My mom's rice pudding - with raisins! - which Macy loves!
Mom making really, really, good gravy! She can make fabulous gravy out of any kind of meat drippings you have. I try to save some potato water for her too.

And my brother, Curt, gets recruited to carve the ham.

And that, folks, concludes the Ratzlaff Family Easter celebration!

Easter dinner

I've wanted to take pictures of our holiday meals for a while now and finally remembered - had time! - to do it. My mom makes the most amazing tweiback, pictured below, that you'll ever taste in your life. I want my kids to remember how heavenly it tastes.
And my brothers love her yifna.

I'm pretty sure it's a family law that corn must be served at every holiday meal.

This is the best sweet potato dish that you will ever taste in your life. Luckily it's the perfect side dish for turkey, ham, meatballs, chicken.. anything that you could possibly have for a holiday gathering! It makes an appearance a couple of times a year!

And of course the top picture was ham.

The new header picture is one that Macy took. I love her pictures!

Easter Family Pictures

Enjoying some fabulous home made food!
The "kids" eating in the living room because there's no room at the dining room table!

More photos of my mom and dad, brothers, sister, sisters-in-law... I forgot to take a picture of the "little" kids at the kitchen table. Oopps. Sorry!

Everyone knows how much a two year old loves water! She's no exception. We wrapped her in a towel to try to keep her dry but it really didn't help!

Macy mixing the magic potion that would turn our hard-boiled eggs in to wonderfully colored Easter eggs!

Ready to roll!

Everybody had to color an egg. Even me!

Easter fun

Our favorite little two year old came to visit us Easter weekend. How could we not color Easter eggs with her? And of course the coloring kit comes with stickers. Bonus! I think they're intended for the eggs but somehow made it onto faces instead. Oh well.
Emily was well decorated!

So was our little girl!

Adorable in bunny ears!

Homemade Granola

I just made homemade granola and it's completely irresitible when it comes out of the oven. It's super delicious served with plain vanilla yogurt. I also add craisins. The recipe came from the bible camp that we stayed at last summer in Montana. I would recommend enjoying the granola next to a beauitful lake with mountains in the background but it still tastes good in southern Minnesota!

Here's the recipe.

Flathead Lutheran Bible Camp Granola

6 cups oatmeal
1 cup coconut
1 cup sunflower seeds
1 cup wheat germ
1/2 TBSP salt

Mix dry ingredients together in a big bowl and set aside.

3/4 cups olive oil
1/3 cup water
3/4 cup honey
3/4 cup brown sugar
1TBSP vanilla

Mix above ingredients and microwave until sugar is dissolved. (about one minute) Pour over dry ingredients and mix in a large bowl or mixer. Spray 2 cookie sheets and divide granola evenly in them.

Bake at 250 for 90 minutes, stirring a few times. Cool, break apart and store in an ice cream pail or other covered container.

May add sesame seeds, raisins, craisins, flax seed, nuts, dried fruit, etc, when it's done cooling.

Enjoy!!

Happy Birthday, Michael!

Impossible to believe but our little Michael turned 18 on April 23rd! Countless days in the NICU, who knows how many hospitalizations, millions of doctor visits and consultations and one very successful kidney transplant later..... he's turning into an adult and graduating from high school! YAAAAAA!!!!! Way to go Jennie and Curt!

Now that you're 18, Mike, you can buy lottery tickets, cigarettes, get a body piercing and a tattoo... what do you say??

Briar Cliff Tennis

Emily decided to join the tennis team at college. Unfortunately the majority of her matches were either on a week day or in Nebraska! Fortunately two of her home matches were on Saturdays and Macy, Daniel and I went down to watch her play. She has definitely increased her stamina from high school to college but continues to struggle in similar areas. It was so much fun to watch her play again! She plays number one doubles and number two singles which is AWESOME! I'm so proud of her! The picture above is Emily and her doubles partner, Rhonda, who is also very good. They played well together and it's so exciting to see her name on the Briar Cliff website - under athletics - women's tennis - news releases. Just in case you're wondering! Good job, Em!

Sheila's Birthday

On May 3rd, my sister turned 51! Ouch! We celebrated with Sunday dinner at the deli (her choice!) and then an afternoon of shopping in Mankato for pretty clothes to wear for Alicia's high school gradution. It was a fun (and long) day AND we were successful!

Anticipation

We all know what time of year it is. We have been waiting anxiously for signs of spring. The grass is greening and growing, the trees are budding and leaves are unfolding after a very long winter of hybernation.

As I fly in and out of my driveway I always keep an eye on the flowering crab tree at the end of the lane. I absolutely love the crabs when they begin to bud and flowers start to appear. We have the most gorgeous pink flowering crab tree and I can't wait for its beauty to begin.

One morning as I was dragging the last and slowest child to school (within moments of the bell ringing) I passed this tree and realized how anxious I was to see this tree in full bloom. After all, I know what's in store for this tree. The leaves begin to pop out, then the buds start to fill out, as the leaves grow the buds also grow and before you know it they are in full bloom and the most beautiful thing you've ever seen! It happens the same way every spring but every spring it leaves me breathless to watch it unfold. Do you suppose God feels the same way about us? He waits with anticipation as the next journey in our lives unfold? He already knows the beauty that is our future and I bet he can't wait to share it with us.