Night Sledding

By Melinda:

We just returned from our second Friday night "Night Sledding." The run was even better than before, extending about twice as far now that snow has worked its way across the previously plowed path through the park. There were about 30 people ice skating at the park tonight, but we were the only ones on the sledding hill. It was a windy but beautiful night.

I have no pictures to post, but they actually would look a lot like our New Year's Day pictures except it was just the four of us, it was dark and our sleds were much smaller.

Pecan Pie

By Mom
Pecan Pie
3 eggs
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted (not margarine)
1 cup dark corn syrup
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cup chopped pecans
9 inch unbaked pie shell
Whole pecan halves for top of pie

Beat eggs well. Beat in sugar. Add butter, corn syrup, salt and chopped pecans and stir to combine . Pour into pie shell and arrange pecan halves over the top of the pie.
Bake at 350 degrees fir 45 minutes or until firm. Do not double the recipe.

Hello. Is anybody out there?

By Melinda:

Anybody, anybody at all?

Mom, could you also post how you cook your pork roast with sauerkraut? Thanks.

Marty - care to share your method of how you prepare chicken stock and beef stock?

The Geek Squad Rules!

By Melinda:

Karl, I thought you might get a kick out of knowing that every time we drive by a Geek Squad car Ella gets very excited.

Pecan Pie

By Melinda:

Mom, would you please post your fabulous pecan pie recipe on the blog for us? Thanks!

Eavesdropping

By Melinda:

About a year ago I overheard the following conversation between our children:

Cole: "Ella, let's play war."
Ella: "Ok. How does my hair look?"
Cole: "Good. Here's your gun."

A Busy Semester

By Melinda:

Although we generally try to keep life pretty low key, we've bit off a lot this spring semester. Monday: karate for Cole; Tuesday: gymnastics for Ella; Wednesday: obedience for Melinda & Fenton (query -- who do you think is truly the trainer vs. the trainee in this scenario?); Thursday: karate for Cole and gymnastics for Ella; Saturday: pilates for Melinda; ballet for Ella; acting class for Cole (who is probably the last person in the world who needs acting classes). Then there's that work and school thing too. By the time we come up for air it should be spring here in Minnesota.

Post-Party Recovery

By Melinda
I'm sorry you beat me to the post Mom. We had a wonderful time at your suprise, surprise, surprise birthday party. What a joy it was that so many of us could be together for that special day. It has taken us a week, but I think we are all caught up on our sleep and back in the groove.

Ok, and Aunt Marty is right, this one is hilarious.

75th Birthday

TO ALL MY FAMILY,
I wish to thank all of my family for making my 75th birthday such a special occasion. Made it less painful to realize that I had reached 3/4 of a century and it certainly does not seem possible.
Thanks to each of the girls for being present and for the grandchildren that could be here. We enjoyed all of you. Also a special thanks to Dan, Rob, and Todd for sharing their wives and children with us.
The open house on Saturday afternoon was the frosting on the cake and I must say pulled off with no suspicion on my part that anything was about to happen. I was really caught off guard. Your Dad had mentioned at one point he thought he would have an open house for me and I told him I did not want to make a big deal out of my birthday so I thought that was the end of that thought.
Thanks again to all my family and to Dave for many days of wonderful celebrating with our loved ones.
Mom

Happy New Year from Minnesota

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POSTED BY TODD:

For us, 2007 got off to a great start. Yesterday, perhaps the most perfect winter day ever (sunny and relatively mild, and with 6 inches of pristine new snow), the Larsens came over and we headed to the local sledding slope in Wayzata. When we arrived, we were the only ones (and the first ones) there, but we eventually created a slick, fast track with a jump at the end. Everyone participated and we all had a great time. Ella (who probably had the fastest sled) persevered after hitting the same tree during the first 2 runs, which caused her mother to laugh hysterically and rue the fact that the video camera wasn't running. (Okay, we all laughed hard.) After a while, a young boy appeared and started sledding by himself on an adjacent hill while his father sat in the car and read a book. We invited him to join us and, as it turned out, he was a friend of Cole's from school. Cole's friend had an extra big sled that allowed up to 4 people to make runs down the hill together. After about an hour, we were all exhausted and headed back to our house for hot chocolate, some food, and a game of "Apples to Apples." Melinda and the kids then watched a movie in front of a fire, while Todd watched USC beat up Michigan in the Rose Bowl.

P.S. We have since been night sledding at this park on Todd's new Mountain Boy sled (purchased before the anti-consumer moratorium). It was a blast!

New Year 2007

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!
I made the decision to post something on our family blog since the last posting was dated July 1, 2006.

I have enjoyed our blog and hope that all members of the family can contribute during the year of 2007. You all live very busy lives, but it only takes a couple of minutes to share some high light in your lives. I still check the blog probably once a day even though nothing new has appeared.

Wishing you all good health and success this coming year in your jobs, schools, and all your activities.

We love all of you and each and every one of you are most welcome to our home any time you can make it.

Mom