Ski Trip

We spent a few days following Christmas with our friends at Terry Peak.  We were able to get a family photo for the first time in three years!  Usually the boys are off on the other side of the mountain before I even get my boots into my skis. (And then I don't see them for the rest of the day because my ski level is barely beginner level!)  We were able to keep them back for just a few minutes this year as we had been among the first to get our skis and were ready to go by the 9am opening!  

Christmas & Before

We had a relaxing and peaceful Christmas!

Landen and I started by helping decorate All Saints Parish for the Christmas season.

On December 23, Nathan, Teresa and Rachel wanted to go ice skating on the creek by our house.  Nathan shoveled off a great area for skating!

We spent Christmas Eve in Eureka with the Joachim family. We had a wonderful day that concluded with Christmas Eve mass.

We also had a good visit with my Grandma Joachim, who is 97!

On Christmas morning, Teresa woke me up at 3:50am to tell me--1.  We caught another mouse in a trap.  2.  Santa had come and she was sure he had left the new puppy in the shop.

Well, Santa didn't bring a new puppy, but Teresa was pretty thrilled about the evidence she found in the snow--Santa footprints and reindeer hoof prints!

We had planned to be at home for Christmas Day and that plan worked perfectly with the RAIN we received that day.  We were thankful to escape with just a large ice skating rink on our roads and in our yard.  Many of our family and friends we without electricity for several days.

Teresa spent her Christmas Day and the day after making this hat on her knitting loom!  She has more projects planned!

an email from Grandma Rosemarie

With the snow and frigid temperatures outside, I have spent more time in my office unearthing my desk. I started cleaning out virtual files as well.  I have folders for each of my kids in my email that have notes and pictures relating to them and I hadn't visited these folders in several years. I went waaaay back to Landen's beginning and was so happy to read these words in an email to family and friends from his Grandma Rosemarie Melius right after his birth.  

Grandma was in her late 70's when this was written and was quite email savvy.  The bold print and punctuation sprinkled throughout her messages were her trademark. I remember receiving several emails from her in between our coffee visits after my hair appointments in Faulkton. Wonderful memories that I am blessed to have. :)

September 1,2003--Labor Day--and I told,Laura--that's a good day to do your 'special' labor!!  And she came through??  Landan Joachim,7-5,22" long,born at 5:38 am--only thing , Laura--you didn't labor much of the day(coulda been 24 hours!) CONGRATULATIONS-to David and Laura!!

   I apologize to those who already know--but now,none have been left out??  It will be fun to have and see another 'tiny' one!!  And trust all went well?  Grandpa Claire has a chemo Tues, and that will be the earliest ,we will -maybe?-get a peek??  No cigars,please!!  But sure David has that covered,right??  Just much thanks, and praise, for another of God's tiny miracles!!  Gr.Gr.Melius

Perhaps,better clarify that--since we have several Gr.Gr.s anymore.  Welcone to the "role" Dwight and Denise--still recall when we had #1, This Gr.ma was on cloud 9 for many hours, and still is--as the  numbers add up, they all have their special little place!! in our hearts!! As there never are 2 alike!!   Great Gr.and Great Gr. Melius

Happy 5th Birthday, Rachel!

And now . . . our "baby" is 5!  Of course, Rachel has been a big girl for awhile now and was frustrated for quite some time because she was "still 4."

It was a busy day with the concert in the afternoon, but she opened her Peppa Pig characters and play house from us before breakfast and Grandpa & Grandma Melius came to visit later in the morning for presents and "mouse cakes."  Rachel decided that she wanted the same cakes she had for her 3rd birthday, which is a scoop of ice cream in a mini graham cracker crust.  That worked for me!

Her only disappointment for the day was she was hoping to open ALL of the presents under the tree for her birthday.  Thankfully there's not much more time to wait until Christmas.

 

Happy Birthday, Rachel!

Just a little add-on Rachel story . . . 

She lost a little toy dog in the snow earlier in the week.  I tried to dig it up with the shovel, but we couldn't find it.  She decided to come in the house and draw a map to find it!  She asked me to help draw the people, the mailbox, and write in some of the numbers on the snowballs. :)  X marks where the dog is.  She hasn't found it, but she can still draw a pretty great map!  

A Musical Week

We experienced lots of beautiful music this week with the MS/HS Choral & Band Concert on Monday night and the Elementary Concert/Play on Wednesday afternoon.

Nathan even had a small solo in his play in which he got to show off his "opera singing" that he performs for me every day.  I must say I prefer his loud singing voice in the spacious gym. :)

Tews on Tuesday (on a Monday)

Hello, December!

I apologize for my longest blog hiatus EVER. All has been well--just keeping on top of the Christmas preparations on top of the usual responsibilities of wife and mom life. :)  This week we will have two concerts and a birthday!
As I sit here at my computer waiting for the next proof of the newspaper to proof read, as I always do on Monday afternoons, I am listening to a broadcast from from Wabash Valley Catholic Radio in Indiana.  Why?
A little over a year ago, some of our dear friends left South Dakota to return to their home state of Indiana follow God's call for their lives. It has not been a journey for them and their family, but one of countless blessings. Since their moving back and joining the Catholic Church last Easter Vigil, Shayna has begun working for a Catholic Radio Station.
Shayna interviewed Daniel in this most recent broadcast about his transformation from a Lutheran pastor to Catholic convert. Listen if you'd like!
https://wabashvalleycatholic.wordpress.com/2016/12/03/lutheran-pastor-finds-fullness-of-truth-in-the-catholic-church/