trying my green thumb

When Phillip and I moved into this house, we were 'bequeathed' (for lack of a better word) several tomato plants. At the first frost, they are most likely to die. Until then we are enjoying a crop of fresh tomatoes. Two plants have large tomatoes, and one produces mini tomatoes. See the fruit below.

We're searching for a new name: Cast your votes now! :)

This blog is in need of a new name.
Some suggestions have been:

Diary of a DeMarte

The DeMarte Daily

Days of our Lives

As you can see, we might need some suggestions. Alisha, your name is cool so we're expecting some good input!

Please cast your vote or let us know a suggestion. :)

Kunnari Family

This last weekend I went to my first 'event' as a Kunnari relative. Phillip's cousin Chan Paine was married to Stephanie Novak. The wedding took place at the Duluth Aquarium. The ceremony took place outside and the reception was inside amongst displays of Lake Superior and sucker fish. :) It was interesting to walk around and look at the fish while we waited for everyone to make it through the reception line.

It was fun to be a part of the evening with my new husband and to have a chance to talk to some relatives I only saw briefly at our own wedding a couple weeks before. I took some pictures of the ceremony, but they mostly turned out too dark since it was outside and my flash reflected off guests in front of me. I will post my favorite picture of the night however.

Pictured from Right to Left, are Brett and Andrea Kunnari, Chan and Stephanie Paine, and Phillip and Helaine DeMarte. All three of the men in this picture are cousins, and we are the couples that got married over the last month and a half. Brett and Andrea were married 3 weeks before Phil and I and Chan and Steph two weeks after us. :) I was so glad Steph grabbed us for a picture!

A busy weekend

This weekend Phillip has three days off in a row. Saturday through Monday. Although he doesn't really work very long hours, it is really nice when he isn't gone for a while in the middle of the day. On Saturday, we had a wedding to attend in Duluth (more on that later) and so we took the opportunity to take the day and visit his grandparents and do some shopping in the 'Big City'!

Phillip's paternal grandfather, Grandpa Charles DeMarte stays in a VA nursing home in Silver Bay. It is on our way to Duluth to go along the 'North Shore' and stop and see him. So yesterday we did just that. We got there just as he was finishing lunch so we were able to talk with him awhile and then took him out for a walk.

Grandpa DeMarte as far as we know had not accepted the Lord as his Savior. As Mom and Dad DeMarte head to back to the mission field, their biggest burden is for the elderly parents they leave behind but especially Grandpa DeMarte as they think of his need for salvation. We are praying daily that he would understand his need for redemption from sin. He usually understands us ok, but sometimes is a little out of it. We pray that during his times of understanding he would turn from his sin and accept Christ.

After seeing Grandpa, and stopping for lunch, we made our way down to the city and were able to pick up some things and use some of our wedding money. We then headed to see Grandma DeMarte. As you can see she is a woman of small stature, but she sure is spunky! We love going to see her and look forward to some visits with her this winter. We chatted with her for awhile, and then got ready to head to the wedding- hence the 'fancy outfits'. Grandma has accepted Christ as her Savior for which we are grateful. She and Grandpa will have been married for 68 years this winter so it is difficult for her to be separated from her husband, but she knows she could no longer take care of him at home. We love our grandparents and were glad to be able to see both of them yesterday!

Corn Bake

Well, as a new wife, you can imagine there are a lot of firsts involved in my life these days. I could say that everything I do is a first because I never did it as a married woman, but I'll spare you from those details. This weekend however two 'firsts' took place in my life. And I will do my best to post about both.

Below you will see pictures of my first endeavor into wifely duties of a churchgoer. Today we had a potluck dinner at camp as a going away for my parents-in-law, headed to Fiji in two weeks. It also was a welcome for me t the church, but the focus was more on the DeMartes Senior, for which I was glad.

When I attended church in Rhinelander, WI, one of my dear friends, Mrs. Noreen Hare brought a dish to every potluck- by request- that was called Corn Bake. So being that this was my first potluck that I would be bringing something to as a wife, I thought what better dish to bring than just that. So yesterday after the wedding, we stopped for groceries as we were out of cream corn/canned corn.

This morning we got up 'early' to make sure the dish was ready and as I was preparing it, I realized we'd managed to pick up 4 cans of cream corn instead of 2 and 2 of regular canned corn. So Phillip ran downstairs got some frozen corn and we made due. Outside of that little emergency, everything went smoothly, and thanks to 'delay start cooking' on the oven, when we arrived home from church, it was just finishing up. I was really excited to use the new 9x13 carrier that we got as a shower gift, and it worked just as it should.

What a wonderful Husband

Well, since the last post, Phillip came home from work. I heard him walk up the porch steps, and looked around the fridge. He was peeking through the window in the door, and then as he stepped around it, I saw he got me flowers! Below you can see the dozen red and yellow roses that he brought home for me. :) It's fun being newly-weds! :)

From Mrs. Phillip DeMarte

Now I know that the last time I posted on here was after Phillip and I were engaged. And that was just over 5 months ago. But now that I am a married woman, and my family is far away (still) I am going to do my best to update my blog. My sister Alisha's blog is so fun to read, and so I want to try to return the favor to her and to my mom.

One week and half ago, Phillip and I were married and I became Mrs. Phillip DeMarte! I can hardly believe it!! :)

So far we are having a blast and settling in and being a wife is fun! :) I love being able to be around all the time to do everything I can for my husband.

And speaking of which, there are some things I should get to before he gets home for lunch so I better run. :) I'll do my best to post more pictures and updates. There is a LOT to blog on it seems right now.