Christmas Tree

Today was a busy day! I worked at the nursing home in activities ... this meant taking down Thanksgiving decorations and putting up the Christmas bulletin board. I then went to judge floats for Cavalier's Santa Parade. Every year the floats get better and better. My favorite this year was a live Nativity with real sheep on the float! When I got home Candice and I put up our Christmas tree in the living room.

Shopping Day

It is one of the biggest shopping days of the year! I slept through the early morning sales. I used to stay up all night so I could stand in line at 4 in the morning. Mike and Lucas might do a little shopping today in Grand Forks and I'll be working at the nursing home wishing I was shopping. I hear there is a great deal on Cricut cartriges at Michaels!

Getting Ready for Thanksgiving

We have our turkey thawing and tomorrow we'll be making pumpkin pie to get ready for Thursday. Lucas and Candice will be home to help us celebrate ... I'm hoping that we'll have time to decorate our tree sometime during the weekend.

Church Basement Ladies

Today was a day of fun and entertainment. My driver and friend Carol arranged a day of shopping and eating and theatre for us in Grand Forks. The added bonus was a pedicure! The Church Basement Ladies shared Lutherisms to put a smile on any face. The cast of five did a great job! (I probably would rather have gone to the Neil Diamond concert in Grand Forks, but don't tell anyone!)

STOOD UP on November 21st

Many students and staff members are wearing pink today at school. It is STAND UP to Bullying Day. Participants wear a pink "pledge shirt" to take a visible stance against bullying. This is the front of the shirt ... I actually like the back of the shirt which is signed by the wearer.

Home again, home again ...

After three days in Fargo we're home again. Lucas has had his surgery and now is in the recovery phase. We are both glad to be home. I have spent two nights in a hard chair by his bed ... I'm ready for some serious sleep. Lucas's job is to heal and get well.

Saturday Mornings

If you know me at all, you know that Saturday mornings are reserved for breakfast at the Chuckwagon in Cavalier. Nine of us have gotten together for several years to share our coffee pot and friendship.

Welcome Home Lucas

He's home! Home to have surgery and get well as fast as he can to finish the semester at Mayille State. His instructors will keep in touch with him online. With a little luck he will finish the semester.

Stories At Hand

This week I am doing a "first". It is my first time at taking an online craft class. I thought I would be making a digital scrapbook, but it is a journal in scrapbook form with story prompts ... better yet! I love to write and I think this will be a useful tool to get me going again!

Morning Coffee

I am not a morning person ... never have been and never will be. I truly believe that morning people have an extra gene that I didn't get! Mike wakes up full of energy and ready to go. I find his cheerful disposition in the morning to be abnormal and annoying. However, I do enjoy that first cup of coffee in the morning that he makes. I guess that makes up for all that sunshine he sends my way each day.

383,800 Miles for our Van

It finally happened. We knew this day would come, but we really were hoping that our Chevy Venture van would make it to 500,000 miles. We even had a little party planned marking this possible milestone. The "gray ghost's" engine died and we are now in the market for a new vehicle. This van took us on many wonderful family memories. Thousands of hours of movies were watched by kids that we hauled on trips and activities.

It's one week until Lucas's back surgery

In one week ....next Monday, November 17th, Lucas will have back surgery in Fargo for a herniated disk injury he recevied the first week in October. He has had high doses of meds that have brought little relief. Hopefully his guardian angels will by by his side as he travels down the road of recovery.Lucas gave his all for the Mayville State Comets Football Team.

Typical Sunday Morning

This was a peaceful, typical Sunday on Bedrock Lane. I shared the morning coffee and newspaper with Mike. Candice, Mike, and I went to church. It was special this morning as there were two baptisms. Candice gave National Guard shirts to Pastor Scheblein and Jean who do a great job remembering the college youth when they leave Cavalier.

Welcome Home Candice

Candice is home ... when kids come home from college for a visit I realize what a quiet routine Mike and I now have . Our once noisy household is quiet ... only to be disrupted by the scampering on the puppies on the run. Anyway, Candice is home for a long weekend, and we are going to enjoy every minute!

Election

Since November 4th was the election I thought I would start off my blog with this photo of me with Governor Hoeven who was elected for his third term in North Dakota. I had an opportunity to visit with him in October 2007 when I attended an educational conference. I think it will be interesting to watch Barack Obama put his cabinet together.