Girlfriends

The Results Are In, and.........

2012-02-03T21:23:00.003-06:00

Today was the day of our weigh in at work. I am weighing in every two weeks with two great co-workers, Dawn and Mandy. So before my math class started, the three of us headed up to the nurses office to weigh in on the scale. Of course we take off our shoes, jackets and any heavy jewelry we may be wearing. I was the first to step top upon that scale. Would it be my friend this time or would it by my enemy. As I start to slide the weight, I can see it is definitely a loss. So glad that January proved to be a good month. I lost a total of 11 pounds! It felt good and I am proud of myself for sticking to not only my diet, but for logging in my points every day to Weight Watchers Online. I even log in the occasional Hersey's Kiss I treat myself to. I like doing the points on Weight Watchers because I can plan for my meals by knowing how many points are left for the day, or by cutting back on points earlier in the day if I am planning to go out for dinner. Weight Watchers also allows extra points to use as your choose. You know what, it is sort of nice when the end of the week comes and you haven't used all those points, and can truthfully say you did not go hungry.

I have enjoyed my lunch even if I did cut cut back to half a sandwich and use Fiber One bread. I also take fresh fruit and fresh veggies to munch on. I usually have a banana or orange in the morning, my sandwich at lunch, and then munch on the veggies in the afternoon and have my fruit for a late afternoon snack. This past week I found black berries at Sam's Club that were wonderfully delicious. I had them along with some strawberries. Another one of my favorites are the red peppers from Sam's Club. They are long, slender peppers and one would think from looking on them, that they would be hot peppers. Surprisingly, they are some of the best sweet tasting peppers I have ever tasted. I also cut up some of the cucumbers we buy from Sam's Club. They come in a three pack, and I like them because each one is individually wrapped. they seem to stay fresh for a long time. They are the long slender ones and I just cut them up, peel and all and pack them into my lunch. They are flavorful and have great crunch to them.

Well, next week, Kris Frietag and I have a date. I am making a commitment on here that I will start to add exercise. I am going to start small by only committing to doing one routine daily. I think I will choose to do this each day after I get home. My goal is to add another ten-minute workout the following week in the morning. I know that to exercise regularly is very similar to sticking to a good and healthy eating routine. I just have to start, take it one day at a time, and give myself a month to reap the benefits. So, if you see me around, encourage me to keep eating well and ask how my exercising is going. Keep me accountable!

"What's on the Menu Tonight?"

2012-01-30T21:04:00.005-06:00

Well, If you have been following my blog or me on Facebook, you know that this year I vowed to make a life change. I did not call it a resolution, because resolutions can be broken, thus the reason I am calling it a life change, it makes it become a commitment. So since the first of the year I have changed my eating habits. It is still going well and I am seeing the benefits. I will not share how much I have lost with you today, for I had my first weigh in about a week and a half ago, and my next weigh in will be on Friday. After that weigh in I will share my weight loss with all.

It is sort of funny, because it doesn't seem to matter to me how much I have lost! It isn't such a big deal. Rather, it seems like a big deal that I have been sticking to this 'life change' for an entire month. that is really good. As I would tell my math students that is 1/12 of a year of sticking to something that has been hard for me to stick to in the past. Why I don't know, I guess it is just my time.

So tonight I made a couple of recipes I found on Pinterst, I LOVE PINTERST! I love all the cool ideas I find for my home, garden and school. I have also found some really great recipes, and tonight I tried two of them, I think these main course and vegetable recipes are a couple of the best I have ever tasted.

Tonight I made 'Garlic Parmesan Chicken and Parmesan Roasted Green Beans. Both were very quick and easy to make. I served my dinner with a piece of garlic toast and a glass of Michigan Moscato Wine. A perfect paring for an absolutely perfect meal.

Garlic Parmesan Chicken
1/2 cup butter

4 chopped garlic cloves

4 boneless chicken breasts

3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Salt & Pepper

Melt butter, add chopped garlic and saute.

Place chicken in a single layer of a shallow baking dish.

Mix the cheese and Italian seasoning.

Cover the chicken with the cheese and seasoning mixture.

Pour garlic butter over the cheese covered chicken breasts.

Bake uncovered at 350 degrees until chicken is no longer pink.

Recipe from cheese.food.com

Roasted Parmesan Green Beans

12 oz green beans, trimmed (make sure they are dry)
2 tsp olive oil
salt + fresh cracked pepper to taste
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 1/2 tbsp shredded Parmesan

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Line a baking sheet with aluminum for easy clean-up.

Lay green beans out on the baking sheet and drizzle oil over them.

Season with salt, pepper and garlic powder and toss to evenly coat.

Spread them out on the sheet so that they all lay flat.

Place on the lower third section of your oven.

Bake 10 minutes, shake the pan to turn.
Bake 5 additional minutes.

Remove from the oven and sprinkle with grated cheese.

Recipe from skinnytaste.com

Well, be sure to check back after Friday when I share my news of how much weight I lost in January. February is the month to increase my activity. Yes, that means it's time to start a regular routine of exercising, and remember, if you see me out or around, please keep encouraging me on my 'Life Change' journey this year. I need the support of my family and friends to make my journey a success.

New Year-New Me Update

2012-01-18T20:32:00.000-06:00

Well, it's been a couple of weeks since my post and I've been working hard to stay true to my words. It is not easy to make a life change. The first week was pretty easy, I think mainly because it was new and right up front on your mind, but slowly my old habits start to creep in telling me, "It will be okay to just have one hershey kiss." Then at school I walk into the faculty lounge and it's just another manic Monday and someone has brought in dougnuts. I automatically reach for one, it's so second nature to just do it. Another moment comes when I'm making dinner and of course I'm hungry and the next thing I know I find myself reaching for one of those Mars cherry bites that I husband has (and they aren't even my favorite). Then I have to stop and remind myself of that promise I made to myself and shared with all my friends. I am going to make this change in my life and I won't let my old habits win! I have some very special reasons to make it work this year.

I have family that is very important to me. I want to be around for a long time to see grandchildren graduate, attend their weddings, even hold their children. I want to be able to walk up a flight of stairs without huffing and puffing. I want to be able to fit into some of those clothes hanging in my closet. I want to go shopping for something other than extra large or 1X, and wouldn't it be nice to slide easily into those desks at school with the chair attached to them! I will one day (sooner than later) hit my golden years. I want to enjoy them! It would be so nice to be healthy enough to travel around this country with Mark as we go through that golden time together and be able to truly enjoy it.

So my first weigh-in will be Friday. ( Several of us at school are weighing in every two weeks.) Hard to say how it will go. I step on my scale every morning. It has been looking good. I have been eating much healthier, especially at lunch and snacks. I found some wonderfully scrumptious sweet red peppers at Sam's Club, so I've been cutting one of them up every day for lunch and snacking. I've also make a sandwich every day, and have cut that to 1/2 of a sandwich. I 've been taking a couple servings of fruit and celery with me. I've also been drinking more water. I have been feeling better, more energy at night. I have not made much progress on the exercising. That has to be my next step. So that is my goal for the next several weeks to start an exercise program that I will be able to stick to. I won't try to take on the world, but rather start with something I know I can stick to and build upon. I have a CD by Kris Freytag that has multiple ten minute workouts. I feel that will be a good place to start, as I think I can probably hang in there for at least 10 minutes.

Well, that's it for now. I will report in again in a couple of weeks to let you know how everything is going. Wish me luck and if you happen to be around me, please encourage me to do this. Help me by not offering me chocolate, for if you know me, you know it's my downfall. Offer me some fruit, raw veggies or a diet pop. If I look like I'm having a rough day, give me a little bit of encouragement, and most important, just be my friend when I need one.

Not a Resolution, Rather a Life Change

2012-01-08T08:49:00.010-06:00

Scale, measuring tape, cookbooks and workout video-all tools to help wearing the dress

Well the first week of January has come and gone. I've never been real great at making New Year's Resolutions, mainly because most of the times people in general do not stick to them. So this year I am not making one either, rather I am making a life change. I know I need to lose some weight, and I would really like to lose some weight. I also know in order to do that, I have to make some life changes. It would be great if there was some 'quick fix' for my weight dilemma, but unfortunately there just isn't a magic pill I can take one night to wake up thin the next morning. I have often thought how nice it would be to be able to do that, but then when I really contemplate the idea, realize there is not much reward in anything that doesn't take a little work getting to. I have contemplated the protein shake idea, read up on many different diets and have come to one conclusion, Weight Watchers will be the best for me. I know that part of my problem in being overweight is not just taking the weight off, but learning how to eat properly all the time. I like the taste of food. I like the experience of having different textures, tastes, spices hitting my tongue. So I will begin to monitor what I put into my mouth and how much of it I actually consume.

Along with that, I will have to begin a regular routine of exercising. I am going to aim for the little exercise sessions at this time. I know myself and if I commit to anything to much, I will not do it, so I am opting for short workouts 2-3 times a day. I am out of shape and need to get back to being more active and know I can only accomplish this by taking those baby steps. We have a new Snap Fitness in Rice now, and I would like to join that. Both Mark and I have talked about it, so we will have to look into it. It would be convenient because of the location, and I don;t think it would be too packed ever either. Again, baby steps will needed to be taken, otherwise it won't happen. Start small and work your way up Monica. I don't want to start this by doing so much that I give up in the first couple of weeks. I would also like to get Mark and i to do some games with he Wii to get our bodies moving a bit versus sitting on the couch with our computers.

I have taken a big step in making this a commitment, as I am weighing in at work every two weeks with two co-workers. We are also sharing our weight with each other, no that's a BIG leap. It will be good to have the accountability with someone else. It will also be great to have the support from these two good friends. Both Dawn and Mandy have great personalities and can bring humor to any situation. That may be helpful when I hit those plateaus that I know will come along my way during this journey to a new, more slender, healthier me.

In the picture above, there is a black dress that has been hanging in my closet waiting to be work for a couple of years. When I bought it, I thought I would lose some weight and be able to wear it soon. Well soon came and went now for several years and that dress is still waiting to hit the dance floor. It is now my goal to not only get the dress on (you see it has a little stretch in the fabric), but to look smoking hot in it from all directions with no fat rolls or tummy pouch showing.

So I will be posting my updates throughtout the year as how I am doing on my life change. Please give me encouragement throughtout the year as I begin this hew journey in my life. I;ve taken this journey before, but it will be different this time, for I am not as young as I once was when it was easier to make these changes. Hopefully, the body will respond in a positive way and support me along the way. I hope that everyone else that made some time of resolution this year will be able to fulfill their hopes and dreams also.

Welcoming in 2012

2012-01-02T11:02:00.009-06:00

Another new year has begun. I would like to reflect over the past year. It was a good year. My grandchildren celebrated growing another year older, and I was able to make birthday cakes for them to enjoy. I also grew a year older, but it really wasn't as big of a deal as the grandchildren's birthdays. For me, it's just another year, although I'm very grateful to be able to have that extra year added onto my life. I hope I can do good by the gift of starting another year by eating healthier and starting and maintaining an exercise routine. It is very important to me to do those two things, as I would like to have many more years to be able to make cakes for my grandchildren's birthdays.

This past year did have it's sad moments. At my school, STRIDE Academy, we had several children experience illness. One little girl was completely paralyzed and in the hospital for over three months with Guillian Barre Syndrome. I am happy to announce that she returned to school in June, and as of this date, it would be hard for anyone to detect that she was ever hospitalized. On a sad note, the week she returned, our school lost another young girl. She had an immune disorder that is very rare and at the stage they detected it, was incurable. I am proud to be associated with a school that gave the family so much support from staff and families. It was a very sad funeral to attend, but wonderful to see our school choir perform 'The Climb, and to see so many staff members, parents and students attend. At the end of the school year we learned of another young student battling kidney cancer. He had surgery and continues to have chemo and is doing alright. I have him in my literature class, and he recently wrote that his high in life was simply life itself. Very simply stated, but so true. I also lost an aunt this past year due to a car accident. My Aunt Edna was a strong lady in so many ways. She worked up until the age of 87 and remained active since then volunteering. She walked her dog at least two times a day around the streets of Monticello. She was always so upbeat, even when she had obstacles in front of her. We also lost a father of two of our young students this fall. It was very comforting to have the mother bring the boys to school the day after the accident and tell our principal that the school was the best place for them that day as it gave them both the structure and support that was important for them. Lastly, a young three year old was hit by a stray bullet in North Minneapolis the day after Christmas. He was the nephew of a lady I worked with when I taught at New Visions School in Minneapolis. The mother of the young boy stated that she didn't let her children play outside, because it wasn't safe, but thought that her home was a safe place. It is so sad that the innocent victim was a young child. We will never know what great things he could of accomplished on this earth.

I hope that we all can learn from these events. I hope that we can begin to live each day as if it were our first and also as if it were our last. Live as if each day is a new beginning. In doing so we do not need to carry baggage from our past with us. We can do whatever we have to to set that baggage free. That may mean having to forgive someone, making amends, or picking up the pieces in some relationship with others. In doing so we will be able to live as if it is the first day of our lives every day for we will wake up refreshed and light hearted. Live each day as if it is your last chance to make your mark on this earth. Try to smile more often, even at the grumpy people. Be sure to tell those important to you that you love them each day. Offer a kind gesture to someone every day, and it does not have to be someone you know. Try to brighten the world around you, only you can change the world around you, so do it!

I wish everyone the best of 2012. Please check back for I will be posting on a regular basis. Look for pictures of the future birthday cakes I will be making, and remember to make 2012 a great year for your self, you deserve it.

Wishing all my family and friends a Happy New Year!

I'm Back!

2011-09-11T22:48:00.002-05:00

It's been awhile since I have blogged. About three years. Way too long! So I have decided to gat back into it. As I look back over by blog, I found it fun to read. It is also a bit of a legacy that I can leave for my family. I am sure that someday the grandkids will get a huge kick out of reading it. So I am making a pledge to blog at least a couple of times a month so be sure t check back. It's almost 10:30 on Sunday night and I have to get up early tomorrow, so I won't post much today.

'Where were you when the world stopped turning on that September day?' I wanted to post something to remember a day that will forever be on our minds and in our hearts, 9-11-01. It was a day that many of us watched the television in dis-belief of what we saw. That morning I was at school at New Visions Charter School in Minneapolis. I had a room off the library and I remember when our media teacher came in and told me a plane had just flown into the World Trade Center. We turned on the television and soon found out a second plane had also hit it. Then we knew it wasn't an accident. Later we learned about the plane that crashed into the Pentagon and the one that those heroic passengers crashed in Pennsylvania.

I remember calling my daughter that morning, I needed to connect with her. We could not believe what we were seeing on the television. I was torn that morning, part of me wanted to race out of school, get in my car and drive out to her, but I also had a commitment at the school. It was a strange day. We went into a security mood at school. We had a very secure building with Honeywell security system that kept all doors locked and only opened with a special key card or with a buzzer in the office. Even with that security, we posted adults at all three doors that day. The IDS Tower in Minneapolis was evacuated that morning, and we at school tried to keep the day as normal as possible.

Later that night I went to my daughter's and the gas stations were busy! Everyone was filling up with gas. No one knew what would happen next. I think many just went through the motions of their normal activities. We all watched the television with horror as we saw people jumping from the Twin Towers and as we watched the video of the collapse of those two buildings. That night everyone held their children a little bit closer for a little bit longer.

Out of that day arose a new surge in patriotism in our country. At parades after that day, people began to applaud as the American Legion and Veterns of Foriegn Wars carried our nations flags at the beginning of parades. Many young people felt the desire to join the arm forces and we saw more American flags being flown across this great country. We also saw more credit being given to our men and women who have and are serving our country. Since that day, too many of our soldiers have lost their lives in the fight against terrorism, but the fight continues. So as I go to bed tonight, join me in saying a prayer that those serving on foreign lands will return safely to American soil.

Too long!!

2009-05-12T01:45:00.006-05:00

It's been much too long since I have posted on my blog. I vow to try to not let that happen again. Sometimes I do not know where time goes as it constantly slips away from me moment by moment. I have been very blessed lately to have my sister spending time with me. It has been very wonderful. Time to cry over despairs, time to laugh over memories and time to remember times that have past. A sister must be one of God's greatest gifts for she is always non-judgemental and can laugh and cry at the same points you do no matter if it's your story or hers.

We have had lots of fun even though it's only been 3 days since she arrived. Of course we have gone shopping, and we plan to do more. We have even taken a mini road trip to visit our brother and his summer campsite. Of course it was an adventure. First of all we missed out turn. We ended up by thisa GIGANTIC sture of some Indian Chief (Oh excuse me, I mean Native Americian). We did the standard arm strectch and took a self portrait. Then my sister, Trich decided she would attempt to scale the giant statue to have her picture taken. We laughed so hard, but it was worth it.

Then after our visit with our brother and his wife ws oer, we headed south.......of course we were hoping form more great hoto opportunities. Boy were we happy when we happened upon Vinning and found the 'big foot statue. We took several pictures and headed down the frontage road. Little did we know we would hit the mother load. We had fun taking our pictures and thend we headed home.

Past Summer

2008-11-23T20:11:00.010-06:00

Well, I know it's been awhile. Let me start with the past summer, seems like a good place to start on a cold November evening. Well, the summer was great, of course it went by too fast. I attended training for a week for my new position at STRIDE as the Reading Coach. It was intense, but good and has been very helpful to my job.

Then there were the ususal summertime activities like parades and activities. Emma was in the Monticello parade for her dance group. Here's a picture of the little sweetie. She's back in dance this fall and has moved into the competition group, so looking forward to that. So glad she's doing so well. For those who don't know, she was diagnozed with epilepsy last February, but is on medication and all seems to be going well for her. She's back to her usual 'diva' self.

We also did the usual Platte River Day (Yes it is only a 1-day celebration) right here in Royalton. We had Shannon & Jeff visiting from Michigan so it was great to have all our kids and grandkids here for the day. Of course Mark grilled some good food. Here's a few pics of the grandkids partaking in all the fun activities for the day.

That's Micheal doing the water balloon toss. A favorite of all the kiddos. Then next are Emma and Grace in the petting zoo. Kiara and Braiden waiting to face each other off in the water balloon toss. Kiara taking aim with her squirt gun and Emma using hers to cool off. Finally Braiden waiting for the parade to come by.

Be sure to come back as I'll post some more and read as I tell all about losing a bunch of precious pictures.

CAKES, CAKES AND YET MORE CAKES!

2008-05-26T19:48:00.012-05:00

When my daughter was growing up and having those yearly birthday parties, I made many of her birthday cakes. When I lived in Wyoming, I had a good friend named Mary and she got me strarted decorating cakes. We made my daughter a Cabbage Patch Kid cake from a form. It had SO many stars on it that our hands cramped! But it was very cute and she enjoyed it, making it so worthwhile. I continued to make decorated cakes when she was younger, then as she grew, German Chocolate Cakes became her favorite. Over the past year I have started decorating cakes again. I even took a cake decorating class at Royalton Community School last fall and have been decorating more cakes this year. Hey, I even did my first cake for profit! So here are a few of the cakes I've made for birthdays for the grandkids this year.

First to have a birthday is Braiden. He turned nine this past February. He was happy with his transformer B-Day Cake. Of course the frosting is the 'bomb'.

Next to have a birthday was Ella. She turned one in February. I used the theme from the napkins and plates to decorate her cake. Of course she had a little cake all to herself.

Next was Kiara who also turned nine this year in April. Kiara likes the Bratz, so I tried to make a Bratz cake for her. The eyes were a bit tricky, but what the heck, those dolls have lots of makeup on anyhow.

Latest one the have a birthday living in around here was Emma. She turned six in May, and YES! she is into Hannah Montana, so she had a Rockin' Hannah Montana Cake.

Mark's other two grandchildren live in Michigan, so they'll have to wait for their cakes till they come at the end of July. Michael just turned 12 last week and Grace will turn 9 in July.

Well, here are a few samples of some of the other cakes I have made, (and took a picute of). These were cakes made for people at work. The one on the left was for one of our kindergarten teachers whose husband took a job promotion and they moved to New York this month. It was a big move for them and their two teenage daughters, but they are looking forward to it. The cake on the right was my first cake for profit. One of the gals I work with ordered it for her husband's 50th birthday. He is a dectective in St. Cloud.

Garden

2008-05-26T19:34:00.002-05:00

Over the Memorial Day weekend, Mark and I worked on our gardens. Mark decided to move his tomato garden, so we turned the old tomato garden into a 'Rose Garden'. We put a fountain in the middle. I plan to make some mosaic stepping stones for the center of the garden and may possibly add some potted plants at the corners. I can hardly wait for the roses to bloom. Guess you can say the old song isn't true for me, you know "I beg you're pardon, I never promised you a rose garden", because I got mine!

My tulips are in full bloom, and they are starting to fill in nicely this year. They look so pretty and I think it means the spring is finally here in Minnesota. We go from 80 degrees yesterday to 50 degrees today, so it's hard to tell. I'm looking forward to my perenial garden this year, as it is really starting to fill in nicely. I'm going out to the farm that Mark grew up on to collect some rocks to edge the garden. Then I'm going to buy a nice swing and plan to spend many afternoons enjoying the flowers and the sound of the water as I sip a nice cool beverage of my choice. Maybe you'll have to come over and join me some afternoon!

Friends Over the Years

2008-01-20T21:49:00.000-06:00

Sometimes people come into our lives and never leave. They contniue to be an important part of our lives as the years go by. These friends are the ones that we feel the close ties to. They are the ones that we can always talk to and it seems that no matter how far we may drift apart, we can always pick up where ever we left off that last time we were with them. I am fortunate to have a friend like that. Her name is Mary. I met her back when I was just out of high school. I went to St. Cloud Business College for legal secretary. I had wanted to be a beautician, but my mom thought being on my feet all day would be too hard. So off I went to become a secretary. Mary also had chosen the same school. Mary was from Wayzata. The city girl met the country girl. We immediately hit it off and soon we were sharing a room. The joke around the dorm when we couldn't be found, was that we were probably out somewhere sharing a coke. Needless to say, Mary and I had many fun and crazy times in St. Cloud.

As the years went by, we were always there to support each other in good and bad times. Of course there was both. As I think back, I'm not sure which made us stronger. We were there for each other's weddings, birth of children, and get togethers every summer after I had moved to Wyoming. Mary and her step-son Kurt and daughter Jessica even visited us in Wyoming. We have the kind of friendship that never judged, often gave advice, and where the other was always there when a shoulder to lean on was needed. Neither of us is perfect, nor do we claim to be, but we really appreciate the friendship we have had over the decades. Now we get together to share stories of our grandchildren and to catch up on how our kids are doing. We still laugh about some of the good times from our past, often wonder what happened to some of the people we knew back then, and most of all truly appreciate the great friendship we have.

In December, Mary's son Shane was married. Mark and I traveled to the cities to attend the wedding. It was the weekend after the snowstorm, and the trees around the cities looked like something from a winter wonderland picture. They glistened and sparkled with snow and ice. We had a wonderful time at the reception as we danced to songs from our younger days. Mary and I got together for a picture, remembering one from our younger days when we attended a wedding for a friend. It's amazing how our friendship withstood so much. Maybe it was what our friendship withstood that made it grow so strong. I hope everyone has at least one friend that is as special to you as Mary is to me.

Here's a couple pictures of the two of us with our 'guys'. Mary and Doug and Me and Mark. We're lucky to have these two great guys in our lives today.

Hands-on Math Lesson

2008-01-20T18:53:00.001-06:00

The day before we left for winter break (previously known as Christmas break, but trying to be politically correct), my kids in math class had an assignment to follow a recipe. We used a no-bake cookie recipe. Being we have so many kids in school with peanut allergies, I had to find a recipe without peanut butter in it. It was a bit tough, but I did find one. So we made our recipe and then served our cookies to staff arond the building. We had lots of fun. Of course the kids loved the cookies with chocolate and sugar in them.

Here's a pic of me and the kids. The other is of Val, who teaches with me, and one of the whole gang.
Here are some more pics of the kids. Here are some pics from our morning reading group. We sort deviated from our regular routine and read stories about making snowmen and then the middle school kids came a caroling. They also brought hot chocolate and candy canes to the kids. Our parent group, PATHS, Parents and Teachers Helping Students sponsered it. The Paths also gave all staff members a $10.00 gift card to Target. Very nice!

Our students made their own snowman using marshmallows, pretzels and raisins. Everyone had fun. This last picture I just have to share with you is one of Val's socks. She truly was in the Christmas spirit!

First Post for 2008

2008-01-20T18:31:00.000-06:00

Yes, I am still alive and kicking in Minnesota. I just checked my blog and couldn't believe that I hadn't blogged since October! Boy that's pretty bad. Guess I have a lot of catching up to do. First off, it should be easy for me to blog now, no more excuses. You see my hubby bought me a laptop computer for Christmas. He remembered when we first met that I would bring my computer from school at the time to work on over the weekend and that I liked the ease of being able to do that. So he got me my very own. He's a sweetie. Guess I'll keep him.
Here's a picture from Christmas Eve when I opened my new computer. I don't know if the picture caught my true surprise or not, but I WAS NOT expecting to get a computer. Now I have to learn how to do everything it can do. It's a wireless, so I can sit anywhere in the house and use it. Hmm, I wonder how far I can go outside and still use it? Haven't tried that yet, it's been a bit too cold in Minnesota to do anything outsied lately. But then this is Minnesota.

Well, stay tuned and check back, as I will do some more blogging to catch you up on what I have been up to. Oh, by the way, Happy New Year to everyone. I hope 2008 brings you happiness, good health and many wonderful memories.

The Alumni Dance

2007-10-07T09:48:00.000-05:00

Well, as many of you may know Mark and I met through the St. Cloud Singles Club. I was secretary when he showed up for the first time at our monthly meeting. He says he noticed me right away. Later he showed up at Baker's Square where a group of us had gathered. I remember thinking he was a bit of a smart ass, but thought, 'Well, maybe he'll have some friends.' Little did I know back then.

So, it didn't take long before I was swept off my feet by Mark, who was funny, sweet and liked to buy jewelry and flowers. The two things I think every lady deserves. Besides that, he was kind, considerate and a good father to his children. Hard to believe two years have past since our wedding.

Just several weeks ago we were invited to the St. Cloud Singles Alumni Dance. Once a year they always invite back the couples who got married. It's always fun to see our friends back where we met and our relationship grew. We had a good time. They had hired BLT to play, one of the local bands we like. BLT is mostly country, but play a little rock and roll too.

Here are some pictures of some of our friends that also met throught the club and got married within the past couple of years. We wish them many more years of happiness.

These are some of our single friends. I still get to see many of the gals. Us married gals get together with some of the single gals for dinner once a month. it keeps us in touch.

These people were such an important part of our life, and it is important that we stay in touch. Sometimes life gets so busy, and we seem to run out of time. If we really try, we can find the time, and I will work hard to do that. Friends new or old, are a valuable commodity.

Laughter and Meeting The Man that Made Us Laugh

2007-09-23T21:47:00.000-05:00

Well, this was the "Big Bill Engvall" weekend. Mark & I had gotten tickets for us and Jennifer & Josh to go see Bill at Grand Casino in Mille Lacs back in July. We were so excited, you see, we had FRONT ROW tickets, just slightly to the right of center stage. We had gotten our tickets nearly 2 months earlier and had also reserved two rooms. We all got up to the hotel around 4:00 pm, checked in and took the kids to the arcade and then went to eat at the prime rib buffet. It was good! After that, we took the kids to the pool.

At the pool, Jennifer and I nearly had a heart attack. All of a sudden, we didn't see Braiden. Jennifer started to walk around one side of the pool, and I the other. Then she asked Emma where he was and Emma said he went to the hot tub. Sure enough, there he was talking to some old guy. Well, the kids played in the pool for a little more and then we headed up to the room to get them ready for bed and the adults had a couple of drinks and got ready for the 9:00 show.

Well, let me tell you, the concert was so great! We laughed so hard. It's so great to laugh at someone telling jokes without using any profanity, just making fun of all the ordinary things that can happen to all of us. Of course Bill did some of his famous, "Here's your sign" jokes and before your knew it, and hour and a half had passed and it was all over. We went back upstairs to check on the kids, and have a drink before going back to the casino to play for a bit. As Jennifer & I walked into the casino, we walked right past Bill Engvall. Yep, we walked right past him, never said anything to him, just giggled like school girls. Jennifer really kicked herself that night and the next morning for not saying anything to Bill.

Well, Sunday we took the kids back to the arcade. Jennifer and Josh had gone to get a coffee, Shantel and her friend Katie were up in the room getting ready and Mark had headed to the bathroom. All of a sudden the fire alarm went off. I looked at the attendant in the arcade, she wasn't doing anything. No one was. I took the kids and starting walking towards the door and met their parents. Then Mark came up and I asked him if he had heard anything from Shantel, and just then my phone rang. They had come down and were just outside the arcade, so we all went out there to avoid the annoying fire alarm.

Well, we were standing there, when we look over and lo' and behold, there is Mark talking to Bill Engvall. So we all went over and got a few pictures taken. Jennifer was sure glad! Here are the pics of us with the funny man himself, Bill Engvall.

Here's one of Josh and one of Jennifer with Bill. She was a bit giggly.

Here's one of Mark and myself with Bill and one of Shantel with him. She had her eyes closed, but there weren't any retakes as the all clear was sounded and Bill headed back to his room. It was really nice of him to allow people to take pictures. So, the girls went up to finish getting ready, Mark checked us out of the hotel and we headed back for Sunday Brunch Buffet. Little need to eat anything else for rest of the day. Well, it was a great weekend, beautiful weather, fun times, laughter and a photo op we never expected.

If it's fall, It must be...........

2007-09-18T20:11:00.000-05:00

Time for those fall tractor and threshing shows! Yes that's right. For the past two weekends, Mark has been at tractor shows. Over the weekend of the 8th, we went up to Dalton, Minnesota. It was an interesting weekend. Friday was a nice day, and then on Saturday it RAINED! We had purchased a portable DVD player on Friday, so on Saturday we sat in the Trailblazer watching a movie between customers. It did clear up for awhile during the BIG TRACTOR PARADE. Yes I said tractor parade. I am totally amazed by those tractor parades. It amazes me that a hundred years ago, before anyone had engineering degrees, that someone could create massive machines that ran on steam, were relatively quiet, and are still working today. Here are a few pictures of some of those tractors.

A couple of the big tractors. They are so amazing!

The John Deere really interested me. I had never seen a tractor with the wheels covered like that. This is a tractor that is used in the orchards. The wheels are covered so they won't damage any of the fruit. The Farmall is like the one my daddy had on the farm. I drove it in the fields during haying season. I pulled the wagon while my brother, Tom and his friend Larry loaded the hay bales. I rememeber my brother yelling at me, seems I didn't get close enough to the hay bales. I also remember popping the clutch and killing the engine. I didn't really like driving the tractor, I didn't think it was a very 'girly' thing to do at the time.

This past weekend, Mark was at the show in Albany, It was HUGE! So many people, and a big flea market. Mark did well both weekends. I think he drummed up a LOT of new business. That will keep him and Shaun busy for awhile! On Sunday, Josh and Jennifer came to Albany with Braiden and Emma. I have postings from last year when Mark & I had the kids for the weekend and brought them to the Albany Threshing Show. They really enjoyed it, so they came back again this year. They like watching the big tractors drive by.

A great way to spend a fall day, watching all the tractors go by!

Live Each Moment

2007-09-04T22:39:00.001-05:00

Life can be short. We never know what is waiting for us around the next corner or over the next hill. Life should be lived to the fullest and along with that, we should always take time to appreciate those around us. Family and friends are two of the most valueable gifts we are given by God. As you all know, Minneapolis experienced a major tragedy a month ago with the collapse of the 35W bridge over the Mississippi. On Sunday, Mark and I drove down to the U of M, parked and walked over to the recently reopened 10th street bridge.

We stood and looked at massive concrete slabs, concrete pillars, and large steel frames that had been left in a heap of junk. The steel looked like those cheap clothes hangers you get from the drycleaner that can be twisted with ease by a 5 year old. One of the concrete pillars had been moved by the impact and the steel beams had dug a groove into the pillar. They had begun to remove some of the concrete, but you could still see evidence of where the cars had been by the bright pink spray paint. On the pieces remaining, you could still see the construction barrels that had closed off lanes and the sheets of plastic that covered the work the workers had been working on that day. You could even see the port-a-potty that sat between the two sections that was there for the workers. The pictures on the news do not compare with what you see when you stand before it. I am still amazed and thankful that the death count wasn't higher. It was eerie seeing the signs laying in the rubble and the twisted steel still in the river.

So, I want to share these pictures with you and ask you to never take a moment for granted. To remember to tell you spouse, children, parents, sibling, friends, coworkers or whoever how important they are to you, and that you love them everyday. That they all bring something special into your life and that you appreciate them all. Remember to take a little time to enjoy a sunset, or the pitter patter of rain, to take in the quiet moments when you can and to cherish the noise also. I ask you to remember that everything happens for a purpose.

If you happen to be reading this, that means you are special to me, either a friend or family. I want to let you know that you are important to me. My life is better because I have you in it.

Please remember those involved in this tragedy in your prayers.

Family Picnics

2007-09-03T19:05:00.000-05:00

Growing up, one of my fondest memories is that of family picnics. We always had a big family picnic every summer. Lots of food, lots of fun and lots of relatives. It was important to my grandma to those picnics and to bring the families of her sisters and brothers together. So we planned a picnic during the time that Jeff & Shannon were home from Michigan. We went to Riverside Park in St. Cloud. It was a lovely night. The only cloud haning over our picnic was that it happened to be that night that Molly (Jennifer's weiner dog) wandered off from home, so they didn't make it up there. On a happy note, Molly was found about a week later and is now safe at home with her family once again. Here are some pictures of our picnic.

Here's a pic of everyone getting ready to chow down and one of the guys,

Here's one of the girls and one of Autie Shannon and Uncle Jeff with Ella.

At the Park with Nana

2007-09-03T18:50:00.000-05:00

One nice evening in August, I took Braiden and Emma to the park. It was a beautiful evening.

Here are a couple more shots of the kids at the park. Afterwards we headed to the Dairy Queen.

Shantel & Sports

2007-09-03T18:41:00.000-05:00

Well, it's now fall and that means volleyball time for Shantel. She was also busy this summer as she was on 2 softball leagues. One was in St. Cloud where the girls played twice a week. They really enjoyed that league and took second place. They really played well and it was fun watching the games. After the final game, some of us went to Applebee's to celebrate the season. Here's a picture of Shantel with a couple of her friends, Hannah & Kiara.

Mark at the Tractor Show

2007-08-29T17:12:00.000-05:00

Over the weekend of August 10th, Mark went to Almelund for the annual tractor and threshing show. I went with him on Friday and Saturday. It was SO HOT on Friday! Saturday was a little better. Over all, Mark had a good show. I took some pictures of my honey in action and here they are.

Here's a picture of Mark with his display. As you can see, we did have a canopy to help keep us cool, but on Friday, there was little breeze and the humidity was as high as the temperature.

Here are a couple pictures of some of the carburetors, magnetos, and distributors Mark and his son Shaun have rebuilt. They look as good a new, don't they.

2007-08-29T17:04:00.000-05:00

On Saturday night after we got back from the tractor show, storms were heading towards the Twin Cities. I got these pictures of the back sides of the thunder heads. They look so pretty with the setting sun reflecting off of them. They were really huge and went across the whole eastern sky.

Birthdays and Cake

2007-08-29T16:42:00.000-05:00

As you may have noticed from my posts over this year, that I have taken up decorating birthday cakes again. That is something that I hadn't done since Jennifer was a little girl. I find that I am rally enjoying the task, and the frosting is much better than any store bought cake!

Well, earlier this month Mark's daughter and family were here from Michigan. Their birthdays had all occured earlier this year, so I thought I'd make a cake to celebrate all their birthdays. They were going to spend the night with us before heading back to Michigan, so that was the perfect time to have cake. They had seen the cake and it was sitting on the dining room table. Most of us were sitting in the kitchen talking when one of the kids came in and said, "Hey, who already had a piece of cake?" We were puzzled, nobody had cut a piece of cake yet.

We walked into the dining room, and noticed one corner of the cake had obviously been eaten, and it was pretty clear who the culprit was. It was Lady, their siberian husky dog. Guess she had a sweet tooth. Well, I didn't get a picture of the cake before Lady had a piece, so here is a picture after she helped herself. We all still had a pice, it was great!

My Gardens

2007-07-29T21:24:00.001-05:00

As many may know, when I moved in with Mark, we created several new gardens. I think my favorite is our perenial garden, which after three summers is finally starting to fill out and take shape. I love the colors of the flowers in it. There seems to always be surprises as burst of color bloom out of the green plants. We plan to add a rocks around the edge. We are going to get the rocks from the farm where Mark grew up. That will be a nice touch, as some of the flowers I got from his sister Mary, originally came from their mother's garden. Here are a few pictures of the recent flowers blooming around our home.

A Weekend with the Grandkids

2007-07-29T12:44:00.000-05:00

Well, as some of you may know, my teaching position is year round. We ended school last Wenesday, on July 25th. I now have about 4 1/2 weeks off. I met Jennifer in St. Cloud on Thursday and picked up Emma and Braiden I brought them back with me to spend a few days with their Nana & Mark, and to give Jennifer & Josh a weekend to themselves. We had fun. Of course Nana had to make her famous 'shakes' every day. We went to the zoo, the park, the county fair and did some projects at my house. On Saturday Sheena moved, so we babysat little Ella for the day.

That made Emma very happy. Ella was napping and Emma kept asking, "When is Ella going to get up?" She kept wanting to check on her. Finally, Ella woke up and we went outside to play for awhile. It was hot, but we found a place in the shade and had a great time.

We grilled out that night and had sweet corn. The kids had showers and off to bed. Now it's Sunday, and we're getting ready to meet their mom and dad in St. Cloud and return them. It was a fun weekend, one that I hope will build great memories for them.

MOA (MAll of America) Trip

2007-07-29T09:52:00.000-05:00

A couple of weekends ago, we took a weekend off and headed to Bloomington. We began our day by touring the Mall of America. Mark had never been there. We had fun walking (and walking) as we tryied to see all levels. It's fun to check out some of the unique stores there. We ate lunch at the Rainforest Cafe, which is must if you visit MOA. It is decorated like a rainforest complete with thunder and lightning and even rain! Here are a few of the pictures from the MOA.

Here are a couple of shots of Megan & Shantel one in front of the Rainforest Cafe and then a couple of them inside the Cafe. One with the famous Rainforest Frog. Aren't they cute? Another one of them at our booth 'striking a pose' in their new sungalsses.

We also visited Lego Land. Here's one of Mark and me in front of a giant shoe. Also have some granchildren that REALLY like Sponge Bob, so had to snap a picture of Sponge Bob made from Legos.

After the MOA we went the stay the the Grand Lodge which houses the Water Park of America. It was a fun and relaxing time. We floated around the lazy river, went down a couple of tube slides and then climbed ten stories to go down the family tube slide. On that one, four people get into a really large float with a floor in it and handles on the side. You sit on the floor and HANG ON! With a push we were off. We had watched the floats going down the very large tube, and it didn't look like they were going that fast, but riding in one is quite a different story. You go around the curves and slide up one side, down and up the other. I went down the whole thing backwards! It was a bit scary but we safely landed. It was fun.

Here are a couple of pictures of Megan and Shantel floating around the river.

The following morning we got up and went to IKEA. It was fun to walk around the showrooms. We bought a couple of things including a wine rack for the basement. All in all, it was a very fun weekend!

Our little get away

2007-07-27T23:49:00.000-05:00

At the end of May, I had some time off. Mark & I planned to do something over that break. We ended up taking a couple of days to just enjoy Minnesota. First of all, we headed up to Nisswa, just north of Brainerd. It has some little shops that are fun to look around in. Here's a self photo I took of us. It was a cool day at the end of May. What I wouldn't give for one of those cool days now!

After Nisswa we headed up to Milacs and went to the Grand Casino where we spent the night and played the machines a bit and came out a bit ahead.

We also headed up to Duluth and went to visit Canal Park. It was a windy day, but nice and sunny. Here we are in front of a statue of a fisherman.

We walked around, watched the boats come and go and just enjoyed time to ourselves. It's not often I get Mark away from the shop on weekdays. We walked through the information center and then ate at Grandma's. After we ate, we walked around some more, checked out the shops, watched them make fudge and just had a good time. Here are some pictures from our little excursion.

Here's a ship that is docked in Duluth. It's huge. Look at the size of the chain compared to Mark's hand!

Here are a couple shots I took. One of the lift bridge as it was being lifted for a ship to pass. The other is of the light house with Mark standing on the step.

Here are a couple of fun shots we took in the museum. You can see on the left that Mark is charting out our course and on the right, that's me steering the ship. (Look out!) Sort of a scary thought isn't it.

Finally, here's a shot I took for my sister. My sister lives out of state in Wyoming so I don't get to see her often enough. When we were walking through the stores in Nisswa, I found one called Sisters. I had Mark take my picture by the sign, of course you will note that I am a bit short on one end, so my head and the sign are a bit apart. But anyone who has a sister will understand why I needed this picture. No matter how close or how far apart you may live from your sister, she is always close in thought and ALWAYS in your heart. So I dedicate this pictute to my sister, Trishy. Love ya kid!

A Day at the Little Falls Zoo

2007-07-27T23:14:00.000-05:00

Well, it was a beautiful day today in Minnesota. The humidity fianlly dropped some. I had Braiden and Emma spending the weekend with me, so we took a drive up to Little Falls to visit their little zoo. It's small, but it makes for a fun afternoon and some good camera shots.

Last year the zoo put in a new bear exhibit. The bears use to be kept in cages far back from the public. Then with funds received they built a new place for the bears. They now have lots of room to roam around and each area has a pool. Here's one of the cubs playing in the water.

Here is a picture of Emma and Braiden in front of the Tiger's cage. At one time the tiger was really close. It would of made for a great picture. I told Braiden and Emma to stand and face me and I'd take their picture.

Emma was a bit apprehensive. She kept looking over her shoulder and moving awary for the railing, which is actually about 6 feet from the fence the cages the tiger in. It was a big tiger and I guess it did look pretty scary to her. At least I got this picture of them.

We had a nice time. After the zoo we went to the park and the kids played for awhile. It is one of the only parks I know that still has a merry go 'round. The kids held on tight as I gave it a good push. Funny how some things that were so simple from our past can excite kids yet today. Actually, merry go 'rounds are good for kids. The spinning action helps them develop their brains. Enought with that, heck it's just good clean fun!

Time is so precious. We should all take time to enjoy the little things in life. As the saying goes, 'Take time to smell the roses.' We should take time to appreciate all those around us. We should take time to savor each moment, for we will never get that moment back again. With that thought in mind, I leave you my final picture from today. (I won't make you look at all 109 I took). I think this picture says it all. It reminds me of me and my big brother. It also reminds me of a show we use to watch that had the theme song with lyrics that went like this- Happy Trails to you, until we meet again.'

And speaking of birthdays.....

2007-07-23T22:54:00.000-05:00

Last Friday was another big day for a member of our family. You see, my husband, Mark turned a year older. He keeps teasing me that he's trying to catch up to me. Funny Mark! Well here are a few pictures of the 'Birthday Boy' as Emma called him.

First of all, Emma and Braiden gave Mark a little gift bag filled with Tootsie Rolls. You see Mark likes Tootsie Rolls. Of course in Minnesota June and July it is parade time. Emma and Braiden were busy gathering all the Tootsie Rolls they could at the parades for Mark. Also, Emma painted Mark a picture. She spent a week on it. Jennifer said she would get the painting out each day and

worked on it for the week. Finally, on Friday she said, "Okay, I'm done with Mark's picture."

Well, here's another picture of Mark with a shirt Jennifer found for him. You see, ever since I met Mark, he's had a joke he'd tell whenever anyone ever brought up the topic of losing weight or getting into shape. He'd say, "My doctor told me I need to get into shape. I told him ROUND is a shape." Jennifer & Shantel loved that one. They'd always try to get him to tell it. I think he finally caught on to them. We love you Mark! Well, anyhow, Jennifer found the perfect shirt for Mark, it says, "I'm in shape - Round is a shape". How perfect!

We had a fun evening. Grilled steaks and potatoes, went bowling, played Phase 10 and had a few drinks. Great times. On Friday night Mark's kids came over for a Mexican Fiesta to celebrate his day. It's something we all love and it didn't involve grilling, so I knew I could give Mark the night off from cooking. Of course, we all ate too much, but it was sooooooo good!

I'm Back!!

2007-07-23T22:33:00.000-05:00

I haven't posted for some time. I was having problems with my camera. It had to be sent in, luckily it was covered by the warranty. I got it back a couple of weeks ago. I have been taking pictures, so have a lot of blogging to catch up on.

Well, I'll start by going back to May. We celebrated Sheena's birthday with dinner and a cake. I made and decorated the cake. It's my new thing this year. I use to decorate cakes when Jennifer was little, but hadn't done one for a few years. I started again this year. It's lots of fun and the frosting is so good!!! Sheena loves stars and the colors of lavender, green and yellow, so you guessed it. She got a cake covered with stars. It looks like Ella is ready to dive right in. She's saying, "I can't wait till I turn a year old and Nana makes me a cake."

Another big event in May was Emma's graduation from preschool. She was so excited about her graduation. They had a cute little program, then they received their diplomas. After pictures we enjoyed cake and punch. Emma is so excited about starting kindergaren in the fall. She's already plainning her wardrobe for the first day. It's really important to wear the right thing on your first day of kindergarten!

The kids grow up so fast. I hope everyone with young ones enjoys each and every day with them. The moments you share with your children are very precious. Be sure to listen to their stories with real interest, laugh at their jokes, console them when hurt. You will turn around one day, and wonder where the years went. I hope you will have good memories of those moments.

Princess Birthday Party

2007-05-21T21:04:00.000-05:00

Emma turned 5 on May 16th. She had a 'Princess Tea Party' on Saturday. Shantel and her friend Lisa came dressed as the Barbie Princesses. Emma was thrilled. It was lots of fun having 8 little girls dressed as their favorite princesses. They played games, ate cookie cutter sandwiches, had royal punch and cake and had their nails painted.

Here's the cake I made for the party. I little pink castle.

Below are pictures of a few of the princesses in attendance. Of course Birthday girl, Princess Emma and Princess Kiara (that's Shaun's daughter.) I made their dresses. They looked very royal in them! Also in the royal court was Princess Libby (she's Jessica's daughter and Jessica is Shaun's girlfriend), the two Royal Barbies - Princess Shantel & Princess Lisa.

Dancing Princess

2007-05-21T20:59:00.000-05:00

This past weekend we went to watch Emma at her dance recital. It was long, but workh it to see Emma dance. She really enjoys the dancing. Here's a picture of her in her little pink tutu from her dance to Butterfly Kisses. Hard to believe she'll be starting kindergarten this fall already.

Our new Chimnea Pot

2007-05-02T21:28:00.000-05:00

Mark and I recently bought a new addition to our patio. Last summer we worked hard to put in a little patio in the back yard and a fence to block some of the nosie and traffic off of Hiway 10. Last Sunday we journeyed to Anoka to purchase a chimnea pot. We had seen them and thought that one would look great in our backyard. We came home, set it up and started a fire immediately. We are looking forward to using it to roast hot dogs, to make s'mores, and to warm us on a cool fall day. (We can wait for the later! We want to enjoy summer first.) So then I decided to try a portrait of the two of us. So I propped the camera up on a couple pieces of wood, set the timer and after a couple of tries, we heard a click and had a nice picture of us toasting each other with a fire in the background. We hope that our friends and family will share some great times around our chimnea!

My Sweet Husband

2007-05-02T21:09:00.000-05:00

It was my birthday a few weeks ago. My husband was very sweet to me. On the Thursday, the day before my birthday, I received the beautiful bouquet of flowers shown to the left. Mark sent them a day early so I could enjoy them for an extra day at work. They smelled wonderful! On Friday morning when I came into my office, I opened the door and was met with the most wonderful smell from the flowers. The colors of the bouquet were absolutely vibrant. I love spring and these flowers had all the colors of spring in them. I brought them home and continued to enjoy their beauty.

Rock On!!

2007-04-25T18:11:00.000-05:00

I'm sure most of you have heard of the new gam...Guitar Hero. Well, it seems to be all the rage. Here's a picture of two wannabee rock stars. Jennifer and Shantel were wailing one night. Jennifer evern picked them up neat scarves and arm cover things. strummed their guitars. Don't give up your day jobs girls! They were really rocking the night away as they played the guitars. It's amazing how the kid in us never really grows up isn't it. I guess life wouldn't be much fun if we didn't let our hair down sometimes and have a little fun!

"I'm too sexy for my bib, too sexy for my bib!"

2007-04-24T22:19:00.000-05:00

One night while we were in Michigan visiting Shannon, Jeff and the kids, someone decided to make a Wendy's run for Frosty's. Well, low and behold, it seemed like the whole crew pretty much went. They came back with these Wendy bibs tied around them and chanting "I'm too sexy for my bib, too sexy for my bib!" It was hilarious. I just had to get picture. It's fun when the adults can be silly just like the kids!

Ladies Night Out!!!

2007-04-24T21:46:00.000-05:00

Friends are so important. They are there to share our laughter, our sorrow, our triumphs and our disappointments. So every month a group of us get together for dinner. Most of these ladies I met through the St. Cloud Singles Group, where is also where I met Mark, my husband. They are a super group of women! Being I got married, I can no longer hang out with the Signles Group. So one of the members and good friend, Merry, decided to have monthly dinners where the single ladies could get together with the married ladies. Merry had other commitments this night so she's not in the picture. She's a sweetie! She has taught in Rocori for many years and plays the organ for her church, as well as for weddings, including her friends. We've been meeting for about a year now, and it is wonderful. Sharon in the red sweater is a bit of a rebel, she loves summer time so she can drive around with the roof down on her convertible. She always has a smile on her face. Jan, the one in the white and blue sweater has close family ties, as a matter of fact, on this night out, we ran into her sister and family. They really do stick close. Jan also has one of the most fantastic snowmen collections. Barb is in the green sweater, she's the other married one in the group. Barb was the host to our marriage ceremony by allowing Mark & I to be married in her backyard. It was sort of a rehersal for her wedding that followed about eight months later. Before I got married, we spent quite a few nights well into the morning talking on her porch after the dances. Last is Shari in the blue stripe shirt. Shari & I ventured to St. Cloud to attend our first dance of the Singles Club together. I've known Shari for over ten years. I met her at a support group for divorcees. I was fortunate to be able to have her for a friend. We went through our second 'teen' years as we discovered what it was like to be single after many years of marriage. We attended numerous single dances and spent many hours sitting at Perkin's after those dances. We met many fine friends, and some we'd rather not remember. She is a fantastic person. When she smiles, her eyes seem to laugh.
Nothing in the world compares to friendship. It is something that we often take for granted. I want to take this moment to thank these gals for being my friends. I look forward to spending many more monthly dinners as well as other times out with these gals. I wish them only the best in life, for the best deserve the best. I also am thankful for everyone who has been my friend throughtout my life. Without your shoulder to lean on, or you reassuring smile, I would not have been able to be who I am today. Your friendship, your strength, your belief in me helped me to become the person I am today, and it continues to mold and shape the person I seek to be. Thanks so much for your friendship!

A Win for the Home Team!

2007-04-24T21:33:00.000-05:00

You're looking at the Royalton 7th & 8th Grade Softball team that took first place in a tournament held in Royalton last weekend. Let me tell you about the games. The first game, Royalton was down by a run, they were up to bat at the bottom of the final inning, bases were loaded and there were two outs. Shantel was up to bat, it was a bit of a nail biter, then on one of the pitches, Shantel whacked that ball good right between 2nd and 3rd base. On that hit, two runners came in and Royalton won the first game. They went on to win their second game and then to play the final game for the championship. The other team was up first, and it looked a bit shakey as that team scored 4 runs right off the bat, Then we were up and we scored 5. We continued to dominate the game and won the championship. The girls were so excited. Hope they continue to win games! Shantel is the one in the front middle. She's holding the yellow softball.

Emma and her little cousin Ella

2007-04-17T21:40:00.000-05:00

Look at the gleam in Emma's eyes as she held her new cousin Gabriella. She was so cute with her and really felt like a big girl when she held Ella all by herself. Uncle Shaun was also here for the day, and had recently been released from jail. He was also very eager to hold Ella, I almost thought he'd have to arm wrestle Emma to get a chance. How about the best out of three Shaun?

The Teacher in the Nana Shines Through

2007-04-17T21:30:00.000-05:00

We had the pleasure recently to have our grandkids living in Minnesota spend the night. When it was time for them to go to bed, I pulled out some books for them to read. I began by reading to them, then Braiden and Kiara who are both in 2nd grade wanted to read. So I sat and listened to them read with great pride and love in my heart. As a teacher, it is a very special gift to get to listen to your grandchildren read. I makes you proud and appreciative that we live in a country where our children can recieve a free education. I have great admiration for their teachers and thank them for teaching our grandchildren to read and expore the world through books. Then of course little Emma, who is 4 wanted to know if Nana had any books she could read. I did have some preschool books and helped Emma read books also. It was a beautiful experience.

Life List

2007-03-20T05:54:00.000-05:00

You may wonder about the life list thing. It all started with Ellen this past year. She had people on her show that had created their life list of things they hope to accomplish in their life. I had been putting off creating mine until I had 'the time' to do it up right. Heck with that. I figured I could start on my BLOG, then I would see it everytime I logged in. So you may wonder, how am I doing?
First I did start on reconnecting with some people I haven't been in contact with for awhile. I must say that went well. I emailed several people I hadn't talked with for awhile. I'm happy to say I got back responses, so now I must work on maintaining those relationships. I feel it is so important to stay connected to those that have been close to us in the past. With all the modern technology, it really is easy and I have no excuse not to.
Next, I have begun my journey on living a healthier life style. You will notice that I did not say diet and exercise. How many times in the past have I vowed to do that and only to fail. It sounds so much more positive to say that I plan to live a healthier life style. It seems that those words stick with me and I am able to begin that task. Last week when I was at the mall with Mark and Shantel, we decided to get something to eat. There are many delicious choices like pizza, pasta, mexican and oriental. I am proud to say that I chose the the new food place, a salad and wrap place. I had a delicious salad and was very satisfied. Also, when we went to the movie afterwards, I did not have popcorn or a treat. By the way, we saw Premonition. It was an okay movie, it just lack some consistancy between the dreams or premonitions and how it played out. Sandra Bullock did a great job acting. There is something special about seeing a movie at the theater, although it's no longer a 'cheap date'.
Well, that's about all I've accomplished so far on my life list, but be sure to check back. I will be adding to my list and try to update my blog on how I am doing. High on my list is to get our bedroom painted. Have had the paint and bed set since before Mark and I got married. Now have material for the curtains and curtain rods. Yeah, gotta get taht done soon! Hey, how about you...Have you made your life list yet?

Gabriella

2007-03-09T22:33:00.000-06:00

Tonight Gariella and Sheena stopped over for dinner. It was a beautiful day in Minnesota, so tonight Mark grilled hamburgers for the first time in 2007! So looking forward to more grilling as the weather gets nicer! So I tried to snap a few pictures of Ella to share with my friends. She is growing, weighed 7 pounds and 8 ounces (from 6 pounds 13 ounces at birth) at her two week checkup and grew 1 and 3/4 inches! Here's another picture of her, although I couldn't get her to wake up.

Spring Break

2007-03-08T17:18:00.000-06:00

It was spring break last week in Big Lake. It was just by chance that I also had a break from my school in St. Cloud. I took Braiden and Emma to the Build A Bear Workshop at Ridgedale. It was fun to watch them choose, stuff and dress their new friends. Braiden choose a dog and named him Harley. Emma choose a bear and named her Pinky. It's so fun to see the wonder of it all through their eyes.

Here are the events of our trip to Build a Bear on Monday March 5, 2007....

Excitement as Braiden and Emma find out they get to choose & make their own new friend.

Braiden watches after his new puppy was just freshly stuffed and then gets stitched up.

Emma is busy giving her new bear a 'bath' to get any extra fuzz off the fur after stuffing it.

Braiden is creating his a birth certificate for his new puppy friend named 'Harley'.

Emma looks like she's really having fun as she dresses Pinky in her ballerina outfit.

Here are Emma and Braiden as they leave Make a Bear with their new friends in hand.

Proud Grandpa

2007-02-19T22:16:00.000-06:00

Okay, does grandpa look proud or what. Mark enjoyed holding his new grandaughter at the hospital today. He was happy that both Sheena and Gabriella were doing well.

Here's a picture of me with the new baby. You forget how small they are when they are first born. She is a sweetie.

Here's a picture of Auntie Shantel and her new neice. I think Shantel will be more than happy to babysit for her neice. Gabriella is so small. She slept most of the time we were visiting at the hospital.

New Baby

2007-02-19T22:10:00.000-06:00

Well, the day finally arrived and Sheena had her baby. Little Gabriella (not sure on spelling) was born today, Monday February 19th at 4:05. She weighed 6 pounds 13 ounces and was 18 inches long. Both mom and baby are doing well, although Sheena is really tired. She went into the hosptial to be induced last night, and was in labor throughout the day. Then the doctors said the baby was becoming stressed, so they performed a c-section this afternoon. Below is a picute of the baby only 3 hours old.

Little Red Riding Hood

2007-02-19T22:05:00.000-06:00

Yes, it is Little Red Riding Hood. She has grown up a bit though. This was last Monday at school. It is February "I Love To Read Month", and as part of our school's celebration of reading we had 'dress as your favorite story book character.' I was racking my brain trying to come up with something, then I remembered I had a jacket that had a red lining, so I turned it inside out and lo' and behold, I was transformed into 'Little Red'.

New Baby Arriving Soon!

2007-02-11T22:32:00.000-06:00

Here's a picture of Sheena that I took just yesterday. She is SO ready to have that baby. It will be here within a week. The doctor will induce her if she hasn't had it by next Monday. We are all excited, especially Sheena!

Special Breakfast Pancakes

2007-02-11T22:25:00.000-06:00

I do enjoy the grandchildren, and I enjoy making their time here special. So today, being it was Nana's Valentine Weekend Party, they got pancakes in the shape of ......... yes hearts! They love to get the special pancakes and it's my joy to watch them sit around our table enjoying their breakfast and sharing laughter. It was a great weekend, and I am already looking forward to Nana's 3rd Annual Valentine Weekend!

Nana's Valentine Weekend

2007-02-11T22:15:00.000-06:00

Last year I had our grandchildren living in the area over for a Valentine party. Well, had to keep up the traditon, so this past weekend I had Braiden and Emma from Big Lake and Kiara from Bowlus here for Nana's 2nd annual Valentine Party. Last night we had cookies and hot chocolate. Braiden was a little taken back at first, because 'he wasn't going to a tea party.' I told him it wasn't a tea party, just cookies and hot chocolate, and he seemed alright with that. Emma was wondering if Grace and Michael were coming. She doesn't understand the distance thing yet between Minnesota and Michigan. I do wish they were closer, would love to have them all for a night again. Well, we also decorated cookies for the kids to give to their parents.

Refrigerator Magnet Fun

2007-02-11T22:11:00.000-06:00

I came home one day to find the pictures of our grandchildren dressed with the clothes from a snowman magnet set I had boughten. I just had to take a picture. Shantel and a friend got creative one day. What fun!

Sheena's Baby Shower

2007-01-16T22:40:00.000-06:00

We are less than a month away from Mark's daughter, Sheena's due date. She is due on February 13th. This past Sunday we had her baby shower at the house. I had 21 adult guests plus 7 kids. The living room was packed. Sheena got lots of neat stuff. Here's a picture of her cake. We also had lots of other good food to eat.

Here are some more pictures of Sheena. That's my grandaughter, Emma sitting with her. Emma was checking out the new baby's wardrobe.

Surprise!!!

2007-01-16T22:21:00.000-06:00

Well, it's hard to believe it, but we really did pull it off. It was my daughter's 30 birthday on January 7th. Her husbad Josh wanted to give her a surprise party. I was afraid she'd find out, but she had no idea. I picked her up on Saturday the 6th to spend some time with me. She really wasn't in the mood to shop, but went anyhow. I was to have her back to her house at 4:00 pm. Everyone had arrived and most had parked their cars down the road. When we pulled up Jennifer saw Josh's dad's car and then she started to guess. I have a very bad 'poker' face. One thing I can say, is when she walked in the door, she was surprised to see so many people there. The picture above is of her in her Margarita glasses. Later that evening, she was playing on some guitar game on the TV. She was rockin!

Mothers and Daughters

2006-12-30T22:21:00.000-06:00

Relationships change over the years between mother and daughter. I am fortunate to have taken a wonderful journey over the years with my daughter, Jennifer. It's amazing sometimes, how when I look back over the years, I wonder, "Where have they gone?" It seems like it was only yesterday that I remember Jennifer being so excited to have gotten her Cabbage Patch Doll, or when she was barely a teenager and she got her leather bomber jacket. I can still close my eyes and see the excitement in her face as she opened those and other Christmas gifts.I also remember the year she went to and 'elf' party and I made her an elf costume. It sure was cute.

I've been lucky to see her evolve into a great mother and wife. I can even say I have learned from her. When I was staying with them, I would always see Jennifer go through the house at the end of the night and pick things up. Now I do that, and it really makes a difference in the morning. I am so grateful for all the support and friendship my daughter has given me over the past years, especially this past year. She is an amazing person, and I think she is just beginning to realize that herself. I look forward to the next phases of our journey both as mother and daughter and as friends. Here is a picture of Jennifer with her husband Josh and children Braiden and Emma.

Christmas and Family

2006-12-25T23:20:00.000-06:00

One of the best things about Christmas time is that it is a time that brings family together. The love and warmth of those get togethers is very special to me. I love to see my family happy, laughing and enjoying each other. This year Mark and I hosted our kids at our house. First we all met and went 'caroling' to Henry's Farm Supply where Shaun was working on Saturday. In case you don't know, Shaun is serving his time in county jail in relation to meth charges from his arrest nearly two years ago. We have a lot to be thankful for this year, as Shaun is doing so well. He has kicked the meth and has 120 days down and 100 days to go. He is working for his dad and learning how to put carburetors and magnetos together. It is really fun to get to know him. So anyhow, we all headed down to see him on Saturday with a tray full of cookies. The weather was great. Here's a picture of Shaun opening his gifts.

Later that afternoon, we gathered back at our house with our children and grandchildren. The grandkids were all anxious to open their gifts. Of course there were quite a few of them under the tree. I love Christmas and I love to shop at Christmas time for the perfect gifts for everyone. Braiden, Kiara and Emma were ready to open thier gifts and see what surprises were inside.

Of course, the adults also enjoyed getting their presents. Everyone seemed very happy with what they received. Here are a few pictures of the big kids with a few of their gifts.

Mark and I received some really great gifts too. As I mentioned earlier, family is important. We have family in Michigan that were not able to be here this year. That is Mark's daughter and husband and our other two grandchildren. We so wish they could be with us at this time of year, but we still send off gifts. Here is a piture of Mark & I with a gift from Michigan.

Am I brave or what?!?!?!?!?!

2006-12-20T22:57:00.000-06:00

Last weekend we hosted a gift exchange party for Shantel and her friends. My daughter, Jennifer came up with the idea as a way to save on buying gifts for all of Shantel's friends. So Shantel made up an invitation and we printed them on cute snowmen paper. I think she gave out about 30 invites. Well, over 25 girls responded and said they would be coming. Luckily we had the foresight to ask everyone for $2.00 to help defer the cost of food. I was subbing at the highschool the day Shantel gave them out, and I had the girls in her classs right after lunch for phy ed. Everyone was so excited. It was fun for me to have the chance to see that. Well, Shantel & I baked sugar cookies and made popcorn balls one night and made chex mix and puppy chow another. The day of the party, we made tortilla roll-ups and ham & pickle roll ups. We had plenty of food to eat and I made a good punch using cranberry-raspberry forzen concentrate, frozen lemonade, 7-up and water. It was fun to hear the girls shriek as they opened their gifts. We also played several games. One which is a little strange was to guess the reindeer poop. You melt candy bars and form into little balls, then number each container and the girls had to guess what kind of candy bar they thought it was. It was a huge success, and by 7:00 that night, I was laying down with my feet up, pretty much wiped out. Having 25 girls can be a bit taxing. They are all very nice girls and very polite, but they can get a little chatty. Shantel did tell me afterwards that everyone really enjoyed it and she was thankful for the party. Who knows, maybe it will be a yearly tradition.

Shoes from some of the girls at the party. I have never seen so many shoes on our rug!

Girls Night

2006-12-16T23:00:00.000-06:00

Shortly after I married Mark, his sister and sister-in-law along with their girls decided to have 'girls night' every so often. We take turn hosting these events at our different homes and we potluck it. We always have great food to eat and have a good time talking and catching up. We usually have a movie or an activity that the hostess selects. Well, in December I hosted Girls Night. Of course we had a great time eating and then we did a Christmas Ornament exchange. It was fun to see everyone's ornament. Well, instead of watching a movie that night we played Mad Gab. We had given the game to Shantel for her birthday in November. In case you haven't played it, it's a game that gives you several words that when said together resemble a common phrase, location or person. We laughed so hard playing this game. When the other team is trying to figure out the word, it seems so easy, but when you're team is doing it, that's not necessarily so. The picture on the top is of all of us who were at the December get together in front of our tree, Annette, Shantel, Monica, Jennifer, Stacy with her baby Parker, Linnea and Sheena. The piture at the bottom is of Tessa, Linnea, Annette and Sheena as they try to figure out one of their Mad Gab cards.

Dancing Girls

2006-12-16T22:47:00.000-06:00

December brings a time when we go to see our children in their performances whether it be a school play, concert or recital. This month we went to see Emma in her first dance recital and Shantel in her annual Christmas recital. It was fun to watch them both. Emma fist dance was a tap routine to a song called "Little White Duck". There were technical difficulties with the music. The curtain opened, the music started and about 12 little preschoolers started their first dance on the stage and then the music stopped. They started the music up again and once again the little dancers started the dance to only have the music stop again. The curtain closed and they walked the little dancers off the stage. We could see Emma's feet and at first she didn't move, it was as if she was saying, "I came here to dance and dance I will." Well after the intermission, they had fixed the glitch and the little girls did their dance. Emma was so proud of her flowers. When she got home she asked her mom for a vase and then put 'her roses' in her bedroom. The following week we went to Shantel's annual dance performance. It's always so fun to watch Shantel dance as she has such enthusiasm for dancing and always has one of the biggest smiles. Her group did a fantastic job and she was also pleased with her flowers.

Day After Thanksgiving Shopping Tradition

2006-11-26T21:39:00.000-06:00

Building family traditions is important to most families. We all have tradtions that have been passed on to us from our parents such as when we put up our Christmas tree, making Christmas cookies, exchanging gifts and get togethers. When I first moved back to Minnesota back in 1993 with my daughter Jennifer, we did that crazy thing that started our own family tradition. We went Christmas shopping the day after Thanksgiving. That first year though, we didn't get a real early start and found many of the good bargains gone. So the next year we were up before the chickens and heading off to the local Walmart, Kmart and Target to catch those deals. After that, my daughter coined the 'early shopping' as our new family tradition. Last year we introduced my step-daughter, Shantel to the family tradition as we got up at 4:00 am to be at Walmart before 5:00 am. We had a good time and found lots of good bargains. So you guessed it, we were once again up at 4:00 am this year on the day after Thanksgiving and at Walmart before 5:00 am and Target before 6:00 am to get the bargains. Then we headed off to St. Cloud and to Shopko and Kohls before stopping at Bonanza for lunch. (Actually we were ready for lunch at 10:00 but waited until around noon.) Then we headed back down 94 to the Outlet Mall for a few more good bargains. The picture is of the antlers I bought so we could spot each other easily in the stores, and although the girls didn't want to wear them, it helped me in locating them in Kohl's. You know I just had to get a picture of them. Aren't we cute!

Teeange Birthday Party

2006-11-26T21:21:00.000-06:00

Well, Mark and I survived Shantel's birthday party and sleepover with eight teenage girls. Actually, I must say they were very good and we really enjoyed having them all here for the night. I made tacos, Spanish rice, refired beans and homemade salsa. We had decided to have a game night, so the girls played games out in our 'craft' room off the garage. Mark and I gave Shantel the game 'Mad Gab' and the girls had a great time playing it.
I must tell the story about the 'coffee cake'. Shantel, like her dad, is not a big cake eater. She had told me that she wanted a coffee cake this year for her birhtday. So I told her that was fine and we'd just have her coffee cake for breakfast. The day before the party Shantel and I made peanut butter cookies for snacking on Friday night. Later on Thursday night Shantel asked if she was having a cake and I told her we were having her 'coffee cake' for breakfast. She looked a little confused and after discussing it, I came to realize she wanted a cake with coffee flavor, you know 'a mocha coffee cake' as she put it. So we went to the internet and found a recipe for a homemade yellow cake with a coffee glaze and then I frosted it with a mocha frosting. I did also make the planned coffee cake for breakfast. So whenever I think of 'coffee cake' I smile a little smile as I remember our communication gap.

Winter Must Be Near

2006-11-17T23:40:00.000-06:00

Yes,it's true, winter is drawing near. It was easy to tell at the Schraut house in Royalton last week as Mark started putting up some of the Christmas decorations around the yard. It is the first year for our lovely snowman. Isn't he cute! It's amazing how he comes to life every night when the sun goes down and then falls to the ground around eleven at night to go to sleep. We still have some decorating to do, but from the sounds of it, the weather will be cooperating as it is suppose to be around 55 degrees by mid-week. That's fine with me, I can wait for the snow to fly until close to Christmas. The pictures are of Mark & myself with our 8 foot tall snowman.

I remember when I was a little girl and going into town to look at the Christmas lights was a really big deal. My mom would get us bathed and into our pajamas. On his way in from the barn after milking the cows, my dad would start up the car so it could warm up. Then he would come in and get cleaned up. We'd get wrapped up in a blanket and my dad would carry us out to the warmed up car. Then we would head into town to 'ohh' and 'ahh' at the lights. It's those special memories that we carry with us throughout our lives that are important. Even though my parents are no longer living, there are many times I feel them so close when I refelct on my special memories. I hope that everyone reading this has some special memories they too can reflect on and that they are building more of those special memories every year. It doesn't matter how much 'stuff' we all have, what matters is our families and friends. Those are gifts that are worth more than amount of money we'll ever see in our lifetimes. So please spend time over the up coming holidays of Thanksgiving and Christmas to build some special memories for those you love. Mark and I wish all our wonderful friends and family a very Happy Holiday Season. May you be blessed with good friends and great memories.

Our "Little Goblins"

2006-11-13T12:29:00.000-06:00

Getting dressed up is so much fun. I remember when I was little, (No, it isn't that hard to recall back all those years ago). I remember one year in particular. My brother Tom, who is about five years older than me, and me decided to dress up using clothes from my mom's closet. We went to my aunt's house, and she had no idea who we were. Of course I had some ammunition to use against my brother in later years, after all, he was dressed up in 'ladies clothes'. Dressing up as their favorite charcters or trying to be the scariest is fun for all kids. It's funny how the boys want to be scary or action figure related, while the girls want to be 'pretty'. This year it was cold on Halloween in Minnesota. I had gone up to Jennifer's during the day so I could see the kids in their costumes. She got them dressed up before dinner and we took pictures. I came home to greet the trick or treaters in Royalton. Jennifer & Josh took the kids out in their neighborhood. Before they did however, they re-dressed the kids with sweatshirts and sweatpants under their costumes. Emma was really bummed and said, "I'm not pretty anymore." Jennifer & Josh told her she was now the 'Winter Princess' ready to head out into the cold. I guess that worked, more so once she started getting candy, especially her favorite, P cups. Here are pictures of our grandkids on Halloween.

Here are Braiden & Emma. Braiden was a Ninja and his favorite part of his costume was his sword. Such a boy! Emma was a princess. I think every little girl dreams of being a princess and in the eyes of their parents, they are. As it should be.

Here are pictures of our grandchildren from Michigan, Grace and Michael. Like I said earlier, girls want to be pretty and sweet. Grace does look as sweet as she truly is as an angel. Michael ofcourse wanted to be scary, he even had glowing red eyes. He is a handsome little dude, even if we can't see him.

Last we have a picture of our grandaughter, Kiara with her other siblings. They came into town from Holdingford to do some trick-or-treating. Kiara is on the left in the light green Tinkerbell costume. Isn't she sweet!

Scary Jack-O-Lanterns

2006-11-13T12:19:00.000-06:00

Halloween is a time of carving pumpkins and getting ready for the little trick or treaters. I leave the decorating to Mark, as he really enjoys putting up his 'scary' friends around the front yard. This year Shantel and I carved pumpkins to add to the front steps. We had a great time. We saved our pumpkin seeds and Mark saoked them for a day in salt water and then he backed them for a tasty treat. To me it seems like a lot of work for such a tiny tasty morsel, but I guess that's it, 'a tasty morsel' that compares little to anything else except sunflower seeds. Well, Shantel and I had fun scraping the guts out of our pumpkins and then creating our 'scary' faces. Mark enjoyed watching us and learning how to use the digital camera as he became the 'photograher' of this event. Just another memory building moment that helps make our lives so wonderful.

Fall in Minnesota

2006-11-12T19:11:00.000-06:00

It's been awhile since I've written, so I'm going to do it in chunks to catch up on all that's been happening here with us. Fall is one of my favorite times of year in Minnesota. Unfortunately, this fall has been a very chilly one for us. Ususally over MEA weekend, my daughter, Jennifer and I take the grandkids to a farm that has everything including pumpkins, farm animals to pet, tractor rides, corn mazes, bicycle races, mini golf and much more. It is always a blast. This year we decided it was just too cold. We did spend an afternoon at Deer Lake Orchard in Buffalo and there we took a chilly wagon ride through the haunted forest and got a few pictures of Emma and Braiden among the sights of fall. The picture above is of Braiden and Emma sitting on pumpkins. Fortunately it was a sunny day. The one below is Jennifer with Braiden and Emma sitting on the wagon before we took our ride through the forest and apple orchard.

Fall's in the Air

2006-10-14T11:33:00.000-05:00

With fall comes many things that are associated with this time of year. First of all, it's the State Fair. Mark and I went this year and took Shantel and her friend Megan. We had a great day, and luckily it did not rain on us. We were able to enjoy everything our little hearts desired from cheese curds, to fresh French fries in a cup, to mini donuts, to foot long corn dogs and of course, Sweet Martha's Cookies. We usually got just one and shared among us, that way we got to sample more. This year there was a new building featuring animals that were either about to give birth, giving birth or recently gave birth. I think our favorite was the little baby pigs. They are so cute! Well, after the girls said they were tired (of course Mark & I were too, just didn't let them know), we headed home. It started to rain on our way home, talk about timing.

Another thing that fall brings is the Albany Tractor show. This year we had Emma and Braiden with us. Of course Mark knew how to get there on the back roads. As we were heading there, Braiden said, "Nana, I think we're in the middle of nowhere." Guess he wasn't use to seeing so much open land with out many buildings. Both kids enjoyed the tractor parade. Braiden really enjoyed seeing the big land moving machines go by as they shook the ground. As we were looking at one booth flea market area Emma said, "Nana, I want to go to a different garage sale now." Of course we had to do the food thing there too. Started with cheese curds, nachos, malts, and ended with mini donuts. All that food is so good when it is so fresh! We watched them saw boards, rode around and looked at tractors. It's great to have the chance to see the world through my grandchildren's eyes. We all had a good day.

Going back to my own childhood, I remember jumping into the big leave piles on the farm. Braiden and Emma were up last weekend, and I managed to get a pile of leaves together using Josh's leaf blower and the rake. I fought the wind, but found I was a little sheltered in the front yard. So I got a big pile of leaves together and Braiden and Emma jumped into the leaves. It brought back memories of when I was little and Tom and I would jump into the leaves on the farm. It brought back thoughts of my parents and the good times we had on the farm. Our memories are ours, and no one can ever take them from us. We are fortunate that we can choose the memories we want to hold on to and let the others go. I hope you take a lttle time today to remember somethig good from your past.

And this fall brought Mark & I being invited to the St. Cloud Singles Alumni dance. It was great to see our friends in the setting that brought us together. It's hard to believe that a year has passed since our wedding already. It has been a good year, even with a few bumps in the road. It is so good to have someone to share those bumps with and to support you through tougher times. I am so glad that I have Mark in my life and thankful for all my family and friends. I hope you take time today to think about those important in your life and to let them know. I was watching John Edwards last night on television. In case you're unfamiliar with him, he is a medium that reads for members of his audience as he connects them with those who have passed. At the end of his show, he said that we should let those people in our lives know how important they are while they are living, as he has so many ask for this after they have passed. How true, let's all try to stay in touch, re-connect and continue to let our family and friends know we care.

Summer Reflections II

2006-09-03T23:10:00.000-05:00

At the end of July, Shantel & I went to visit a friend I taught with when I lived down there. Chris & her niece Jennifer had visited us last year. This year it was our turn to journey their way. Of course we picked the hottest weekend of the summer, but we spent a day in the pool at 'Fish & Fun' where Chris' parents have a cabin and a day at the Water Park in Rockford, Illinois. We also found a shopping center with great air conditioning, so we also got a little shopping in. The picture's of Shantel & Jennifer on a scuplture at Starved Rock Park.

When I returned from Illinois, I had two extra passengers. While in Illinois, I met Mark's daughter and husband, Shannon & Jeff near Chicago for lunch and to pick up Mark's grandchildren, Michael & Grace. It was so wonderful to have them spend time with us. I do have to say though, that I forgot how tired one can get having kids around. They were great kids, but you forget how much work it is, cooking, cleaning, laundry and all. Made me appreciate what my daughter & daughter-in-law go through every week. The picture is from when Michael & Grace went miniature golfing with Braiden & Emma.

We were glad to have a family together before Shannon & family headed back to Michigan. We had a family picnic at our house and it was a beautiful day. Mark and Shaun got the fence done in the backyard, so we had privacy for our picnic. It was fun to have everyone here for the day. We are already plainning for a picnic next summer when Shannon & family come for another visit. We hope to get even more family and friends gathered for that one. My reflections have centered around family and friends, how appropriate.

Summer Reflections Part I

2006-09-03T22:18:00.000-05:00

Well, it is now September and that means summer is coming to an end. With September we will see the kiddies heading back to school, the days getting shorter, cooler weather, and leaves turning. It also means that our gardening in Minnesota is drawing to a close. Above is a picture of one of my favorite flowers I grew this year, the Gerber Daisy. They are so vibrant in color! It will soon be time for bon fires and roasting hotdogs and marshmallows over the fire. With all that, I feel I have to reflect on this summer and all that transpired.

The summer began with a wedding of two dear friends from the St. Cloud Singles Club. Barb and Jerry were married over Memorial Day Weekend. Barb had allowed Mark and I to be married in her backyard last September. She and Jerry have a beautiful yard and both weddings were very special. I may have to get her a sign 'Barb & Jerry's Wedding Chapel'. It was a lovely day and great to see the two of them find happiness in their love for each other. Here's a picture of the happy couple.

The summer also allowed me time to spend with my daughter and grandchildren. Shantel, my step-daughter, babysat for Mark's niece at the beginning of the summer. I would drop her off at Kari's home in Becker at 9:00 in the morning, and then head to Jennifer's in Big Lake to spend time with her and the grand kids. It was fun to sit in Jennifer's backyard and watch Braiden & Emma play in the pool and on the slip and slide. It's hard to believe that they are seven and four years old! They grow so fast, it's best we hold on to every memory we can.

Family

2006-08-06T23:24:00.000-05:00

Family is so very important. I have been fortunate to expand my family later in life. I did so when I married Mark and gained step-children and grandchildren. I have enjoyed the many times that we have cooked for our children and been able to bring them together as we get to know each other better. This past week I have been fortunate to get to know my step-grandchildren from Michigan a little better. A week ago today I was in Illinois visiting a friend I taught with when I lived down there. Last Sunday we drove into Chicago suburbs to meet Mark's daughter, Shannon and her husband, Jeff. While there we had a lovely lunch with them at a great Mexican restuarant. After dinner, Shannon & Jeff handed their children over to me to bring back to Minnesota for two and a half weeks until they come for a wedding. It has been wonderful,(and tiring), having Grace (7) and Michael (10) spending time with Mark & myself. I even went as far as having the other three grandchildren come spend several nights with us. Am I crazy? Yes! And I love it. It was so wonderful to bring these five children together as they built their 'cousin' connection. The other grandchildren are my daughter ( Jennifer's & son-in-law Josh's children, Braiden (7) and Emma(4) as well as Mark son, Shaun's daughter Kiara (7). I listened as the girls played house and as all five played video games. Michael soon became Emma's friend as he cheered her up when she got hurt. She coined him 'Silly Michael'. I had to break up a controversy of boys versus girls, guess that proves they have truly built that 'cousin' connection. I also made pancakes and made more pancakes as all five sat around the kitchen table at breakfast telling stories and laughing. I saw the older girls demonstrate caring and consideration as they included Emma in their play or made sure she was getting candy from the parade. I watched as the boys joined in play with the girls playing house or store as well as sharing video games. It really touched my heart to see the five children get along so well. I was also touched as I know this experience will build memories for these children that nothing can ever replace. This has been a wonderfull treat for me and Mark. We are so blessed to have such wonderful children and such beautiful grandchildren.

Best Friends

2006-06-27T20:25:00.000-05:00

What would we ever do if best friends had never been invented! Some of our best friends may date back for decades to friends we made in school, whether it be grade school or college. Those friends are the ones that have stuck by you through thick and thin. They were there to hold your hand at times of trouble. They were there to support you through all the tough decisions you had to make. They were there to laugh with you initially at the funny things you did. Such as setting all the clocks in Woolworth's to go off at the same time or tying kites to your bikes and then riding like mad to make them fly. Then they are there to laugh every time you reminisce about those days gone by. They were there to share your joys when you were young. As the years go by, they continue to be close still, even if it's by means of a phone call or through email. They continue to share our ups and downs. It is amazing that those friendships can continue to grow after a quarter or more of a century.

Then you have the friends you make as your progress through your life. They come into your life when you need them most. When I think back on my friends, I am amazed that life brought us together exactly at the times I needed them. They support us through times we never thought we could get through. They shared their stories with us and we saw similarities to our own lives. Those friendships continued to build. At times, it may have been as though we had resorted back to our teen years as we did some very silly things with those friends. Those things would include doing cartwheels to cheer you up, toilet papering friends homes, and dancing like we were sixteen (even though we knew we'd feel it in the morning). They were the ones we'd stay up talking with into the wee hours of the early morn. Those friends help us grow in our adult years. They help us look at situations from a different perspective. They help us through some major changes sometimes, changes in our lives we never expected to face. They bring life back into our lives through their kindness and love. Sometimes it may be as simple as their warm smile or gentle touch. Those friends are there also for us when we need them. They may understand us better then we understand ourselves.

We also are fortunate as we grow older to have our siblings and our children become our friends. When we were growing up, sometimes we liked having our siblings tag along, other times we did not. Sometimes we were the ones tagging along, and we were the ones picked on. When our children were growing up, we were their moms. We had to set limits and curfews. Sometimes they didn't agree with us and sometimes they didn't like us. But we knew it was not a popularity contest raising our children, so we continued to set limits. As they grew, we began to release responsibility to them and we became proud of who they grew into. Now as adults, we can call our sisters, brothers, daughters and sons our friends. We have learned to call on them for help when we need it and share our inner most thoughts with them. It is so wonderful that someone we watched grow, someone we shared our youth with, someone we nurtured through all their trials and victories, now we can call our friend. Even though we may not see them as often as we like, we can always pick up where we left off the last time we were together and carry on as if it were just yesterday.

Girlfriends

2006-06-17T15:27:00.000-05:00

GARDENS - The picture of the iris is from my garden this spring.

Well, most of my girlriends live in Minnesota. In Minnesota, we really appreciate our gardens, for the growing season in the northern United States can be short. For that reason, we spend a lot of time (once the ground thaws out) working in our gardens. We spend many hours at the local garden shops looking for the perfect flowers and then come home to get them in the ground. Then we water, weed, and fertilize so we can sit back and sip a cool drink and look out at our accomplishments. We love the colors in our gardens of pinks, purples and blues. Of reds, oranges and yellows surronded by seas of green and white. We work to get our hanging baskets looking just right, and spend time pinching off the old buds of our geraniums, petunias and roses.

This year I decided to enlarge my perenial garden, so I asked Mark to enlarge it a little for me. Well, it ended up being larger than I had planned, but in the long run, it will be well worth it. I spent about an hour one day selecting some perenial plants for the one end of the garden. I also had a container of 'wildflower seeds' that I sprinkled in that end of the garden. Well, now those seeds have started to sprout, but now I don't know which are flowers and which are weeds, so I'll have to let them grow a bit more. You know how it is, the weeds grow faster than the flowers, so I figure they will soon be a foot tall and the flowers will only be several inches tall, then I can do some weeding.

I also tried some Preen this year in my perenial garden to try and keep the weeds down. If any of you have any suggestions for the weeds, share your ideas. I also bought one of those attachments for the hose where you can attach the liquid Miracle Gro. I LOVE IT!! I have used it twice now. It so so much easier than mixing, carrying and watering each flower bed. It delivers the water in a nice shower (which you can change if you wish)and you can also use the attachment for just watering. It has a off valve so it makes it easy to walk from garden to garden to water.

I hope everyone has some time to get out and work in their gardens. It is relaxing and a great way to get in touch with nature.

Monica

2006-06-17T14:42:00.000-05:00

BATTLE OF THE BULGE

Okay, I have been battling the bulge for many more years than I care to remember. I hope that through this BLOG I can get and give support to my girlfriends that face the same battle. I would like you to share your best tips for dieting, losing weight, and excercising. My girlfriends come from a variety of careers, age, and education. I know that together, we can probably post some of the best ideas for losing or maintaing our weight. We can do this without the cost of joining a weight loss center or group. So my challenge for you today is tell me your best tips for losing weight, dieting or excercise. I'll start.........

MEASURING
Measure your portions. It is the best way to be sure you are eating the correct amount. With many items this is as simple as using a measuring cup. DON'T GUESS AT PORTION SIZES! It does take a little time, but is is so worth it. Once you get in the practice of measuring your portions, it will become part of your meal prepartion routine. The other measurement tool is a scale. These can be purchased at any kitchen store. They vary in price range, but are relatively inexpensive and the only way to measure meat portions. I am making a commitment to myself to buy myself a new scale (I use to have one, but have no idea where it is), and I will use it along with measuring cups to measure all the foods that I eat. There, it's in writing now so hold me accountable and ask about my measuring next time we meet or chat online.

Celebration

2006-06-17T14:34:00.000-05:00

I know that many of my girlfriends out there have many great things to celebrate. I created this blog to help us all celebrate ALL of our accomplishments. I know that many of my girlfriends could use a little pat ont the back from time to time to 'Celebrate our Successes'. I want all my girlfriends to respond with something they have done recently that they are proud of. Let's start by telling of something you did in the past couple of weeks that made you feel good. This could be something you did for yourself or for someone else.

Okay, I'll start. I am proud of starting my BLOG. I feel that through this BLOG we will be able to keep in touch, celebrate our successes, and share our frustrations. I hope to hear from all of you and hope you will contribute your thoughts and respond to the postings of others.

Monica