills up the valley.

Example of an embarrassing picture - caught by Sam Garrels at the bar later that night.

Always feel free to comment on our useless ramblings and let us know what you think (it will also show us that we have 1 or 2 followers :)

More to come.....

Slide Show

2009-07-09T19:43:00.010-06:00

Yeah! We got a slide show now with pictures :)

Enjoy and Thanks to all that attended and helped!!

More Wedding!!

2009-07-09T18:37:00.016-06:00

A Few More Fun Pictures.....

Additional info for questioning people :)

Headpiece: Twigs & Honey

Pavilion Decorations: Poms

Photographer: Jennifer Arterbury Photography

Inspirations: Amy Atlas & Martha Stewart Weddings

John and Ellie Nonemacher

2009-07-02T10:57:00.007-06:00

Here are some of our favorites of just us. There are more to come of the ceremony and reception.

We will be sending my mom (Laurie Feenstra) a set of all of our pictures - digital copies. If you want specific copies and live in WI, feel free to contact her too.

It's over!!!!

2009-06-29T23:58:00.002-06:00

We are married!!!!!! Thank you to all who made it out and and it was EPIC!!!!! Pictures to come and there will be ones that are classy, others not so much.

Offical post yet to come...

Golf Update!!!!!!!

2009-06-16T22:57:00.004-06:00

There have been some changes in the golf outing so here is the update:

-It is still at Buffalo Hill Golf Course on Friday June 26th.

-It is a Best Ball Scramble style event-(talent level is not important as it is the best ball out of the four who hit)

-There is a greens fee and cart fee (about $65) It is the best course in the valley worth every penny.

-Tee times start at 10:00am and we have 6 teams entered, participants are encouraged to get there around 9:30 to warm up and meet your team members.

-We will meet after the last team is done to give out the trophies to the winning team

I am very pleased to announce that my grandfather, Gene McGlenn, will be the Grand Marshall of the event. Buffalo Hill is the same course he golfed on his wedding day 60+ years ago and my grandparents are still married to this day, this tradition is based on their wedding. Gene is a member of the Montana Golf Hall of Fame and has played on Buffalo Hill since 1942. I am honored to have him as the Grand Marshall and to have learned the game from him.

My Grandfather nailing a putt during his 60th wedding anniversary scramble. He knows how to dress.

Wedding month, it's almost time

2009-06-02T09:12:00.011-06:00

So we are down to the last days, the countdown to the 27th is just a couple weeks. We are planning away and should have everything ready to go here soon (cross your fingers). Ellie had her wedding shower a couple weekends ago and we appreciate Ma Feene for hosting, I went and played golf with my twin brother and lost (he better let me win on the 26th).

A lot of you have made plans to make it out and we will try to get an update on any road construction you may face in your drive. Right now the biggest one will be as you get off the interstate in Missoula, there is a 30 mile stretch that will be backed up a little, so enjoy the view. There has also been a large avalanche in Glacier Park that took out the Going to the Sun road and they are fixing it, it should be open wedding week but not 100% sure.

Lineup change: Terry Farmer (most likely) will not make it so Mike Nonemacher will now be a groomsman.

Say "hi" Mike, you are also the grill master at the rehearsal dinner. We are happy to have Mike in the wedding and he will add a little more height to a tall wedding.

Speaking of the rehearsal dinner here are some pics from Lone Pine State Park

Updates on other stuff then our wedding:

Congrats to Ellie's brother Rob and his new fiance Jen on their engagement. As ours winds down the Feenstra's can look forward to more wedding planning for next summer. We are both so happy for them. They also will be moving to Montana next fall as Jen will be attending the University of Montana (go Griz) for a doctorate in physical therapy, I will be annoying them but in a nice way.

Their from Georgia and look cold in this pic, they will get used to it.

Meghan Pagel (formally Blohm) and John Pagel were married on May 24th. We had a great time and wish them the best of luck.

To the happy couple

It is becoming a tradition of sorts to play tippy cup at Olympic weddings (Olympic refers to a group of family friends, including the Feenstra's, in Wisconsin that get together to play games every year). Now I know that tippy cup has teams of 3 or 4 but we just line up three tables and fill up both sides.

Okay we hope that everyone is having a good June and we will see you soon!!!!

April 27th

2009-04-27T18:09:00.006-06:00

Only 2 months until June 27th!

Nonemacher Traditional Golf Tournament

2009-04-20T20:48:00.005-06:00

Hi all! Here is a note on the Golf Tourney John will be hosting for the guys the day before the wedding. Any questions or late entries feel free to email or call him...

The traditional golf tournament before a Nonemacher Wedding will be held on Friday, June 26th at Buffalo Hill Golf Course in Kalispell, Montana. All male guests are welcome to participate! Teams will be made up of 4 men, which will be determined after all RSVP cards are returned, and type of play will be "Scramble - Best Ball." (So pretty much everyone hits a ball on the team, then you advance to the best ball that's hit and go from there - so I've heard.) It will be 18 holes and we set tee times starting at 9:30am. Our group price per player will be $53 dollars, which is a little spendy, but check out the views and how nice the course is on their website: Buffalo Hill Golf Course.

So if you haven't already sent in your RSVP and you want to play with the guys on Friday, just place a check-mark on the back indicating you want to play!

Below are some images from the last Tournament at Eagle Bend Golf Course in Bigfork, Montana. It was not for a wedding, but the 60th Anniversary of John's grandparents!

The blue team was all of John's brothers (Jake, Mike, Matt, and John himself).

John had a little trouble with the water!

Hope everyone is having a great Spring and enjoying the nice weather. The snow is quickly melting off the mountains around us and warming up here.

Odds and ends .... and beginnings

2009-04-10T19:12:00.013-06:00

Ellie's brother's long time girlfreind has been accepted to the University of Montana's doctorial program in physical therapy. Our congrats go to Jen!!!!

This past weekend we had to go to a engagement encounter for our church so we can get married there. The good news is that we passed and are moving closer to the wedding. The other good news is that it was on Flathead lake and the weather was great.

A little "gap of trust" where Ellie tried to push me into the cold water rather then help me across... I trust her.

The weather was nice. The lake level is low and normally you can't stand on these rooks and stay dry, it will fill up soon.

We had to wear our name tags the whole time, we switched halfway through and no one noticed. Is that a good or a bad sign?

The invites are out, most of them are at least, so there is another reason to love that mail person and I know all of you will be waiting in anticipation. Ellie designed, created and printed them while I cut them out, enjoy.

Hello blue box, we meet again.

To help relax us, we went to a concert, Atmosphere: When God Gives You Ugly Tour with P.O.S. opening. It was awesome and a great way to recharge.

PBR must have been a sponser which was another nice part of the evening. By the way the guy who took this pic, took one and without any prompting got us and the stage. He should do this for living, nicely done sir.

Spring finally looks like it is here and it is about time. Many of you are making your arrangments and we appreciate that. There is also more information in our invitation packet that should help in setting things up.

HAPPY EASTER!!!!!!

Summer Ideas

2009-04-02T12:21:00.003-06:00

I wanted to post a quick link to Whitefish Mountain Ski Resort because they have awesome things to do in the summer on Whitefish Mountain. John and I were quite excited when we saw they are adding zip lines and wanted to share it with all of you!! The mountain is located only a couple miles from Grouse Mountain Lodge. Enjoy :)

Airline Update

2009-04-01T11:02:00.006-06:00

Hi All!

I wanted to post a quick notification about NWA (Northwest Airlines). If you are traveling from Wisconsin/Minnesota by airplane it will be more than likely that you will take a NWA flight over to Kalispell, for the wedding. Typically NWA flies into Kalispell three times a day (Morning, Afternoon, and Night), but with the hard times for airlines NWA is cutting TWO of the flights each day (Morning and Night) until July 1st. This means that flights to Kalispell are going to book even faster and fill up quicker. So, my recommendation for you, if you are planning on flying out, is to call Micki (John's mom) at Flathead Travel and at least reserve a seat for yourself. That way there is a seat saved for you on the flight and you pay/confirm closer to the flight date. If you call and your dates aren't open there are still other options to get you out to the beautiful state of Montana. There are other airlines that fly into Kalispell, but you might have to stop more on the way out and there is an airport in Missoula, MT (2 hours south of the Flathead Valley). Last, if you have already called Micki to schedule travel arrangements, she is reviewing your flights to make sure nothing needs to be changed. If there needs to be a modifications she will call you ASAP, if she hasn't already.

So thats a friendly reminder for all the guests that are traveling by sky! Hope everyone is enjoying SPRING!

(every blog post needs a picture - so here an attraction in the area - Hungry Horse Dam! Its on the way to Glacier National Park - Hungry Horse Dam is Montana's highest and the eleventh largest concrete dam in the U.S)

What shall we do?

2009-03-26T15:15:00.012-06:00

The following is a quick list of activities and adventures you can take while in the Flathead Valley courtesy of Flathead Travel! Feel free to contact us for more info or for the contacts on certain activities.

Glacier National Park
Drive the famous "Going to the Sun", the 52 mile long highway which crosses the Continental Divide and enjoy the beauty of spectacular Glacier Park. You may choose to explore the back country by horseback or on foot on one of the 703 miles of park trails. Park accommodations feature several historic hotels and lodges, or you may camp at one of several campsites. The pass is normally open mid June to mid October. Located just 30 miles from Whitefish and Kalispell.

Glacier National Park

Whitefish Mountain

There are Scenic Lift Rides to the Summit which reaches 6,817 ft in 15minutes. Lift Operates from 10:00am-5:00pm daily. There are 36o degree views of the Northern Rockies from the Summit. (Tickets $12 per person.) You can also Walk the Treetops. The adventure is about 2.5 hours of guided fun that offers a unique view of the forest from an elevated boardwalk through the treetop canopy. ($54 per person.) There is also Mountain Biking Downhill and Cross-country Mountain biking, on miles of trails for all ability levels including skill sections and beginner areas. There are full suspension rental bikes available. You can feel free to take up some hiking and enjoy a full day of 2,500 vertical feet of trails. Breathtaking views, lift service and restaurants all make for a perfect day hike in the Northern Rockies.

Montana Golf
Where else in the world besides the Flathead Valley can you find so many Championship courses? This is a golfer's paradise with everything from challenging Links style courses to demanding Mountain courses. All accented by the beautiful scenery of Northwestern Montana. You'll play every hole with wonderful views of mountain ranges, lakes, glacier peaks and slow moving rivers. It just doesn't get any better than this!

Big Mountain Golf Course

Buffalo Hill Golf Course

Meadow Lake Golf Course

Village Greens Golf Course

Whitefish Lake Golf Course (Located on Grouse Mountain Lodge)

Sailing & Kayaking / Flathead Lake Tours

Get to know MT by enjoying the largest freshwater lake west of the Mississippi - Flathead Lake. Charter a cruise on one of our sailing vessels and grab the tiller, kick back and take in the grandeur of it all, learn how to sail, or charter one of our boats for the seasoned sailor. Flathead Lake is about 30 miles south of Whitefish and only 15 miles south of Kalispell.

Trout Fishing, Fly Fishing, and Rafting

There are numerous opportunities to fish and raft in the area as well. There are options of half day, full day or twilight charters through most fishing guides. Also, snacks and pop are usually on board. Check with the guide to make sure all gear and complete care of your catch is provided. All age levels are welcome in the valley's waters - from families to the serious Angler.

Hot Air Balloon Flights

Take a morning sunrise hot air balloon tour in the beautiful Flathead Valley.

Helicopter Rides

Take helio rides in the valley and over Glacier National Park.

For more information feel free to check out Flathead Travel's website and look under "Area Attractions" for more info and prices.

Where does the time go?

2009-03-17T14:18:00.026-06:00

Hello all,

It is 3 MONTHS to the wedding and time is moving fast. While there is still snow on the ground and it is hard to see spring coming, summer seems to be coming up fast. In our last blog (granted it was a long time ago) we gave you all the information you needed for the wedding and we invite you to take a look at it if you need more info. One main point is that the Flathead Valley is a popular tourist spot and plane, train and hotels fill up fast. Our invitations will be sent out soon so that will give you another reason to run out to the mail box.... maybe..... well you will get one custom designed by Ellie. Once again if you have any questions feel free to contact us.

In other news, John is all healed up after a bad ankle sprain that left him on crutches and in a walking boot.

Those were fun times, but time heals everything so he is back and jumping just in time for his men's league basketball. His high school team is finished after a rough season but it was fun non-the-less. He is still pluging away at school and the classes seem to be flying by 5 weeks at a time.

Ellie has been playing in a volleyball league and started coaching a 16U club volleyball team. She coached her team to a championship this past weekend and they are off and running. She has also been putting her individual touches on the wedding which should make for a beautiful event as you will see in the invitations.

Here are some inspiring photo's

Colorful bows of ribbon....

Blue decorations....

Milk Glass Cake Stands......

Fun Bridal Shower decorations created by Ma Feene... (also displays the colors of the wedding!)

We also wanted to post an image for the location of the rehearsal dinner (everyone that comes out to Montana and thats invited from the area, is invited for dinner!) The pavillion is located in Lone Pine State Park - right outside Kalispell. (We will add pictures of the views you can see when you walk around the park, soon). Also, John's brother Mike will be our grill master - he is quite the chef.

It is March Madness and John's sister Darcy is running the group we put our brackets in for the past few years. So we have not won it yet, thats ok, at least one of us is due here soon and let the madness begin!!!!!

So feel free to email, call, or write in the comment area of this blog if you have any questions or concerns!! See you all soon!!
ellie@feene1.com
jnonemacher@gmail.com

6 Month Warning

2009-01-25T21:28:00.003-07:00

Well 6 more months till the wedding and the plans are kicking in to full gear. This week we are meeting with flower, photographer, and cake people and hope to have them locked in the next 10 days. There are also the rehearsal dinner and other plans that we are working on. Boy do we love weddings.

We would like to say that we understand that these are difficult times and the cost of coming out to Montana may prohibit some of you from making it out to the wedding, it's OK. For those who are planning on coming we would like to make the following suggestions:
-Make your hotel reservations ASAP, rooms here in the summer fill fast. The standard room at Grouse Mountain Lodge (link on the side) is $180 under the Feenstra/Nonemacher Wedding and we don't want anyone to have to get a suite because they waited and the rooms were sold out.
-Air or train tickets can be reserved anytime and paid for later but, as stated above, there is limited space and the valley is a very popular place. There is a link to Flathead Travel on the side of the blog and feel free to contact Micki Nonemacher if you have any concerns.
-If you are car pooling ... good luck, we hope you like the people you are riding with, it is a drive.

Some events that we are trying to put together for the wedding are:
-Traditional Nonemacher 4 man team golf scramble. This will take place on Friday the 26th of June probably at the Whitefish Lake Golf Club which has 36 holes to lose your ball on and is located right next to the lodge. Does not matter what your skill level is, that's why it is a best ball scramble. The pairings are generally 2 from each side of the wedding (2 from Ellie's side and 2 from John's) and is a great opportunity to get to know some people at the wedding. Please contact John at jnonemacher@gmail.com if you would like to play. You would need to pay for greens fee and usually everyone throws in 5 bucks and the winning foursome splits it. Beer drinking and goofy outfits are welcome.
-A group trip to the top of the valley on Big Mountain (don't worry you drive half way then ride a chair lift the rest) will take weather permitting.
-Another group trip to Glacier National Park is also in the works pending weather.

Ellie's email is ellie@feene1.com if you have any questions she might be able to help you with.

Thank you for your time and we hope to see you all there!!!!

On a side note John has hurt himself pretty good. His ankle is sprained badly and it will be 4 to 6 weeks before he is 100% again (pictures to follow)

Quick Update from the Holidays

2009-01-11T19:58:00.009-07:00

Well, just to let you all know the holidays went well in Montana. My parents drove over from Wisconsin to visit us before Christmas and my brother and his girlfriend flew up from Altanta. It was a cold and snowy week, I think some days the high was below zero. We all managed to stay warm and even Rob and Jen ventured out to Whitefish to try out some Montana snowboarding. They all returned home safely the following week. As the Feenstras left, some Nonemachers arrived. Jake, Jenna, and Mike all made the trip to Montana as well. We all celebrated Christmas together and made a trip over to their grandparents house for some good old Tom and Jerrys. Below are some of the images we took over the Holidays. (We will post more Wedding info after this blog!)

Their grandpa teaching us all how to make his famous Tom and Jerrys.

It felt like we sholved a foot of snow off the deck for days and days.

A little snow on the roofs.

Dakota and Simba love the snow!

It's the time for the Holidays

2008-12-09T13:36:00.005-07:00

So you have not heard from us in a little while, and you missed us I'm sure. We have sent out a number of our save-the-date cards and more are on the way. For those who do not know it is June 27th 2009, right here in Kalispell Montana.

Now time for some useless ramblings.

Where is the snow? While we see it in the mountains the valley here does not have any. I heard that the midwest is hogging it all up and wont share with anyone!!! Now I do not ski but Ellie would like to try this year when her family comes out next week and the mountain opened yesturday but only a couple of runs. There is snow in the forcast so keep your fingers crossed or the Feenstra christmas may not go as well as it could.

John update: I am working with kids in a local group home and feel that I'm stealing because I get to hang out at a fitness center most the weekend playing basketball, swimming, racketball and some cardio work while taking care of said kids. I am enjoying it. Also I have been helping the same high school who cut my brother and myself with their basketball team. Being an assistant coach is a lot of fun but we got blown out last week, it was very wierd to sit on the bench for a game at the school when I did not go to the games when I was a student..... strange and weird. As a bonus I have been dealing with a cold the past week and poor Ellie has taken care of me which has not an easy task, I hate being sick and turn into a seven foot child.

Ellie update: She is working and praying for snow like everyone else. She is the one to thank for the save-the-date cards and many of the other wedding decor that is coming into place. The wedding dress is ordered and she is excited to get it (wont be here for a couple months so she will have to be patient) and get it fitted and all that fun stuff, I have not seen the dress but trust that she picked a great one. Her family is coming up next week and we are all looking forward to spending a week with them and showing them the valley, wedding sites and some other sites here and there.

Dakota update: Dakota is a dog, she is fine and praying for snow since that is what she loves the most.

Wedding update: If you did not get a save-the-date please check with which everone of us you know as we may not have an address to send it to. Thanks

We will be on here more regularly... I promise.
Happy Holidays!!

WE ALL CAN LAUGH AT THIS ONE

2008-11-06T15:00:00.002-07:00

I laughed so hard when I saw this and thought that we all could use something funny these days... It's just to bad their career's have gone so far south.

Enjoy

The Ladies of the Wedding

2008-11-03T20:34:00.013-07:00

Great news all, here is the second post of the official wedding party. The Women;

Jenny Knecht - Maid of Honor

Jenny and I met in highschool (when she transferred from SPASH) when we converted her to a Marshfield girl. She is a girl one can always count on being there for you, even if you live in Germany.. Montana... Connecticut.. Wisconsin. She just got married this October and hopefully will have a little advise for me in the coming months :)

Abby Purdy - Bridesmaid

Abby and I grew-up together and is my closest cousin. We have gone separate paths in college - me being the artsy-fartsy type and her being the outdoors gal. I can't wait until she comes out to Montana and can enjoy our outdoors!

Darcy Nonemacher - Bridesmaid

The closest I will have to a sister and one who is a strong, independent woman. I defiantly look up to her, hoping I can be as strong in my beliefs and actions as her someday.

Sam Garrels - Bridesmaid

Sam is the best roommate of all time. Hanging out in the dorms and at our house at Stout - 90210. She was always willing to stay up late - help me through one of my all nighters for projects or just to have a beer with me if it was a long day of classes.

Stephanie Holmblad - Bridesmaid

One of 2 Interior Design girls from Stout in the wedding. Stephanie was always the partner I could count on! It was nice to be able to rely on her during our projects. She is a great designer too!

Kirsten Isaacson - Bridal Assistant

Second Interior Design gal in the wedding. We really bonded Senior year at Stout and is always there for a good laugh. When we stayed in the studio until weeeee hours of the night, she never let it get boring in there! She has a great character and a love for zoos and animals :)

Weddings are everywhere

2008-10-15T15:45:00.006-06:00

We would like to congratulate Jenny and Andy for getting married this past weekend in Marshfield Wisconsin.

Ellie was a bridesmaid and I just watched but it was a great week in Wisconsin

P.S. I was able to visit my twin brother and I am happy to report that I was able to beat him in golf... better luck next year Jake

Will the men please stand up

2008-10-06T11:43:00.005-06:00

Great news all, here is the first post of the official wedding party. The men;

Now we all know that I (John) will be your humble groom

BEST MAN: Jacob Nonemacher, my twin brother who has known me for as long as I can remember. Chances we will get in some stupid argument then forget it happened... 60%

Groomsman: Rob Feenstra, Ellie's one and only sibling and friend of mine. Chances his girlfriend catches the bouquet ... 90% (another wedding soon?)

Groomsman: Scott Swisher, has the responsibility to represent a group of very good friends of mine from Kalispell. Also it would be amazing to see him in a suit. Chances he has a full grown beard on

wedding day.... 99%

Groomsman: Terry Farmer, College teammate who will at every chance remind me that no one cares about me and that it is Ellie's day. Chances he ask Ellie "why are you marrying this guy, have you really thought this out," 110%

Groomsman: Greg Chaisson, College teammate and self proclaimed pimp. Wins contest "fish out of water" here in Montana. Chances he wears alligator shoes ... 75%

Usher: Jesse Piehl, I need someone taller then me at my wedding and I would like to point out he is not family by blood even if he looks it. Chances he looks better then the groom on his wedding day..... better be 0%

Men get your black suits ready, no tux.

Ellie will be making her announcement soon for the ladies.

So what's new

2008-09-29T14:08:00.004-06:00

Hello all,

It's been a little while but believe it or not we have been keeping busy. First John has gone back to school to finish his Social Science major. The nice thing is that it is online so all I have to do is sit in my pj's and read a lot, also I am online all day communicating with classmates and teachers.

Ellie has been working very hard and is enjoying it, her and her boss are both meeting many new clients and everything seems to be positive there.

Dakota was a little sick and we had to wake up at all hours of the night to let her out, it was great fun plus she had very bad gas which did not disappoint.

Our beloved Brewers are in the playoffs!!!!!!! and Ellie's full blown love affair with Ryan Braun would be easier for me to be jealous of, if I did not have a man crush on him. GO CREW

We are very excited to be heading back to Wisconsin next week to attend Jenny and Andy's wedding, we love weddings. Our own is coming along and we will be making another announcement on that soon.

GO BREWERS

A little political entertainment from Saturday Night Live!

2008-09-15T19:32:00.001-06:00

The Vacation thats a Wedding

2008-08-29T15:50:00.006-06:00

Hello everyone, we will be back to our useless ramblings shortly but one more wedding update

June 27th 2009 at St. Mathews church in Kalispell Montana at about 1pm ... ish

The reception will be at the Grouse Mountain Lodge in Whitefish Montana (about 15 minutes north of Kalispell) starting at 5pm. It will be a casual affair in a outdoor pavilion with plenty of fresh air and mountain views.

There are many things to do while you are here including Glacier National Park, Big Mountain Ski Area (plenty of summer things to do there), Flathead Lake and others. Recreation includes fishing, rafting, hiking, live music, golf and my favorite... nothing, just relax.

Flathead Travel Service is our official place for your trip resevations including hotel, air, train, rental car and all of you other area needs. There are rooms reserved under Feenstra/Nonemacher at the Grouse Mountain Lodge.

Phone: 800-388-0989 talk to Tara or Micki (could email too, website in links to the right)

Thank you for your patience and our save-the-date cards will be on there way soon. Any other questions you can fell free to "comment" to this post or contact us and/or our family's.

WE HAVE A DATE

2008-08-20T22:12:00.003-06:00

JUNE 27, 2009 IN KALISPELL, MT

IT'S A VACATION AND A WEDDING.... YOUR WELCOME

MORE INFO TO COME SOON

dakota is excited too but does not know that she will probally not be allowed to take part... we will have to break it to her lightly

Weekend in Wisconsin

2008-08-07T22:20:00.007-06:00

We recently made a short trip to Wisconsin this past week, well at least we planned on it being short, for a fantastic wedding (congrats Ben and Jess Winters) and great bachelorette party (Yeah, for Jenny). It was great to see all the good ol 'Olympic' friends having a great time - tipy cup definitely helped. We planned on leaving Sunday and flying back to Montana, but no, we had to drive the 24 hour drive, yet again. John's boss ordered a Vis-a-vis buggy in Appleton, WI and thought it best to load it in a UHaul and for us to drive it back (pictures to be posted). It is a beautiful piece of craftsmanship, so I guess he felt better knowing John and I would drive it back for him. It ended up being a week long vacation - no complaints here - and we arrived safely back in Montana Wednesday night. It was great seeing everyone!!

The Happy Couple

Olympic Group

Smile!

Later in the night :)

Montana Summer

2008-07-14T21:47:00.000-06:00

What is there to do in the summer here...... go to Glacier National Park. Oh the mountains, Ellie being from the flatlands of wonderful Wisconsin just had to go on this road called "Going To The Sun" in Glacier National Park, which we do often during the year. There are a lot of firsts for her this year, now that we are here to stay (I hope so, tired of driving across the country). One of the firsts is the fourth of July on Flathead Lake, at my aunts house. Good water, good view, good beer, good times. She also got to do a little haying on the ol' farm where she got to drive tractor and didn't have to lift a bail, but was a big help.

So here are some pics of our little trip up the road.

One of the largest waterfalls you can see from the road.

The local car wash.

Still a little snow left.

We made it..... to the top.

There are some road construction delays since they are updating a 75 year old road, but sometimes there are some other kinds of delays.

WEDDING UPDATE: We think we have a date... June 27th 2009. Warn the proper authorities.

Lets get it started

2008-06-27T22:24:00.000-06:00

So the wedding is on and so is our blog.
Following in the footsteps of the Nonericks.