Baby Shower & the rest of the weekend....

Sally & Sam pulled in Tuesday night around 10:00, with Scott rolling in right behind them. They weren't even in the house and Mara and Mike pulled in the dooryard. All of the sudden, we were 5 people and 3 dogs richer than we had been 5 minutes earlier!! Needless to say, nobody was able to wind down very quickly, so we had a good couple-of-hours of visiting and fun watching the ultra-sound DVD that Mara and Mike had made earlier that day. What fun to see shy little RAS, trying to cover his face, first with his hands and arms, and then with his feet, too!

The next day, Wednesday, was baking day! We made lefse (see previous post), cake, cookies and soup! Miraculously, everything got done on schedule.

Thursday, Thanksgiving Day, we did some more cooking and then went to my folks' for dinner. Mary was also there, and we had a wonderful meal (after I dumped about a cup of thickening on Mom's HOT flat-top stove - WHAT A MESS!!!!) and then Mary whopped Mom and me in a game of Scrabble, while Sally, Sam, Mara and Mike went for a walk around Rural. My Dad, Dan and Scott were watching the game on TV. In the evening, after chores, we finished up the baking for Friday's party.

Then Friday morning was a flurry of activity, making sure everything was ready and in place for the Open House Baby Shower. We had a pretty good crowd, even though it was at a time when a lot of folks had to work, and as is often the case, people showed up and pretty much stayed for the entire time. It was good to see friends and family and Baby Syring got lots of nice things for when he gets here in February. Thanks, also, to all those who weren't able to come but called, emailed or sent something! Even though it was billed as a 'no-game' shower, Sally insisted on Mara and Mike doing the "diaper competition". Sally got video of it - short video, as it didn't take Mara very long to whop Mike's butt! She had her teddy bear completely diapered before he found the tabs on the diaper! Did I mention that they were blind-folded?? That was to simulate getting up at 2:00 in the morning, when your eyes aren't quite open, at least not both of them, and having to deal with a crying, WET baby. Oh well, they will know all about that soon enough - 24/7!

As soon as the guests left, Mara and Mike began the miraculous job of packing all of the gifts, their clothes, etc. plus the 2 dogs into their CR-V and headed to Milwaukee. There they caught up with some friends, including little Austin, that Mara did respite care for when they lived in Milwaukee. It sounded like they had good visits. They are driving home in on-again-off-again snow as I write this. I hope they have an uneventful trip.

Scott also headed out Friday afternoon, as he was going back up to their hunting camp for closing weekend. That left us with Sally and Sam through Sunday morning - what fun! Of course, it might have been a bit more fun if Sam and I didn't have colds with runny noses....so then Mama and Grampa had to resort to cold medicine on Saturday night as well. The fun of family get-togethers!

Saturday we had a lazy morning and then went shopping in the afternoon. Our big purchases were winter boots for Sam (yeah!) and casual shoes for Gatfly's trip to Brazil. We are still planning on that, even though the visas have not come through yet. I think the big knot in my back, between my shoulder blades, would go away if the visas were to arrive in the mail....I would say to watch this blog for the announcement that they have come, but I think all you will need to do is stick your head outside and you will hear me whooping it up!!

We had so much fun with Sam here - from Tuesday night until this morning! That's his longest visit yet (Mama, too :)). You get to see all the faces of Sam in that amount of time. Even when he is grumpy, he's cute - looks like Grampa then....We were busy trying to teach him how to wink, and I swear he did it a couple of times! I really did just miss it with the camera. Sometimes he does the double-blink wink, but he has also managed a one-eye wink, too. Not bad for not-quite 17 months! He is also getting very vocal, although not too much of it makes sense to the casual listener yet. I think we are all going to get an ear-full when he does start to talk!

Seeing Mara and Mike this week - with concrete evidence of Baby Syring's existence, we are now more anxious than ever to make his acquaintance! But we will be patient and wait until February. Mara promised that we wouldn't have to wait too long after he was born to meet him, just till she was done with finals (during which his due date falls). Now I just have to figure a way out to bribe the brothers to let us have a couple of days off in February.....(on top of the 12 we are taking in a couple of weeks to go to Brazil!) I guess they both better get busy and plan some time off of their own!!!

It was a wonderful week but I am ever grateful that tomorrow morning is our MONDAY MORNING IN - my favorite!!!!! I get to go and do the Vet's monthly statements, but hey, that's okay, we get to sleep in first!

Hope you all had a wonderful holiday weekend, too!!

Lefse Making, Bacon-style!

We had a good time making lefse on Wednesday. Mike turned out to be a master at rolling it out and cooking it. Needless to say, we let him do the majority of it (and there were 33 sheets, after all the tasting was done...). Actually, if you tried to help out, by checking the lefse on the griddle or anything, you were apt to get your knuckles rapped with the lefse stick! That stick had to be wiped off several times, because it was used for things other than transferring the lefse....
Sam even had a good time goofing around with Auntie Mara and entertaining himself with his toys on the floor.
I will have to get Mary over here sometime soon to help me make another batch, as most of that went home with the kids (what was left over after the shower, that is).

Happy 16th Anniversary Heather and John!!!!

Happy Anniversary, you two!!

All dressed up here for Beth and BJ's wedding this summer. (they clean up good, don't you think??)

Hope you have a great day and a fun weekend!

Stay tuned for pictures from the shower yesterday.....

A First for Me!

Thanks to Mary for inviting me to join her "Wreath-Making Party" this afternoon! I have never done that before (that is why the picture is taken from so far away) and I have a new respect for all those who do it for a job! Actually, it was a lot of fun, as there were 6 of us doing it: Mary, Grace Piechowski, Kathy Dillingham, Linda Kassera and Marge (I didn't catch her last name), and me! Collectively we didn't have much prior experience going into this, but Mary guided us each into creating something we could be (more or less) proud of. I had wanted to get a picture of all of us with our wreaths, but didn't have my camera with and forgot to prompt Mary to do it before I left. Oops. Thanks again, Mary! And for the glass of wine, also, although I think if I had had that earlier it might have gone better! (just kidding.....)

Happy Birthday Connor!!

Thanks to Andrea for forwarding a photo from her mother's camera!

This was taken at Sam's birthday party in July.

Looks like Hailey is related to her Aunt Holly....

Happy 2nd Birthday to Connor John Janssen!!!!

(I still need updated pictures for Sara's kids - not through Kodak!)

I hope he has a really fun day today!!!

Mid-November Visit to Sam (& family)!

We had the opportunity to go and visit Sam and his family this past Sunday. I am really slow on getting the pictures posted - sorry Sally! We took up a load of wood, that Scott and Dan had to cut up. I think they got quite a bit of it done before it got dark. Had to watch the Packer game first, you know! We shared a wonderful meal from the Chinese place in Baldwin (take-out) and we had lots of Sam-time (see photos). We also polished off a pan of brownies - yum!
Their living room has been transformed into a warm, cozy den with the painting they have done. It looks really nice - good job, kids! It was neat as a pin when we arrived, but it didn't take Sam long after waking up, to transform it into 'Sam's Playroom'! Ah, I remember the days well....
Thanks for a wonderful day, to all the Ahos!

November is nearly half over!

I don't know where the first half of this month went, and don't even ask me about October!!

They say that time goes faster as you age - boy, were they right!! I'm not exactly sure how that works, but it really does. Except, of course, if you are in a moment that you don't want to be in. The last couple of days I spent about 6 hours in the dentist's chair. Where was that flying time then?? I was scheduled to have a root canal and crown build-up on a tooth (right next to my big front tooth), and that morning during chores a different tooth (the one 2 teeth away from the front teeth on the other side) really starting panging on me. It was one that was scheduled to have work done on it in the next 6 months or so. Guess what? That tooth got the r/c and crown build-up on Wednesday, with the first tooth getting the same thing done yesterday. The pain I felt in the chair (and later in the evening) was nothing compared to the pain I felt talking with the cashier on my way out of the office. Ouch!!!! I will have the equivalent of a used compact car in those two teeth! And they aren't even pretty teeth to begin with!

Okay - the gripe session is over!

It has been such a joy to be able to share my favorite hobby (weaving) with my sister, Mary! She is such a whiz-bang at it, and has become addicted, to it, just like me (or worse!). She even ordered the next box of warp, which I am waiting to open when she gets here, later this morning. I can't wait to see when colors she finally decided on. I have gotten far more weaving done this fall than I have in a number of years - thanks Mary!

Other than the time spent at the dentist this week, it has been quite a productive one. I got the farm bookwork done :) and have gotten back into a regular exercise routine. It is so easy to get out of the habit, and seems so hard to start up again. Looking at oneself in a full length mirror, sans clothing, can be a real eye-opener - and a real downer, if you don't do something about it! Wish I had Mara here to prod me in the right direction, but I guess I will have to wing it. Those whole-body shapers are beginning to look pretty good to me....

Looks like the temperature is going to sink back down where it belongs this time of year. I am not looking forward to that, either, as I don't handle the cold weather like I used to. (Not now, Heather, I can't think of moving to a warmer clime at this time!) Oh! I need to share a tip with those of you who suffer from cold feet (the physical kind) like I do. This came to me through Scott Aho: his dad recommends using spray anti-perspirant on your feet before putting on your socks. It really works! (and it doesn't hurt to have nice-smelling feet!) My feet get cold because they perspire, and then when they are wet they freeze up. At least it works for me. Now I just have to remember to pick up some more deodorant.....

Happy 6th Birthday to Hailey Janssen!!!!

Sara is very good to share pictures with us, but unfortunately, I am unable to save them from the email. (must be protected or something)

Sorry for the out-of-date photo - add a little maturity to her face and you can see what Hailey looks like now. Shown here giving Fozzie some love, in January of 2007, according to the properties of the photo.

Hope you have a wonderful birthday!!!

An Additional Post for Veterans' Day.....

I'm not sure if this will work or not. My sister, Mary, sent me this video that is fantastic! It is the National Anthem being sung by 5 young sisters, ages 5-9. You will be impressed!

You will have to copy and paste the address to your browser.

61023-National_Anthem_-_Cactus

Happy Veterans' Day to our very own Veteran,

plus all the rest of them, too!!!

We are proud of you, Dad!!!!

Then.....(mid 1940's)

....and now (sort of, this was taken in 2006)

GET OUT THERE AND VOTE!!!!!!

Happy 6th Birthday to Memphis!

Happy Birthday to you, Memphis!!!!

Wow - 6 years old already!!

He is shown here on his first day of kindergarten - fun times!

Happy Anniversary Pat and Gary!

Happy Anniversary to our friends, Pat and Gary Grant!

Hope you have a wonderful day!!!

NOVEMBER DATES

3 - Memphis Schmit - 6 years old

3 - Pat & Gary Grant's Anniversary (4?)

4 - ELECTION DAY - GET OUT AND VOTE!

14 - Hailey Janssen - 6 years old

15 - Shower for Marina's Granddaughter-to-be!

20 - Connor Janssen - 2 years old

22 - John Bacon - 46 years old

27 - Thanksgiving Day

28 - Shower for Baby Syring!

29 - Heather & John Schmit's Anniversary (16)