The Rest of the Story

Merry Christmas to our family. This is our picture for the church directory - I personally like the ones that Julie did better but then you have to work with what you have.

This is the picture that Chase made for his dad for Christmas. Isn't it nifty? He is so talented!!

Our Chase and his purple belt. I know it looks blue but it really is a very pretty bright purple. Way to go, Chase!!!!!

Mr. Smiley and his family.

The young many behind Rudy is Karla's son, Joe.

I know Aunt Dee's eyes are closed but on the other one of them, Grandma's eyes were closed so since it's Grandma's special day, I chose the better picture of Grandma.

The Double J's

Teresa was in Arizona - will get a family picture at Christmas.

It's the best I had - Dad says it's not that bad??!!

Well, that's the rest of the story of Grandma's birthday. The computer man is coming this evening to "clean up" my computer and get it ready for me to take to Arizona. Sounds like we're going the end of next week. It's too cold and they keep talking about snow - that's the ugly "S" word to us.

Blessed Christmas to all of you!!!!

LOVE MOM

Grandma's 89th Birthday

Happy 89th Birthday, Grandma.
I think Grandma had this smile on her face all night - she loved having almost all of her family there, as well as her brothers. Grandma and some of her very favorite men!!!!!!

This young man came a bit late with his dad and at the very end of the night, he came up to me and asked if I would take his picture with Grandma. Ben, you are one of a kind!!!

Grandma told these two young men to take off their hats; however when they did, I told them to put them back on. Pete came right from work and he needed his hat and as long as he had his on, Paul might as well keep his on too.

This guy really likes his Grandma.
This picture isn't a great one - have to see if Aunt Jen's is better but wanted to include Brandon too.

This young man said he wouldn't miss Grandma Annie's birthday.

Can't forget the best looking great-grandson there. Chase, you're the best!!

I'll post pictures of the family on Tuesday. Have a good week!!

Love to you both, MOM

From Snowstorms to Baking Goodies

Went to lunch with the Uncles today - I love it!!!

I tried to get this picture to go down with the other baking pics but it won't move. This is all of our cut-out cookies all frosted - they are really good!!!

I know this doesn't look too bad as far as snowstorms go but this is the morning after and if you notice the front sidewalk, you can see how deep the snow was. What you can't see is how butt-cold it was!!!! BAKING DAY at Aunt Evelyn's: This year it was just the sisters, minus one. Teresa is in Tucson taking care of her brother while her parents are on a cruise. We made a lot of goodies - of which a very small container came home with me.

Amy, the frosted cookies were particularly beautiful this year - they were all appropriate colors, such as yellow for the stars and green for the trees.

Jen likes to roll out the sugar cookies and she's showing off her dirty, flour-covered shirt.

Our Christmas dinner at Von & Doug's home. We had pork chops, cheesy potatoes, carrots, corn, macaroni salad and rolls plus pie and ice cream for dessert. It was wonderful and what makes it even more wonderful was our gracious hostess.

Trying to show us how macho he is???!!

Uncle Marv and Uncle Elmer - both of them are looking pretty good

My New Bling

This is my new "bling'. This is my birthday, Christmas and anniversary gift from your father. Pictures just don't do it justice - I think it's BEAUTIFUL!!!! Aren't you both jealous?

Christmas Cards & Turkey Soup

This is what 59 Christmas cards stacked up looks like. Saturday morning (forgot to get a picture) Aunt Sue, Aunt Jen, Aunt Jan, Amy Marie, Amy Jo, Grandma and I addressed, stuffed and stamped Grandma's Christmas cards. After we had a delicious breakfast of eggbake and caramel rolls - YUM!! Grandma called a little while ago and said again what a nice gift that was. She has sent a few more and says she needs a couple more pictures. I had written a letter for her to use, if she wanted, for some of her cards other than the nieces and nephews. It was just a rough draft. Today she tells me that she had it copied at Bethany Meadows and was going to send it out. Sure wish she would have let me know first so I could have redone it for her.

I'm working on some special projects - see what a mess I have - actually it's a "controlled mess" because I know where everything is. Of course since I'm working on this, I'm not getting a lot of anything else finished. I would have taken a picture of my dirty floors but I'm not sure it would have turned out very well. Dad said he would clean them for me, but so far no luck!!

Last year for my birthday Chase and Amy gave me this Christmas cactus - it was blooming at the time and LOOK - it's blooming again. I don't do a very good job with my flowers but this one actually does best if you just do nothing other than water it once a month or so. It's very pretty - Chase says he really likes the "big buds".

Dinner tonight is homemade turkey rice soup - any one want to join us? I tasted it a bit ago and it could use a little more spices but I don't know what to use. Will have to look in some of my cookbooks. Amy cleaned out my cookbook shelf on Saturday when she was here. It looks so nice and organized now. Oh by the way, Amy, I think I'm missing my cranberry salad recipe card.

My decorated living room - the only thing I have is my little sleigh with last year's cards. I'm hoping maybe I can convince dad to bring up my "winter tree" tonight. I see everybody else's trees in their houses and it makes me a little sad that I don't have one. Want to come over and put one up for me? Holly, I need you!!!

Amy booked Holly's plane ticket for Arizona today and I'm excited. It's still a ways off but it will be so fun to have her all to myself for a whole week. Have to start thinking about things to do besides swimming, swimming and more swimming.

Well, that's life at the Haan household today. Just got a call that our new furnace is going to be installed tomorrow - I'll be sure to take a picture of it for all of you. Thursday dad and I will go pick up my new ring - I'm really excited to see how it turned out. You girls will be so jealous of your mom!!

Have a terrific week ahead and love to all of my readers.

Happy Holiday Beginnings

Happy Holidays from two of my favorite Wagons West neighbors - Mrs. Claus is from Spokane, WA and lives across the street from us during the winter season - she turned 90 in September. Her elf, Verna lives near Clear Lake, IA and is 3 doors down from us during the winter season - she turned 95 on November 22. Don't they look great??!!!

This is another of my favorite people - she, however, is not quite as old as the two lovely ladies above. This one just finished a 5K and was extremely happy. Her younger sister did a 5K in September and inspired her older sister to do the same. Unfortunately we were not home for the first 5K, but next year we plan to join that younger sister when she does hers.

I miss this Little Princess. She joined us many mornings for breakfast and now the only face I see at breakfast is Grampa's. Love you, Sweet Katie. I do have a rather "????" picture of her but forgot to load it on my computer.

Our first snow after leaving Lynden - it was in either LookOut or 4th of July pass between Idaho and Montana. It was beautiful but I'm glad it was on the mountains and not the middle of the road. God was so gracious to us in that we had wonderful roads both going and coming back from Washington.

Fast forward to Nov. 23rd - my 62nd (Social Security) birthday. These beautiful fall flowers were on the counter when I got up and they are from my favorite fella in all the world. He is truly an amazing man to have put up with me all these years. I also got a card that said in the inside that I am "one in a million". Chase was reading it and said, "Gramma, is it good or bad to be one in a million?"

I had to get up at this obscene hour to get the turkey into the oven so Aunt Jen could come at 1:00 and carve it for us.

Mr. Tom waiting for me.

Mr. Tom in the oven. He was very good. Finished up the leftovers last night with Amy's favorite - creamed turkey w/peas over toast. I thought for sure Chase would not like it because he kept asking what it was we were having for dinner and because it can look a bit unappetizing. However, he took one bite and said, this is good and asked for seconds. I do have the broth and turkey meat left to make soup yet but that may need to wait til next week.

Miss UltraSound/Electrical Stim - this little contraption is what has been goading my knee into releasing the fluid and inflammation that gathered in it. Other than being a bit stiff occasionally, I think my knee is finally starting to show improvement. Now I just need to get back on an exercise program so I'll be able to leave for Tucson on time. Oh, by the way Miss Ultra Sound is not cheap!!

Last Friday there was a voice mail from Susie Bilotta asking - do you check your e-mails and normally I check several times a day. She had e-mailed that she and my friend, Lynn wanted to meet me in Fairmont for the weekend. Dad said he wouldn't let me drive that far by myself. After several phone conversations and Dad volunteering to drive me, we agreed to meet at the Holiday Inn in Fairmont at 1:00 on Saturday. We had a grand weekend. After we all arrived, the 3 of us went to the Green Mill Restaurant (attached to the motel) and had soup and 3 hours of conversation. Then we went down to our room and laid around and visited with dad for a while. Back to the Green Mill at 7:30 for a very nice dinner. They had a great menu and we all had a hard time deciding what to order. I had coconut chicken salad and it was indeed very good - I had thought about crab-stuffed chicken breast which Susie ordered. It was good too. We left the restaurant about 9:30 and went to our rooms. I went to bed immediately, but watched tv from there.

We were back in the restaurant for a brunch at 10:30 and left the restaurant again at 12:00 - LOTS of good time sharing and having a good time. Already plan to go again next year.

Both Sue and Lynn are on diets, under medical supervision. Lynn has lost 97 pounds since February and Lynn has lost 20 since August. They were both an encouragement for dad and I.

Forgot to mention that on the way to Fairmont, we had breakfast at Hardees in Worthington with Rich & Henrietta. I sure enjoy having them close by - just not too close.

It is a cold, very windy, sunshiney beautiful day here in South Dakota, as long as I can stay inside my nice warm house. I'm working on the December newsletter for Wagons West and hope to get it to my proofreader this afternoon and then down for copying and distribution.

I am still hacking/coughing - I did put a pot of water on the stove this morning hoping that maybe some humidity in the house would be good.

DeAnn, I LOVE your new fireplace. We are getting a new furnace/AC the middle of December. It will keep me as toasty warm as your fireplace; however, it won't look nearly as nice. Wish I could just snuggle up under the throw on your couch and watch the flickering fire and admire your lovely tree.

Amy, would you like to come over and put up a tree for me?

Dad and I are off this evening to have our picture taken for the church directory - yipee!! I think I like the ones that Julie did better than any formal thing we'll get this evening but I can't help it if others in my church want my picture.

Back to my newsletter. Have a super wonderful week!!!!

Traveling to Washington

Arrived in Lynden on Wednesday, October 27th after 3 1/2 days on the road. Had wonderful weather and just a bit of snow in the passes. Lots of sunshine

This is a picture of a refinery in Montana. You could see the flames from miles away but the closer we go the less impressive it was, but wanted you to get a "flavor" of the countryside and the sights we saw along the road.





















This was an interesting site, also in Montana. The snow-capped mountains were on the driver's side of the car and the more brown, desolute landscape was on the passenger side of the car. Interesting - beautiful country.

I actually took this picture for Jan. She loved the little red dots that we had on our little blue car so thought she'd probably enjoy these big pink dots all over this little blue car. Passed this car a couple of times going through Billings.

Dad was fascinated with these huge tires we passed on the freeway. I can't imagine what they're for, other than the big trucks they use in the mines.

It was "dripping" out a bit so this picture if rather blurred but it was beautiful landscape. There were all these evergreen trees on the hillside but they were intersperced with bright yellow trees. Dad said the yellow ones were tamarac evergreen trees - it was beautiful.

This is one of the prettiest sites along the trip. You come down from the mountain, and you can see this bridge from quite a distance, then you cross the bridge and this is the Columbia River, taken from the bridge. It's near Ellensburg, Washington and one of my favorite scenes. I do not, however, particularly like crossing the bridge because there is water on both sides and I don't like that feeling. It's even worse if I'm driving.

That was our trip - I'll try to take more pictures of the other side of the road on our way home or maybe I'll take "motel" pictures or "food" pictures of our meager meals.

Have a terrific week!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

MOM