Hoar Frost!

Bill had to be up around 5:30 yesterday to meet the Pioneer guys who were going to get our seed beans at the bin site.  It was super foggy when he got up!  When he got to the bins, there were already 4 semis there to load the beans into.  They had to wait for the vac.

Then he and Tim headed to a pesticide update class in Humboldt for the morning.  I had a P.E.O. meeting in the afternoon.

Bill was very quiet when he left so when I woke up at 7:15 I thought he had overslept - but he was gone!  Then I looked out and this is what I saw!  One of the really nice things about winter!

Diane took this one at her house - pretty!

 

Colts!

It's a nice, sunny day in NW Iowa today.  Love these Christmas trees that have been at the front of church.  I'm sure today was the last day for them.

Bill got a call that our 4100 bushels of seed beans will be picked up on Tues. so he went and moved snow from around that bin.  He's been doing some wiring in the machine shed.   We still don't have doors on the machine shed.  Those guys are supposed to be here the end of the week.   Bill went to a yearly update insurance class this past week.    

This afternoon I'm watching the Colts in their playoff game with Baltimore - hoping for a win!  Close game so far. 

Happy Birthday to my brother-in-law, Jim today! 

Christmas Sleigh Rides

Since riding the sleigh in Dakota City last year, Lacey and I have been looking forward all year to doing it again.  This year niece, Ryanne, happened to come for a weekend after Christmas so she and I and Peggy went one night.

The ride is about 30-40 min. long.  The driver told me that he has the horses trot a little faster on the nights that are colder!  You go through different streets in town and the highlight is going past this house that has a huge display of lights.  

Front of the house (blurry).

This was the 28th year that Merlin has done this at his house on the hill.  He invites everyone to get out of your car and walk around to see the lights up close too so after the sleigh ride we went back in the car.  We've never gotten out, but Ryanne wanted to so we did.  We even got to meet Merline who invited us to go up on his top deck in the back that overlooks the hill behind his house where he also has lots of lights - what a view!  It was fun to get to meet and talk to him.  He is 83 and says he still puts up 90% of the lights himself.

The decks in the back of the house.

Merlin, the guy that does it all!

The view down the back hill - from the top deck.

 

Ryanne near the merry go round

Lacey ready for the ride.

The next night, Lacey & I got to go on our much anticipated ride.  We started out at 5:00 and got to the house with the lights just as it got dark and as he was plugging in all the lights.  It was neat to see them all come on.  All 15 of us on the sleigh said together "thank you Merlin" when the last big bunch came on!   He waved.  We were all bundled up and had blankets both nights.  The first night our faces, fingers and toes got a little cold is all and the second night was warmer.  They have hot chocolate or coffee for you at the end of the ride.  Ryanne wants to bring her brother and sister next year, and I hope I get invited too!  

Christmas in Blue Earth

On the years we don't go to Indiana for Christmas, we go north to Blue Earth, MN to Bill's sister's.  She and Dave always have brunch for us.  She likes to make a caramel french toast, a custard french toast and this year made a sausage egg bake and a ham one along with a fruit salad.  We get there late morning and there is a cookie spread on the counter.  Bill always asks for shrimp.  She got out beef stick and cheese later.  We just pretty much eat all day!

Then we have the gift exchange.  Kids get gifts from all of us.  Adults take a $25 gift that we can keep or steal from each other.

Karen & Peggy

 

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to all!  Don't forget to start writing 2013 tomorrow!  

Bill ended up going to Spencer with Tim today and took his Menard's 20% off bags and got a bunch of electrical stuff that he had on his list for the shed.  We had gotten one of those paper bags that you get 20% off everything you can fit in the bag.  They just had Burger King for lunch so I put a whole chicken in the crock pot for tonight and also had mashed potatoes with gravy, broccoli salad and fried apples with ice cream.  Kind of sad that this is the first New Year's Eve without Dick Clark.  

Bill, Peggy, Jim and I went to a candlelight Christmas Eve service at the Lutheran Church here in town at 5:00 this year. Then Uncle Tim, Aunt Bette Jo, Bill's cousin Paul and his wife and daughter and Aunt Delrae came over for soup.  We had chili and wild rice & chicken, beef stick & cheeses, baked corn dip, crab dip, fruit with dip, rum cake, caramels and Jim's chocolate covered cherries.

Here everyone is watching Riley open a gift from Jim.   She was very excited to get Dr. Who Tardis & Dalek salt & pepper shakers.

  

 

Good Advice

Every day I receive an e mail from Sandy when she posts to her blog, Reluctant Entertainer.  I'm kind of a reluctant entertainer but wanting and trying to be a better hostess and have read some good tips for being one on this blog.  Things like your house doesn't have to be perfect - nobody notices.  And don't point out your food that maybe didn't turn out perfect.  It makes people uncomfortable and they don't know what to say.  I always worry about what I'd have for the food that everyone would like and that would be easy to finish up with company in the house.  This is the tip I like best:  she says to have one meal in mind that most people would like, that you know turns out well and keep those things on hand.  Then if people stop by at meal time, it's your "go to meal".  You don't have to think about it.    The most important things are the people and visiting.  

Today her post is on How to Fight After-Christmas Blues.  I think lots of people have this "condition" in January and February, and her post today has lots of good advice.  Click HERE to read it. 

While my two little great nieces are so excited today to be getting to go to a hotel with a water park in it tonight, I'm getting ready to put on as many clothes as I can to go ride the sleigh to see Christmas lights with my niece, Ryanne, and my mother-in-law!  We have snow so that's great, very little wind which is good, but the temp. is 12 with the sun shining!  Brrrr!  Should be fun!