Christmas 2010

 

We hope everyone had a nice Christmas - we sure did. All the kids and grandkids got here by 4:00 Christmas eve and we proceeded to have a good time - eating, drinking and opening gifts. Santa Claus even showed up right after Caleb (3) called him on granpa's old cell phone to see when he was going to get to grandpa house, so was extra special watching their reactions.

Of course we had to plow snow again before they all got here - had another 6" Thursday afternoon and evening - got another inch or two last night. We broke the record for the most snow ever in December early last week and we still have 5 days of December left.

Kari's and Kelly's heading home later that evening as they live just a few miles away, Kristin and Darin's stayed over. Darin, Bee and the boys headed to Bee's mom's in the morning, we headed to church and spent all of Christmas day just laying around watching movies and napping.

Having several the neighbors over for supper Tuesday evening and then get Christmas put away so the MLS pictures can be taken and hopefully some showings start. Have 3 short weeks of work then off to TX and away from the cold and snow.

Getting the house listed and ready for Christmas Rya and her babies!

Our grandaughter Rya loves her babies - and has lots of them!!

We had new carpet installed a week ago and finally got the house put back together. Realtor wanted us to get that done before the house got "officially" listed. Looks nice - hopefully a selling point! Vicky has been busy getting decorations up and now getting presents wrapped and under the tree. Have a busy week of meetings for work and soon the weekend of Christmas will be upon us. Kids will be here christmas Eve, just hangin out on Christmas Day and then Christmas with Bob's sisters and their familiers on the 26th. Bob's niece Jen is trying to get home from England but according to her facebook entries, she snowed in at the London airport.
As you can see we have lotsa snow - another 4-6" is forecasted for Monday - I think we have enuf! More of our friends are heading south to TX right after the holidays so hopefully the weather cooperates.
Well not much else new - just counting the days till we are back in the warm country.

Winter in MN Comes Early Caleb's Birthday Party

We continue to CHILL OUT here in MN for another few weeks. And chill is the word as it was 0 here this morning after receiving another 8" of snow Friday and Friday nite. Here it is the 1st week of December and I have had to blow out the yard and driveway twice!
Been staying pretty close to home - cleaning closets, corners, cabinets - sorting, tossing and throwing a lot of stuff we just don't need anymore. Keeping the garbage can filled and another schedule trip to Goodwill this week. As soon as the carpeting is replaced this week the house will be officially listed. Realtor wanted to take some pictures with the new carpeting before putting on MLS. So we will see how it goes over the winter for showings and maybe a sale.
Last Saturday we celebrated Caleb's 3rd birthday. He celebrated with many of his cousins on his moms side of the family - they celebrated monthly birthdays - I think there were 6 or 7 birthdays. Party was in Melrose - kids had lotsa cake and the parents had a wing tasting. We came in 2nd - along with 4 others. Was a good time -got to see a lot of people we don't get to see very often.
Another busy week ahead - getting carpeting finished, meetings in St Paul Wednesday and Thursday and getting house ready for Christmas next weekend.

Back to the Cold!!

This morning we are packing up a few things and shutting down a few things at the house and heading back to cold MN for a couple months. Should be back in TX around the middle of January.

Really enjoyed the 80 degree weather nearly everyday - hopes it's warmer this year when we return than it was last year.

Had a great time just doing fun things - very little working on the house. Although we did put in a new dishwasher (old one died last spring) and then neighbors put in all new appliances so we bought their stove - nice GE smooth top. Ours was original to the house - worked but served it's time. Got my laptop desk and Vicky got a small end table so we should be good on furniture. Now wish the wood flooring was done.

Played social security with Lloyd and Gail and Ellis and Patty a couple times and learned a new card game "Somba" - much like hand and foot.

Of course there's going out to eat - Danny's, Fat Daddy's, Arribas in Mx and of course supper and at Bob and Joni's and Gil and Bev's.

Went to Mx last Tuesday with Bob and Joni - had a good time maybe a couple too many margarita's for the women - they were dancing by noon!! Hearing a lot of stories about the violence at the border but Progresso is very quiet. Military is there monitoring traffice but merchants and locals are very nice and make us feel very welcome. We are their bread and butter and they are very thankful that we come to patronize their business.

We fly out at 11:40 should be home by 8 tonight. Brrrrrrr!

TX

Friday was travel day for us - not in the 5er - but in the air - 5 hours from Mpls to Mission! Pretty uneventfull flight, had one stop in Memphis, clear most of the way so enjoyed the window seat and watched the scenery. Arrived in McAllen about 3:45, Bob and Joni were there shortly to pick us up. All was in great shape at the house - almost looked like someone had been here all summer. Hooked up the battery cable on the car and the Olds started right up! Had put new seals around the garage door last spring and they really helped to keep the dust out of the garage - car was still nice and clean.

Headed over to HEB for groceries, stopped by Lloyd and Gails but they were out somewhere. $99 later we headed home put food away then over to Danny's for our Mexican food fix. Made plans to have lunch with Bill and Mavis on Saturday and imagine we'll check in with Lloyd and Gail, Pete and Shirley, and Gil and Bev and stop to see how Bob and Joni are doing painting their house.

So all is well here. More Later

It's Getting Cold!!

Well it's not to bad today but earlier this week we were ready to get out of here!!! Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday the wind blew 30-40 MPH from the W - SW along with rain and some snow - it was miserable! But only one more week and we will be in Texas for a couple weeks.

Last weekend we took our new fifth wheel out on a shakedown. Tried it out Prarie Meadows Casino at Granite Falls - . Weather was perfect and once we figured out how to get the tv's and surround system to work all was well except we didn't make enough to pay for it! So much more room with the extra slide. Kelly and Blake stayed over Saturday nite and it was very comfortable with 4 people moving around. We think it will work perfect once we sell the house. Vicky got everything put away in the new spaces - wasn't sure if everythink would fit, just took some re-arranging. Got home Sunday and got everything moved into the outside storage areas and then attempted to get it winterized. That was another struggle - took a phone call to the dealer on Monday to find out that I had one valve turned the wrong way so antifreeze would not flow thru the hot water lines. So now we have it packed away till spring.

Had the grandkids Thursday nite and D & B's boys all day Friday. Their daycare was closed due to the flu. Was a busy day but fun!

We're Still Kickin!! Fall has arrived

Where do I begin - other than it's been busy and summer has gone and fall has arrived. Guess I'll bring everyone up to date from the last post in July.


Our remodeling project is finished!!!! Bathroom looks great - Vicky loves her new tub and tile. Bryan and I are glad it's done too - what a job getting the new tub in! Garage is finished too - Darin did a great job in getting it finished off. Complete with sheetroock and textured walls and ceilings, pine trim around doors and windows, new service doors and epoxy finish on the floor - looks like a new garage!!! Thanks Darin..

Kristin and Bethany helped us paint 3 bedrooms, a bathroom and the laundry - all in one weekend and we put up some new blinds and swags so the house is looking pretty good - almost ready for listing! We also spent one weekend cleaning out the shed - kept the fire burning all day and got rid of a lot of "stuff" - treasurers as the kids say!! - that we just don't have a need for. Now we need to have a BIG garage sale in the spring.

We took in a few more polka fests - Ellsworth WI, Ottertail MN, Little Falls MN andSauk Center MN - had some great times catching up on what everyone was doing, seeing friends from Texas and people from all over MN. Ottertail and Sauk Center were first time events for us and they are on our calendars for next year - we had a great time.

In July we headed to Hinckley MN for the Kehn (Vicky's mom) family reunion. Stayed at Grand Casino campground - nice and a good value. We had full hookups with cable TV and Wifi for about $23/night. With over 100 people attending and most staying on site, Grand Casino set us up in the pool area for our get togethers - complete with grills, charcoal, trays filled with ice to keep food cool, tables chairs, etc., all at no extra charge. Was good to see some of the family we haven't seen in a long time.

Labor Day weekend we changed our plans at the last minute. The forecast was windy and rain so we decided not take in the threshing show at Rollag and instead joined a bunch of friends camping new New Ulm. We had a great time - weather there was very nice, food was abundant and we even had entertainment by a TX friend on Saturday.

Throughout the summer we kept kicking around the idea of getting a little bigger 5th wheel - since the plan is that this will be our summer home in the near future. So whenever we had a chance, we would check out the options and floorplans of many different brands. We looked at Montanas, Cameo, Brookstone, Select Suites and Cedar Creek. We have a Cedar Creek now and it and our Dealer, Rebel Camper, has treated us very well. So after getting shopping and looking and getting price quotes - we got another Cedar Creek - a 2011 34' RLSA.

We have the old one cleaned out and now we are waiting for the new one. We'd like to get everything moved in and maybe get a nice weekend to try it out yet this fall. Who know's with MN weather. This has been a great fall tho, beautiful colors, high temps maybe we will get lucky.

As you can see the grand kids keep growing and love to play in grandpa's leaves!!!

So till next time - keep in touch.

Grandkids and Summer 2010

Since it's been a month - I best get some updates posted.

We've been busy with work, camping and grandkids. Have some pics of them here. Rya will be a year old on the 8th but has been walking for nearly a month. She's a busy one - always on the move checking things out. Kari and Bryan brought her over the other night and we got these good pics in our back yard.

And then there are the two boys - I think the pictures say it all - they are all boy!!!! They like there tools just like their dad so you never know what they will be measuring or fixing next. Always helping mom and dad with project.

One of their favorites is playing in pails of water - so it's got to be the routine on the weekend - play in the pails of water and then when it's time to go in they just get some warm water and they get their baths in the pails in the back yard!!


We've checked out a few polka fests and enjoyed getting together with the bunch - just got home from Bird Island, MN and will be heading over to Ellsworth, WI this week. Then will be home for a while. As I mention in an earlier post we are redoing a bathroom and also tiling the backsplash in the kitchen - guess they will be getting started on that in the next week or so - so will have to get the prep work done. The bathroom project now involves a new tub so we need to tear our the sheetrock, put in the new turn, new cement board, taping and mudding before the can install the new tile. Will be nice when it's done tho.
We have a family reunion on Vicky's mother side later in July - this will be at the Grand Casino in Hinckley so we are taking the camper up there for a few days. Darin and Bethany and the boys will be going too - Kari and Bryan have to work that weekend but Kelly and Blake and Kristin might drive up for the day. Should be a good time.

We hope to get a trip to Thief River Falls in sometime in August. Want to get together with Jake and Missy and also goods friends of Darin and Bee' s - Roger and Jenny moved up there a couple years ago so we want to see them also. Roger works for Arctic Cat so a tour of the plant could be on the schedule too.
Making plans for our fall Threshing and Machinery shows in Rollag and Albany so if the weather nice we will be checking them out again this year.

Well guess that's our update for now -

Summer in Minnesota!!

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We are still hanging out at home - working and playing and getting the yard in shape.

Got flowers planted, sprayed for spiders, weeds and poison ivy so we should be set for a while. Need to get the cedar fence replaced in front of the house and a couple service doors replaced on the garage, along with wrapping the project on the inside of the garage - epoxy the floor and get the walls sprayed and painted. We got the sheetrock up about a year ago so need to get that finished. Will be getting the main bathroom re tiled along with the backsplash in the kitchen and new carpeting in before we get serious about putting the house on the market.

Memorial weekend we spent with a bunch of our TX friends (all from MN) at the Polkafest in Clarissa MN. Did some boondocking camping and lotsa dancing and had a great time. Weather was perfect and Jim and Becky had another great crowd.

Some of the bunch is pretty mellow and then there's this crew!!

Laurita, Gayle and Lloyd

On the 1st Vicky had CMR board meeting in Park Rapids, she had an early morning as she had to be there by 8:00 - about a 2.5hr drive. She got to catch up with our old resorter friends and hear about their preparations for spring opening, reservation issues, etc. She stopped to see her sister in Wadena on the way home, getting back around 5:00pm.

This past weekend Darin & Bethany and the boys were camping at Cedar Lake near Upsala, we drove up Saturday for the day, had a couple hours of light rain but the late afternoon was quite nice. We need to get a wheel bearing and/or a brake checked on the 5er next Friday so we decided not to pull it up north in case we would have issues. We have the boys here today and staying over night, D & B have a funeral to go to in Salem, SD on Monday. Kari will be bringing Rya over this afternoon to play with the boys so hope to get some pics of the three of them to post with this.

Have a busy week of birthday parties, church meetings, brat and burger sales for church at the grocery store Friday and Saturday and then getting the bathroom and kitchen measured for the tile on Friday afternoon. Another week will fly by.

So, I guess that's it for now! Thanks for stopping by>

Mothers Day and First Camping Trip

Vicky and our children
Been a while since our last post but haven't had to much to post about except work and cold weather. The first couple of weeks after returning from Texas the weather was great - 70's and 80's (warm for Mn this time of year)but the temps are barely making 50 the last couple weeks - along with rain and drizzle - it's getting old!

We did take care of the hitch itch a bit as we camped Friday and Saturday night at Sibley State Park. Well I guess we weren't hitched up very long because the park is only 2 miles down the road!! But we got to spend a couple nights in the 5-er and spent the weekend with our family. Our son Darin and his family wanted to camp somewhere so we decided on someplace close - that way the girls could join us for Saturday. We had big camp fire all day, potluck the food, had a few refreshments and really had a good time with everyone.

OK - A few had too many refreshments!!

Everybody had refreshments!

And one just wanted to give grandma some flowers for Mother's Day!

The weekend started off very wet but Saturday was OK, but cooled off later in the afternoon so Kristin headed back to St Cloud and Kari, Rya and Bryan headed their 1 mile down the road too to their warm home. Kelly and Blake stayed with us and Darin, Bethany and the boys had their camper.

Mom says THANKS everyone for a great time!!

Time Flies By!!

Where does time go?? The last three weeks have really zipped by.

Kelly and Blake were married on April 10th - weather was perfect with temps near 70 all weekend with lotsa sun and a light breeze. All went off without a hitch - beautiful wedding and a fun reception.







Besides Kelly and Blake the other stars of the wedding were the 3 ring bearers and flower girl. The ring bearers were our grandson Caleb, Blakes nephew Gavin and their friends son Ethen, the flower girl was Blakes grand niece Rylee.






Gift opening was at our house on Sunday, so by noon we had close to 40 people here for lunch and fun and laughing. The last ones left about 4:00 and we were ready to have some peace and quiet - we were in bed by 7:30 and that was after a couple late afternoon naps on the couch.
Kelly and Blake honeymooned in Cancuun for a week and are now back home - back at work - like the rest of us.

For now we are at home working about 4 days a week. Hope to take the 5er to New Prague on the 14-16 to meet some friends at a Polka Fest and then to Clarrisa over Memorial Weekend for another.

Getting hitch itch so can't wait to get on the road again.