Winter fun

By the looks of things, our little golden birthday girl is getting good use out of her goggles!  Winter activities can sometimes give us a new perspective on snow...
however,
when you get to be a grandma and the snow piles up around your boundaries -
you just can't see the fun.
That is until you see a picture of your grand-babies dressed warm and smiling...
once again you can feel the rays of the summer sun!

Shinney puff

Nola Jean and Jordyn Noel February 21st, 2014 "snowed in"

Our little Jordyn Noel Harren is very social.  She tells great stories and knows how to play with friends.  Along with all her language she does at times do something with her "R's".  We are not quite sure what it is...
but she will tell you sweetly that her name is "Jordyn Noel Harren "(Jo done Noel Hawwen) and then as momma is getting Jordyn ( jo done) out of the car seat she will say "don't worry about me momma I like to arch my back!" (don't wowwy about me mom, I like to awch my back). She has never liked driving in the car seat, and somehow she arches her back to make it more comfortable.  As a mom, you worry ( wowwy) about it, but Jordyn (Jo done says not to!).  Jaci Anna has always taken such good care of her little sister and Conner (Conno) her brother loves to play with her...
at least for a little while...
even though Jordyn (Jo done) many times likes to play beyond his limits.
My favorite story by far is the one about "The three little pigs".
Jordyn (Jo done) has heard this story and likes to play out the book.
She heard the wolf say "I'll huff and I'll puff and I'll blow your house down"
so, when her and Nola played the three little pigs...
Nola was a little pig
and Jo done was "Shinney puff" (the big bad wolf!)
After I heard this story I got this picture and a TXT...
"BEST FRIENDS FO- EVAH "
What more can a gramma really ask for in life?
Grandchildren, family, and stories of Shinney puffs!

The little SHAGS secret tea (sweet) party

Nola Jean, Jordyn Noel and JaciAnna

One of each dessert!

It was the day of the annual SHAG reunion.  We decided this year it would be a crazy hair pot luck.  Everyone worked on getting there schedules so that they could arrive and eat around 1:00.  As the food came through the door we ran out of space in our kitchen,
ran out of space on our living room table...
where should we put the desserts?
We decide to put them on the radiator in the living room, it was kind of out of the way and yet still visible so people would know where to get their heart shaped cupcakes that Duey made, their oreo cake dreams that Miranda made, fundamiddles that JaciAnna made, or their jello/cool-whip delight that Carol made.
Miranda gave the first warning of putting the desserts at eye level with the little ones.  She said exactly "I am not responsible for those desserts if you are putting them there where the kids can reach what they want".
We didn't think much more of it until we discovered the couch next to the radiator had been pulled out from the wall,
and nestled sweetly behind it was one of each sweet...
and the little sweets wondering how their secret tea party could have possibly been discovered!

The little SHAGS and LOVE

Conner D.

Addy

Nola, Jordyn, Jaci

Jack

Evelyn and Cassie

Love is the most powerful of human emotions. I think that we can agree on the most important sentence in any language being... "I LOVE YOU".

Love requires no justification. If you love someone, no other reason for loving - or living - is needed!

Jordyn and Nola

These two sweet babies are cousins.  They are only 6 months apart in age.  Because they are family and because of their age, they will always remain friends.  Life will try to pull them apart but the bonds that are being built now as they are children will see them through.  There is probably nothing that could make a grandma happier.
Lacey and Nola have been trying to get to Foley about once a month.  They go to help out with things and let Jordyn and Nola play together.  On wednesday the 19th of Feb they ventured to Foley for their night stay. The plans were for them to bring me Conner and he would stay here with us for the week-end.  Well the big ole snow storm has changed plans...
but, in each case of disappointed plans you can find joy...
Thank- you for this JOY!
(This is the email I received earlier this morning)

Will keep you posted on our travels or postponement later in the afternoon.   For now, read up on these cuties and the cute things they are saying.  It's so funny listening to those two.

Jordyn and Nola are playing three little pigs-

Jordyn:  Yo little pig and I'll be Shinny Puff.  (you're little pig, and I'll be the big bad wolf.  She thinks the wolf is named Shinny puff!!)

Jordyn:  I'm Cawford the dog (Clifford the big red dog)
Nola:  Okay, hi Cawford, I'm little puppy.  (She thinks Jordyn wants to be named Cawford, she is not understanding that Jordyn is saying Clifford)
Jordyn: No, I'm not Cawford, I'm Cawford!
Nola:  That's what I said!
After a bit of trying to get it straight, Jordyn gives up and lets Nola continue to call her "Cawford" for the next half hour.

SNOWSTORM Feb 20th - 21st, 2014

For the third Thursday in a row, my mom and I have cancelled our plans to go to Mankato to get the Toyota serviced and do a little shopping.  All three cancellations have been due to snow.
When we woke up on Feb 20th - the temps were warm (at least compared to what we have had) and there was no snow.  The prediction was for it to come in around 11:00 and to continue for 24 hours of snow and blowing.  Curt made it to work fine and called to say "where ever you are when this storm starts, plan on that is where you will be staying."
Okay, decision made, we will cancel!
It did start snowing here almost exactly around 11:00, and it snowed and snowed.  We were able to go over for a quick trip to Gaylord to visit with Linda and Doug. Diane drove and after about an hour there... we decided...
better get home now or we won't get there. 
We got home safely but the drive home was 20 miles an hour and a line up of cars 20 deep.
As the evening went on the storm progressed.
Al our UPS man got stuck out on Hi-way 9 around 11:30pm (brought safely home around 11:00am)
...other cars stranded on the same road, all night!
Nick our cop was called out on many calls and was unable to get through the drifts or to see where he was going.
Carol our corporate secretary person was able to get safely home and posted pictures and prayed with us.
Alex the jailer from NewUlm was stuck out on  19 between Lafayette and Winthrop, he said he went in to "survival mode" as there are no plows out, no travel.
Ringo our UPS drivers wife was home, sick with worry and went to fb for help. Cancelled her mammogram appt for the 3rd time.
Lacey and Nola got stranded in Foley, cancellation of the plans... there will be no travel for awhile.
They closed almost all the hi-ways around here...
my boss called, she is stuck on her gravel road right outside her home.
It has been 24 hours sense the start of the storm.  It is cold and windy around the clean beauty of the snow...
The plows are out...
but stay home.
As you can see by the picture, the bright sky can be quite deceiving on what is really going on.

NewYears Eve 2013

New Years Eve is a tradition.  It has changed from year to year, depending on weather and what is going on around the area.
Most of the years sense at least 1976 the yellow boots have spent it together.
I remember most the year of 2000 when all the computers were going to be shutting down due to the change in dates, none of the cash registers were going to be working and many thought it would be the end of the world.  I believe it was called Y2K.  All of us went to a motel in Mankato and celebrated with each other.  All the Giesens, Hackers, Schmidts and Meyer's were there and it was a wonderful time together. I do have a few pictures somewhere of that year that when I find I will add on to this post.
We have gone to Green-Isle, Gaylord, Arlington, Lafyette, NewUlm, and Mankato to name a few.  This last NewYears, 2013 - we spent at the "Hacker Ranchenda" located outside of Lafyette, Mn.
We spent the evening there where Du had cooked us all up some of his dumplings and kraut - it is well worth the trip just for thta!  We all brought food and Dave came also!  We ate together and then we played "poop on your neighbor".  It is a fun card game for a lot of people, and you didn't have to think real hard - much laughter went around the table with each card holding person!
We all spent the night there - it was dangerously cold temps outside, but, inside was the warmth of family and friends.
The next day all of us went to Mankato to take Jeff back and we stopped to eat at the Chinese Buffet back by the Toyota dealer. 
It was an ending meal to a wonderful NewYears!

Grandma D's dipped ginger snaps

Grandma Doris has always been known for her cooking and baking.  She would always have the Christmas goodies ready to go.  I remember delivering many a "tray" to family and friends.  One of the cookies she became famous for was the "ginger snap" dipped in white almond bark.  This year she decided not to do much baking so Lindsey called her to get the recipe...

2 cups sugar                   1 1/2 cups veg. oil

2 eggs                             1/2 cup molasses

4 cups flour                    4 teas. baking soda

1 Tbs. ground ginger      2 teas. ground cinnamon

1 teas. salt                       Sugar in small bowl

In mixing bowl, combine sugar and oil; mix well. áAdd eggs, one at a time,beating after each. áStir in molasses. áCombine dry ingredients, gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. áShape into 3/4" balls and roll in sugar. áPlace 2" apart on ungreased baking sheet(it works good to use parchment paper but not necessary) áBake 350 degrees for 10-12 min. or until cookies spring back when touched lightly. áRemove to wire racks to cool. áMelt l package of almond bark and dip 1/2 cookie in it. áShake off excess bark and place on wax paper to set. áI don't use quiet as much ginger and cinnamon as it calls for.

 

So, Lindsey and Cassie got to baking cookies and they sure were fine!!

...all is well

I remember this moment. It was at Emma Krumbee's in September,2013.  I heard Nola whisper to Jordyn...
"would you like to hold my hand?"
 Jordyn reached over and took Nola's hand
and all was well with the world.

YELLOW BOOTS

February 9th, 2014

The boots!

SHAGS and the CRAZY HAIR SATURDAY!

The day finally arrived, February 9th, 2014.  We met at the "Schmidt house".  Everyone arrived at different times, most arrived by 1:00 which is when we feasted.  I am so thankful for this group of people in my life!

GOLDEN BIRTHDAY PRAYER (Jaci Anna turns 10)

October 2004

July 2004

3 years old

Singing happy birthday at the Shag get together

new goggles !! Her favorite present

Our JaciAnna had her Golden Birthday this year.  She was born on February 10, 2004.  It was exactly nine months after her mom and dad got married!  They were married in a beautiful ceremony at the Arlington United Methodist Church by Pastor Wayne Swanson.  Their honeymoon was a night at the Arlington Motel!  When Emi went in to have Jaci she was in labor a long time.  Because of things not moving a long as expected, Jaci was born by c-section at __________pm.  She was born in the St.Cloud hospital and I will never forget looking at her eyes - she was so alert and content! Welcome to the world baby girl... and now 10 years later we are still celebrating this life and are so Blessed to have her in our family!
Lacey went to Foley on Wednesday and then Thursday after school Lacey and Nola, and Jaci met Grandma Dorius and I at the Dairy Queen in Hutch.  We had a light supper and Jaci picked out her Dairy Queen cake.  It was a pretty "oreo" ice cream cake... which is her favorite.  Then Grandma Dorius, JaciAnna and I proceeded to Walmart where Jaci would pick out her present that she wanted.  She had talked to us already in January that she wanted a sled and goggles but they "cost a lot of money".  Her and I had fun going around the store looking for things she wanted.  We did find a sled and the goggles were just what she wanted!!  Along with some new socks, personal items, and a new black knit dress... we were ready to check out.  Home we went.  On Friday Lacey took Jaci and Nola to Grandma Dorius's and they spent the day making fundamiddles and some cupcakes.  I picked them up after work and we came home to get ready for the "CRAZY HAIR SHAG REUNION" and JaciAnna's Golden Birthday celebration.
I can not explain in words what it means to me as a grandma to see her in these pictures.  How fast time has gone and yet how happy I am that I have gotten to be her grandma!   We were very honored to be invited to the hospital for her birth and we continue to be blessed to be a part of not only her everyday life but all of the celebrations!
My greatest honor is to be able to pray for my grandchildren. 
Lord,  we thank you for this beautiful life that you have given us in our JaciAnna Harren.  She was our first born grandchild and no matter what she will continue to hold that spot in our lives.   Living two hours from us I feel sometimes farther away than I would like us to be, and yet you have given her a beautiful home and family.  I am content to see her when I can and pray for her always.  I ask that you would give her the ability to make good friends, that she would increase in favor with the children in her school, church and family.  Please touch her body and heal her from anything that is not of you.  Help her to continue to grow and recognize you as her source and to always choose your path.  Bring her through all of the hurts that come along with childhood and bring her to victory in Christ Jesus.  Remove any pain of unpleasant memories and give her joy and hope instead.  Help us as people who love her to respond in creative ways to give her comfort if she is hurting, to give her a listening ear when she is talking, to most of all give her time.
Lord, you are her refuge and strength, teach her to not fear and that no matter what happens she can look to You, the maker of heaven and earth.  Thank-you for keeping her from harm and watching over her life always.  We pray for peace in the environment in which she is living.  May it always continue to be a home filled with Your love and be a neighborhood that is safe.
Lord, especially this day I ask that you would put a wonderful Godly mentor in her life that would bring her to all you have gifted her with.  Someone that will see her talents and take her to new heights in her learning and abilities.
We thank - you daily for her life and that you love her unconditionally.
JaciAnna Harren is Your favorite!
Love you sweet child!

SKETCHES

Colored Raindrops  Cupboard search

Grandma Pammie

It was in January 2014 when Nola Jean took out her "sketch pad" and colors and got to drawing bits of her life.  She started out with "colored rain drops".  The second picture shows her after she went in to the cupboard while momma was taking a shower.. she then covered herself up with the blue blanket and waited to hear what momma had to say about the cupboard search.  

The third sketch shows one of her first attempts at drawing people.

This is a picture of me... you will notice the big eyes, the smile and the skinny legs...

YEP, that is me!