17 years …already!

Eric and I celebrated our anniversary by going out to eat at Grizzly’s in Jamestown on the 30th.  Yes, it’s the day before our anniversary, but sometimes restaurants on the 31st are so busy that it’s more peaceful and relaxing to go the day before.  After we ate, we bought groceries!  That probably sounds goofy, but we needed groceries and it’s so nice to have a helper to load and unload.  Plus, Eric doesn’t beg for treats and ‘those items in the isle ends that are attractive but unhealthy’!

It’s really hard to believe this many years have passed!  I can still remember the scent of the gardenias in my bouquet and the beauty of the roses and variegated holly.  I  remember the first time we saw each other that day … pretty sure he was more ‘nervous’ than I.  After the wedding, we left to get in the car and it was lightly snowing.  I just remember the stunning beauty of the moment leaving with my husband and being showered with snowflakes.  Who needs rice when you have snowflakes!!

50-52/52

Joining Barbara in commemorating the year in once a week posts … just whatever is going on in your life: the mundane, the crazy, the normal, the everyday. 

This is the last of these posts…thank goodness!  The last half were so hard to get done and I ended up combining many weeks into one post.  So, as an end to this commemoration, here are a few of my favorite photos from the last few weeks of 2011.

Santa Days in town means a bag of goodies for the littles.  Louis took his bag and ran!

My hubby actually prompted the boys (Zeke and Graham) to add Bison Victory to their wish lists shared with Santa. 

Birthday Memories:

Angelina’s Christmas Dance Program:

With Grandpa and Grandma Green Acres.

The Awesome Magician

The Shepherd and his sheep

The mounts

 

 

Extra Days

 

Our whole family hadn’t visited my parents since last New Years… and then only for a couple days before and after our New Year’s trip to MT.  So, we decided to stay until Wednesday.  The kids relaxed and played games/puzzles with Grandma and Grandpa.  We helped eat up more leftovers. 

Grandpa Golden Acres, Eric and the boys traveled up near Stanley to see first-hand the changes occurring due to the oil activity.  I cleaned up a bit and got a couple loads of laundry done for my mom.  Grandma Golden Acres, Angelina and I headed to my brother and sister-in-laws for a short visit.  Angelina stayed to play with with kids while my mom and I headed into town for a bit of shopping and lunch.

Christmas Day

My dad loves to have fun and play jokes … this time he got my husband REALLY good!

Father – Son antler mounts.  I’ve given permission for them to be hung in the garage!

My hubby also received a fishing net (the theme for the guy gifts was ‘on the water’), so he caught my brother’s (Collin) inflatable fish.

One of my brothers asked for a life sized football – not sure what that has to do with ‘on the water’ – and the guys all headed out that afternoon for a little game time.  They are not as young, so all were a bit sore the next day.

Yes, playing football on December 25th … without gloves and heavy winter clothing.  It was beautifully warm. 

I did miss the snow on Christmas (we have none in Marion), but my parents had a little drift across the front of their home to make me feel a little more in the spirit.

No pictures of food, but we ate amazing food all weekend.  Our goal was to help mom and dad eat down the frozen food they had on hand.  So, chicken, pork, venison, and beef were all available.  The goodie table in the garage was chock full, and while we ate a lot, I’m not sure we made much of a dent.

Christmas Morning

 

This first one isn’t quite Christmas morning, because I forgot to take one of Louis with his Santa gift.  He wanted to set it up immediately, but we somehow managed to distract him.

Graham had asked us for an electric guitar, but we convinced him that it’s important to learn on an acoustic guitar and see if it’s a real interest before investing in an electric guitar.  He was thrilled.

Star Wars legos were a hit …Zeke is still our builder.

American Girl goodies for Angelina and for Dash a much hoped for game of Wii Zelda.

Merry Christmas!

The Lahlum Family

Christmas 2011 at Golden Acre Farms

Back: Zeke (8), Suzie & Eric, Graham (5), Dash (14)

Front: Angelina (11) and Louis (2)

Graham’s nasty scrape.  Of course, scrapes look worse the next day.  It’ll heal!

 

Christmas Eve Mass was at 9:30pm.  Three of our five kids fell asleep and we arrived back at the farm around 11pm that night.  Most of the kids went right to sleep.  The adults stayed up talking for quite a while.

More Magical Entertainment

Grandma and Grandpa Golden Acres hadn’t seen the Awesome Magician’s show, so we brought the props along (not an easy feat with a crammed full suburban!).  Angelina and Graham prepped the room and enlisted the help of cousins to pull off another rousing round of entertainment.

Graham’s Cousins helped pass out programs (Mr. L and Miss M).

Rounds of applause and more fun with Uncle Pat!

Miller Family - Kid - Gift Opening

The grandkids open their gifts in the afternoon at the Miller Family Christmas.  This is the second year we’ve done this and I must say that the kids are better behaved and it’s much more orderly than waiting for late evening.  (This year would’ve been way too late with Mass at 9:30pm!)

First, Grandpa Golden Acres read a story to everyone.  I didn’t catch the name of the book!

Louis, above, and Graham, below, sporting his nasty scrape.

Angelina, above, and Graham and Zeke showing off their newest presents … identical (very smart Aunts!) Nerf guns.

Dash received a couple Skillet CD’s.

The Cars racetrack was a joint gift for Louis and Graham from their grandparents.  And Zeke and Dash shared the K-Nex education box from their grandparents.

Angelina received Julie’s (American Girl) bed from her Golden Acre grandparents and us (her parents).

One of the gifts came with clues!  It turned out to be Jenga.

Grandpa mounted antlers for Dash, in memory of his first hunt.