Beginning A New Year-2010!

As soon as our Christmas guests left for home, we also hurried home to pack for our surprise trip to Maryland, to get there in time for the McArthur Churistmas party @ my brother Jim's house on Saturday, Jan 3rd.  So here it was the Wednesday before.  We packed, sent Mahlee to the kennel, closed up the house, took Mac with us and drove two days to get to my sister Ellen's house the day before the party.  Here, then, are some highlights of our trip.

Everyone was totally surprised that Earl and I were there.  It was so nice to see the family, esp. the granddaughters.  I had a really great time with all.
We spent a few days with Ellen, then visited Julie and family.

We played many games, and read many stories.  They loved to have Grandpa read to them.

We also watched Analese ice-skating.  She's a natural.

Of course, Mara also wanted to learn to skate.  Here she is for her 1st lesson.

It didn't take long, with a little help @ first from Daddy, for Mara to skate on her own.
Another natural!

Here's some photos of Rose:  Opening her stocking, and seeing her Irish ornament

Rose with her Irish blanket

Playing with her kitchen set

We also were there to celebrate Mara's 4th birthday before we had to leave for home.

We also went to my sister Barb's house, for an overnight party with sisters Ellen, and Sandie, nieces Kara, and Sarah, and nephew Travis, and played board games, and laughed, and ate.  We stayed for a few days in their family room.  Earl helped set up their new 42" LCD TV, and enjoyed watching TV. 

Finally, after celebrating for 3 weeks, it was time to leave for home.  We really lucked out with fairly good weather both going and coming home, before the Marylanders got 3 feet of snow, and another 2 ft. later.  It was in the 40-50's while we were there.  It was a great retirement trip.  Unfortunately, we had the bitter cold temps return to Minnesota after we got home.  All my plants survived, as did Mahlee.

Our Irish Christmas

Our Christmas in Photos:

Christmas morn with Luci waking up and ready to open her gifts.  Later, she is all dressed up

Luci opening stocking, Grandmas made for her

Luci opening gifts

The Cousins eating together.  The Menu:  Ham, Turkey, Potato-

Crab Chowder, Irish Soda Bread, sweet potatoes, Corn, Lime Sherbert Punch.  Irish cookies.

Everyone enjoyed the meal.

Ashley opening Irish ornament given to each grandchild

                                                          Chris fixing punch

Jon, Phil, Allison, Chuck

Luci with Jonnie & Mitch

Playing "Hot Potato"                                The "Hulk" Sawyer helping with punch

 

                                                Nevie with her gift

                                                                                                                             

Luci with Irish Flute

All gathered in family room to watch home videos

Aidan loves the flute

Cassidy and Courtney opening their gifts

Danielle opening Liam's gifts

Tanner, Cassidy, Courtney

December, 2009

As you can see, I'm waaaay behind on my blogging.  So here goes December:  It began with work, work, work, as I tried to finish getting all my shifts in before retiring...What, you say!  Yes, I'm retiring!!!  After much comtemplation, I decided this was the time to do it.  Exact date was originally the first weekend in December, but later I felt it would be better to continue to work til the middle of the month, to make paychecks through the end of the year, and have my pension start in January.  So on December 15th, I worked my last shift on OB with my co-workers of 28 yrs. with a pizza party to celebrate it.  Earl happened to be working too as a patient sitter, so we got to go home together that night.  Of course, it was emotional, and despite my efforts, the tears flowed freely as I walked to my locker for the last time.

Two days later, my hospital retirement party was scheduled, and all  the hospital personnel came to wish me good luck, along with snacking on Special K bars, coffee, and punch.  Charlene Adams, and Carolyn Fiskness, two special friends, who had already retired, came to help serve, along with Wendy and Jan, our unit managers.  I received many wonderful gifts, hugs, and good wishes, laughs, and tears. My husband, Earl, my daughter Lorrie, and grandson Sawyer were able to be there, too.  Of course, the day wouldn't have been complete without some incident occuring...Sawyer ran off, and we had the whole hospital looking for him.  Happily, he was found upstairs, running around without a care in the world.  Unfortunately, many of the staff couldn't be down to see me, as OB was very hectic @ the time.  My favorite gift was a quilt that Carolyn made with prints of nurses on it...it was beautiful.  As I was packing everything up, I noticed a Norwood Pine tree, decorated with tiny Christmas balls, sitting on the table with the gifts.  I left it there, thinking it was just a table decoration provided by the hospital.  The next day I got a call from the hospital, asking me when I would be picking up that pine tree.  I guess it was a gift given to me, but by whom???

   The following day it was major house-cleaning, as we were hosting Christmas, and all the children and grandchildren would be here, except for my daughter Julie from Maryland.  I also had to make plans for our theme of an Irish Christmas, and decide on food, and customs, with the help of my daughters, and get last minute gifts, and baking done.  The following Wednesday, Earl and I drove to the cities to pick up our son, Adam, his wife Maja, and their little daughter, Luci.  It was wonderful to see them, and have them stay with us for a week.  Luci was such a delight, and such a little talker, once she warmed up to us.  We all went to Christmas Eve Mass, as I was singing in the choir, and afterwards, showed Luci the nativity set behind the altar.  We had lasagna for dinner, then tried to get Luci to sleep.  We had borrowed a port-a-crib from my friend, Ruth, who out of the goodness of her heart, had driven to her office to pick it up.  At first Luci wanted to sleep in it, then, she cried to sleep in the big boy's bed, which is the bottom bunk bed in the bedroom, but finally she settled down in the crib.  Adam and Maja then got busy wrapping up her gifts, while I got ready for Christmas the next day. 

So begins Christmas Day:

The Holidays and Wrap-Up of 2009

What a whirlwind of activity November and December was.  So much celebrations, so much change. It's taken me til now to sit and absorb it all, and try to write down what all took place.  Let's start with photos, OK?

Raquel brought Joe to celebrate







Gals checking out their photos

.Sweet Cassidy and Courtney!

Liam is such a happy, contented baby!

 What a joy to see Raquel! 

Thanksgiving @ our home.

 

Summer/September?

Best weather we've had all summer!  Earl and I even got some biking in, and camping the end of August up north to Cass Lake with some friends.  It was the perfect week!  And beautiful campground!

What a perfect week, and we'd go there again in a minute!

We celebrated Jonnie's 9th Birthday @ his house.  Lorrie made his cake.(Legos)  So clever!

First time seeing Allison, after she moved back to Willmar to complete her senior year here.


Sawyer helping Jonnie open gifts.

Seasons come and go!

Time for blogging again.  The summer came and went,  what summer, you ask? did you do anything this summer of 2009?  Not the best summer weather, only few really warm hot days, kind of a bummer.  But always a busy one, where days fly by, and you wonder where it went, and you're looking @ fall, and know that will soon be over.  and you ask, where did that go?
A wrap-up of summer  then:

  My annual physical showed no surprises, all is well, no new symptoms of heart disease, acc. to my cardiologist.  I met several times with fellow nurses who are retired for coffee, and caught up with all their lives, spent one day with Terri and Ruth, for lunch and shopping spree in St. Cloud, visiting a new place "The Depot", which has some very neat stuff in it.  Reminds me of the Cracker Barrels store.  Celebrated Alaina's birthday @ Games Lake, @ a pavillion, and let the little ones swim.  I remember it was a beautiful evening. Earl worked thru the summer @ Walmart, and was glad to leave it behind in August. He had his 65th birthday this year, and so sorry to say, but there was no celebration done. The 26th of July, our 17th grandchild was born to Danielle and Shawn.  Liam Sidney Gort was 7lbs. 8ozs, and 19 3/4" long. We visited them right before our trip to Baltimore, on their back porch, among the grape vines, and apple trees.  What a precious baby boy.  Our trip to Baltimore followed that week, for Earl's ship re-union.  We met up with our navy friends from previous reunions, and took the train into the harbor, and Lexington Market, and had the best crabcake sandwiches made.  Then we arrived @ Julie and Greg's to celebrate all the girls birthdays @ a park, near their home.  Many family and friends were there.  It was hot, but thankfully, we had some shade and breezes to make it bearable.  We spent one day with my sister Ellen, and another, with Sandie, swam, played volleyball in the pool, and admired her new kitchen.  The week flew by.  Speaking of kitchens, we have been working on ours, a little at a time, as time and money have been available.  I'm so proud of having a husband who can do so many things around the house, and we have done all the work so far ourselves.
Here's some photos of our summer:

May Flowers

After working my 12 hr. weekend, attending staff meetings, getting a low need on call, we tackled things around the house. First, Earl took up the carpet on the up stairs and hall, which has been there for 25+ yrs., and then we laid new carpet down. What a nice change. Then, I painted the hall a lighter green, and the trim, white. I like it so much more. Then, Earl knocked out the wall connecting the kitchen to the front closet, to make room for fitting the refrig. in the corner. We will make another wall to enclose a smaller front closet. Meanwhile, plaster dust is everywhere. No vacuuming will take it all up, so now I need to wash every surface down. I also painted the bottom cupboard doors, and hope to finish that this week.
I got to care for Sawyer on Thursday. He wasn't happy about mom going to work, but rode quietly to my house that morning. We visited my neighbor, Terri, for a short while, and he ate oreo cookies, and tea. Then, we came home, and he helped me make chocolate chip cookies, and of course, we had to sample them to be sure they were OK. and they were mmm-mmm good. I bagged up a bunch of them for Alaina, Jon, and family to take home. Then, we had waffles with strawberries for lunch.
Then, after working on the house all day, we met Lorrie @ Burger King, and hitched a ride with her to watch the Willmar's Grand March for the prom, and see Allison. The sun was out but the wind was a little cool. Allison didn't show up til way later in the march, but it was worth the wait.
We later found them, and got to speak with them for a few minutes among the chaos of prom goers, and parents, and friends. then, Earl and I went out to eat as we hadn't had any supper, and were starving. We met other prom gazers @ Culvers, and some friends from church.
Saturday, it was back to more demolition, then finally, breaking for crab cakes, cole slaw, and fries.
Sunday, we attended church, and first communion. I was the cantor, and we stayed after for cake and coffee. It was a beautiful warm day in the 60's. Earl had to work, and I put all my flowers outside to get used to the weather. Took a short walk with the dogs, napped, and rested. All in all, a great day!