My dad has been talking about butterfly rolls for many years. They used to make them in the L & L Bakery, but I’ve never had one. So, this morning I made some sweet roll dough, and this afternoon my dad turned it into a pan of butterfly rolls and peanut butter twists. Yum!
I’ve decided to give myself a little challenge for the month rather than listing out a number of resolutions. I’ve been thinking about how sporadic my blogging has been, and after hearing from a friend that she, too, misses the routine of blogging, I want to get back into this. So, my challenge is to post every day that I have internet access throughout all of January 2012. (I should have regular access.) One of the things that I love about Facebook is that it connects me with a lot of people I would otherwise be out of touch with. The downside is that many blogs I look to for deeper connections get updated less frequently. My blog is a place where I have a good idea of who’s reading, and ultimately it’s the place I go back to catch a glimpse of my past. So – this month I will post pictures, phrases, maybe even just a word about my day to get into the practice of blogging (journaling really) and sharing the highlights of this incredible gift called life. I invite all of my fellow blogging friends to do the same!
I was happy to get my car back after months of it sitting at the shop. Bill and I celebrated with an ice cream cake in honor of the mechanic who (finally) fixed it.
I went on my first winter camping trip and really enjoyed it. Of course it helped to have warmish weather and wonderful company!
We took a ton of saunas.
We had a long, beautiful fall and took advantage of extra time out on the lake.
Bill’s parents spent the fall in Minnesota.
We had amazing weather and a great trip into the Boundary Waters in July.
I got to spend time with my sisters.
We made memories with friends.
Our family grew by 2. These kids are seriously silly, and I love that about them.
We had an amazing adventure where we saw new sites, stayed with friends, and met family for the first time.
We appreciated the beauty of our home, the generosity of our neighbors, the love of our family & friends, and time together.
I adore the gift of the break that I’ve been enjoying for the past 6 days. I’ve had very few obligations and have been able to just breathe in a bit of the winter that finally seems to have found us.
Two weekends ago, Bill and I headed to the cities for a little getaway. We had tickets for a Wild game, and Bill surprised me with tickets to a live radio show broadcast / dinner theater of “It’s a Wonderful Life”. It was such a great time. We packed a lot into our day and a half down in St. Paul, but just having some time with Bill – no work, no chores – was the best part of it all.
Work was intense up until the bell rang last Thursday afternoon. I did get to participate in a flash mob, however, that was a definite highlight to my final work day before break. I find that the older I get, the more interested I am in making a complete fool of myself. 🙂
Christmas was nice. As is tradition, we spent Christmas Eve with the Aune side of the family. This year my cousin, Spin, and his family hosted in their beautiful new home. There was lots of food and plenty of stories to fill the night.
my dad and uncles with my gram's sister and nephew
We continued with a Christmas Day celebration at my mom’s. She has the day down to an art. This year was especially fun, as this was the first year the toddlers really got into opening presents. It was great fun to watch their faces light up as they discovered the treasures inside! I will say, though, that I did miss the tradition of playing a Christmas Day game. We’ll have to bring that back.
it's nearly impossible to catch these two sitting still
Now the temps have dropped, I hauled some wood today, tomorrow I’ll probably take the tree down. But I’ve got nearly half of my vacation left, and there is plenty to look forward to as the New Year approaches. What tops your list for 2012?
About a month ago, April & Jesse and Bill & I headed up the North Shore for a weekend getaway. We splurged on a nice little resort where we spent a good deal of time hot tubbing, eating really good food, and just being kind of a lazy. We did head out one afternoon to go hiking, and then off to Grand Marais to poke in to some of the cute shops.
I really love trips up the Shore. The views of Lake Superior are gorgeous, and the little towns are so cozy. I can’t wait to go back again.
I just love these goofballs. Yes, all 5 of them.
Happy birthday to one of my sweetest sisters. 🙂 Looking forward to celebrating with you soon!
Our Thanksgiving Day was simple but very nice. The day began with Bill heading into the Glass’s house while I got side-dishes ready for our dinner. I imagined a leisurely morning complete with time for a nice walk, but found myself still puttering around the kitchen when Bill arrived home nearly 4 hours later. The beauty of it all is that I love days that I can spend playing in the kitchen! Cooking Thanksgiving dinner is something I truly enjoy.
I put Christmas music on in the background and occasionally flipped over to the Macy’s Parade. Should I even admit that I got a little choked up when Neil Diamond sang “America”? I don’t know what it is about parades. They make me strangely sentimental.
When Bill got home he helped finish up a few household chores, and the Glass family made their way out about an hour later. We had a nice dinner together, then Sawyer and I raced some cars in the utility room while April & Jesse cleaned up the kitchen. Lets see, my little buddy and I also spent time jumping on the bed and eating lots of sugar. It’s nice to be an aunt. 🙂
Bill and I spent the afternoon watching the rest of Back to the Future, and when my dad got home we watched Elf. There’s no better way to kick off the holiday season, if you ask me.
I hope each of you enjoyed a day together with family and friends and the chance to remember all we have to be thankful for.
