Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow . . .

 


This is what I woke up to this morning. Isn't it beautiful??? Don't you miss the snow, mom & dad?

My wonderful neighbor snowblowed my driveway this morning for me. What a nice surprise!!! 

Things

Things a person shouldn't do the day after Christmas:

-work
-shop -- unless you need groceries
-be in a hurry
-be sick

Things a person should do the day after Christmas:

-sleep in
-put your fuzziest socks on, cuddle under a blanket and grab a good book or movie (catch up on Netfl*x!!!)
-have a fire, bottle of wine and a good meal

Merry Christmas

I've had a great Christmas and it's hard to believe it's almost over for another year. The kids and I were able to spend yesterday afternoon with Sue, Steve, Carrie and Kyle. We had a good time opening gifts, eating food and chatting. The kids and I then came home and had our little Christmas here and then went to bed to wait for Santa. He came about 2:00 this a.m. and boy, did he have a hard time eating 8 carrots, about 5 cookies and a glass of milk in the middle of the night! He was kind to us, though, and we had fun opening Santa gifts this a.m. and eating cinnamon rolls. Steve has the kids this afternoon and I believe they are having a traditional turkey dinner -- I must be hungry. I keep talking about food!

I received a call from the folks in Hawaii and they are enjoying a nice warm day with fresh bananas and relaxation. Mele Kalikimaka!!!

I'm off to make seafood enchiladas -- have a new recipe! Have a great rest of your Christmas everyone! May you have received everything you wanted, made good memories with your friends and family and will Santa please bring the Vikings a win?????

 
 

My favorites . . .

My favorite Christmas decoration . . .
 

A Department 56 replica of the 1992 St. Paul Winter Carnival Ice Palace. This was purchased for me by my ex-father-in-law and I have loved it ever since.

My favorite Christmas ornament . . .

 

This year, it has to be the new Chicken Little ornament and the mini-sweater and mini-sock that Carrie knit.

 

Christmas Get-to-Know-You

My friend Kahle sends me these cute little questionnaire's every now and again and this one was particularly fitting for the Christmas season . . .

1. Eggnog or Hot Chocolate? Egg Nog -- as long as it's Steve's Grandpa's
2. Does Santa wrap presents or just set them under the tree? He wraps them, of course!
3. Colored lights or white? Depends on what works when I plug them in!
4. Do you hang mistletoe? No, maybe I should.
5. When do you put your decorations up? When I get around to dragging all the decorations in from the garage -- usually about 2 weeks before Christmas.
6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? Stuffing at Karp's; rumaki at Toensing's.
7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child? Following fishing line all over the house when the one end was attached to my present and my dad bringing me mom's gifts from Santa to wrap for him.
8. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? usually
9. What kind of cookies does Santa get set out for him? spritz
10. Snow . . . Love it or Dread it? love it unless it's a lot to shovel
11. Can you ice skate? yes
12. Do you remember your favorite gift? Department 56 Ice Palace
13. What is the most important thing about the Holidays for you? spending time with my family
14. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? cookies
15. What is your favorite holiday tradition? spending time with my family playing games that we got for gifts
16. What tops your tree? This year -- a star
17. Which do you prefer Giving or Receiving? giving -- especially when I find the "perfect" gift!
18. What is your favorite Christmas Carol? It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year
19. Candy Canes, yum or yuk? Yuk. Yuk. Yuk.
20. Christmas Eve or Christmas Day? Christmas Eve -- 'cause my kids go to their dad's Christmas Day!
21. Chocolate covered cherries or peanut brittle? how about my mom's macadamia nut brittle?
22. What was your most unusual Christmas gift ever? Hmmmm.
23. Eggnog or wine? wine.
24. Real or artificial tree? artificial -- I hate vacuuming up pine needles in July
25. Favorite "getting ready for Christmas" activity? making cookies
26. Which side of the family is more fun to be with on Christmas? mine!
27. How long do you leave your Christmas tree up after Christmas? til I get motivated to take it down
28. What makes you cry at Christmas? kids figuring out that Santa's not real
29. What makes you the happiest at Christmas? being with my friends and family . . . and eating cookies!
30. Lefse or lutefisk? Yuk. Yuk. Yuk.
31. What is your ultimate wish for the world this Christmas? that everyone can take a few minutes to celebrate Jesus' birthday and the true meaning of Christmas.

My how time flies!

Has it really been nine years, Sue & Steve, that we first me at Cherokee? It seems I've known you all my life and I guess in a way I have -- I'm so glad I finally made the decision to find you and that you were so easy to find. I hope your life has had peace since we have met and become not only parents and daughter, but friends as well. I love you guys. XOXOX

Happy Birthday Grandma!

Happy Birthday Grandma Karp. I hope you are enjoying the warm weather in Hawaii. The kids -- and I -- miss you and Morgan is reading Win Dixie and enjoying the book. And Nathan is practicing his keyboard skills -- and singing on the microphone.

My elf name . . .

Christmas Elf Name My Christmas Elf Name is Get your Christmas Elf Name at JokesUnlimited.com

Thanks for the fun website, Carrie.

Check out this fun website!

Make your own snowflake!

You have to give them your initials, state and e-mail address, but it's fun!

Saturday

I am so looking forward to sleeping in tomorrow. It has been an absolutely crazy week. I'm too old for this.

Thanks, Jenny, for the fun, relaxing Christmas party tonight. I need to finish my Christmas shopping this weekend, make some more cookies, figure out what I'm doing for Christmas cards/letter, clean my house, finish the laundry and wrap Christmas gifts. Please, don't anyone call me before noon tomorrow. I need to rest before I get all this done. And, I hope my friend Jolie comes through with a ticket to the MV/PS game. Please, please, please! :-)

Congratulations!!!

 


Congratulations, Steve, you bowled a perfect 300 game tonight. I'm proud of you!!!

I have way too much to do for Christmas.

We had snow this week -- lots! It was fun to finally get a storm worthy of snowblowing (thanks Dave)!

BTW -- miss you Pete & Mom & Dad -- you left just in time!

 

Perfect Saturday

 


I woke up this morning "procrastinating," went to Faribault to pick up my sister and then to Mankato to shop at the hobby store. Stopped at the grocery store for some goodies, came home and took a nap and made one of the best meals I've made in a long time . . . with a little help from the "big fat frog." This is a pic that I took at my sister's. If you look hard enough, you can see a big fat cardinal waiting for me to leave. 

Miss Lisa & Princess Lilliana

 


Last night I went over to Lisa's house and got to hold Lilliana for a while. She's so beautiful! I can't believe my kids were ever this little.