Livin' the Country Life!

An Emotional Week....

noreply@blogger.com (Angel) — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 19:39:00 +0000

Is it stupid that I am sad over a soap opera going off the air? I don't feel stupid....but emotions are a funny thing. I have watched Guiding Light forever. F-O-R-E-V-E-R. The Bauer's, Lewis's, Cooper's and Spaulding's may as well have lived in Niagara for as much as they have been in my life. I sit here watching the last episodes as we speak through tears as they call the villainous Alan Spaulding a hero for saving his son's life. Or watching Reva and Josh (who DO belong together, no matter how good looking Jeffrey O'Neill is) as they deal with their kids and grandkids. Friday is the last time I will be able to catch a glimpse into the lives in Springfield. I have been a frequent "visitor" since I was born. I honestly can't imagine a weekday without watching it at 2pm. To make matters worse, they are replacing it with a gameshow. A GAMESHOW! I seriously have no use for CBS anymore. With that, it is with teary eyes that I bid my "GUIDING LIGHT" goodbye! Thank you for the entertainment.

Harvest 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Angel) — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 02:50:00 +0000

Harves 2009 is in full swing at the Steffan Farm!!! First and foremost, I have this pic to tell you about! Our nephew Nathan who is 11, got to drive the grain cart while Jeff took a weekend to spend with his boys over Labor Day weekend. Here he is unloading on the go and doing a WONDERFUL job with timing, spacing, etc. He was out there from 10 in the morning until about 7pm so he put in a full day of driving! Labor Day was definitely one to remember! The weather was GORGEOUS--a terrific day to combine. The weather was about to change so the guys decided that they would probably be out until 3 or 4 am. They ended up going until 7am Tuesday morning when it started raining! This is a picture of the double swaths of wheat. I thought it was a neat view. I think some of these random photos capture the beauty of harvest. I love this time of year! It cools off quickly in the evening, and the grain dust hangs in the air and smells soo good! I love that it is starting to get dark earlier in the evenings and Friday nights mean football!! Happy Fall everyone!!!

Democrats BEWARE!!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Angel) — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 22:36:00 +0000

I am going to rant like never before on my blog. It has been 4 months since I posted anything and now I have had it.   I am SICK to death of people calling me a RACIST because I am not a follower of Obamessiah. The man can NOT be trusted. Look at his friends: William Ayers a known anti-war terrorist. "Rev. Jeremiah Wright- the man IS a RACIST. Van Jones-the recently ousted "Green Jobs" Czar who is a self proclaimed communist. Cass Sunstien-the man voted in as Regulatory Czar today who OPPOSES hunting, wants to give animals the right to file lawsuits, believes everyone should be assumed to be an organ donor unless explicitly stated directions exist, AND wants to do away with meat and dairy in school lunches. Scary people he chooses to surround himself with. But we, as a nation are supposed to believe that this man knows what is best for us as a nation? REALLY?   The man has promised change and hope. The only change I have seen since his inauguration is in his approval ratings and the unemployment numbers rising at an alarming rate. What is it with people who are happy to believe the BS the government and the mainstream leftist media feeds them? It is OUR duty as citizens to be mindful of what our elected officials are doing for us. They represent US not their own interests or own agendas. I am scared of where our nation is headed. This administration is corrupt!!! Obama comes from the state of Illinois where the Governer tried to sell Obama's senate seat! For Pete's sake people: WAKE UP!

For those of you who are all for this health care reform: What guarantees have you heard that make it worth while? Last night Obama said that EVERYONE will be able to be insured, even those with pre-existing conditions. NEWSFLASH--You can get insurance now, but you will pay through your nose to get it. Obama DID NOT say that people with pre-existing conditons will have affordable premiums. The reason why private insurances charge so much for premiums for people with pre-existing conditions is that they pay through their nose for the necessary ongoing medical care. WHY is the GOVERNMENT going to be different? Look at how far in debt they are! NOW answer me, HOW is the government going to be able to provide more AFFORDABLE insurance to the uninsured?   Another question I have is how do they determine whether or not you can afford to have private insurance or if you need to be enrolled in the "public option". As a farmer, we own land. It is considered to be an asset but it is how we make our money. Will they look at that and say "you own land, you can afford private insurance". Obama said last night that there will be a waiver for those who absolutely cannot afford a premium.   How do they determine who is eligable for the waiver? I do not understand why people are thinking that this is going to be free. NOTHING is free. Premiums will be paid to for it and you might get a rude awakening when you find out how much your premium is going to be.
I am sick to death of told I am propagating misinformation. NO. I am simply concerned about my freedoms. I am bringing up points that have NOT been answered. Obama threatened people who oppose this reform in his speech last night and he scolded those who dare to call him out on his brazen abuse of power. Keep it up.  Surely you are winning them over with your teleprompter reading abilities and your use of fictional stories. I refuse to be quiet and be rolled over by a tyrannical government. I refuse to give up my freedoms and rights. I AM clinging to my BIBLE and GUNS. I am making a pest of myself in Kent Conrads email, Earl Pomeroy's email, and Byron Dorgan's email.  I believe that the United States of America is the BEST country in the world. The problem with President Obama is that his Presidency is based on the fact that it is the WORST country in the world and everything needs to be changed.

One Pudgy Puppy.....

noreply@blogger.com (Angel) — Fri, 29 May 2009 03:11:00 +0000

Our youngest dog Duke is no doubt a very special little guy. He is a little antagonist who always gets what he gives. He has the deepest bark of all of our dogs including our Chocolate lab/giraffe. When you tell him it is bedtime or that it is time to come in before he is ready, he flops onto his back and looks all cute as if to say "they won't be able to resist me now" .

Our "little" Duke is also the pudgiest of our puppies. We are hoping that he runs the extra weight off but for now, he is one pudgy puppy. He proved that point this evening. I heard noise in the kitchen and Dave went to check it out. When Dave said "Angel?" I had to look for myself.

This is what I saw!! Duke was trying to get into our dining room through the chair barricade and got stuck between two rungs on a chair!!! It took Dave a good 15 to get him out. It wouldn't have taken that long but he kept having to stop and laugh! I wish I would have had my camera ready when I first walked into the kitchen. Both Elvis and Little Kitty were looking at him like, "Man, you're in TROUBLE!"

Thank God for pets and their crazy antics!!!

RANT SESSION

noreply@blogger.com (Angel) — Wed, 13 May 2009 20:59:00 +0000

I have had it up to HERE with with people complaining about how Carrie Prejean, Miss California is a terrible person. The fact that she is against gay marriage and stated her opinion during the Miss USA pageant is admirable! Most everyone on that stage would have answered Perez Hilton with "I am all for it!" no matter what they really thought. Now even Keith Olberman of CNN had to put out his 2cents worth. It's called FREEDOM OF SPEECH!!!! She had every right to say what she believed. Obviously there are ALOT of Californians who feel the same way she does or else Proposition 8 wouldn't have been voted down!

I believe the term marriage is reserved for a man and a woman. However, I am not God and can not tell people who they should or shouldn't fall in love with. I have quite a few gay and lesbian friends and wouldn't wish them a lifetime of struggle and financial and legal hardships

It makes me very sad to think of how our country has lost moral ground. Everyone thinks that being "progressive" is a step in the right direction. From where I stand, "progressiveness" looks alot like "do whatever you want to". Don't want that baby? Have an abortion! Want to sleep with your sheep? Go ahead--do whatever you want! Why? Because we're "progressive"! I do not believe that equality needs to go so far as to allow people to lead the most liberal of lives. Excessive liberalism will have a consequence. It's like when a kid is told not to eat too much candy by his mother. But he thinks he knows best and eats too much candy. What is his consquence? A sick tummy. I don't know what our nations' consequence will be, but I can guarantee it will be MUCH, MUCH worse than a tummyache.

.

Addicted to Uppercase Living!

noreply@blogger.com (Angel) — Sat, 09 May 2009 20:51:00 +0000

Just thought I would post some pics of my newly placed Uppercase Living!! I LOVE THIS STUFF!!

Taking off the Corn, North Dakota style!!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Angel) — Sat, 09 May 2009 03:49:00 +0000

Last fall brought us rain, rain, and yes, more rain! We were fortunate enough to take our corn crop off last December. It was very wet and we spent a small fortune drying it but it was off and we had peace of mind in knowing that. David's cousins, well I will let YOU decide!!!

These pictures were taken April 11, 2009 by Bill Hodous. These are 2 of his Brother-in-laws Doug and Paul Becker, David's first cousins. They farm northeast of Devils Lake, north of Crary. They had to put caterpiller tracks on the combine and grain cart but it got the job done and no one even got stuck! Look at how deep the water is!!!

New Brayden Pics!

noreply@blogger.com (Angel) — Sat, 09 May 2009 03:42:00 +0000

I just wanted to add a few new pics of our favorite little man!!! Enjoy!!

Spring or Fall?

noreply@blogger.com (Angel) — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 20:12:00 +0000

It's cold. Neighbors are combining corn. Fields look like they have been cultivated for the winter. So, my question is, is it spring or is it fall?

We are patiently waiting for the frost to come out of the ground and the melted snow and rain water to go away! David is anxious about getting out in the field to get the crops planted. So am I!! I can't wait to be able to mow the lawn and putter with my flowers and attempt--Gasp--to plant a vegetable garden. I have to admit the recent rain and cool weather has allowed me to get some much needed work done around the house.

A few big things are coming up! Mothers Day is a little over a week away so we will be having our annual Mothers Day dinner and the following week is Braydens Baptism-YAY- Sean and Amber have asked Dave and I to be Godparents, so look for more interesting blogs to come, until then, Happy Spring!!

Laundry Room Remodel!

noreply@blogger.com (Angel) — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 20:04:00 +0000

It wasn't really a remodel but paint, a mirror, some curtains, and a new countertop have made all the difference!! Now all we need is the new border!!

Welcome to the World, Brayden Lee Jerome!!

noreply@blogger.com (Angel) — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 03:59:00 +0000

March 29, 2009- I invited Mom and Dad, Sean and Amber and Jamie over to play our new Wii and to have supper. Amber was feeling and looking (no offense honey) miserable. She couldn't get comfortable, couldn't eat anything but tums, and constantly had to pee. She wasn't enjoying herself but she did play a couple games of bowling and tried the ski jump. When they left, I prayed that God would help ease some of the discomfort.

March 30,2009-4am- I woke up and could not for the life of me get back to sleep. I tossed and turned, waiting for the alarm clock to go off at 6:15. At 5:45 my cell phone was whistling at me. (I cannot help it if it thinks I am beautiful ;) I jumped up to see what was up! It was a text message from Amber saying to call her or Sean when I woke up! I immediately called them back to find out her water broke at 3:30am and that they were at the hospital! They also asked if I could drive to Fargo to their apartment and get their bags and the baby things before the storm hit. So Mom and I left for GF at 7am and grabbed their list and keys, jumped into the car drove to starbucks. I can't do ANYTHING without my morning cup of java. THEN to Fargo, The whole trip down and back took 4 hours due to the flooded interstate and the longest detour known to man! Especially when you follow a combine at 15mph for 5 miles! The rest of the day was a blur!! I went into the delivery room at about 20 minutes after 6 and Amber started pushing at 20 min. to 7. I had my camera at the ready and was able to stay from start to finish. Let me tell you something. I have had a few "happiest days" of my life. Graduations, Amber and Seans wedding, MY wedding, etc. but THIS experience was by far the most awe inspiring, happy moments I have ever had the pleasure of living! I am so thankful that Sean and Amber let me stay for it! To witness Braydens birth at 8:41 pm was surreal almost! I have known since October that the little guy was about to enter our family. I had felt him kick and seen him growing or more appropriately Ambers tummy was growing. But to actually see this baby I already loved as my nephew be born was truly amazing! It was very hard to see Amber in so much pain, but knowing that the payoff is a perfect, pink, baby made it a little easier and I bawled like a toddler when he made his appearance!! I had to take one last picture of just the two of them!! Meet Baby Brayden!

Meeting Grandma Hanssen for the first time!

Meeting Grandpa Hanssen for the first time! I think Grandpa is almost crying!

WELCOME TO THE WORLD, Baby BRAYDEN!! God Bless You Little One!

School Spirit!

noreply@blogger.com (Angel) — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 16:20:00 +0000

In honor of the Dakota Prairie Knights boys basketball team playing in the state tournament, I thought I should do a blog about school spirit.

Alot of my facebook friends are able to attend the game tonight in Minot and I will be watching at home on tv. Never fear though, I am already wearing DP's school colors in an effort to show my support. Not that my dogs give a rawhide. They are the only ones here to witness my show of school pride! I am proud of those boys because this is the first time my school (for my Jr. and Sr. year) has ever been to the state tournament as a unified school! The DP Tolna girls went to state my Jr. year. But still, this is huge! I graduated from DP 14 yrs ago! Wow, does that make me sound old. I still have school spirit.

This entire last week I have been trying very hard to remember the words to the school song. I can still sing Unity's school song!

All hail Spartans hail, we are the sons of Unity!

Stand up and cheer Spartans cheer!

Shout out yours rahs from sea to shining sea! RAH RAH RAH.

Win Spartans win! We are a team that won't give in.

A victory for Unity!

All hail Spartans Hail!

But for some reason, I cannot recall a couple lines of the Dakota Prairie song.

Go Dakota Prairie Knights, Let's win this game tonight!

We'll let our spirit lead us on to victry show your power and might (Thanks Amber)

show our power and might

RAH RAH RAH

We are proud of what we've become!

Leading on to be #1

We have what others lack

Let's cheer for the Teal and Black!

If any of you remember please help me out!! Anyhoo, I have so much school spirit that I can now cheer for Lakota! My cousins attend school there and I cheer for them! At the girls state B tourney I cheered for Fordville Lankin Park River! They took 2nd! Now I am cheering for MY old school! Ah, the memories! Mr. Reinholz yelling at Mike McBain because he heard him swear in the hallway! Mr. Schock and his sense of humor! Gay Ray Smith, Mr. Eberhardt being kidnapped by Indians, and Mr. Stovers' coffee breath! (Thorsons' please don't repeat that! ;))

Who can forget Mr. Graupe bouncing on the folding chair onto the basketball court! Or Mr. Flem banging his cane on the desk while yelling "YOU'RE GIVING ME ULCERS!" I love to reminisce about those great years of my life, though I would NEVER go back and relive them! OH one more. Mr. Boese with gum on his pants in Kansas City, or nailing his pant leg to the frame of the garden shed we helped build! Funny stuff! One of the best memories was when we the class of 1995 had Sr. privileges. Senior Lounge to be exact. We kyped cable from across the alley so we could watch sports and music videos. The guys hid cases of soda in the rafters. Good times, Good times. *wipes tear*

School spirit lost is terrible thing. It is sad really that some can't identify because of bad experiences during their school yrs. I sit here wearing Teal, Black and White, waiting for 8:15 pm to roll around so that I can see my High School make a name for itself at the state class B boys basketball tournament, humming the school song, remembering old cheers, and filled with Dakota Prairie Pride!

LET"S GO KNIGHTS!!!!!!!!

Oh and if they lose right away--GO BOMBERS!!

noreply@blogger.com (Angel) — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 02:07:00 +0000

What do you see in this picture? The correct answer is snow. This was the view out of the living room window on Tues. March 10. We could see all of 75 feet! I say that because we could see just across our driveway and nothing beyond!

It was a north wind so we were pretty well protected right in our yard. This was the view when it first got started at about 11am. Not so nice.

Wednesday when we woke up, the storm had ended and left beauty in its wake! The snowcapped trees and the pillowy looking (not feeling) drifts! Gorgeous!

This is out of the living room looking south. The juniper bush/tree covered with snow is always beautiful!

We only had 2 inches of new snow but with the 45 mph winds, it certainly got nasty! Fargo received around 10 inches and a friend of mine had his car and minivan completely buried!

Glad it wasn't me!

Impromptu Baby Shower

noreply@blogger.com (Angel) — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 02:05:00 +0000

Sunday March 8th, I hosted an impromtu baby shower for Amber and Sean. Mom and I had both been buying items for baby Rauschendorfer forever so I decided it was time we give them their gifts.

They received some awesome things! Grandma Hanssen gave them a set of towels and washclothes and also some matching burp cloths.

Johnsons Baby Wash is always needed to make baby smell human again after , well.......you know!

Umm.......Sean? I think THAT one is for AMBER!

I think Sean was doing a happy dance! Not really sure. I know he was excited to get the bottle rack!

OOOOOO Bottles! This is the beginning of the "themed" gifts from Dave and I. This particular gift of Playtex bottles with drop in liners is the "IN" gift.

Here is the "OUT" gift--diapers and wipes. Do you think the ratio is about right? 72 diapers to 385 wipes? That sounds about right.........

This one is kind of a you-had-to-be-there moment. Sean is holding another little something I got them. It is 3 little toys that clip onto the handleof the carseat. One of them squeaks. Buddy heard the squeaker and wanted the toy so bad! He would even hold up his paw like he was saying "I'll shake you for it!"

We had a good day filled with food and family! We even got to eat on our new dining set!

You can see how tight of a squeeze it is between the top of the china hutch and the ceiling. About 4 inches!

These are the placemats we received from Sean and Amber as a wedding gift. That is what we are using as our inspiration for the room.

Thes are our paint chips in order of our preference. Soukous Red (far left) is the Winner!

I have already started to paint.

If anyone is really bored, I do have an extra brush and roller!

Real Grown Up Furniture!

noreply@blogger.com (Angel) — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 20:58:00 +0000

As you all know, David and I received China for our wedding. We started out thinking that we would have the best cardboard box china cabinet ever made! Then the reality set in of the possibility that the dogs would think the boxes were their territory to mark. The thought while funny (can you see the mini weiner dogs lifting a leg to pee on a box?) was sobering. We can't serve off china that has been peed on. Period. No matter how much it gets washed after. So Dave and I set out on an adventure in furniture shopping. It was the "Three Little Bears"! "This one is tooo small" "this one is tooo big" "this one is tooo light" "this one is tooo dark"! "This one is tooo expensive!" and on and on. Yesterday we went into Conlins in Grand Forks just thinking that I could show Dave a Broyhill set I had seen earlier last week. He hated it! It was very antique looking and made of real oak so it had worm holes and knot holes in it or foodcatchers as Dave called them. It was also VERY expensive. Then while walking through the store, we rounded a corner and I swear, we heard Angels sing! The Heavens opened up and a BEAUTIFUL light shone on a table and china cabinet on the backwall of the store! It wasn't too dark or too light, it wasn't too small--though a teensy bit big. It was perfect. Our breaths quickened as we hastily looked for the price. Not tooo expensive either! Could it be? Could this cherry finished table really be what we were looking for? We inquired about extra chairs. Still not bad. Our salesperson gave us a card along with the info that the set was being clearanced out by Broyhill and this china hutch was the VERY LAST one! Man oh man! I was getting shaky! David always calm and cool, said "We would like to check out a couple other places."

"WHAT!?" I thought in my head. "But its the LAST ONE!" I wanted to shout but refrained from doing so. I didn't want the other customers thinking I had touretz.

We left the store and checked out Zimmermans which is WAYYY overpriced. Oh and I am pretty sure that we were the first customers of the day there. The woman working seemed overly friendly and like she needed some human contact or she might just snap. I hear sofas aren't sparkling conversationalists. Anywhoo, we then went to Ashley where I had originally fallen in love with a beautiful dining set that was being discontinued. Dave thought the China Hutch to be too small. GREAT! Here we go again! We left the store en route to Menards (looking at lumber always helps ME make decisions). I was almost afraid Dave was so discouraged he was going to BUILD us a table, chairs, and china cabinet. He isn't too keen on wood working so that was a scary thought. Besides, he would first need to finish the meat tenderizer he wanted to make me 3 years ago. (Yep I married the pick of the litter! A homemade meat tenderizer!) He bought a little knob like thingy --yes I AM very technical ;)

Back in the car, Dave says, "Where to?" I just shrug my shoulders putting the ball in HIS court. "Should we go back to Conlins?" David asks. I calmly said "Sure". A quick check of the time put me in panic mode 4:28. They close at 5. Dave doesn't drive fast. UH OH!!!!! We got back there and Dave looked it over and said "We'll take it." I nearly fainted (but kept my composure) and gave David all of our Wedding money. This is the product of our afternoon.

When you visit, you won't have to eat off of the $15 rummage sale table! We have a real grown up table now with matching chairs and everything! P.S. The china will look like it belongs on THIS table!

Saturday Night Fever

noreply@blogger.com (Angel) — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 20:13:00 +0000

This past weekend marked the 5th Annual Frozen Balls Golf Tournament hosted by the Town Pump II. I didn't personally play in the tournament, I just enjoyed the aftermath at the bar ;) ! I was a little worried when I got pulled over before even getting to the bar by one of our County Mounties, Keith. He was just letting me know that I had a headlight out which I already knew--I had had it fixed 2 weeks ago but it is out again and since the WONDERFUL engineers at GM did a great job of planning, we have to dismantle the whole front end to replace a bulb. Not even joking. The whole grill assembly comes off. I did have a lot of fun and I got to see some old friends and make some new ones!

I got some great pics, enjoyed some good beer, good company, and a steak! This is the team that won the tourney. They are from Larimore, ND and I know the girl in the pic is my cousin Kylie (Behm) Nissen and the BIG dude kinda hiding is Andy Tveit.

The real fun came when my adorable little brother started dancing!

This is the first shot of him dancing. He was helping to cook and serve the steak supper. He was also my personal "bartender"! Beer me Jamie! PS. This was fairly early so please don't assume he was drunk. He dances to this song quite frequently while sober!

Ok. Here he might be feeling pretty good, he is even singing! Oh, and his friend is Matt O'Neil. Matts' dad is Marty our "Cattle Hauler"!

In case you are wondering the song is by the Scissor Sisters and called (ironically enough) "I Don't Feel Like Dancing". I will try to get it on my playlist so you can hear it and maybe dance yourself! It's kind of catchy--I mean like the flu! Once you hear it, it stays with you for.......well.....lets just say I had to have David sing "Copa Cabana" to get it out of my head! Thats just wrong!! Having to listen to Barry Manilow to get a song out of your head! ".......her name was Lola, she was a showgirl........"

This video speaks for itself. Nuff said.

In our own defense, this is what happens when we get creative with how we spend our winter. We play golf on a frozen slough using tennis balls. Then we eat steak and fries and drink beer. We spend time catching up with old friends and spend time making new ones! Then we video tape those who have had more beer than the rest of us in all of their dancing glory! You should come visit! Maybe you won't feel like dancing either........

Some Wedding Gifts

noreply@blogger.com (Angel) — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 02:00:00 +0000

I thought I would post some pics of our wedding gifts, I know some of my family didn't get to be there for it and would enjoy seeing what we got. First off, we got this 23rd Psalm Cross from our niece and nephew-in-law Jenn and Kirk Thorson and their kids, Will and Leah. It is a daily reminder of our faith and common goal!

This our gift from Gary and Debbie Behm from Uppercase Living. Vinyl words of inspiration. We got another set from Shannon & Tommy Gemmill that isn't put up yet but says"Always remember to kiss me goodnight".

This painting is very special because it is from Gerald and Chris Steffan. Chris painted it and it is beautiful! Gerald and Chris lived in our house before John and Brenda lived here.

The antler candle holder is from Daves' sister Carol and her husband Bill. It fits in well with the picture frames we recieved from their daughter Alisa and her family! Thats the frame with our picture in it!

Here we have 2 separate gifts from 2 separate people! The Love picture is from Daves sister Janice and her family. The beautiful Crucifix is from my cousin Charity her husband Birk and their kids--Adri, Tristan, Constence, Wyatt, and Lydia. These are hanging in our bedroom as a constant reminder of the ULTIMATE gift of love--God's gift --his son!

Dave's sister Judy and her husband Dave gave us 8 of these Mikasa wine glasses.

Barb and Tom gave us 4 of these Mikasa Orion double old fashioned glasses. We bought an extra 4 glasses to have 8. Barb and Tom also gave us a 17 piece set of Pyrex!

David and I bought 8 of each of these 2 types of glasses, so we wouldn't have to use our Budweiser glasses with our new china!

Rose Mary gave us 8 place settings of this Mikasa China and 8 place settings of Lenox flatware! That was a wonderful surprise!

Daves' sister Ann and her husband Pete gave us this 5 piece serving set. Their children gave us 8 fruit bowls, and an extra vegetable bowl.

I have a lot more pictures of things to post but better wait for another day!! I don't want to overload anyones dial up--MOM!

Be VEWWYY Quiet! We're hunting Wabbits!

noreply@blogger.com (Angel) — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 01:49:00 +0000

All winter long my dogs have been perplexed by the wildlife outside. They are always on the lookout for squirrels tunneling through the snow to find corn that was left in the field and the cottontail rabbits that run round and round the house. Winter has been hard on these little guys-well not winter as much as Buddy. We were down to one lone bunny but on Monday he met his demise. That one lone rabbit would sit right in front of the picture window and tease and torment these poor dogs. He seemed to laugh at them through the window, knowing he was safe as long as he could see them! I got a picture of him through the window so it isn't the best quality. But you can still see how cute he was!!

"Hey, What's up doc?"

Are you ready for some football?!?!

noreply@blogger.com (Angel) — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 21:47:00 +0000

First of all let me state that I am madder than a wet hen that the Steelers won the Super Bowl. That being said, since I was afflicted with the cough that magically appeared whenever cool air found my lungs, we stayed home and enjoyed the superbowl with my family. ( Sorry Sarah! We appreciated the invite though!) Well we enjoyed it until Dad started yelling obscenities at the tv.

Awwww, Amber and Baby Bump and Sean with his "Sympathy" Bump! Aren't they so cute? This one is of Amber trying out the taco dip, Eat it already !!!

They made the guys all sport their John Deere hats--Yes, Sean is wearing a plaid FLANNEL shirt AND a JOHN DEERE hat!!! Geez Dave, smile Y dontcha!

THere thats better! Even Buddy is smiling!!

Beautiful weather huh!! It was sunny up until Mom and Dad came.......hmmmmm.

Dad is happy! Mom is not.

Jamie was taking pictures of the tv screen and discovered that it looks like you were ACTUALLY there ! I tried to get him to take off his shirt and run past the tv so it would look like he was streaking but he wouldn't do it. Chicken. Neither would Ian. Bigger Chicken.

Here they are doing the wave.

You know how you can tell if it has been a successful Superbowl Party? When everyone has their hand down their pants. THE END!!!!!

Winter Wedding!

noreply@blogger.com (Angel) — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 15:35:00 +0000

It's OVER! FINALLY!! 8 years of engagement, 10.5 years of courtship have finally paid off in the form of a wedding!! January 17, 2009 will go down in history as my FAVORITE birthday! Well, January 17, 1998 wasn't bad either--that is when Dave and I met!

We only had a teeny bit of drama at the wedding but all is well and we are looking forward to starting a new life together!

I don't have many pics as of yet, though I know for a fact that my photographer shot over 500 snapshots and Dave has 7 yes seven shutterbug sisters!! My cousin Melissa shot some beautiful pics and so did my new sister-in-law, Chris! I can't wait to share them all with you!!

So for now, I am trying to get used to my new last name, being a Mrs. and enjoying the first few days of marriage! Of course it is business as usual--Dave is hauling grain, and I have been trying to get our house in order after a fun reception was held here! I also ran tuxedos back to the bridal shop sans Dave's tie (which is what I will be running back to GF today), and trying to get Christmas put away! So enjoy the few pics I have for now and look forward to many more!!

A Christmas to remember

noreply@blogger.com (Angel) — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 11:07:00 +0000

First of all, there are NO pictures to this blog. This is because of 2 reasons. I forgot my camera on Christmas Eve and really, no one wants to see any pictures of my Christmas Day. You see, I got the gift that keeps on giving--literally. It seems I got the stomach flu for Christmas. OH happy day. I in turn have GIVEN it to Dave. Oh happier day. So, who shall be next joyous reciever?

I was supposed to have Christmas dinner here and instead wound up calling Gma and Gpa, Mom and Dad and told them to plan on eating elsewhere. I was sure NO ONE would feel like eating if they heard me vomit. THAT was very nice of me I think. Jamie came and got the ham and turkey breast, stuffing, buns and green beans for casserole. They said everything turned out ok. Dave did go over in the afternoon and wound up bringing home some anti-nausea meds from Ambers Purse Pharmacy which worked wonders. Jello has never tasted so good. Today my tummy is great but my right eye is nearly swollen shut and keeps tearing up. My right nostril has turned into a spicket which can't/won't be turned off. So what shall it be for New Years? Strep throat or pneumonia? Maybe I can contract some tropical disease like Shmedricks disease where you get covered with funny green and chartreuse spots! (completely made up by the way, I saw that once in an episode of Full House--Yes the show with the cute little Olsen twins--what happened there?)

Oh well as long as I can see out of one eye to drive and don't run out of kleenex I suppose this too shall pass. Maybe I shoulda had a V8.

DISCLAIMER: I am not responsible for any person(s) stomach flu or Shmedricks symptoms as it has been proven that germs do NOT travel over the internet. No one was injured during the writing of this blog and it is being written at 5:27am. Thus the silliness of said blog.

Walkin' in a Winter Wonderland!!

noreply@blogger.com (Angel) — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 00:31:00 +0000

Everyone knows the words to that famous song. The artist paints such a lovely picture of their "winter wonderland". After last night and today, WE are walking in a winter wonderland!! The first blizzard of the season hit us with full force! Wind gusts of up 43mph, about 10 inches of snow (thus far) and wind chills of -48 degrees. It was a bad one! Thank God Dave and John finished combining their corn on Friday! The storm leaves us with a beautifully landscaped wonderland of white snow ( or yellow depending on where the dogs have been;).

I love how the light seems to come through the snow to look like lava. Tonight when all the light had gone away, the lights took on the most beautiful glow!

A winter wonderland indeed!!

It's all in a days work.....

noreply@blogger.com (Angel) — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 04:24:00 +0000

I had a very busy December 1st. I went to my grandparents this morning after donning my Christmas Bibs and I put up their tree. They have a 4 foot tall artificial tree which they purchased last year. It is nice because they are able to enjoy their tree for whole month of December rather than the couple of weeks they normally would with a real tree. I gave them this little Nativity last year because she didn't have a regular sized one. She has the one her nephew Steve gave her years ago, and she has the one I made out of clay when I went to Vacation Bible School one year probably about 20 years ago. This one looks so cute under their tree with the little straw Angel ornament dangling at the top.

I then went to Mom and Dads for dinner with the 3 dogs and after we ate, Jamie, Mom and I put up THEIR tree!! Jamie quit after fluffing a few branches and left the real work to Mom, Dad and I . Dad and I strung the 700 colored lights, and we all decorated it. It turned out so pretty!! We tried something different and put a BIG bow on the top rather than the traditional Angel. I curled the tails with a roll from the center of wrapping paper. We hung all of the special ornaments together!

My Grandma Hanssen made this when we were babies. Amber , Jamie, and me. Styrofoam balls covered with sequins held down with pins. Our baby pics are on one side and the opposite side it is hollowed out a little and she glued a little something in the hollow. Mine has an Angel, and Ambers has a little deer I think and I don't remember what Jamie has.

Close up of me as a baby. Cute I know--but what happened?!?

Closeup of Amber as a baby. She always stayed cute!! I wonder if Pnut will look like her!!

Close up of Jamie. Who knew that that cute little boy would grow up to such a BIG pain in the backside! Just kidding! Wait am I? Did I ever tell you the story about when he was born? I wanted a baby girl so bad, we were going to name her April. She was going to play barbies with me. Honest to God. She was going to be the sister I didn't have. Sure I had Amber but Amber didn't have an imagination. I was being dumb when I pretended that the fuzzy pink slipper was my barbie car. She hated playing house. April was going to change ALL of that!! And then, April didn't come. December 7, 1981 I woke up to find my Grandparents there. I remember being at their house when dad called with the news. I got on the phone and dad said " You have a brother! His name is Jamison Cade and we will call him Jamie." Traitor. How could Dad sound so darn happy when we were supposed to have a GIRL! I sat under the ledge of the counter and cried. And cried some more. When we went to see him at the hospital the nurses tried to MAKE me put on a stupid, ugly, green gown thing so I could hold the boy. I didn't like the gowns. I didn't even like the baby! Finally a nurse found a sesame street gown that I reluctantly put on. Then I reluctantly held the baby. I guess he isn't sooooo bad! He is very funny, and very helpful. I guess I love him. SSHHHHHH don't tell him that!

Christmas time is here!!

noreply@blogger.com (Angel) — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 03:20:00 +0000

It's the MOST wonderful time of the year! With Bells jingle-belling and everyone yelling to be of good cheer--it's the MOST wonderful time of the year!!

YES IT IS!! Christmas is my most favorite time of the year. I love the hustle and bustle in the stores, I love the lights on everyones home, and I love how cozy our house always feels. But most of all I love hearing the Christmas Story and singing all of those Christmas songs!!

I wanted to share with you some of the coziness of this season with you!

This is the dining room. In a previous post I showed you all my beautiful pink tree. This is the room where that is located. This corner is my vintage Christmas corner!

This is the tree in our living room. This is the first year I have had colored lights since I moved out of my parents house. This is a pre-lit tree that I got at Kmart about 9 years ago. None of the clear lights work so I wrapped it with colored lights. I can't stop looking at it!!

Here is the fireplace in the living room. I have my carolers and the wooden snowmen decoration I got from my sister on the hearth. On the mantle, are my stocking holder that I got after Christmas last year on clearance for $4 at Target. I have stockings for Dave, myself, Buddy, and Elvis. Duke has yet to get one! My Nativity is the center of attention. It is the single most important Christmas decoration I posess. I have 6 nativities in different forms!!

A dead on look at the fireplace.

Here is the tree in the daylight! We have some ornaments from Davids childhood and some from mine. It makes our tree so much more special! For Dave's birthday this year I got him a John Deere ornament from Hallmark. I thought it would make an otherwise girlie tree a little bit more "manly". I guess maybe I need spent shotgun shells and beer cans or something. Maybe that's more appropriate for the man cave!!

I'm Dreaming of a PINK Christmas!

noreply@blogger.com (Angel) — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 05:01:00 +0000

For all of you that know me well, you know that my FAVORITE color is PINK! And much to Dave's chagrin, lots of things at our house seem to turn PINK. Take for instance my potato peeler. The blade broke and could not be fixed and one Sunday while walking through Kohls, Dave and I walked through the kitchen section. They happened to have the PINK KitchenAid "Cook for the Cure" utensils and gadgets. Low and behold my PINK potato peeler! Then, this spring, after the crops were put in, spraying was in full swing. Now, Dave and John don't fool around with the spraying! They have a semi trailer designated to holding the chemical and water tanks and to fill that sprayer, you need a garden hose. So, Dave took my GREEN hose one day and replaced it with a PINK one. Needless to say, his nephews will NEVER ask to use my hose! This Summer we had 2 communities celebrating their 125th Anniversaries. Knowing what the bars charge for beer,soda and water, we thought we would stick it to 'em and bring our own beverages in a cooler. I had a blue one which was last used to hold beverages at my sisters wedding rehearsal and had water freeze in it. I honestly believed that it was ruined!! On a trip to Grand Forks, walking through Target, it hit me that we needed a new cooler. They had an awesome sale and such neat colors to choose from I first spied the turquoise, and DAVE pointed out the PINK one. Which ended up being the one he bought for me saying "don't put beer in it--it will turn into some sort of wine cooler!" So PINK is a common joke between us. When I asked him what colors for the wedding, all he stated was "NO PINK".

Here we are on November 23rd, preparing to give thanks for all of our blessings in the last year, and I just put up a Christmas tree. It doesn't really look Christmas like aside from the fact that it is in the shape of a tree and contains lights and ornaments. This tree is SPECIAL!!

Lights on and off!!

It is a WHITE tree, with white lights and decorated with PINK, LIME GREEN, TURQUOISE, ORANGE, PURPLE, & RED. I put a glittery BLUE thingy on the top, and added some PINK and LIME GREEN ribbon garland. It looks fantastic!! Today, Dave and I went on a grocery run to Grand Forks, and found that Menards had 16 function sets of 150 lights on sale. So he got some colored ones for outside and clear ones for our "living room tree". He also found PINK light sets. Now when we got home this evening, he swiched out each individual bulb for the PINK, so that I could have PINK lights on my "dining room tree"!!! Thats love I tell ya!!

Isn't it pretty !!