Happy Birthday, Dale!

Today is Dale's birthday! We are celebrating quietly at home. We did go to the gym first then came to my home for dinner. I made Kung Pao Shrimp with a little help from Dale. It was delicious and a very healthy recipe. I actually found the recipe reading a Men's Health magazine while on the exercise bike at the gym. Quite a healthy way to find a recipe, huh?

I usually bake a cake for Dale's birthday but this year neither of us thought an entire cake would be a good idea. I wanted something special so I stopped by a bakery and picked up this chocolate mousse dessert because it was so pretty. I did take some photos with the candle lit but the flame created such a "hot spot" that the berries were not well lit. Now Dale will be older than me for a few weeks! Happy Birthday to Dale!

Mississippi Weekend

I had a wonderful relaxing weekend in Mississippi visiting my friend, Becky. Usually when I have a Mississippi weekend it's just heading east to the river. This time I went south to the state of Mississippi, visiting springtime and a friend. We relaxed, talked, ate, laughed and had a few adventures. It had been eight years since I last visited Becky but I had very vivid memories of lazy mornings with great coffee in beautiful mugs. It was just as relaxing and yummy this time.
I have more photos to post later but the week has gone so quickly. A word of wisdom from me; one should always allow at least twelve hours between landing at your home airport and reporting back to work!

Indoors at the Zoo

A couple of weeks ago on a sunny weekend Dale and I headed to the zoo. I gave him a zoo membership for Christmas and we were hoping that it would be a good day to see the animals in the snow and get some fresh air. We were disappointed to find that the outdoor exhibits were closed and that the zoo is very conservative about when they open the outdoor area due to snow and ice. We did spend some time with our cameras in the indoor area of the zoo. It was nice but I am looking forward to going back when the outdoor areas are open. You may be seeing more zoo photos here this year.

Practice Shot

Dale didn't get new glasses but when I wanted shots of my new glasses he asked me to show him what I was looking for. I took a few quick shots of him to show him what I was thinking. I thought they were fun so I just had to post one.

New Eyes

I had a to-do list for January. I was behind schedule and had been procrastinating on several things. They were appointments that took time and I was putting it off. So I told myself that I had to make appointments for my routine dental exam, hair cut and an over due eye exam in the month of January. That was enough to get me moving and I did make all those appointments and the follow ups as well. This week I picked up my new glasses with the new prescription. They have more correction than I have had in the past and are also my first progressive bifocals. This is quite an adjustment. Getting used to glasses on my face is a big adjustment also. I always pull my glasses off as soon as I don't need them to read. Now I think it's time to get used to them. I tried to find the most comfortable lenses but they do feel heavy to me. I don't even like wearing heavy necklaces or earrings! The plastic lenses seemed more comfortable to me with my reading glasses so I looked for those. I also wanted a big enough lens to allow for more area for my bifocal. After having perfect vision for 45 years it is taking me some time to make this change. Getting older does require some adjustments and I will make this one work!

Valentine

Happy Valentine's Day!

I hope that today is a day to celebrate love of all kinds. We often focus on romantic love which is a wonderful gift but today is also a time for me to be extremely grateful for the love of friends and family! Happy Valentine's Day everyone!

Joining a Gym

Not only did a join a gym but I am actually going! Dale and I joined Anytime Fitness together last week. We had talked about it and heard lots from Jay who works at the Mason City Anytime Fitness. It seemed like the right fit for us. It was certainly the right time for us. I had become even more sedentary this winter. After my frozen shoulder I had quit doing my arm and shoulder exercises. The idea of having access to weight machines for strengthening was very appealing to me. I also use the bikes and treadmills for the cardio workout but look forward to the strengthening of the weight machines. There is a gym very close to my home and another one close to Dale's home also. We mostly go together but this gives us more options. When Spring arrives it will be easy for me to walk the mile to the gym, use the weight machines then walk back home. I typically dislike exercising inside but might offer a good blend. This is a commitment and I am planning to stay with it. Maybe blogging about it helps with the accountability. I want to have strong muscles especially as I age. Seems like I think about some of those things more often now that I am fifty.

Super Bowl Sunday

Nothing very exciting in this post, just a high mileage vehicle and a grateful owner. My Honda CRV hit the 200,000 mile mark this week and it is still running strong. It's been mine for nine years and I have no reason to trade it in yet. It still runs well and I still like it! I didn't expect it to last this long but I am pleased.

Today is Super Bowl Sunday. That always reminds me of the day that Jay was born in 1981 on the same day as Super Bowl XV. It's almost like a second birthday. I am watching the game and the commercials it just seems like the thing to do.

New Haircut

My hair was getting too long and shapeless so I asked around for hairdresser recommendations. Usually I just ask Ashley to trim it or stop by someplace quick but I took the suggestion of a respected co-worker with cute hair and made my appointment deciding I would let her do whatever she suggested. I was feeling pretty bold then I walked into the shop. Then I met my stylist. She had purple hair! I was beginning to lose my courage. After a few questions I realized that she did know curly hair so I decided to put my hair in her hands. She literally started wacking away at my wet locks. Huge chunks were falling to the floor when I told her that this was short for me. She asked if I was nervous and I realized that I was not. Hair does grow and I was ready for a change. I found myself calculating how many months until the humidity gets high and my hair gets extra curly. I could become a walking brillo pad, but I have plenty of hair clips and bands. It does feel much lighter and more fresh. That's a good thing. . .for now!

Shopko

I like Shopko stores but it doesn't seem like there are many left. A couple of weeks ago when I was in Mason City I asked Jill if they had their summer T's yet. She thought that they did so Dale, Jay, Briana and I headed to Shopko. I found the shirts and Jay helped me pick out colors. I have been told that I could buy more patterns or more variety but for me, a handful of solid V-neck T's and a pair of capris and I am set for summer. Yea, I know I am not much of a fashion queen. I think I was the last hold out to wear capris but when my friend, Linda started wearing them I knew it was time. I seriously thought that they looked like the fifties and that they wouldn't stick around long. I thought the same thing about Crocs. Who thought that people would actually buy and wear those bright colored clogs. I still do not intend to buy Crocs but I was wrong about their longevity. So after my trip to Shopko I am practically set for another season. I wonder what happened to most of the Shopko stores. I am glad that the store in Mason City is still open. Now I just need a pair of capris. It may be a while before I feel like going shopping again, so the capris will have to wait. A girl can only shop so much.

Happy Birthday, Baby Jay!

My baby boy turns twenty-nine today! It's just amazing to me that this beautiful baby has changed so much and been around for so long. Twenty-nine years go very quickly.
Saturday Dale and I drove to Mason City to celebrate with Jay and Briana. After lunch together we all went to the hockey arena to watch Jake and the Mason City Mohawks play hockey.

Dale took some very good hockey pictures again and this is one of them. It was fun to spend time with Dan and Jill again too.

I did not do a very good job in the photography department. I took one quick shot and it was blurry! You can see the obvious evidence on the right! I still wanted to include the photo since it was Jay's birthday celebration and to show his birthday cookie. Briana carried out the "big cookie" tradition. She knows that we always got a big cookie at Cookies Etc. for Jay's birthday even after we left Mason City.

It's always nice to spend time with Jay on his birthday. Although it was a couple of days early this year, it still makes me think back to the day that he was born. I enjoyed digging though the old photo albums to find a baby picture. He was a gorgeous baby! Happy Birthday, Jay!

Iowa Icing

Wednesday we got freezing rain. It was a skating rink outside. My boss had encouraged me to take home some paper work when we met on Tuesday so that I could work from home when the ice hit on Wednesday. It felt like a luxury to wear my robe and sit on the couch with my laptop all day long while catching up on some of my computer work.

I felt a bit wimpy staying home but after breaking my arm last year I think I have become more cautious. Although I didn't leave the house on Wednesday there was plenty of ice left to see on Thursday. The streets were just wet so driving was safe and the ice coating looked decorative. I grabbed my little point and shoot camera out of my purse and took these shots at work. Saturday is predicted to be forty degrees so the ice will be gone soon.

Winter Wonderland Weekend

Winter can be gorgeous which is a wonderful reminder that I do love the seasons. Last weekend I headed to Waterloo to spend the weekend with Ashley and Travis. I was a bit concerned about the weather because the warmer temperatures have led to foggy mornings. The temperatures and humidity created an amazing winter wonderland. The fog did not cause driving problems so I was able to enjoy a beautiful Saturday morning drive. I just pulled off the road a minute to get a quick shot of this farm house.

It was so nice to hang out with Ashley and Travis . . . very relaxing! Ashley and I did a little shopping and a little cooking. They left the Christmas decorations up so I got to see the tree, nativity and nutcrackers. Of course it was fun to hang out with Mowgli, play and cuddle with him during a movie. I love going to church with Ashley and Travis too. It's good to be with them and I usually get to see some former St. John friends too. The weekend went too quickly. It was time to go home and get ready for another five day work week. After all the shortened holiday weeks, it's time to work hard and save up my PTO for time off. I always love my time with the kids and look forward to the next visit. Ashley and Travis are great hosts and I always feel comfortable at their house. It was a wonderful winter weekend.

Baby Photography

Do you remember my big knitting project? I made this blanket for Ashley to use for baby photography. I asked her for an image to post so that I could show my finished product and show off her amazing photography. This baby boy is just beautiful and he makes my blanket look good. Ashley was interested in the knitted texture and I think that we achieved that with the blanket. Check out her blog and her website. Both have lots of beautiful examples of her photography. She does photo shoots in Cedar Falls/Waterloo as well as Des Moines. I am so impressed with her photos and proud of the work she has done to start her own photography business. I think I should be her honorary prop assistant!

Mohawk Hockey Weekend

My nephew, Jake and the Mason City Mohawk Hockey Team traveled to Des Moines this weekend to play four games. Dale and I love watching Jake and the boys play and Dale does a good job of catching the action with his camera. Dan and Jill stayed at my home and that was a huge treat! I just love having them. It was a wonderful weekend.

The first photo is of Jake's goal. . . it was a beautiful goal. Jake had great control of the puck and flew down the ice on his skates. After my time on ice skates last week I have a whole new appreciation for the skill that Jake has developed. It's especially fun for me to go to these games and be surrounded by familiar Mason City faces, family, old neighbors and classmates. Its nice to catch up with people. I am looking forward to the next Mohawk Hockey game very soon.

Happy New Year!

Its been a good year that has gone very quickly. I thought about typing my thoughts on how life has changed or not changed in the last twelve months and how the next twelve months might be different or the same. I even typed several sentences and realized that it didn't make much sense to me therefore there isn't much chance that it would be meaningful to others. I do realize my life is pretty stable. I have the same job, the same home, the same vehicle and no major family changes. I am blessed in many ways.

I chose this photo because it looks like family fun to me. . . one of my favorite things. I look forward to more family fun in 2010. I look forward to a few road trips and vacation. I look forward to meaningful work with wonderful volunteers and clients. With all the cold weather this week, I think that I am beginning to look forward to Spring too! Happy New Year to All!!

Ice Skating

We had so much fun ice skating on Sunday!

Last year when Jay and Briana came to Des Moines and spent some time ice skating I stayed on the side lines with my camera. After having a broken arm and a frozen shoulder I just did not feel brave enough to skate but I told Jay that I would do it "next winter." Now was the time. Travis thought it sounded like fun and Ashley was game. Dale was anxious to go and his kids were interested enough to join us. We had varying degrees of experience. Some had never skated. It had been thirty-seven years since I had been on skates. Travis had played some hockey in college and as you can see in the photo, he did remember his moves!

Ashley and Dale did a good job of offering support as I set out on my skates. I was pretty nervous! I did stay close to the rail for my first lap or two then felt pretty confident. Jay took a couple of laps with me and Travis offered to do a "whip" thing but I was not that brave. I did fall once but it was just a gentle "graceful" fall to my knees. Ok, so I doubt that it looked very graceful but it didn't hurt at all.

Dale was comfortable and did very well. I know he wasn't as nervous as me. Patrick, Val and Eric manuvered the ice very well too. It's amazing that we all survived without injury since we really did not have much experience. I have to admit, I was thrilled that I wasn't sore the next day. It wasn't a tough work out but I am sure that I used some muscles in different ways than usual.

We got a little chilled and had plenty of time on our skates in about an hour. It felt like a good time to go when they brought out the zamboni to smooth the ice. It was also the perfect time for a late lunch at Qudoba. Ice skating did provide a good appetite for burritos. It was a very fun afternoon for all of us.

Family Christmas

After waiting patiently through bad weather and icy roads, we did have a wonderful family Christmas on Saturday and Sunday. After spending time just relaxing dinner became the activity for the evening. We all made our own pizzas with a variety of toppings to please different appetites.

It was fun to be crowded into the small kitchen and work together making a meal. Dale and his kids joined us later in the evening for games and Christmas treats. It was cozy and fun with lots of laughter and conversation.

Sunday morning was "Our Christmas." We have always made it our Christmas morning when we were able to get together regardless of the date on the calendar. I never want the gathering to create pressure for my kids or their schedules with other family gatherings.

We emptied stockings and opened gifts while eating cinnamon rolls and lounging in our comfy clothes. I didn't take many photos, but did get a few. Travis got a flying object with a remote from Jay. You can see it flying in front of the door jam in the photo. Boys never do outgrow toys!! Jay got me the equipment to use skype. With the little camera mounted on my laptop, I am getting a lesson in skype from Jay in the bottom photo. After the gifts and the playtime we showered and got dressed to head out for ice skating but that's another blog post with lots of photos!

It really was a wonderful Christmas with family and fun. I was thrilled that the roads cleared off enough for everyone to make it safely to me and back to their homes again. It was worth the wait!!

Christmas Eve

This is a photo from one of my first Christmas Eves. I thought about cropping the photo but decided that might detract from the "charm." My cousins and I do not seem thrilled about being stacked up on the couch at Grandma and Grandpa Wreghitt's farmhouse. I am the one in the pink dress with the bottle in my mouth. Some of my cousins still gather on Christmas Eve, but I do not get there very often. For many years I was with my in-laws on Christmas Eve then for years after that I was busy working at the church on that special evening. It's still a magical night for me even though I have not created a consistent tradition. This year if the weather cooperates I plan to go to a Christmas Eve worship service with a friend. (My kids are coming to celebrate the day after Christmas.) Family, gatherings, gifts and food are especially important this time year but it is most magical because of Jesus. The birth of the Christ child touches my heart and creates the value of this very special season.

December Twenty Third

In my family December 23rd is a real holiday. It is the day that we have celebrated Christmas for decades! When we were little Mom and Dad decided that we would celebrate at home on the 23rd of every December because we traveled to grandparents on the 24th and 25th. As adults my siblings and I chose to retain that tradition to allow for in-laws and other family activities. Every year we gather on the 23rd regardless of the day of the week. That family gathering became my children's favorite part of the holiday celebration. We all love it!

Due to ice, sleet, snow and rain I will miss the gathering this year. This is the first time I have missed in fifty years! I guess we have been lucky about the weather. I must be getting more wise or cautions at my age. I have driven on some awful roads over the years but really do not want to risk a crash or an evening in the ditch. I will miss seeing my family tonight but will make plans to see them when the weather is safer. I know that they will have fun with lots of food and laughter. We always have fun. As you can see this photo is from 1967. I think we were posing for our Christmas card. That's Dan and me in the back row with Cindy and Sandi in the front. The family has grown quite a bit since this photo. If the weather was good there would be twenty-three of us gathering in Mason City tonight. Merry Christmas, Nonnweilers!

Christmas Lights and Music

It seems like a quiet weekend before the flurry of Christmas. Since there is a snow storm forecasted for next week, the holiday may be very different than planned. But for now I am enjoying the season. Friday evening after a cozy oven dinner, Dale and I drove around looking at Christmas lights all over Des Moines. We saw some beautiful light displays downtown and in residential areas. Tonight I am looking forward to Tonic Sol-fa's Christmas concert. It's a men's a cappella group preforming at the Hoyt Sherman. Dale got tickets this week and I am so excited to listen to the music with him. I want to bake some cookies, color my hair and clean this weekend but it still feels like a quiet lull before the storm. I hope that the forecast changes so that we can travel safely celebrate Christmas with family as planned.

Christmas Preparations

It may be a tradition soon. This is the second year that Ashley and I have gotten together to work on Christmas preparations. It is a great excuse for me to spend a weekend with her and we actually do get lots done. Friday, after an eventful trip down, Ashley was ready to relax so we hung out, ate comfort food and rested up for our busy Saturday while I worked on Christmas cards.
I really love to wrap gifts and enjoy pretty packages under the tree. We spent quite a bit of time shopping then wrapping the gifts on Saturday. It was especially fun to put the gifts on the just completed tree skirt. Yes, I finished mine before Ashley arrived. Our 12 month goal was accomplished. We have new tree skirts and now we both have gifts to rest on the skirts.

It wouldn't feel like holiday preparation without time in the kitchen. After a full day of shopping and a fun lunch with Dale we came home to rest and work in the kitchen.
Saturday night we made these peanut butter/chocolate star cookies and sausage won ton stars. We nibbled on both for dinner and the rest are safely frozen for Christmas.

Sunday morning I made caramels and mixed up dough for chocolate mint cookies. The house smells so very caramel. . . yummy! We headed out to a few more stores before Ashley packed her car and headed back home. Now I get to cut and wrap caramels while I watch TV tonight. I just love the caramels. Wrapping each one in saran wrap can be quite tedious
but I think it's worth the effort and frustration. The frustration stems from the fact that the wrap clings to itself very well. Didn't somebody invent a wrap that does not cling to itself? I need to find some of that before next December. It has been a wonderful weekend and I feel quite blessed!

Looking Like Christmas

I have minimized my Christmas decorations over the years but still enjoy a few things. A fireplace with stockings and nutcrackers is a true sign of Christmas at my home. Sitting on the couch enjoying this snow day is a perfect time to appreciate the tree, lights and decorations. The drift that covered half of my patio this morning is now covering more than three fourths of the patio. I am glad to have gotten the entire day at home. Now I just need to finish the tree skirt so that I can start wrapping gifts.

Snow Day

It is a genuine snow day! We have almost 16 inches of snow on the ground already with high winds and blizzard conditions. Plows, buses and cabs have been called off the road. My boss called before 7 am to tell me to stay home. That's a REAL snow day! I cannot remember the last time that a blizzard like this really did shut things down. I am having memories of my fourteenth birthday, April 9, 1973 when a huge blizzard closed everything. I guess it's a good thing that I finally turned my furnace on last week. It's running lots now!

I have not left home today and probably will not leave until tomorrow. I didn't even go outside to photograph the snow. I just took the shots from the warmth of my home wearing my cozy robe. I made myself eggs and hash browns for breakfast and plan to make something yummy for later but I am not yet sure what that will be. I am doing some work from home, making calls and some computer work but I will also find time later to finish my quilted tree skirt, wrap some gifts and mix up some cookie dough. I will get things ready for my weekend with Ashley when we bake, shop, wrap and relax! (The photo on the right is my air conditioner with 24 hours of snow accumulation. The top photo is a drift filling my patio. It's all snow, no furniture under that drift.)

One Tree Skirt

Ashley and I finished one tree skirt over the weekend! Remember the tree skirt project? We bought the fabric last December planning to have two quilted tree skirts finished for Christmas '09. One down and one to go!

We cut little squares last winter and started sewing them together on the next visit. By summer we had both tops finished and the project got set aside. When I finished the huge knitting project, I pulled out the tree skirts again. I got batting and binding and did some pinning. When Ashley arrived we started doing some machine quilting.

This last photo is to show how very patient Travis was with the project. He was packing the car while we were still sewing on the binding. They left town a little later than planned but Ashley had a completed tree skirt in hand. We were not very particular. Actually we were pretty relaxed about the project. Sandi and Jill should not look very closely at our quilting but it will mostly be covered by gifts, right? I am very grateful that Ashley set aside her perfectionism in her early teens! It was good enough for us and we will enjoy the homemade imperfections in our new family heirlooms. Now I need to finish mine!

Holiday Weekend

It was a wonderful holiday weekend! After our feast in Mason City, Jay and Briana followed Dale and me back to Des Moines. On Thursday night we went to a Bucs hockey game. It was Jay and Briana's first time to Buccaneer arena but it wasn't a great game. We dug out our old wooden Chinese Checker game and had lots of fun. I was the champion of the two, three and four person versions which was pretty fun. . . for me! I sent it home with Jay so he could practice with Briana. Since we aren't big shoppers, Jay, Briana and I enjoyed a very relaxing Friday morning at home. Dale joined us later for our favorite burritos and a stroll around around the Des Moines sculpture park.

Ashley and Travis arrived later on Friday. We made lasagna . . . three kinds of lasagna. One with no veggies, one with no meat and one big one with everything! We played Apples to Apples and an amazing game of Jega with a very tippy tall tower.

As you well know, food is a very important part of our gatherings. Since our vacation in September I was anxious to make pumpkin french toast for Travis. I was going to make waffles for Jay, but I still cannot find my waffle iron. Has anybody seen it? It turns out that we were all pretty happy with the french toast so that worked well. I am going to find that waffle iron. It's got to be somewhere! Jay and I even checked in the storage garage and couldn't find it. Fortunately it was not a waste of time since we stumbled upon the Chinese Checkers game.

Disc Golf Outting

It has been a fun holiday weekend with lots of activity, relaxation, food and people. As I upload photos, I realize that I have not planned or organized my blog ideas for the weekend. That's OK with me but this is my notice that it is not in chronological order.

Dale had suggested disc golf when all the kids were home for the holiday and it turned out to be a great idea. Nine of us hit the disc golf course close to my house while crock pots of chili simmered at home. When we got home, Ashley and I made cornbread. Dale made his spicy chili and I made my chili. It was not a competition but more of an exhibition. I must admit that Dale's crock pot was the empty one at the end of the day.


Disc golfing was so much fun! It is a very hilly course and I think we got a bit of a work out. I know that I did. Some had lots experience. Jay even had a bag full of discs. Others had never played disc golf before. We just had fun while enjoying each other and a beautiful sunny November afternoon. Although there were a few close calls only one person was hit directly with a flying disc. We played, we ate, then we relaxed. Some of us relaxed enough to fall asleep which was quite an accomplishment with nine people in one small living room. It was cozy, but I love having a house full of people.