Winter came and went.......

I know this picture isn't very clear, but do you see that bottom number - it reads 5 degrees. That was the temperture on Sunday morning when I woke up!!!!!!!!AND this is what I saw when I looked out on the deck. No, we did not paint the floor of the deck white - it was SNOW!!!! Bad word.

At least it was just a sprinkling - Nancy Wood said they had 4 inches in the Twin Cities. Are we lucky or what??????

Just in case you're wondering, it's all gone!!! In fact, by turkey day, it's supposed to be 56 which is a temperature I can handle very easily.

I think I posted this picture in my last blog - the Christmas cactus that Amy and Chase gave me a couple years ago was full of buds with one blossom.

This is my cactus a few days later - isn't it beautiful? Every time it blooms, I remember how excited Chase would get when he'd see it starting to bud and bloom.

I took this picture when Amy and I went to New Ulm to drop Chase off with Brian for the weekend - thought it turned out nice. They went camping in the back of Brian's van - I was glad it was them and not me. The sun was out but it was still plenty cold for camping without a furnace.

Amy and I had a great time eating and shopping and then eating again. We decided we need to make this an annual event - anyone want to join us?

There's a prize for the first person who can tell me what this is and where it is........................

That's it for today - not much going on here in Brandon. I live a very sheltered life. I am so looking forward to Thansgiving - one of my favorite holidays. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE turkey and mashed potatoes and gravy and stuffing and sweet potatoes and rolls and pumpkin pie and everything that goes with it. We are very fortunate to be able to go to Aunt Sue's house this year so I know the food will be good. Plan to play Farkel and games for the afternoon - all except Uncle Glen, of course. He needs his beauty rest.

This Thanksgiving Day, I plan to reflect and appreciate my wonderful family. God has blessed us with two beautiful daughters and their families. This year we are so thankful for the added blessing of Kurt and the joy he has brought to the Haan family. I am also thankful for my sister, counselor, friend and breakfast companion - Susan - you are the best!!!!

Love to you all

MOM and Gramma

It's Tuesday

It's Tuesday which means it's time to blog, even though I haven't a whole lot to write about. Life is crazy.
This is my Christmas cactus that Amy and Chase gave me a couple of years ago. I pretty much ignore the plant and only water it occasionally. The other day I looked and it is covered with buds. The first bloom came this last weekend and it's so pretty. Can't wait for the rest of them to open.
Wish you were here to enjoy it with me, Chase. Thank you!!!

Now here we have a picture of two people who look like they are thoroughly enjoying themselves and they actually were - at least the few times that they were actually winning. The two weeks that DeAnn & Katie were with us were filled with lots of exciting games of Farkel and Aggravation. I am proud to say that, for the most part, I won!!!

Our little Katie was a pirate for Halloween and the cutest little pirate I've ever seen. She thought Grampa should have an eye patch too so he just used the bottle cap from his water bottle and a big rubber band. Aren't they cute?

Katie, I miss you!! I especially miss having someone to sing "Alive, Alive" with. I do miss you too, DeAnn. The games haven't moved from their spot on the island.

Katie, I found the hiding place for your sword and your comb. Today I saw someone peeking out from under the loveseat cushion. Guess what Gramma found? You little stinker.

Have a super week. I'm actually working on my "wonder room" this week - slow but sure!!! I'll have pictures for you soon.

Love to you all,

Gramma and MOM

One in a Million

Happy Birthday to a young man who is indeed "One in a Million"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here's to you, John...........................................

If I could have personally picked a man to marry my eldest daughter, I would have picked you, John. You are an amazing husband and I think that the thing that makes you the most amazing is the way you love DeAnn. Thank you!!

You are an amazing son-in-law, always willing to teach Dad the correct way to do things or are you just teaching him the safest way????

You are a loving father. I watch you with the kids, how you listen to them, how you treat them with respect, how you play with them, read to them and tease them. (Sorry about Kurt being in the picture - I didn't know how to cut him out.)

I hear people tell me that you're an amazing doctor - I always thought you should be a surgeon!!!

After all is said and done, I do believe that we'll keep you in the family just because you're YOU -- an amazing, wonderful, heaven-scent son.

We wish for you a beautiful, joy-filled year ahead. May you sieze each opportunity that God gives to you to love and encourage those around you. Our family has indeed been blessed!!!!

Love and Happy Birthday, Dear John

MOM & DAD

Our Busy Weekend

It was a busy Saturday around the Haan home yesterday. I cleaned the lower level in anticipation of our company arriving on Thursday. I know the bar stool was not ideal for my hydrangeas and I found this baker's rack downstairs. I think it looks a little better. Of course then I had to add some October decorations too. I know, DeAnn, it's a little too cluttered for you but I like it.

Then I worked on my front door. It went from white

to gray (they said red would cover gray better than white)

to terra-cotta red. I love it and it does "pop" the front entry just like they say on HGTV. Remember the black kitty-kat - it sat under our wood burning stove in N. St. Paul. Found it in the garage.

Notice also that we painted the front porch floor gray to go with the house - blends much better than the old brown stain.

Dad has been working on the deck to get it cleaned up and restained. He spent an entire day scrubbing it down. You can see the difference between the new stain and the scrubbed wood.

This was entirely his project. He did an amazing job and it looks wonderful. He went on to trim some branches on the trees - city said they were too low. I think the city needs to get a new tape measure, but dad went ahead and trimmed anyway. Also pruned all the shrubs and picked up the leaves. Now just has to deliver them to Dick's field.

Just wanted you all to know what a productive day we had. Then had a wonderful dinner with the newest addition to the family, his wife and our wonderful 10-yr old grandson. How I miss Chase. It was a little noisy at the steakhouse so it was difficult for me to listen to Kurt & Amy and still hear everything Chase had to tell me. However, he's coming on Wednesday night so I get to talk to him all day on Thursday.

Have a good week - it will be a grand one for me!!!

Love,

Gramma and MOM

Camping Catch-Up

This year I forgot to have a group picture taken of all of us; however dad did get this picture around the campfire. I guess it will just have to do. We had a good time visiting and eating and laughing and eating some more.

Isn't this the cutest little, emphasis on the little, camper you've ever seen. These are our friends, Rod & Bonnie Lofquist who used to live just down the street from us in Arizona. Rod made this camper last summer - the inside is 4'x8', just enough for two people to sleep in. The back lifts up and has a little camping kitchen in it. Inside is a place for a small television and a couple of shelves for books and two small cupboards for clothes. Bonnie said they put a screen tent up right next to the camper that has sides on it for dressing, etc.

Camping at Lake Elmo is always nice. We had a nice campsite with trees all around us so it was nice and private. Actually it's the same site we stayed at last year with DeAnn and the kids. It's close to the bathrooms. This year there were very few campers in the park so had it all to ourselves, for the most part.

I didn't take any pictures in Branson - brought the camera along but didn't even take it out of the car. All the pictures are "in our minds". We had a very good time and came home again to beautiful fall weather in South Dakota.

Time to get to work now - dad is cleaning the motorhome and scrubbing the deck so he can stain it. I'm just trying to go through paperwork and get my house ready for our company and finish up the work I have to do for Grandma's birthday.

Have a super week!!! Enjoy the outdoors while the weather lasts.

Love to all,

MOM and Gramma

Birthday Boy

I know this picture has nothing to do with the birthday boy but I spent some time visiting with this young lady on Saturday at her Grandmother's 90th birthday party. It was so fun connecting with her and Doug again.

One of my favorite people had his 50th birthday on Sunday. This was what he found when he got to work on Monday morning. His counterpart in Canton came up over the weekend and decorated for him. Can you believe that thing on his face - I think some people would even dare to call it a smile???!!!!!

No, it can't be - two pictures with a smile.

They also wrapped almost everything in his office with tin foil. He said it took him a couple hours to take everything down. Poor baby!! Notice however that they did not wrap Maggie & Ben's picture.

I took this picture at lunch on Sunday - we celebrated at the Brandon Steak House.

Sure wish he'd smile more often on pictures - he actually looks pretty handsome.

Have lots more pictures to share but that's it for tonight. Have a great week. We head out early tomorrow morning for Branson.

Love y'all bunches and bunches!!

MOM & Gramma

My Special Cocktail

This is the new rug I purchased for the Fall season by the front door - isn't it pretty? I really like the colors in it. It makes my front entry look very festive!! Still have to put out my autumn leaves on the banister and other fall things.
Yesterday we looked at new front doors but not sure if we can get a return on the purchase - they are NOT inexpensive.

I know that maybe my hydrangeas aren't as beautiful as DeAnn's "fresh on the bush" ones but I think they make a nice addition to my entry way. Wish I had a little table to put them on - guess I'll have to go to some garage sales or thrift stores to see what I can find. Should I ditch the doily or leave it?

My entry looks so big now since I got rid of the rug with all the shoes - actually, Amy, since you and Chase moved I don't have nearly as many shoes by the front door. Wonder why?

This is my "special" cocktail for the day. I have two glasses down and am due for another one in 4 minutes and 45 seconds. I can't say it's as bad as everyone says it is - just make sure it's cold and drink the whole thing without breathing or stopping.

My appointment is for 8:15 so say a prayer for me around then - oh, that's right, DeAnn, you won't be up yet. Oh well, say one for me tonight.

I have spent almost the entire day (after going to the gym) on paperwork and cleaning out files. I shredded a huge amount of paperwork and have another stack sitting here for the burning pile. It is such a good feeling to get that out of the way. Have to finish my tax paperwork and then hopefully, I can get my front door painted. Next week I'll have pictures of our newly-painted home complete with the new lights, etc.

Have a super week!! Love to you all,

MOM and Gramma