A Little Help Please and a Christmas Update

I just have a quick question for those with more blogging knowledge. In the past I was able to change the color of type permanently somewhere in settings or design. But now I cannot seem to find that again. With my new blog background, the regular type color doesn't show up well and I don't want to have to think about what color would show up when i finally post a better written blog post.

We have been blessed with family this Christmas. Christmas Eve Rannie, Dean, Brandy and Stevie came. We had a late dinner of Swiss Cheese Potato Soup. We quickly made a breakfast casserole to eat in the morning.

Santa came and left some super fun gifts. Then more family arrived and the fun continued. Rick's nephew Michael and his cute wife Christina arrived. We opened presents ate our amazing breakfast and started cooking Christmas dinner.

Michael taught Brady how to make Grammy K's special pie crust. I have figured out how to make her chow mien and tempura shrimp. (While eating leftovers Rick commented that the chow mien smelled perfect. Hooray!) Then Cody and his new wife Amy arrived right in time for dinner and more gifts.

We had fun with Marianne's family longer than planned. Thursday we went to a memorial service for Rick's uncle Jim who passed away Christmas Eve. We were then blessed to see more family at that gathering.

Shortly after the service my parents came to stay with us. Erin and her family came for the evening and then came back New Year's Eve.

Our house is quiet now, laundry is mostly caught up and the house seems to empty and quiet without extra family visiting. We love you all and enjoyed having you in our home!

Happy 2011

Christmas Past

This photo is from our first Christmas Eve in Oregon, 1992. Mom and Dad are wearing their super cute matching jammies.

Here are the 6 of us in our cool pj's. I like the matching hats. Laurie did you come down on Christmas Day? Bottom row left to right Wendy, Erin, me. Top row left to right Anna, Mary, Sarah.

A Brithday and a Craft

Please, everybody, look at me!
Today I'm five years old you see!
And after this, I won't be four,
Not ever, ever, anymore!
I won't be three- or two- or one,
For that was when I first begun.
Now I'll be five a while and then,
I'll soon be something else again!
(Marie Louise Allen)

Can you believe it? How is it possible that time can go so quickly? Cristine had a fun day, or as she told me the best day ever. We had a small party at McDonald's with a couple of friends. Then home to more cupcakes and presents.

Last year I saw a similar pillow on a fun blog. A while ago I bought some very ugly pillows with the plan to recover them for my future new couch. I have yet to get my new couch, but decided to go ahead with recovering the pillows. I wanted to be able to quickly remove the cover and put a new one on next month, so I used a button down shirt as the backing of the pillow. I should have taken a picture, maybe I'll remember tomorrow. The kids really like that the pillow has pockets.

The other pillow was made out of a sweater I thought Peter would wear. He wore it once last year for our Christmas card. The pillow cover turned out lumpy and the train is sitting too high. But we like it. I have two more pillow covers to make, I'd like to make one more snowflake and I may copy the quilting blog again and make the felt circle pillow. I just need to track down 2 more red button down shirts.

Pictures from October

We went to Seattle for Halloween. Something happened to my kids and I ended up with a purple haired spider girl, a tiger, a funky witch and a little rock star. We went Trunk or Treating with Marianne and her family, wowie some of the cars/trailers/tents were decorated nicely.

A visit to Seattle dictates that one must visit the huge Cabela's store. We had fun feeding the fish, watching fish swim in the large tanks and stared at the huge number of stuffed animals. We were done shopping long before Rick, good thing they sell ice cream bars.

The park around the Space Needle has some really neat sculptures.

Look how pretty the blue sky is! Sunshine seemed to follow us in our traveling!

More fun sculptures.

At the Pike Street Market. This photo was taken right before we lost Peter. What a scary thing that was, I din't think I'd see him again.

Cristine's preschool went to the pumpkin patch. Yes that is a spider on her head, we had fun making those.

A Happy Harvest

Last night we picked most of our pumpkins and winter squash. Isn't this fun. Now we need to get them cleaned up and put in our house.

This year we taught Abby how to drive a tractor. Isn't she cute concentrating while she backs up.

This is me on the forklift. I am much more comfortable on the tractor than the forklift, but I manage. Just don't expect me to be quick.

What I've bottled up so far this year: Peaches, Pears, Green Beans (woo hoo for using a pressure canner!), Tomatoes, Zucchini Relish and Salsa. The salsa is truly amazing, crossing my fingers that the next batch tastes as good!

I have learned a lot while canning this year. Here's a few things I've picked up. I miss my mother in law. Last year was so much easier having someone else to help peel and slice. Her years of experience know how were really helpful. While canning peaches I think she was nearby prompting me. Have a network of friends you can call to ask questions. I have called several ladies from church, each one has patiently walked me through whatever I ask. Yea for friends! Start with a mostly clean house. That way just one room is trashed when you finish. And finally: when your husband suggests buying the big container of cottage cheese at Costc0, do it. Pears taste so good with cottage cheese and when you have 50 jars....

Watch Out World

Cristine started her 3 year of preschool. She was so excited to see her friends. While taking pictures she got a little impatient with me! Here's a look back at how much she has grown up in three years.

Cristine in 2008, not quite 3 years old.

Here she is last year, almost 4.

Same sign, this year. She has really grown up this year. As you can tell pink is still her favorite color and she still lets me put flowers in her hair.

1st Day of School 2010

Can you believe it is a whole new school year? I feel like we were just taking last years pictures about a week ago.

Michelle could not wait for school to start. She said she had butterflies in her tummy this morning. She was so cute posing for her picture.

Peter was given some super cool N1ke shoes. He proudly wore them today.

Peter is now in 4th grade. When he came downstairs this morning I was surprised he wasn't wearing one of his new shirts, but he loves his Mario shirt.

Cristine will start preschool tomorrow. This will be her last year at home with me. We had so much fun spending the day together. We did a few art projects, gluing pom poms on paper. We did a science experiment, put some queen Ann's lace flowers in yellow dyed water. We also started a sewing project, which hopefully I'll finish tomorrow.

Abby started Middle School today. I really hope she has a good experience. We've been watching "The D1ary of a Wimpy Kid" all summer, ahhh middle school memories. She missed the bus this afternoon. This evening we had to figure out which bus will take her to the High School, where she'll then catch the right bus to take her home. We're both a little nervous about her riding the bus with HS students.

Everyone came home happy and were excited to go back tomorrow.