December 27th 2009

No pictures today, but thought I would tell you what we did. I went over to Jackie's this am and spent all day with her. When she and Brady moved in, they just threw things in cupboards. She wanted me to help her re-organize all her kitchen cupboards....and we did!!!
My friend Julie had hip re-placement surgery a week ago Wednesday, so wasn't ready to go out and party. I decided we would go up to their house and bring the food and cook them dinner! So John and I made them chili, cornbread, salad and pie! It was a good dinner and the conversation was even better. They too are coming to Florida the end of January.
.
On a sadder note...my girlfriend Nancy lost her mother at 6:00 pm Christmas eve day......not a place anyone wants to be. However, her mom did it up right...90 years old, lived in her own home, did her own garden, canned, baked...totally was on her own.....she cracked her hip on Sept 14 and had surgery to pin it...well she developed an infection....and it is a long story, but from there developed MSRA..(I believe I have it right)..it is worse than a staff infection, and she just couldn't fight it. Our hearts go out to Nancy and her brother, but we thank God for such a wonderful life Betty was able to live.

December 26th 2009 Patty and Doug's

Doug
Denie

Sharon and Patty

Sharon

I don't know about all of you, but on Christmas day it is a barrage of phone calls from siblings and relative saying Merry Christmas. Well, on one of the conversations, Patty and Doug and I decided we should get together. They were going to Sharon and Denie's Christmas day so I told them to check with them and see if we should get together the next day (Dec 27th). They called later that night to say...."Come to our house on Saturday!" So we did!!!! We even did a small tour of Robinsdale and drove by John's house where he grew up by Sanborn Park. We got to Patty and Doug's around 1:30 and got home that night at 10:00 pm. It was a great visit.

They even planned their trip to Ft Myers to visit us in March.!!

It was a great time.

Christmas Day in Cannon Falls, Mn December 25, 2009

A Pandora box.......from 3 of the kids to me.
Yep, they went to Jared!!!!!

Brady, Ryan and Heather

Jeff and Jackie

Amber and Kyle

Christmas Day and of the 4 children, they were all here except Tony who is in Iraq. John and I only arrived last Friday and because of all the hustle and bustle..we didn't bother to get a big tree. Yep, we were a little scroogeish. (Mostly me, not John.) Edina Realty gave us a 1'1/2" live tree, so we made a little shrine for it and put the gifts around it. It was fine...a little low keyed but what the heck! We didn't get to see Sydnee because there are just too many families and not enough time. Josh is home in Bismarck for vacation, but will go back to Ft Lenardwood in the next day or so. Too hard to get to Bismarck and Mpls. We had a nice visit with everyone...Jackie wouldn't let me take her picture. Thinks she is too fat etc....I think she looks cute! I think everyone had a good time.

Christmas Eve at Grandma Rose's

Heather and Don...kicking back.
The dining table.

Brother Dave and me.

Don

Mom

Christmas Eve was at mom and Don's. Jac and Brady, Heather and Ryan, Kyle, Amber and David. brother David, John and I. We had a wonderful t-bone steak dinner. It was delicious. After dinner and great conversation, we opened presents with Grandma and Grandpa. The kids left and John and I stayed and solved all the family and world problems with mom and Don. It was a great time.

Christmas Eve at Grandma Rose

Christmas Eve Day December 24, 2009

IT SNOWED!!!!View from outside our front door.
Yes, it is piling up!

Ryan is trying to shovel!

Christmas eve day and we got snow all night! I think after all is said and done we got like 12-16 inches. I will have to watch the news to know or sure. Unfortunately, it was really heavy and wet. Not fluffy and easy to shovel.

December 16, 2009 Catching up.

The lawn all decorated at the Burroughs House in Ft Myers.

Inside the Burroughs house.

Coming up the porch of the Burroughs House.

View from accross the street

Langsfor-Kingston House

The art museum downtown.

Tuesday the 15th we went out to Captiva Island
to the Mucky Duck and took our Christmas card picture.

The Mucky Duck

Beautiful Captiva

More beach. It always reminds John and I when

we spent a whole month here when Ryan was just

3 months and Jackie was 4.

The Mucky Duck from the ocean view.

Neighbor Donna at their house for dinner.

Donna's husband , Tom.

John and Donna getting into the wine!!

I am trying to get caught up on my blogging. We were so busy getting the house organized and somewhat decorated that not much else new happened. We are slowly meeting people and learning the ropes around here. We actually got our first dinner invite by our neighbors Donna and Tom. We had a delicious dinner and spent the evening talking and learning about each others lives. We then reciprocated last weekend and had them here for dinner. After dinner we played a card game called "Phase 10". We laughed so hard, yes, I wet my pants!!! Tom was pretty funny!!!

Just the other day John and I drove out to Sanibel-Captiva for the afternoon. We ate lunch at the Mucky Duck and took our Christmas card picture on the beach in front of a Christmas tree.

The island really hasn't changed since we have been going there in 1981. They have replaced a lot of trees due to hurricane damage but basically it is the same. Kind of refreshing to know that some things don't change.

Tonight we went to downtown Ft Myers in the River District and had dinner outside and then toured the Burroughs and Langford-Kingston homes. They are two beautiful old homes that have been preserved and are part of the historical homes now. The city decorates them for the Christmas season and you can tour them both for $5.00. They were very pretty.

Historically they were friends of Mr. Edison, Mr. Ford, and Mr. Firestone.

We leave for home in two days. We are excited to see our family and friends. Will post Christmas pictures later.