California Christmas

  This cartoon was posted by my friend who recently moved from Fallbrook to Idaho….. enough said!
   Christmas in California is quite different from Christmas in Wisconsin. You decorate for the season just so you know it is that season! Last year the weather was much cooler over Christmas and we even had some frost. Plus we had lots of company. This year we are alone since we saw everyone in November and the kids come to visit in January. Our good friends, John and Julie invited us to join their family on Christmas Eve. Very thoughtful of them and great for us!

Near the front door

Our front door- I added shells to a wreath I already had to give it the CA look.

Julie's beautifully set tables

Julie, her mom Lois, her sister Carie and sis in law Janet

Julie

Julie and John

Daughters of the house- Jillian and Jessica

We did one of those gift exchanges where you can steal from each other.  Fun and profitable! 

Carie's sweet daughter Lauren-quite happy with a Target gift card.

   Christmas morning- that would be today….
Dave began his day by golfing with our friend Duane. Then off to the coast in Carlsbad to walk the beach. A gloriously warm day- 80 degrees at the ocean. One family pulled up the motorhome for the day and set up camp on the beach. They even had a tree and some Santas digging in the sand. Someone took advantage of all of the empy clam shells and made a lovely scaled mermaid. And I even got a Starbucks drink- they were doing brisk business. I guess Starbucks is an essential business so it is open on Christmas. Here I thought only hospitals, police and fire stations had to remain open! Who knew?!
   Then back home to have a grilled steak on our 86 degree patio. Ahhhh…..

Midwest Meanderings Part 3

  Well our nearly month long trip is over…. enjoyed our time. Had a special weekend with Ananth and Amanda. Ananth lived with us for a summer when he was in college and he became one of our sons. Five years ago he married Amanda so we gladly claim her also. We learned a new game so planted and harvested beans...

Nikelle's beautiful table

And then it was Thanksgiving! This year it was just our family plus our cousins and good friends-Jamie and Meredith.

The photo my friend Jane sent to show what Thanksgiving looks like in S. Cali.

More family time with extended family! 

Our time in WI came to an end- back to the frozen tundra of Minneapolis! Minnehaha Falls froze over during our time in WI. Then a light snowfall/sleet storm to hurry us on our way.

Our last night with these two.

Chewy likes cozy places!

GOODBYE FROZEN TUNDRA, HELLO SUNSHINE AND OCEAN BREEZES…..

Midwest Meanderings Part 2

  Loving our time in the Midwest! This extended time with our children is precious and we hope they still feel that way by the time we leave!
   And this is how Shane gets his 2-3 hours of biking during the extended bad weather season. We are thinking that if we could hook him up to their home's electrical system he could generate all their needs….

Our friend's dog Oscar- an absolutely awesome lab.

Napping buddies. Oscar's normal activity and sick Shane's temporary activity.

Meredith teaching Nikelle and me how to geocache….. on a cold, rainy,windy day.

It is all about dressing for the weather and wandering all around an empty field.

Hmmmm….. the GPS lead us to a storm sewer????

On to the next geocache- hopping the fence to reach the cemetery. We had fun but never found it.

My boys that are really men but are still boys to me.

The family

Our cousins and good friends joined us for Sunday lunch.

   Tristan and Dave headed off to hunt in the northwoods and I headed south to socialize. I stopped at my former place of employment to visit ( no photos). I miss those lovely ladies I used to work with but I DO NOT miss the work! One night at my cousin's home-Tom and Dawn. I got to meet their adorable first grandchild Channing. And here are Channing's parents- Trela and Randy.

Tom and Dawn's log cabin home-love it!

A beautiful sunny crisp day for a walk in the country…. frost on the ground.

 An afternoon visit to our old neighborhood and the hobby farm across the street. We spent many hours here watching animals being born. Pat and Betty adopted us and our kids and will always hold a very special place in our hearts. Betty caught me up on all the neighborhood news. And our former home- looks familiar and holds many memories but doesn't feel like home anymore.

  Spent 2 nights at my only sister's(and brother in law's) home. Special times just visiting with my sis.
  My friend Linda planned a lovely potluck lunch- I got to make out the guest list ( had to limit it since I could have kept adding names). Was delicious but mostly the company was top notch! Apparently people must be bored in November because we had a record turnout. The theme was flip flops in honor of my normal footwear. Most were wearing boots due to November weather.

My hostess and her faithful companion Lisi

In case you were wondering the hunt was successful! Tristan's big 10 point buck. Dave got a buck also but not much in the antler department. Our boys will eat well this winter.

Happy men!

Gene's cabin

Crazy amount of clothing needed to walk here.

Yup-kind of pretty!