It is time to change up my cover photo for my blog for the new year. The other day Rhea and her friend went to Point McKenzie with my camera to take some pictures. I was so impressed with the beautiful shots they took that I narrowed it down to this beauty. And so, Rhea, I give you all the accolades and shout-outs for this gorgeous shot that will adorn taratruly all year long. Thanks love.
The new year is soon approaching and as always I anticipate what the next year will be like. Here we go so far: three weddings (includes and niece and two close friends), two grand babies (due a day apart), two family reunions (two weeks apart ), a high school graduation and possibly two moves for two of our kids. Beyond that we have our church callings, hockey, visiting our grandkids, working on our home and the possible idea of renting out our cabin during the summer months. Yikes. 2018 is going to fly by.
I am not a pioneer woman, nor am I THE pioneer woman because I give bread and cinnamon tutorials to the girls that we gave bread makers to for Christmas. Brooke and I kind of perfected the cinnamon rolls when she was here and I now I know that I bake them for thirty minutes. I never knew. I also now know how long the dough stays in the bread maker before I take it out and form it in loaves. I am kind of hoping the girls do all the experimenting and then tell me what is good. I bake bread every other day, slice it and freeze it. I am my own pioneer woman.
We could buy our grandchildren a million gifts but truly their favorite thing to play with are our quarters and pennies from their jars in our room. When it is quiet we know what the kids are doing. Hinckley likes to take the backscratcher and use it as a scooper in the big quarter jar. Hatcher likes to drop the pennies into the quarter jar and Oaklee probably cheers them on in both endeavors. I walked into our bedroom to find Mike had dumped the quarters out to start pulling out the pennies. It took us a bit of time to do all the separating but deep down – we didn’t mind at all.
The house is quiet, too quiet. I started to clean, wash sheets and put things away after a house full of fun guests all week. I got the bug to take down my Christmas stuff and before I knew it all the bins were lined up and filled to the brim. I loved my little Christmas tree in the living room so much that it was the last to bid farewell for the season. As I took it apart I heard something drop and I looked down to see a little horse. I remembered watching Hatcher put his little horse in the tree and there it stayed. It is in a little baggie now with a few socks and puzzle pieces waiting to be pouched back to Fairbanks.
It is the day after Christmas and Devin, Brooke, Rhea and the kids and I hit up Target for some after sales and Panda for our traditional feast while they are in town. Nothing gets us more excited in our growing valley than to have new franchises pop up. While we were sitting their eating I looked out to see the new “Smashburger” sign had just been put up. Nothing perks a person up more after the Christmas let down than our salivating glands getting geared up for a new burger joint in town.
-the gifts were awesome – everyone was happy
-monkey bread tradition in place
-my one relaxation day
-headed to the rink for our seventh annual Big Lake Lion’s Club Styers Family Christmas Day Skate. We were so happy to have the Johnsons and the Kerrs join us this year.
It is always the same order on Christmas Eve. We eat a huge meal and then gather around the living room for our White Elephant gift exchange. Unbelievably three naked, bellybutton fanny packs were bought and given. What is the likelihood? We read Sam’s Christmas Wish and then Grammie’s bags were given out. The little ones love putting on their Christmas jammies and then we feed the reindeer out on the deck throwing glittered oats and sprinkles on the snow. Time for bed before Santa and his reindeer come.
A fun filled day. We had snacks, sliders and sodas with friends and some hilarious game moments. Taft and Carrie, Nathan and Cami and Ruthanne and Paul came to join us for some good laughs while we played charades backwards. There were some stellar moments that we won’t forget. After the gang left we all sat at the table for more games – Monopoly Deal and cards. It ain’t Christmas without the games around the table.
Absolutely no complaints but we got snow this past week and a slight catastrophic event took place outside. I took a look out the window and saw that the boys were down. Mr. Snowman and Santa himself were flat on the ground with snow on their backs. Rhea to the rescue with a broom and a shake to get them upright again. They are like my big nightlights outside the house – when they are down – I notice. I can’t even imagine having Hatcher and Oaklee pull up to see this devastating scene.
Tara Truly 