Tuesday, February 1, 2011

This is what winter looks like

Yet another snow fall and another round of strong winds predicted and we spent the entire day yesterday encased in a snow globe. (well said, Deb!) The snow that was falling was steady and beautiful. Falling straight down - huge flakes and never ending. They were predicting that the winds would come up but it never did so the snow that fell just sat where it landed. As I looked to the north last night out my office window, all I saw was white. Huge mounds of white. I noticed that the propane tank disappeared and there appeared to be a large mountain on the other side of the driveway from there. So much snow. It will be a very wet spring - again. Just like last year. We only hope that it starts melting a little at a time so the earth has a chance to soak it in instead of puddling and creating rivers and lakes where they shouldn't be. Hoping that spring comes soon!

My propane tank is under there.
This is the great snow mound north of the driveway. I don't remember seeing such a huge mound. Big pile, yes, before John got the big snowblower out and only was using the loader tracter to create big piles. But this is the largest mound I've ever seen!
This was the house railing last night.

Sunday, January 2, 2011

Busy weekend in the kitchen

Lots of good stuff coming out of the oven this past weekend. With the cold weather, predicted storm, ice, rain, snow, wind it just seemed like a good idea to be ready to hunker down and stay home this holiday weekend. We did manage to get to a friend's house for New Year's Eve but it was dicy. Near white out conditions on the way there but better visibility on the way home. Had a good time and glad we went!
Scalloped potatoes and ham
Homemade chicken noodle soup - amazingly good!

Famous Dave's meatloaf - the best in the world!!

At the bottom of the recipe he says, "The best meatloaf you'll ever have and I don't care who your grandmother is" and I think he's right!!

Saturday, January 1, 2011

My family

Siblings and spouses
Mary and Keith, Jennie and Curt, Sheila, John and I

Kids, grandkids, siblings, teens, adults, whatever

you call them they belong to us!

Mike hanging back from the highly competitive crowd.
Sheila, Megan, Amanda

Our official caller - John. Notice he takes his glasses off to read the numbers even though it's the senior edition and the numbers and cards are really, really big. :-)

Emily, Macy, Daniel

Jennie, Mike and Curt

Ratzlaff Christmas

Sunday, Decembe 26 brought us to Jennie and Curt's house for the Ratzlaff Christmas. Wonderful food, good laughs, fun times. We bring the Bingo game that I bought at the auction we had when our aunts passed away and it's nice to have the reminder of Edna and Lavina every Christmas. We also have prizes to give away to the Bingo winners but we usually have so many prizes that we just keep playing the same game without clearing our cards until everyone has won a prize for that game. Sundrop - a favorite prize.
A variety of other prizes
and more prizes - notice the summer sausage and pepperoni sticks from LaSalle meats. They were a hit and didn't stay on the table very long.
and to the right of the table those would be Schmidt buns. Also a hit and even got my nephew, Micheal, to play a game this year. Once he got his package of buns he went back down to the Bat cave to continue his video games. Aunt Shirley loves you, Mike!
Some excited faces, some not so excited and some just plain mad looking but she really wasn't mad. She was just mugging for the camera!

I think he's happy with his xBox....
This is the creepy smile that gets on my face when someone buys me a gift that's AWESOME!! My girls love me and know me well. They bought me the first two seasons of Dexter and I LOVE DEXTER!! If vigilante serial killers float your boat then give Dexter a look see. Hope blood and gore don't bother you too much...
Ok - a more normal smile, but still way excited!! DEXTER!!!
Emily telling me about the author that visited Briar Cliff and she bought two of his books for me and had them autographed. Awww.