Sannesfamily.net

Chewy Chai-Spice Sugar Cookies

2011-12-04T19:40:00.001-06:00

(Recipe courtesy of Cooks Illustrated)

Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cardamom
1/4 tsp ground cloves
Pinch of black pepper
1 1/2 cups sugar (plus extra for rolling)
2 ounces cream cheese, cut into 8 pieces
6 Tbsp (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted and still warm
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 large egg
1 Tbsp milk
2 tsp vanilla

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt together in medium bowl. Set aside.
3. Place 1 1/2 cups sugar, cream cheese, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, cloves and black pepper in large bowl.
4. Pour warm butter over sugar and cream cheese and whisk to combine. (Some lumps of cream cheese will remain but will smooth out later).
5. Whisk in oil until incorporated. Add egg, milk and vanilla. Continue to whisk until smooth.
6. Add flour mixture and mix with rubber spatula until soft dough forms.
7. Divide dough into 24 equal pieces (about 2 Tbsp each).
8. Using hands, roll dough into balls. Roll balls into sugar to coat and space evenly on baking sheet, 12 dough balls per sheet. Using the bottom of a drinking glass, flatten dough balls until 2 inches in diameter. Sprinkle tops with sugar.
9. Bake 1 tray at a time until edges are set and just beginning to brown, 11-13 minutes, rotating tray after 7 minutes.
10. Cool cookies on baking sheets 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire rack and cool to room temperature.

Soft Ginger Creams

2011-11-30T08:28:00.004-06:00

Soft Ginger Creams
I adapted this recipe to make it egg and dairy free. The kids loved them (and I did too)! Makes around 3 dozen cookies.

1/3 c. shortening
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1 t. powdered ginger
1/2 t. baking soda
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. nutmeg
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. ground cloves
1/4 t. salt
1/2 c. molasses
1/2 c. water
1 T. canola oil
2 c. all-purpose flour

Icing:
2 c. sifted powdered sugar
2 T. melted butter or margarine
3 - 4 t. milk

In a large mixing bowl, beat the shortening with mixer for 30 seconds. Add sugar, ginger, baking soda, baking powder, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves and salt. Beat until combined, occasionally scraping the sides of the bowl. Beat in molasses, water and oil on low speed until combined. Gradually add flour and mix until well combined. Cover and chill dough for 3 hours. Dough will be soft. Drop the dough by rounded teaspoon (keep them small) 2 inches apart on greased cookie sheets. Bake in 375 preheated oven for 9 - 10 minutes or until the edges are firm. Allow to cool and frost with icing.

Icing: In a mixing bowl, combine the powdered sugar, melted butter and 3 t. of milk. Stir in additional milk if needed. Drizzle over cookies.

Cinnamon Chocolate Chip Cake

2011-11-30T08:20:00.003-06:00

Cinnamon Chocolate Chip Cake

1/2 c. (1 stick) butter or margarine, room temp
1 1/4 c. sugar, divided
2 eggs
1 c. sour cream
1 t. vanilla extract
2 c. flour
1 1/2 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
1/4 t. salt
2-3 T. milk
1/2 t. cinnamon
1 - 12 oz. bag chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. In a mixing bowl, combine butter or margarine, 1 c. sugar and eggs. Beat until light and fluffy. Add sour cream and vanilla; blend thoroughly on low. In another bowl, combine flour, baking powder and soda, and salt. Add gradually to beaten mixture. Add milk as needed to thin batter to spread in pan more easily. Pour half of batter into greased 9x13 baking pan. In a small bowl, combine the remaining sugar and the cinnamon. Sprinkle half of the sugar-cinnamon mixture and half of the chocolate chips over the batter. Pour the remaining batter into the pan and sprinkle with remaining sugar-cinnamon mixture and chocolate chips. Bake at 350 for 30 - 35 minutes.

The Singing Mirror

2011-05-24T04:54:00.001-05:00

One of Jevin's songs as the Singing Mirror in his class musical: Snow White and the 10 Dwarfs.

North Shore 2011

2011-04-24T19:09:00.002-05:00

This video was shot, edited, and published via iPad2 and iMovie.

Fun at the Park

2011-04-06T08:23:00.003-05:00

Doesn't this look like fun? :) Jevin and Enavi played at the park today and I love this picture of them going down the slide together.

Auntie Peggy & Kate's Brownies

2011-03-03T07:35:00.001-06:00

4 ...eggs
2 cups of sugar
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate (or 12 tablespoons of cocoa and 4 tablespoons of butter) don't skimp on the chocolate!
1 cup butter
1 1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon vanilla (dump in a little more)
1 cup chocolate chips (optional, but we use at least a half a bag if we've got them, sometimes more)
1 cup walnuts (optional, sometimes more, and I don't bother chopping them if they're already halved or quartered)

beat the eggs and the sugar.
melt the butter and chocolate. cool slightly.
mix the melted chocolate into the egg and sugar, add the flour, vanilla, chips and nuts.

bake in a 9x13 buttered pan at 350- start checking them at 20 minutes, taking care not to over bake. sometimes i go only as high as 325. they're really the best when they are JUST under baked.

Srta. Haubrick Runs a Marathon!

2010-10-04T06:20:00.003-05:00

Congratulations to Brooke Haubrick, Veronica's 4th and 5th Grade teacher! She ran her first marathon on Sunday, October 3rd. We enjoyed getting together with friends to cheer her on.

Welcome, Esther!!

2010-07-09T23:36:00.000-05:00

Esther will be arriving on August 25th and we would like our family and friends to join us in anticipating her arrival.

Fishing Opener 2010

2010-05-02T22:04:00.004-05:00

Saturday was opening day for fishing in WI and with Jen out of town Jevin and Enavi were off to the store to pick out their own poles. After practicing casting in the yard while I packed lunch we were off to the river. Although we didn't catch any trout, we had a nice hike along the river and a fun picnic.

Heidi's Orange "Salad" (MN term)

2010-04-20T07:19:00.000-05:00

6 CUPS BOILING WATER
6 OZ.ORANGE JELLO
6 OZ. VANILLA PUDDING (NOT INSTANT)
6 OZ. TAPIOCA PUDDING (NOT INSTANT)
8 OZ. TUB COOL WHIP
BOIL WATER, ADD PUDDINGS AND JELLO. BOIL FOR THREE MIN, STIRRING CONSTANTLY. ADD 1 CAN MANDARIN ORANGES.
COOL MOST OF THE WAY
FOLD IN COOL WHIP
FINISH COOLING

Muskies, Folk Dancing & Pow-wows Oh My

2010-04-10T21:02:00.003-05:00

The kids and I had a busy day:

The muskies started migrating up to the Wingra dam a few days ago and so we started our day at the dam. We saw about 15 big ones today. Jevin and I even saw a big one jump! We also got to talk to a family portaging the dam with a canoe and chat with a fisherman as he reeled in a nice sunfish.

After playing outside, we took in a fun folk music performance. Enavi joined up with a new friend and had a blast dancing then they did an unexpected encore in which we all got to do a fun circle dance.

After the dancing we grabbed lunch across the street from where Jen and I lived when we first came to Madison and then swung over to the Wunk Sheek Spring Pow-Wow for the Grand Entry. The music, dancing and regalia were very nice and the kids had a good time even as they were starting to tire out. They asked us not to photograph & video the Grand Entry which has a huge parade of dancers in full regalia but we still managed to get a few clips of songs and dancing.

After a trip through the local garden center we decided to skip the Wisconsin Gourd Festival and the Mustard Museum's grand opening in Middleton to play at home.

After some homemade soy-cheese pizza and snuggling with mom it was off to bed. The kids were out cold as soon as their heads hit the pillows.

Thanks Mom!

2010-04-10T15:19:00.001-05:00

A big thank you to my mom for this nice patio mat.

Thank you!

Easter Smiles

2010-04-04T20:53:00.004-05:00

A few pics I took today...

Hope you all had a blessed Easter!

Happy Easter 2010!

2010-04-04T14:42:00.000-05:00

Here's Veronica singing with the angel choir and full choir this morning. You can barely make her out as the little head in the back below the conductor's right elbow!

O Risen Lord, by K. Lee Scott

O risen Lord, O glorious Son,
Now is the mighty battle won:
Songs of praising we are raising:
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

On the third morning he arose,
shining in victory o'er his foes:
Earth is singing, heaven is ringing:
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

After the death that him befell,
Christ our Lord has harrowed hell
Sing with gladness, gone is sadness,
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

The Lord of all things lives anew,
and all his saints are rising too:
May our living be thanksgiving:
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

Rip Stick Part 2

2010-03-07T17:16:00.000-06:00

Veronica gets the hang of the ripstick!

DI Dogs Win Third Place at Regionals!

2010-03-06T17:00:00.026-06:00

Adams Spanish Immersion Destination Imagination Team (a.k.a. the "D.I. Dogs") wins third place at Regionals!

Team Photo:

Here are the highlights of our day at the competition:

Selecting which actor will play the lead role via "Bubble Gum Bubble Gum in a Dish:"

Hanging out in the hall just prior to performing:

The team enters the competition area; the rules are explained to the audience:

The team takes seven minutes to plan the skit:

The performance:

Winning Third Place - Awards Ceremony:

Great job team! We are proud of you!

Veronica's RipStick

2010-03-05T17:42:00.004-06:00

Veronica, learning how to use her new RipStick:

Swim Meet

2010-03-01T08:00:00.001-06:00

Veronica recently swam seven events at her swim meet.

Science Fair Winner!

2010-03-01T07:55:00.000-06:00

Veronica and Sylvi won second place at their science fair. Their experiment was "What effect does baking powder have on cakes?" Good job, girls!

Enavi's Finnish Flat Bread

2010-01-03T18:09:00.007-06:00

The bread was a hit all around, especially with Pat's raspberry jam!

Enavi's Finnish Flat Bread
Timing:
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Ready to Eat: 50 minutes

Ingredients:
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup non-dairy margarine
1 cup soy milk
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons honey

Directions:
1. Combine the flours, sugar, baking powder and baking soda in a bowl.
2. Cut in the non-dairy margarine until it resembles course crumbs.
3. Add the soy milk, lemon juice and honey and mix until dough is moistened.
4. Knead on a floured surface for 3-5 minutes.
5. Pat into a flat loaf on a 12 inch pizza pan.
6. Bake @ 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes or until golden.
7. Cool for 10 minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool.

Vee's GV Widget

2010-01-01T15:10:00.003-06:00

The World on January 1.2010

2010-01-01T11:05:00.002-06:00

Sunny Day

Christmas 2009 Sannes Family

2009-12-26T17:50:00.000-06:00

Christmas Snow 2009

2009-12-25T11:54:00.002-06:00

Curried Pumpkin Soup

2009-12-22T10:04:00.002-06:00

1 15oz can pumpkin
1 14oz can chicken or vegetable broth
1 13oz can coconut milk
1 16oz jar curry cooking (or simmering) sauce
1 cup apple juice
salt and pepper
1 tbls chopped cilantro

Combine all except cilanto. Simmer for 5 minutes, stir in cilantro.

Almond Bars

2009-12-14T07:19:00.000-06:00

ALMOND BARS

Makes about 6 dozen cookies.

• 2 c. (4 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature, divided

• 3/4 c. granulated sugar, divided

• 1 egg

• 3/4 tsp. almond extract

• 1/2 tsp. salt

• 23/4 c. flour

• 1 c. packed brown sugar

• 1/3 c. honey

• 1/4 c. heavy cream, at room temperature

• 1 lb. (about 51/4 c.) sliced almonds

Directions

Carefully line a 10- by 15-inch jellyroll pan with aluminum foil, shiny side up.

To prepare dough: In a bowl of an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat 1 cup (2 sticks) butter until creamy, about 1 minute. Gradually add 1/2 cup granulated sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg, almond extract and salt, and beat until thoroughly combined. Reduce speed to low, add flour and mix until just incorporated.

Press dough evenly into pan and push dough up sides. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Using a fork, prick dough in 20 to 24 places all across dough and bake 10 minutes. Remove from oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool.

To prepare topping: In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine brown sugar, honey, remaining 1 cup (2 sticks) butter and remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar. Cook, stirring occasionally, until sugar dissolves.

Increase heat to medium-high, bring mixture to a boil, and cook for 3 minutes without stirring. Remove from heat and stir in cream. Stir in almonds.

Spread almond mixture evenly over crust. Return pan to oven and bake until bubbling, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and transfer pan to a wire rack to cool. While bars are still slightly warm, cut into triangles.

Gingerbread House

2009-12-03T12:29:00.002-06:00

Fun time with the grand kids building this house. Tastes good too!!!

PD's Pumpkin Cheesecake

2009-11-27T21:02:00.003-06:00

Ingredients
Crust:

* 1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
* 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1 stick melted salted butter

Filling:

* 3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
* 1 (15-ounce) can pureed pumpkin
* 3 eggs plus 1 egg yolk
* 1/4 cup sour cream
* 1 1/2 cups sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1/8 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
* 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
* 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
For crust:

In medium bowl, combine crumbs, sugar and cinnamon. Add melted butter. Press down flat into a 9-inch springform pan. Set aside.
For filling:

Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add pumpkin puree, eggs, egg yolk, sour cream, sugar and the spices. Add flour and vanilla. Beat together until well combined.

Pour into crust. Spread out evenly and place oven for 1 hour. Remove from the oven and let sit for 15 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours.

Today's favorite flower photo

2009-09-26T21:37:00.002-05:00

I took a lot of flower pics on our trip today, but this one was my favorite.

My Sweet Girl

2009-09-19T19:50:00.002-05:00

Jevin's New Smile

2009-09-19T19:48:00.001-05:00

Jevin's short two teeth! :) He likes his new smile.

Back to School

2009-09-09T18:46:00.001-05:00

A retrospective of various back to school pictures:

pre-K

Kindergarten

First Grade

Second Grade

Third Grade

Fourth Grade

Meet Fishy

2009-09-08T20:44:00.001-05:00

Jevin got his first pet yesterday! Meet Fishy the Betta.

Playing in the Mud

2009-09-08T20:29:00.004-05:00

The kids managed to get just a bit muddy while Davin tried to rid our yard of some pesky moles. Please note: the technique I remember using as a kid on my friend's farm to flush moles out of their tunnels with a hose is not recommended.

Jevin lost his first tooth!

2009-09-06T20:15:00.002-05:00

Jevin lost his first tooth while eating an ice cream cone at Nana Sue and Grandpa Ken's house. Unfortunately, he swallowed it! Luckily, he has another tooth that is loose - we'll try to save that one! :)

Best of the Best Alaska Pix

2009-08-23T17:44:00.001-05:00

In Ketchican

Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau

Drove up from Skagway to British Columbia, going back had to get a picture by this sign

Our favorite spot to eat dinner with a view:

Veronica's Triathlon

2009-08-23T17:34:00.001-05:00

We just got back from Veronica's Triathlon. Good job, Veronica!

Sweet Corn Fest

2009-08-22T21:07:00.003-05:00

Riding the Bumpy Buggies...

Eating some serious corn...

Enavi was slightly more reserved than Jevin. :)

Jevin's favorite thing was jumping on the bouncing bungee ride.

Friday at Fort Snelling

2009-08-22T20:01:00.001-05:00

I was off Friday, so we had a fun outing very close to home!

Cousins

2009-08-18T20:09:00.001-05:00

Tevia and Enavi didn't want their pictures taken. Maybe next time...

Favorite Rose Lake Pictures

2009-08-18T20:04:00.001-05:00

That spa is just oh, so decadent!

Everyone loves a good project.

There just ain't enough dill pickles in this world.

Jevin's Last Soccer Game

2009-08-17T19:32:00.003-05:00

Warming up...

During the game...

Jevin with his friend, Sydnee.

Dawn's Banana Chocolate Chip Bread

2009-08-09T15:16:00.001-05:00

2-3 large bananas, mashed
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
3 Tbl. milk
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. soda
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 cup melted butter
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup chopped nuts or chocolate chips (optional)

Bake at 350 degrees for an hour.

Swim Team 5

2009-07-21T23:00:00.003-05:00

Swim Team 4

2009-07-21T22:29:00.002-05:00

Swim Team 3

2009-07-21T22:12:00.000-05:00

Swim Team 2

2009-07-21T22:08:00.000-05:00

Swim Team 1

2009-07-21T22:05:00.000-05:00

Pat's Corn Salsa

2009-07-13T21:49:00.000-05:00

2 (14 ounce) cans whole kernel corn, drained
1 can (14 ounce) black beans (rinsed and drained)
2 ripened avacados, diced
1 red pepper, diced
1 small jalapeno, deseeded and chopped (I used the pickled or canned ones..just because I had them left over from making salsa)
-pour the following mixture over this.
Mixture: 1/2 cup Kraft Zesty Italian dressing (no substitutions), 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper.
Stir to coat...cover in an airtight container and refrigerate.
Note: I made it the night before so it had a chance to marinate a bit.

Veronica and Mickey

2009-06-21T20:37:00.001-05:00

Rose in Bloom

2009-06-17T21:03:00.002-05:00

Bedtime Snack

2009-06-06T21:42:00.002-05:00

A little video and popcorn before bed - yum!

Radishes

2009-06-03T22:51:00.002-05:00

The first produce of the year from our garden - don't they look amazing? :)

So sweet...

2009-05-30T20:35:00.002-05:00

I really like this picture we took today, so I thought I would share. :)

Daffodils!

2009-04-27T19:55:00.002-05:00

All of our rain has made all kinds of things sprout in the yard - dandelions, thistles and these beautiful daffodils!

Enavi sings a lil' ditty...

2009-04-22T22:14:00.004-05:00

I recorded this tonight while I was putting Enavi to bed. She loves to sing along with me! This is really just an audio file, but in order to upload it, Davin turned it into a "video" by adding a picture of Enavi.

I'm not really sure why there are two pictures showing up in the post, but I've been working on this for about an hour now and I'm going to bed!

Homemade Limeade

2009-04-11T20:50:00.003-05:00

2 limes, cut up into about 8 pieces, rind and all
1 cup of water
1 handful of ice
3 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk
1 cup of superfine baker's sugar
Blend all in the blender until the limes are all ground up and it's a bit frothy

Add 1-1/2 cups more water and pulse to stir

Pour limeade through a fine strainer or sieve to remove pulp. Serve over ice.

Trip to St. Paul

2009-04-05T21:26:00.005-05:00

Thanks to Chris, Sarah and Veronica for a super fun weekend! We all had such a great visit. During prayer time tonight, both of the kids thanked God for Chris, Sarah, Veronica and (of course) Mickey. :)
Touching star fish at the zoo...

Veronica's "beaver teeth":

Singing on Palm Sunday:

April snow storm:

Raspberry sorbet - yum!

Journal Photos

2009-04-05T21:09:00.005-05:00

Cleaning day!

Painting birdhouses.

My "workspace" for making my trades for the SU! Regional.

At the Minnesota Zoo...

Enavi and Mickey.

Tile Bathroom

2009-04-04T10:05:00.009-05:00

Old flooring comes out

Pattern on the floor of the bathroom

Orange is the heating unit

The Tile guy is working hard

16" and still coming down!

2009-03-31T14:23:00.002-05:00

Most everything closed today. It was quite an adventure going to work only to turn around 3hrs and 8" later coming home. Blazing the trail with snow flying over the car and fogging up the windshield hoping the car would not stall.. At last a garage with no snow and a good stopping place.

This week in pictures

2009-03-29T21:08:00.006-05:00

Tomato Tortellini Soup

2009-03-24T09:17:00.002-05:00

(Doubled amount in parenthesis)

2 14 oz cans low sodium chicken or veg. broth (4 cans)

1 9 oz. package fresh cheese tortillini (20 oz)

4 oz chive and onion cream cheese (8 oz)

1 11 oz. can condensed tomato soup (1 Campbells and 1 can Progresso with basil)

Fresh basil or chives

Bring broth to a boil and then add tortellini. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. In a bowl add some of the hot broth and whisk with the cream cheese. Add to broth; add tomato soup and basil. Heat through and serve.

The week in photos

2009-03-15T20:48:00.003-05:00

Enavi's first trip to the dentist!

First S'more of the year.

March 10 blizzard

2009-03-13T20:34:00.004-05:00

Was snowing so hard even our office closed at noon. Hwy 10 was closed from Moorhead to Lake Park and on weds morning there were trucks backed up for a mile waiting to go on. Was quite a storm..was nice to be nuzzled up warm at home.

The Week in Pictures

2009-03-08T22:24:00.003-05:00

Pictures from my journal this past week...

Veronica and Mickey

2009-03-04T20:15:00.001-06:00

This Week in Pictures

2009-03-02T20:15:00.005-06:00

Pictures from my journal this past week...

Twenty Years at CEP

2009-02-27T20:50:00.004-06:00

See how many twenties you can find.

Snow Tunnel

2009-02-01T20:57:00.003-06:00

Jevin and I made a snow tunnel this afternoon!

Sannes-Venhuizen lunch

2009-01-29T17:42:00.001-06:00

I had lunch with Tali and Jason and their whole family today in Fergus Falls. We ate at a China Buffet type place and it was so nice to see the whole family together again.

Messages in Snow

2009-01-24T21:26:00.007-06:00

Jevin and I found some deer tracks while sledding. We were quickly tracking deer through the yard and found two huge icicles...

Little Eyes

2009-01-24T21:19:00.005-06:00

Jevin and Enavi tooks some pictures today and as usual surprised us with their talent.

Birds must be expecting visitors...

2009-01-24T21:06:00.003-06:00

I looked out the window this evening to see that the birds had dug their house out of the snow bank and had left the lights on. They must be expecting guests tonight.

So Happy

2009-01-09T22:00:00.004-06:00

We picked up our new-to-us car this evening and went out to dinner with my sister, Carrie. Jevin fell asleep on the way home, so Enavi had Mom and Dad all to herself at bedtime. She didn't mind one bit!

Christmas continues at Rose Lake

2009-01-04T19:39:00.004-06:00

Visitors for Chicken Soup and a video call to the WI Sanneses.

Rose Lake after Christmas

2009-01-02T20:03:00.008-06:00

Enjoying that
morning coffee!

Enjoying the computer as the
kids are zoned in on cartoons....

Enjoying the tree finally trimmed
on Christmas morning....

Saturday Morning

2008-12-14T19:05:00.001-06:00

When I was a kid I remember getting up early Saturday morning to watch cartoons.

Here is the 21st century equivalent: Veronica watching TV on the computer while listening to Hannah Montana on iTunes.

The Wind

2008-12-14T14:53:00.004-06:00

See the wind removing
the snow through the
cracks in the deck.

Inside is the fan made wind.

Visit with Santa and City Center's Big Christmas Tree

2008-12-12T08:40:00.002-06:00

A Day in the Life of Santa's Elves at Macy's

2008-12-12T08:36:00.001-06:00

Getting our Christmas Tree

2008-12-07T20:16:00.001-06:00

Finding the perfect tree

A Sleigh Ride

Decorating the tree

All finished!

Christmas Tree 2008

2008-12-07T19:57:00.003-06:00

We cut down our own Christmas tree today (for the first time). As we were walking out to the car, Davin said, "Make sure you get lots of video and pictures in case we never do this again!."

It was a bit cold and snowy, but we picked a very nice tree!

After picking out the perfect tree, Jevin and Davin got right to work.

Enavi was NOT a happy camper. She was cold and cried pretty much the whole time.

Jevin, assisted by Dusty (his Handy Manny saw), was a great helper!

We did it!

Reading with Grandpa Bruce

2008-12-04T06:55:00.001-06:00

Ice on Fairy Lake

2008-12-04T06:47:00.002-06:00

We went for walk a on Fairy Lake over the Thanksgiving weekend. The ice was crystal clear and we could see the bottom of the lake! Very cool!

Sliding on the ice...

Writing names in the snow...

Ice skating goats?

The Moon, Jupiter, and Venus

2008-12-01T17:29:00.000-06:00

I just took this, right outside my front door. According to MPR, these three heavenly bodies won't be like this again until 2052!

Advent I

2008-11-30T19:58:00.000-06:00

Festival of Trees

2008-11-29T14:05:00.003-06:00

Standing in front of the "Star Wars" exhibit. R2D2 is behind the group.

Seven Swans a swim'n

2008-11-29T13:59:00.002-06:00

Actually there were eight, but these are the only ones I could get into the picture.

Green Door Red Door

2008-11-29T13:44:00.002-06:00

Eno, here it is for you... now I would like a doorbell with the song "green door" as the ring.

Thanksgiving Lefse

2008-11-26T18:20:00.004-06:00

Our platter of lefse is buttered, sugared, rolled and ready. I had lots of help this year. Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

Playing in the Snow

2008-11-24T19:19:00.004-06:00

Our first accumulating snowfall! We couldn't wait to get out and play in the fluffy white stuff - we've been asking about when we would have snow to play in since about August 1st! :)

We even got to do some sledding!

It Continues

2008-11-22T16:07:00.004-06:00

Its going much slower than I had planned but now every day brings new additions. Insulation has made a big improvement. It will not be finished on Thanksgiving..

Dining room roof

2008-11-18T13:15:00.003-06:00

Today's construction (Tuesday Nov. 18th. The brown wall that they are roofing is the extension on the dining room. Things should be enclosed in a few more days. The electricians have been working things seem to be progressing well.

Tovin's Go Cart

2008-11-18T12:42:00.008-06:00

Grandma entertaining the troops. We had a great time viewing photos from Cathy, Katie, Bruce and Jason's on-line sites.

Great Grandma Ann's 96th birthday party at Linden Tree Circle. She way back by the windows.

Tovin and his dad built this go cart. Tovin found the plans in his book "dangerous things for boys" and then pestered his dad into helping him build it.

Roofing it!

2008-11-11T16:51:00.003-06:00

This is what they can get done while it's snowing.

Huldy's project continues

2008-11-07T14:08:00.003-06:00

I thought I'd better put on a new project photo. The crew is not working today or yesterday as they seem to be afraid of the rain.

Happy Halloween!

2008-11-01T19:16:00.001-05:00

This cheetah waited at the bus stop...

along with Adriana...

masks weren't allowed at school...

but the mask was able to be used for trick-or-treating at night.

Welcoming Jadalyn Juliane Miller!

2008-10-31T06:48:00.001-05:00