"Last Place" Chili

Wow, I would have taken a picture for you all, but I ate it all to fast. Michelle makes a great pot of chili! I think that even Chad and Milla would appreciate this stuff. Next time you're in Minnesota we'll make up a batch for you. Oh...why "last place"? A few years ago, Michelle brought this stuff up to Hayward, WI for a chili cook-off. The judges all made comments in a similar vein.

-"This ain't chilli!"
-"This is hotdish, not chilli!"

Chilli in the northwoods requires meat -0 in fact the general rule off thumb is this:

A good chilli contains massive quantities of meat from a variety of different types of mammals.

Salix's floor routine -level 4

We finally have a cord for the camera-computer connection. This is one item we found on the camera. It is of Salix at the holiday spirit invitational at Hamline University - Sometime in December.

Michelle thinks I have Alzheimer's because I forget where I place things a lot. As you can see from this video, sadly, I have Parkinson's as well.

Christmas Play

Papa Paul and Teri swung by to take the two oldest to a play -0 similar to the Disney Snow White -0 The kids absolutely loved it~! They had a great time with the grandparents and enjoyed the actors letting the audience participate in the show. I've been emailed a few great shots of the kids with the actors.

It is hard to believe that today is the end of the year - yet when Acer and I awoke, it was 42 degrees outside and raining. We have no snow at all in our yard, even the small piles that managed to stay with us near the driveway are all melted. I don't remember a winter like this before.

By the way, the record for today is/was 41 degrees in 1999. The average is 23 for the high temp. Average low for Roseville today should be 9 degrees - we won't come within 15 degrees of that. It has been good for us and Tilia to have a warm winter, especially her first year.

+* Polaroid is sending us the cord -0 so pictures of the kids and family should be more prevalent in the upcoming months.

Spirit Invitational Gymnastics meet - Hamline University

On Dec. 17th, Salix participated in her first gymnastics meet. It was a great time for everyone. Salix's friend, Bryn, cheered her on with Mom, Dad, Acer, Tilia, Grandpa Paul, and Grandma Teri.

Salix looked great - finishing high in the placings and scoring very well overall-especially on vault. All of the hard work she put into training for this showed! We all look forward to more meets this winter and spring! Join us in Chicago...Chicago Style Meet - February 9-11, 2007 @ thee Navy Pier.

Busy month, this December...

Items of Note:

We found a dog for our home - Goliath - a Great Dane from Willow River, MN. He has been wonderful with everyone so far. He marked the Christmas tree the first night he was home. Should have seen that coming! He's about 32 1/2 inches to the top of his shoulders so he is just the right height to lick the pancakes while they are cooking.

We've got a backlog of pictures waiting to be shared- however, I lost our cord to connect our camera with the charger! *%$@ing Polaroid's website won't accept our checkcard...merry Christmas.

Hope your holidays are wonderful and restful!

Visiting Wisconsin

We all packed up the van and visited with Paul and Teri for the weekend. Papa Paul showed everone how to sing in barbershop style- with a solo even! Michelle and I were impressed. (Pictures to come - darn you blogger) We also checked out every tree on the lot at the Pleasant Valley Tree Farm.
It was 15 degrees on sunday - Teri thought this to be excellent tree shopping weather - the kids saw this as excellent hot cocoa weather. I can't blame them. Papa paul eventually walked off with a nice looking Frasier Fir. I'll get into tre types later. We've cut a deal with super Bill for a free tree - a balsam fir.
Not my favorite, but it'll work. I'm wondering what you all think of tree types for Christmas...which is your favorite?...What characteristics do you look for when choosing a tree?


Have a great week!

awhile..

With Tilia sleeping through the night, more than less, blogging hasn't been "on schedule". Iapologize. We've got some updates in the works.