Christmas Party 2009 December 22, 2009

Every year my cousin Janeen holds a Christmas party for a few friends and family members.  This year I didn’t know how long I would last since Zach and I were up early for a day of skiing at Powder Ridge.  After coming home from Kimball I freshened up, grabbed some games and a small plate of treats and Zach, Jeff and I headed over for a night of fun.

I really enjoy Janeen’s Christmas parties because it is a rare opportunity for me to let loose and enjoy since often I am the one hosting a party (Mardi Gras, March Madness, tailgate party, New Year’s Eve party, etc). 

We arrived at Janeen and Als around 7pm and enjoyed some appetizers while we sat around catching up with those we don’t see as often.  Janeen had music going in the background and after a scary rendition of the Jingle Bell dance we decided it was time to get the games started before she was too far gone!

Party games are a must at our Christmas and New Years parties.  Although the men complain they always join in and come up with some very unique and creative answers and clues (“it’s white and in the morning you slap some yellow on it”- what in the hell was that?).  Laughter peels throughout the night and in the wee hours of the morning we find ourselves heading for home  cheeks cramped from laughing and ready to do it all over again in a few weeks at my house on New Year’s Eve.  We definitely have to come up with a June or July party like these so we don’t have to wait so long to do this craziness again.

Highlight Reel December 12th-18th, 2009 December 19, 2009

Saturday- Today we went skiing at Powder Ridge for the Boy Scouts then we went to my cousin Janeen’s annual Christmas party.

Sunday- A relatively relaxing day.  Went to town to get some groceries.  Made lasagna for supper then decorated the Christmas tree and the rest of the house. Watched Julie & Julia.

Monday- Dad had his surgery today.  Took longer then expected but everything went well.  At Scouts tonight we had a guest speaker.  Sargeant Curt Mowers from the Minnesota State Highway Patrol talked to the boys about pedestrian safety, bike safety, school bus safety and seat belt and airbag safety.  He was very interesting and the boys were attentive listeners. 

Tuesday-Jeff had a meeting for work & afterwards they went to Buffalo Wild Wings for supper and a few drinks.  Zach and I stayed home and did absolutely nothing, which was absolutely wonderful.  Listened to the Wild game since it was not televised.  The game itself wasn’t exciting but the ending was.  We scored a goal with 38.7 seconds left in the game to win it!  Go Wild!!

Wednesday- Celebrated my Aunt Bonnie’s birthday tonight with a small party at Nana’s house.

Thursday- Bible Study tonight was on Matthew 9.  More healings (paralytic, hemorrhaging woman, 2 blind men, dead girl) and the point in the Bible where we see the leaders turning against Jesus.  Lex brought popcorn cupcakes which we chewed during the DVD portion.  Our notes got kind of sticky!

Friday- A stay at home night.  I was feeling stomach twinges so I opted out of going to the Tri Parish Council Christmas party

Holiday Candy Making December 12, 2009

Every year my cousin Janeen and I get together a week or two before her annual Christmas party to make our candy and cookies.  It’s a fun holiday tradition for us both.  This year Monica and Gracie joined us.  While I don’t know how much “help” Gracie was it was cute to watch her.

Janeen actually started the weekend before by getting the Spritz cookies, surprise cookies, peanut blossoms, Ritz dipped, and butterfinger bites done.  What a huge help that was getting that out of the way!

After work Wednesday I came home and got the mounds balls, peanut butter balls and berry shortbread dreams mixed up so they could chill.  I had made the brownies for the petit fours and put them in the freezer Tuesday night as well as made BBQ turkey meatballs to put in the crockpot for supper Wednesday night.

When Janeen got off work and got to my house we all had supper and then rolled up our sleeves and got to work.  We rolled the peanut butter balls only to have Gracie re-roll them into logs.  She helped us stir the mixes and shook the spoon and got powdered sugar all over the place.  And when she was helping wash dishes she got more water on the floor then in the sink!  But by the end of the night we got accomplished what we had set out to do.  We made: haystacks, peanut butter balls, mounds balls, petit fours, gourmet pretzel rods, cornflake wreath cookies, berry shortbread dreams,  pretzel wreaths, and peanut butter fudge.

I still have a few things to do on my own: peanut butter cups, black cherry swirl fudge, molasses creams, pumpkin date cookies, cherry bon bon cookies, sugar cookies, cathedral window cookies, almond apricot bites, waffle cookies, chex mix, popcorn snack mix,  and a few new recipes I’m thinking of trying.  It will be a busy (and sugary) couple of weeks, but I am up to the challenge!

What a SWEET holiday Chirstmas is!

Highlight Reel December 5th-11th, 2009 December 12, 2009

Saturday- My great niece Raegan turned 1 today.  Happy Birthday you little angel!  Unfortunately I didn’t make it to her 1st birthday party because I had already made plans for a  shopping trip in St Cloud.  The next 2 weekends before Christmas I will be busy so this was pretty much the only day I could go.  Zach and I got a lot accomplished though and I’m feeling better about what I have bought.  We left at 8am and got back at 4:30, just in time to go to church.  After supper we watched the Wild game.

Sunday- Got Zach to catechism then started on the rest of the Christmas baking.  Thirteen hours later I was done.  After some relax time with a book I turned off the lamp on the nightstand at 2:30am.

Monday- BUSY day at work.  The customers are starting to get in panic shopping mode.  Isn’t it a little early for that?  At Scouts tonight we had the leaders and the scouts watch their seperate youth protection videos.  I am taking the training online so I took this opportunity to attend the vigil mass for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception since I have book club tomorrow night.

Tuesday- We had our Christmas party for the Bookies tonight.  We also celebrated our 100th meeting as well!

Wednesday- One of the Boy Scouts in our patrol has asked me to be his confirmation sponsor so  I attended his large group meeting tonight.  Father LaFlamme did a wonderful presentation on how we are all called to be prophets.

Thursday- Bible study tonight on Matther 8.  We read about some of the early miracles in Jesus’ ministry (cleansing of the leper, the healing of the Centurian’s slave and Peter’s mother-in-law).  Jeff Cavin’s talk was so enlightening I wrote one whole page of notes just on the first paragraph in the chapter!

Friday- took Zach to town so he could hang out with his friends at the mall and Jeff and I went to Famous Daves for supper.  Came home and I watched the Wild game while Zach packed for the skiiing trip tomorrow.

Highlight Reel November 28th-December 4th, 2009 December 4, 2009

Saturday- Football Patrol night tonight.  See previous blog.

Sunday-  Thought I would get to sleep in this morning because we went to church last night and Zach didn’t have catechism this morning, but no such luck.  Up at 5am.  Zach and I went in to get our haircuts this afternoon and in the evening we had Zach’s Fall Court of Honor.

Monday- Delivered some of the Boy Scout wreaths today then I took Zach to Scouts and left to go to my EOM of HC training.  Then back to pick Zach up.  Worked on rechartering a little tonight but ran into more snags. 

Tuesday- Went to lunch without my coat on today.  Beautiful out!  Hard to believe it’s December 1st, but I hear the colder weather (and maybe snow) is moving in.  Worked on getting meatballs made for tomorrow so they will be in the crockpot simmering all day ready for Janeen and I to consume when we break from making our Christmas candy.  Very excited to start the holiday baking season!

Wednesday- Hurried home from work today to get started on the candy.  Janeen and I have this down to a science!

Thursday-Bible Study tonight was on Matthew 7, the continuation of The Sermon on the Mount (Golden rule, judgement, the narrow gate).  Great discussion tonight on judgement on earth versus judgement on the last day.

Friday- had lunch with Papa & Nana and Mom & Dad today.  Brought some bags of clothing to Dorcas, went to an estate sale and came home with more books (like my groaning bookshelves can hold anymore) and relaxed to watch the Wild game.

A Day to Give Thanks November 30, 2009

Thanksgiving this year was really a day to be thankful.  Of course most people when asked what they are thankful for will say God and family.  I say the same thing, because of God’s love and blessings I had my family with me this year.

In July of this year my parents were in a car accident.  They both sustained back injuries, but my mom’s were more severe.  She fractured her good leg (she’s had knee replacement surgery on the other one) and she crushed several vertebra.  Because of this she had to undergo surgery to insert several rods and screws to secure her spine.  Recovery has been a slow and painful process for her and at times she gets very frustrated with herself because she feels she should be recovering faster and be able to do more.

In all her stubborness, my mother decided she was going to have Thanksgiving this year even though she has difficulties being on her feet for any length of time.  I made her promise I could help but every time I got over there to do something she already had it done!  She kept telling me she would really need my help Thanksgiving morning to peel potatoes, whip up a banana cream pie, and set the table.  I set my alarm for 6:30am, took a guick shower and by the time I got there the table was set and the potatoes were peeled and in a pan of water.  Grr!  Amazingly, she did let me help with the pie.  And dad was a big helper as well.

My grandparents joined us a little after 10 and we were able to enjoy the wonderful meal my mother prepared before my oldest son left for work.  The only thing missing that would have made the day perfect was if my brother from California and his 2 children could have been with us.

All in all, a beautiful sunny day with some of my favorite people in the world, and wonderful “home cooked by mom” food.  It’s no wonder Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday.  Yep, I have much to be thankful for.  God is great indeed!

Dad’s Birthday November 22, 2009

This post is a little late getting up here.  Dad’s birthday was November 8th but with opening weekend of deer hunting we decided to postpone it until November 15th.  Still late, I know.

Dad’s birthday went well.  We sat and chatted for a while before we brought out the cake.  Mom made a low cholesterol chocolate cake for dad.  He doesn’t care for frosting that much, he likes it best with Cool Whip on top.  She also made an angel food cake and had strawberries to go with that.  We lit the candles, sang Happy Birthday and then he opened his presents.  I got him a Vikings T-Shirt, he got a Fleet Farm gift card (his favorite store) and mom gave him some new moccasins.  He enjoyed all the presents and he doesn’t look a day older than he did before his birthday.

Hunting 2009 November 15, 2009

This year’s week of hunting was not a productive one.  My dad got two yearling bucks opening day by 8:30am, so with the good start everyone was pretty optimistic.  As the week dragged on they saw deer.  In fact they usually saw them in groups of 2-3 but they were too far away.  Jeff took a shot at two of them Monday but with the distance he didn’t think he’d probably get them.  Saturday morning Jeff and Zach were in the buddy stand and Jeff saw one- but no luck.  One day Jeff was walking out of the woods and my dad saw one following behind him, but Jeff had no idea! 

Saturday I babysat Grace-Lin while Monica went out hunting with my 3 men.  About 4:30-5pm Tyler saw a deer.  He shot at it, hit it and knocked it right to the ground.  When he went to track it he saw a big spray of blood.  He walked a little and saw another big spray, then another, then…nothing.  The blood stopped.  Jeff,and Zach joined Monica and Tyler to look for the deer.  They walked through the swamp and circled around.  It got dark and they came back for lanterns and searched for a while more.  They didn’t find it.  Tyler was just sick about it.  It really bothered him he couldn’t find the deer.

Jeff went out early this morning on the last day of the hunting season and looked a while longer but the deer is nowhere to be found.  Like I said, Dad did get 2 deer which he gave to us so we will have venison.  But hunting season is more then that.  My guys struck out and it was really a disappointment for them.  Hopefully next year will be better for my hunters.

Jewelry, Jewelry, Jewelry! November 5, 2009

Tonight I had my Lia Sophia Jewelry party and it was fun!  Carrie, my jewelry advisor arrived at 6pm and set up her showcases.  She had a lot of new jewelry pieces since the last show I attended so it was fun to see the new stuff.  I looked up as the first car pulled in, followed by the second car, then the third then the 4th.  Everyone arrived at the same time!  I had 8 guests join me for the evening.

Carrie started talking about the jewelry and passing it around for us to look at and try on.  The catalogs never do it justice and everything was so much more beautiful in person.  Everyone was trying on necklaces, bracelets and rings and looking at themselves in the mirrors.  We were all so “accessorized!”

When Carrie was done I set out the appetizers and opened 2 bottles of wine and had cider for those who don’t like wine.  I had shrimp cocktail, cheese and crackers, salmon spread, apple wedges with caramel apple dip, and chocolate chip cookie dough truffles.  You know if I’m doing something there has to be food involved!

Now the difficult decisions begin?  What do I get with all my free bonus money?  I’m finding my wish list is way too long!  Will someone please host a party and invite me so I can buy more of the items on my wish list?? lol

Highlight Reel October 24th-30th, 2009 October 30, 2009

Saturday-  Camping with the Mighty Eagles patrol (see previous post).  Jeff’s truck dies and Dondelinger quotes him a price of $1200.00

Sunday-  Got home from camping soaked.  Spent the rest of the day doing laundry to get the smoky smell out of everything.

Monday- Jeff had his truck towed to Tech Auto where they finished the work in a few short hours and charged us $491.00!   Scouts tonight was working on the second half of our physical fitness testing.  We are getting ready for Fall Court of Honor.  Rumor has it over 50 merit badges have been earned since the last court of honor.  That’s awesome.  Way to go 43!

Tuesday-  Picked up Zach from school today.  He was feeling feverish so I took him home.  Thankfully the next day he felt fine.

Wednesday-  A free night at home (yay!).  Got to watch the Wild and was giddy with their 3 goals in 1:47.  It was fun to watch even though they ended up losing.

Thursday- Bible Study tonight was on Matthew 4 where we focused on John the Baptist and his role in the Gospel.  Got home and the sore throat and the cold I was getting really got the best of me so I was in bed by 8:30.

Friday- More rain all morning then in late afternoon came the snow, so the Eagle Scout Project for tonight at 5pm had to be cancelled.  Harvest Ball at St Mathias was still on so that’s where we ended up.