Goals

2008 is almost over and I've been thinking a little bit about what my goals for next year are. So far my list includes 1) exercise 6 days/week for 1 hour/day, 2) eat vegetables everyday. Now, if my goal were to eat fruit everyday, well that would be challenging. I don't want to set myself up for failure so I will just continue to not eat fruit. 3) do this - 12 of 12. You take 12 pictures of your life on the 12th of every month and then document it in a scrapbook layout. I think it's cool. I want to do a whole 12 of 12 album for 1 year.

Holiday leftovers

I didn't have to cook this Christmas but I have leftovers. My mom made pork tenderloin and ham, among other things, and sent some leftovers home with us. We love leftovers! This weekend I made scalloped potatoes and ham...yummy! Tonight I made fried rice.

Fried rice is super easy to make and you can put almost any kind of meat in it.

First you steam some rice, it's better if you use regular rice, not Minute Rice. While the rice is cooking, scramble some eggs in a small frying pan. Cut up your leftover meat and, in large frying pan, fry it in some butter. When the meat is a little bit browned add some more butter and then the rice. Stir in the eggs. Add a little bit of soy sauce at a time, stirring in between until it looks like enough. Careful not to add too much soy sauce or it will be really salty. That's it!

The best way to make fried rice is with bacon (everything is better with bacon). Fry up some bacon and remove from pan. Drain all but a few tablespoons of the bacon grease from the pan and then add the rice, eggs and soy sauce. Crumble the bacon and add to rice mixture.

Fried rice is really good with pork egg rolls from the Schwan man!

We got a Wii!

Jake Boxing...

See how fast his little arms are moving!

We've been boxing, golfing, bowling, fishing, playing ping pong and pool! Fun for the whole family!

Merry Christmas!

Uno

We've been playing a lot of Uno this weekend! I loved this game as a kid. I especially remember playing it with my friend DG in the tent while camping. I also remember her cheating! :) This is probably the same deck of cards we used too. I'm not sure if they look the same now but these cards are at least 20 years old. Tonight when I played a Draw Two card to Jake he said, "Mom, you're ruining the holiday spirit." It was pretty hilarious.

And, I finally figured out how to post my photos so you can click on them and get a closer look if you'd like!

I have a couple of short weeks coming up. I'll only be at work 4 more days this year. Monday and Tuesday this week and next. I can't believe how fast time goes. I remember when I was a kid and time went so slow, especially if I was looking forward to something like a birthday party or Christmas. My parents and grandparents would talk about how fast time went and I'd think they were crazy. Now I understand.

More pictures of Scooby and Lucy...

It looks like Scooby is telling Lucy a secret...

Hopefully it will warm up soon and I can get outside and take some photos!

New camera

My new camera came today! The one I bought with my 15 year service award from work. Tim and Jake went to the basketball game tonight so Scooby was my subject.





I'm excited to get out and really try it out! I was kind of sad about replacing my other camera, it's been like my right arm for 4 years. After using the new one for a little while...I'm over it! SO...if you're in the market, the whole shebang is for sale.

The storm is here

The storm is here! Sunday school was cancelled and we haven't left the house all day. Still waiting to hear if school will be late tomorrow. Storm days are kind of nice...we cleaned the entire basement today. It's such a good feeling!

We have a busy week ahead...haircuts tomorrow night, ESP family night on Tuesday, Sunday School program Wednesday night and I'd like to get to Grand Forks to finish up some Christmas shopping.

More scrapbooking today...

Waiting for the storm

Last night was our Christmas party for work. It was a good time...stayed out late, got home after 1am. It was a little tough getting up for Sunday School program practice this morning.

There is supposed to be a big storm coming through tonight. I haven't seen any snow yet but it sounds very windy outside. I'm wondering what tomorrow will bring...will we make it to Sunday School and church?

Did some scrapbooking today...

And...I signed up for this class!

Isn't this cute!?

It's a mini fridge that plugs into the USB port on your computer. Not sure that I would actually use it as my Diet Coke doesn't really have a chance to get warm before I drink it. But it is cute.

There isn't much going on this week, which it a a good thing! Tomorrow night we'll be attending our first school concert. I'm sure that will go fine. Next week is the Sunday School Christmas program. Since I'm a teacher I need to be at practices Saturday morning and Sunday afternoon...not really looking forward to that.

I am looking forward to tomorrow's assignment and information for the scrapbooking class I've been taking. There are only 2 left. I kind of wish it would go on for a few more weeks...I'm getting a lot done. Now I'm thinking about signing up for the Library of Memories class that starts in February. I have the books and am implementing the concept already, but if it's anything like the class I'm taking now I'm sure it would be fabulous. A friend that has taken it gave me some information to go through...that should help me decide.

Weekend update

We put our tree and Christmas decorations up Friday night. Jake had been anxiously waiting all week to do it.

Our tree doesn't really have "theme" it includes a variety of colorful ornaments including those that Jake made in daycare and pre-school. I like it that way. This is our 3rd year with an artificial tree. When we had a real one, I put big colored lights on it. I liked it that way better but the artificial ones come pre-lit with the small clear lights so that's the way it is now. I must admit it is much easier putting the tree up, no scratches from lighting and decorating it, no trying to remember to water it...It just doesn't smell as good though.

Saturday night we played a game of Monopoloy. Tim was trying to teach Jake how to count money. It obviously worked because he won...and we didn't bend the rules in his favor either. After 2 1/2 hours of play, he won fair and square.

After cleaning kennels this morning I made some lefse. It didn't exactly turn out how I would like so I will have to try again another day. I managed to get some scrapbooking done today too.

Thanksgiving

This year we spent Thanksgiving with my grandparents in Veblen, South Dakota. We headed out Thursday morning and arrived just in time for dinner. The best part of Thanksgiving at my Grandma's is the pie and stuffing!

Since we were leaving for Las Vegas the next day, we weren't able to stay as long as I would have liked. We usually spend the night there and head home Friday. I was glad we went though and I was able to see one of my uncles, an aunt and some cousins.

After dinner and visiting, we headed back to Grand Forks along with my mom and sisters and their families. This made the trip very peaceful...

We spent the night in Grand Forks so the kids could go swimming. Friday morning my mom took the kids home and we headed to the airport!

Vegas vacation

We made it home, the Vegas vacation is over. None the richer and a little bit poorer but we had a great time!

We stayed at the Mirage - I snapped a couple pictures of our room before we settled in...

It was very nice and spacious.

My sister and I shopped during the day and then we partied all night! Well, until 2am anyway! We ate at some great restaurants and saw some fabulous shows. Saturday night we saw Wayne Brady of Who's Line is It? and Don't Forget the Lyrics. The whole show was impromptu. The things he came up with off the top of his head were hilarious. You could see the show several nights in a row and it would never be the same. Sunday night we went to David Copperfield. Tim was approached before the show and asked if he would participate. He agreed as long as he wouldn't be made to disappear or be cut in half. His part involved checking a box to show the audience it was solid and not an illusion. The show was amazing! The whole time I wondered, "How did he do that!?"

I've been doing laundry since we got home and with the 2 hour time difference and the late nights out, I am tired! Tomorrow may be a long day.