From our family to yours, we wish you a VERY Merry Christmas!
Wednesday, December 24, 2014
Monday, December 22, 2014
Christmas at the Capitol
After several years off from our December tradition, our family made the drive to our state capital to experience Christmas at the Capitol.
We had three goals--spend time with our friends the Aamolds, see the beautiful Christmas trees, and feed the ducks/geese/fish at the lake!
Mission Accomplished!
Our friends the Trefz family were there as well and Deb was so kind to take this photo of us. Once again, this is "real." :)
Rachel likes to make a silly face when she says "Cheese."
Rachel & me
Doesn't South Dakota just have the most beautiful capitol building?
Saturday, December 20, 2014
Mint Chocolate Cookie Crunch
This is a another treat we made for a Christmas past, but I couldn't find it in my recipe box. Thankfully, I posted it on my blog in December 2009! The girls and I whipped up a new batch this morning. Mmmm!
Melt chocolate chips and add extract. Mix with cookies and cereal. Scoop onto wax or parchment paper and let set until hardened.
Mint Chocolate Cookie Crunch
2 1/2 bags chocolate chips (semi-sweet or milk chocolate)
1 tsp mint extract
1 20 oz. package Oreo cookies, coarsely crushed
4 cups crisp rice cereal
Melt chocolate chips and add extract. Mix with cookies and cereal. Scoop onto wax or parchment paper and let set until hardened.
Thursday, December 18, 2014
Extra! Extra! Read All About it!
Among the songs that make up the soundtrack of my life, there are just a (small) few that were not recorded by Garth Brooks in the 1990's. One of these is "Small Town," by John Mellencamp, recorded much earlier, but discovered by me in the late 1990's. It's been featured on plenty of graduation slide shows over the years, but it's just so darn true, it never gets old for me. Some of my favorite words of the song are
No, I cannot forget from where it is that I come from
I cannot forget the people who love me
Yeah, I can be myself here in this small town
And people let me be just what I want to be
This song has come to mind once again these past couple days as I now get to--sort of, at least virtually--return to that small town that raised me, and the one nearby with which we shared a football team. (Now all high school sports are shared, as many years have passed since then!)
I am excited to be a part of the Pride Publications team, which includes the Prairie Pioneer of Bowdle and my hometown paper, The Northwest Blade of Eureka. I am serving as their copy editor and--something new for me--trying my hand at a little reporting.
Ahh! That's a little scary! Yes, I have been writing since I have been able to write, and I write because I HAVE to write (or my head may explode)! But the reporting will be new to me. It's going to get me out of my comfort zone just a little, but I suspect that will be an all-good thing. I've felt like I've been back in college these past couple days as I've been brainstorming for story ideas and considering contacts for interviews.
Another new (and good) thing will be getting paid to write! I've had several columns published over the years, but I've never actually gotten paid to write anything! When I first took Journalism as a college freshman, I dropped the class because I couldn't take the stress it caused. (I re-took it as a senior with much greater success.) Now look at me--a budding journalist. Who knew?
I must once again quote my once-toddler Teresa--"My didn't saw that coming!"
No, I cannot forget from where it is that I come from
I cannot forget the people who love me
Yeah, I can be myself here in this small town
And people let me be just what I want to be
This song has come to mind once again these past couple days as I now get to--sort of, at least virtually--return to that small town that raised me, and the one nearby with which we shared a football team. (Now all high school sports are shared, as many years have passed since then!)
I am excited to be a part of the Pride Publications team, which includes the Prairie Pioneer of Bowdle and my hometown paper, The Northwest Blade of Eureka. I am serving as their copy editor and--something new for me--trying my hand at a little reporting.
Ahh! That's a little scary! Yes, I have been writing since I have been able to write, and I write because I HAVE to write (or my head may explode)! But the reporting will be new to me. It's going to get me out of my comfort zone just a little, but I suspect that will be an all-good thing. I've felt like I've been back in college these past couple days as I've been brainstorming for story ideas and considering contacts for interviews.
Another new (and good) thing will be getting paid to write! I've had several columns published over the years, but I've never actually gotten paid to write anything! When I first took Journalism as a college freshman, I dropped the class because I couldn't take the stress it caused. (I re-took it as a senior with much greater success.) Now look at me--a budding journalist. Who knew?
I must once again quote my once-toddler Teresa--"My didn't saw that coming!"
Melius' Most-Read: I Love You, Stinky Face
This book was a gift from our friend Lori long ago . . . and continues to be a favorite.
This cute board book also has a message that every mom wants their children to know--that she will love them NO MATTER WHAT.
(Even if they were a super smelly skunk named Stinky Face!)
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