Merry Christmas!!

I can't believe I haven't blogged since September but it has been really busy. My sister came to visit twice, once in August and once in November, with her cute little boy and her husband, Cary. We had so much fun together. Boy, I wish she lived closer:( We also have canned and froze a lot this year. I lost count on how many quarts of tomatoes, salsa, pumpkin pie filling, beans, peppers, etc.. we processed but we are stocked up for the winter and seeing the freezer and shelves full makes all the work worth it. We made Jalepeno poppers this year for the first time. They are delicious as long as you like them hot. I will need to take out more seeds next year. But if you have a sinus cold they are the ticket to feeling better. We started school and it has been going really well this year. Anthony decided he wanted to take a couple classes at the Vocational College this winter so we will see how it goes. He wants to go full-time next year, his Senior Year, for WindPower Techonology. I can't believe he will be a Senior next year. I am definitely not ready for it. We celebrated my 41st and Joe's 42nd Birthday. Mine in October and Joe's in December. Those definitely come very fast each year. Then Christmas came. I was so excited for Advent this year. I was going to enjoy the whole season but of course it got busier than I planned. We had fun making cookies which Christina decided she loved the taste of. We made Krumakaka, Lefse, Belgian cookies, cutouts (which Christina made sure had a lot of sugar on them), almond bark pretzels, star cookies, monster cookies, and Ginger cookies. I can't wait until the sugar is out of the house. We found out that sugar is like caffeine for Miss Princessa. She has been off the walls the whole month of December. But she sure enjoyed Christmas this year. It is so much fun watching them enjoy every aspect of the season which we lose with all the hussle and bussle of the season. Christmas Eve: We wish you a very Merry Christmas and may the New Year be filled with many blessings and keep you safe and healthy!!

Happy Birthday Maria

Maria was born on Mother Mary's Birthday so we knew we would name her after Mary but Joe and I had to decide on Mary or Maria. Maria fits her so well so Maria it was. She is my big helper expecially with her little sister. She knows how to patch clothes thanks to her Dad:) and she likes to dust and organize. She loves to play the piano. She always has a smile. You may not believe this but she is a talker. We have so much fun talking while we are canning or cooking together. She is a sweetheart through and through. She is such a blessing.

Maria wants to learn to sew other than patches so we will learn together.

When you don't have candles. Just make the number.

6 Years Old 7 Years Old

8 Years Old

9 Years Old

10 Years Old-Happy Birthday Maria Therese.

Summer 2009

Ok, so I am not the best poster during the summer. It has a been a busy summer with acitivities, canning, visitors, freezing, camp, canning, birthday and VBS....did I mention canning or freezing? We started out with Anthony leaving for most of the summer to work with Darren and Grandpa on the farm with a little hunting mixed in. Then Michael had baseball for the first time since he was little. He did great and had a lot of fun. Father's day we went to Mom and Dad's for the Saddle Horse holiday parade of which there were no pictures due to rain but fun was had by all especially at the gathering at Mom and Dad's for potluck. July 3rd we went to the Fireworks at the casino and it rained. Did you know they can shoot fireworks in the rain.... Look below how to enjoy fireworks in the rain. Then Maria went to her first camp at Schoenstatt in Sleepy Eye . She loved it. I was worried I would be getting a call to pick her up but her schedule was so full she didn't have time to miss us. Then came VBS...I was the preschool director and Maria attended. It was so much fun with 47 kids present with 15 being preschoolers. They learned to "Fear Not" for the Lord is with them in the Crocodile Dock in the Bayou. They built comfort critters to give to other children in need that said "God Care". Then littleMiss Christina Maria turned 3. She is full of love, charm, temper and kisses. She has turned into an excellent actress. She has learned how to fake cry and then can turn it off in a second and give you the biggest smile that will warm anyones heart. Then Carolee and Logan came from Florida for 10 glorious days. Logan finally was able to handle Christina being his mother by the last couple days. She was a mother hen. ...she was always trying to hold his hand or dance with him. I think he will be sick of girls for a long time. We miss them so much already. We are hoping they will come back soon. During all this I was crazy and decided to do Spring cleaning plus canning and freezing of the garden's produce, which as been producing so well. Here is our summer in pictures. Enjoy!!

Father's Day. What a wonderful Father and Husband.

Michael's all day Baseball Tournament. We left at 8:00 in the morning and didn't get home until 10:30PM. They placed 4th.

Having our picnic lunch under a shade tree. It brought back memories when I was in softball at the all day tournaments.

One of the rare over 90 degree days this summer. School's summer sizzler.

Watching Fireworks in the rain.... what an adventure.

VBS Christina turns 3. Our little baby is growing up.

These are the eyes we have a difficult time saying "No" to.

Christina teaching Logan what rocks are really good for.....putting in the lawn:)

Celebrating Logan's(May), Christina's(August), and Maria's(September) Birthday

Grandma, Grandpa and the grandkids with Carolee...Logan didn't want to let Mama go.

Family Picture of Cary, Carolee and Logan...since Daddy couldn't come.

Guatemalan Princessa Is 3

Where have the years gone. She has been such a joy to our family. She is talking more and more all the time. She loves to act and copy people. She loves kisses and hugs....she give them whenever you hold her. She has developed a attitude and is very honest about telling us. What would we do without her. I have been thinking about her birth mother today. What is she thinking about today? Does she know she is loved and cared for? We wish so much to be able to find her someday to thank her for her decision to choose life and adoption for her precious little girl. God has blessed us so much with her....she needed a family but we needed her much more! Happy Birthday Princessa Christina Maria: Referral~3 days old

One Year Old

Two Years Old

Three Years Old

May

I guess I have turned into the Monthly blogger....sorry everyone:( Christina finally received her glasses. We were worried she would take them off. She leaves them on except when she sleeps and when she is eating. She likes to take them off when she is eating and we don't know why but if that's the only time we will happily except that. She can see so much better now. She is always pointing to new things that she sees that we had no idea she couldn't. She is discovering the world all over again.

Daddy and his little girl with her new glasses. Isn't she cute!!!

On Mother's Day, Joe and the kids did a quick clean of the house as my present and then they went fishing. They left Christina and myself home to bond together. When she went down for a nap it seemed really lonely. I always want time to myself which is few and far between but when I have it I would rather have the kids here. I know I am strange. Joe and the kids had a great time fishing other than the fact they haven't caught anything for the last two years. Michael is the fisherman of the family and he is thinking he needs to pick a new hobby:)

Maria freezing while fishing:)??

The Fisherman!!!

Anthony looking for just the right fishing spot.

Joe's favorite part of fishing!!

Our Godchild, Kaci, had her first dance recital on May 17th. I was able to go and she did a great job and was soooo cute. Keep up the good work Kaci!!

Fred, Sandra and Family had their annual barn dance. It was the day before we needed to be in the Cities which I will explain next but we decided there was no way we were going to miss the social event of the season. It's fun watching all the kids get along and seeing them dance from babies on up. The best part Joe was able to make it this year by 10 PM instead of Midnight or not at all. We were able to dance three times. There is so much visiting to do the time flies. We got to bed at 2:00 AM. Sandra's Mom, Pina, was there and she makes the best homemade Pizza. Thanks for the pizza Pina. Thank you Fred, Sandra, and Family for another fun filled night.

***Sorry, my camera at night in a barn doesn't take very clear pictures***

Christina feeling Fred's beard...Mama what's this??

Sandra with her Mom, Pina, and little Bella.

Christina having her first dance with a boy. I think she likes him for his shirt;)

Anthony and his friend Emma. They had very tired feet by the end of the night. Anthony said he kept stepping on Emma's toes......Sorry Emma he must have inherited my dancing abilities:(

Michael doing an Irish Line Dance..

Maria dancing with Tommy

All the boys growing up and having a good time.

The next day we got up at 6 AM to do chores finish packing and head up to the Cities for Maria to practice for the Honors Concert at the U of M Northrop Auditorium. We had to be there at 11 AM but I always give myself an extra 1/2 hour for construction and boy was there construction. I have never seen it that busy before. We made it to practice and then went to our hotel. Darren gave us two nights at a hotel of our choice so we went to the Embassy Suites in Bloomington. We had a suite with free breakfast with eggs/omelets made to order. We had so much fun there....thank you Uncle Darren:) Joe got off work and made it to the hotel at 3:30 PM. We went to church and then to the Auditorium for the Honors Concert. We were with our Friends the McKeowns. They had two children in the concert as well and our children are good friends. The all did great. We are so proud of Maria she did a good job despite a headache from lack of sleep. Afterwards we went to TGIF to eat with the McKeowns and the Wambekes. Helen helped teach our kids piano after Jessie had her baby. She did an awesome job teaching them. She is so sweet. We then got back to the hotel at which was late again and crashed until the next morning. We ate an awesome breakfast and then I showered and packed while Joe and the kids went swimming. They had fun even though it was short. We then went to eat with the McKeowns and Wambekes and head to the Como Zoo. Well we got there but all the parking lots were full and there were cars parked on all sides streets for blocks. So the unison decision was to go home. We were bummed but we had a full weekend and the kids were exhausted. It was a busy weekend but wouldn't have missed any of it.

Maria and Brynn with their beautiful smiles and dresses

\Maria and her flower she received at the Honors concert.

All the kids having a good time at TGIFridays. Do they look tired....NOT!!

Swimming the next morning. They loved it and Christina became a fish from last year when she screamed going in the water.

This is what welcome us home after our long fun weekend...

Enjoy the Summer!!!