Happy 2009!!!

I'm ending the year with one of my favorite nature photo's found on the web.  Do you make resolutions?  I don't make a big deal out of them but I usually make one or two.  I also tend to make resolutions at the start of a brand new school year in September.  Of course, they are usually school related.  In September, I resolved to bring healthy and more interesting lunches to school and avoid school lunch.  That was kind of cheating since I rarely eat school lunch anyway.  So, I have eaten in school once for corndog day, which I love.  We have them once every two weeks so I am often tempted.  As for interesting, I packed an open face egg/shrimp sandwich a few weeks ago, an idea I stole from IKEA.   Packaging was the most difficult part.  I'm also leaving for school 10 mn earlier than I usually do and that has made a big difference in my day.

Goals for the new year are to read 3 books a month, become smarter with my Smartboard, take more artistic type photo's with the new camera that is on its way.  We purchased it with our credit card reward points so it feels like it's free.   Yes, you may be getting a framed round bale picture for your birthday this year!  

Please feel free to share a resolution of your own.  Writing it down for others to see may help you to accomplish it.  I read that somewhere.

Banners and Paint

Shelly ordered this banner to welcome Jimmer home, it came about 2 weeks after he got home but it doesn't matter.  It looks great on the deck and it can't be said enough-Thank you Jim!!!
I am only posting this picture because Dan will say it's the better picture of him and that's true.  What I'm really trying to show here is the new wall color in Jim and Shelly's formal living room.  I used a flash  and it totally washed out the color.  Look below to see a truer result.
This is much closer to the blue it actually is.  Very beautiful.  Nancy, I keep forgetting to tell you but Gary Kuehl's company painted the entire lower level of their house in 3 days a couple weeks ago.  They did a great job and Jim and Shelly are very happy.  Joni, you read my blog too so this will interest you as well.  Tell Gary everyone thought it looked fantastic-kind of like getting a new house.  Shari, you experienced the same feeling when you guys added color last winter so you know what I'm talking about.
Here's another photo of the Apple game. You can kind of tell that the back wall is a light beige.  Other accent walls are a deeper beige-I'd call it mocha.   

In the picture of Courtney at the piano in a previous post you can see the red in the formal dining room.  

Christmas in Shakopee

Here are some of my pictures from last weekend.  The Apples to Apples game was a big hit and made it through two rounds of play that lasted at least 3 hours.  I made it through round one!

We had a great time!  Thank you Jim and Shelly!

Book Club Reading

This is the book that I'm reading right now.  I see there is already a sequel out.  I'm about a quarter way through and I'm enjoying it.  It seems like a good cozy winter read.  It also makes me want to spend a little more time on my current scarf.  That's all I make is scarves.  

We are meeting at Jan's house around her fireplace for book club in January.  We are supposed to bring a knitting or crocheting project if we have one.  Now, doesn't that sound cozy?    Cozy is a nice word,  Just saying it makes you relax.  

Another Snowy Day

It's another snowy day here on Sandy Point.  This picture reminds me of our living room window.  
I plan to wear my pajamas for as long as possible, de-clutter around the house, try to fill a bag or maybe even 2 for the Bargain Bazaar and think about food for New Year's Eve tomorrow night.  We are excited to have Joel and Amanda spend the night with us.  Hopefully, close to midnight, we'll take a stroll around the point welcome the new year out on the ice in front of our house.  The climb up the stairs may not be possible due to the snow but we can just trespass on Morgans.

Are you getting snow where you live?  Ann reported lots of snow in Alexandria.

Lazy Monday

Not my cat, just a pretty cat in the snow.

Carly took this photo of Mom and me. She's a good little photographer at the age of 6!

Today, I went to my classroom and took down Christmas decor. and the tree.  Their Christmas books are sitting on their desks and the supplies for the party wait patiently.   I guess our Christmas party will end up being a Happy New Year party next Monday.  Nobody else was in school so I got lots done and it will be nice to start out all organized.

I have pictures to post from last weekend but I'm having some difficulty getting them off my camera, probably battery issues.   Stay tuned for those.

I got up early with Dan this morning and then went back to bed after he left.  Are there many things better than sleeping in on a cold winter morning?  Not in my book.

More snow is coming-hope not too much!  

Dreamhouse Video

Click right here to enjoy videos of the 2009 HGTV Dreamhouse....

HGTV Dreamhouse

Christmas in Cyrus

Shari made a lovely ham for Christmas Eve dinner.

Paul-pheasant hunting north of the house.

My new Christmas apron from Shari.  Shari is wearing the one she got for Mom.

Mom with Carly and Ellen.  Carly is sporting her cozy new robe. Ellen is sporting her favorite musical group from Germany.

Merry Christmas!!!

Fun with Gracie & Grant in Cyrus

Royce and Lynn made it to Cyrus with the babies on Friday and beat the storm.  We drove down for the evening and enjoyed seeing everyone.  Shari, Paul and the girls are coming to Cyrus on Christmas Eve instead as they didn't want to deal with the bad weather.  Hopefully, Nancy and David's flight to Florida made it out.  They were delayed from 2 til 5 and were anxious to get out of Mn with the kids to join David's family at Disneyworld.  This weather complicates everything.

How sweet is this?!

Gracie and Grandpa

Lynn and Grant

Mommy and Daddy with Grant-big smile!  Love this photo.

Gracie and Grandma

Dan with Grant-he needed a little burp!

Gracie and I had fun putting money in her new piggy bank!

Becky's Mantle & Mouse

I asked Becky for a picture of her mouse and he's on her mantle this year.  Can you spot him?

Your mantle is beautiful Becky!  Becky's house is always so cozy and inviting and especially so at Christmas.  I wish we could see the little red union suit in this photo that she usually hangs by her stockings. 

Here he is!

Snow Scenes

This was taken inside our screen porch.  I like how the snow shows off the lattice pattern in the iron work.  Anyone for a cup of "iced tea?"

A little decor by Jack Frost.

Not a creature was stirring....

...not even this little red mouse.   These pictures are from the top of our fridge.  One of my favorite Christmas decorations that I put up every year is this little Hallmark mouse from the 70's.   This mouse was given to me many years ago from my friend Karla Engebretson-Larson.  My friend Becky has the very same mouse in her house.  Anyone else have this Christmas mouse?
The tins came from Joanne's a year or two ago.  They say love and peace on the other side.  

No school Monday?

Courtesy of Country Living

WCA has called school two hours late.  It was the first time to use Instant Alert instead of the calling tree.  Love it!!!  I am anticipating that we will get another call early in the morning telling us that school is cancelled, hopefully not too early.   It is really roaring out there-glad I put plastic on the windows in the bedroom which faces north, this is the first big test.  Dan is working from home tomorrow so I will not have the luxury of a computer until he logs off early in the evening.  That's okay, as I'll get something else done, reading or addressing Christmas cards perhaps.  Be careful out there.

More Christmas Decor.

I love vintage Christmas decorations.  I got this one at an Alex rummage sale.  Remember last May,  Mom?  We did well that day.  The red striped ones hanging on the chandelier were in that box too.  This photo is from the bathroom window sill. 

I hung different curtains in the living room.  Since this photo I hung the one on the left all the way to the ceiling like the one on the right and it looks better that way.   The  quilted wool lap throw was a steal from the Bargain Bazaar at $1.  

Christmas Decorations

Christmas at our house