New decor for Gramps Steve's basement...

Go Team!! Make it to the 70 yard line!

How long til I get busted on drug charges, Coach?

A message from Norelle...

Nori, our little talking, moody teether, wanted to share a few words with you...

Oh Wow...
Wow! Wow! Wow!
No! No! No!
Dog
Mamamamamama
Dadadadadada
goong goong goong

Okay then.

Norelle's 1st Christmas!

Baby's first Christmas was a success! She is very weary from all the commotion, odd looking faces and excitement but she had fun!!

Christmas Eve

We stopped in Austin to see Great-Grandpa Dick & Great-Grandma Rosie and Nori loved the beef barley soup and ate her first dill pickle. Once in Winona, we attended the children's Christmas service where Daddy took her up the front of the church to hear the Nativity story. She looked very chic in her beret and plaid dress imported from France. She opened some sweet gifts like a Winnie the Pooh top from Grandma Liz & Grandpa Steve, The Polar Express book from Auntie Elle and adorable old Navy outfit picked by Char. We had a wonderful prime rib dinner and all went to bed in our Christmas jammies. Well, one of us did.

Christmas Day

We celebrated at Papa's house with the whole gang. I made monkey bread, Jake cut up fruit and we indulged all day long. Nori played with all her great-aunts, cousins, uncle, etc. Her wardrobe expanded with some new cute dresses perfect for the soon-to-be walking girl and Papa Michael, who only bought one present this year, gave her a pink baby big wheel for rolling with her Laurel Ave homies this spring. After devouring Tracy's 29 lbs of pot roast, we returned to Gramsie Hol's house for more merriment. Gramsie painted some original artwork for us which is really cool.

Needless to say, Norelle is exhausted and ready for a warm bottle of baby scotch and her own crib at home. We enjoyed spending time with everyone and are extremely grateful for all our loved ones! It was harder to see everyone as much as usual this year between naps, meals and cranky moods. It's hard to do anything according to plan but the stress is but well worth it. Next week mom & baby are off and Gramsie will be visiting so we will have more time to hang and talk about womanly things.

Welcome to the world Nova Joy Deitering!

Congratulations Jill & Shawn!!!!!!! See more at http://teamdeitering.blogspot.com/

Merry Christmas!

..with your nose so bright

Santa is coming!

Congratulations Ross & Yesika!

Ross is engaged? Who is joining us for fall in Peru?

I am cool.

The Kelly Taylor wears MBT's!

Pucker up, Buttercup!

Cutest thing ever. My baby learned how to smooch! That's my Christmas present...mwaaaah!

Let the Christmas tour begin! After a lazy Friday off, we joined our BFF's for dinner at Grand Shanghai, wisely letting Andy order IN CHINESE something authentic. Now this description won't do our meal justice but we had several awesome courses of crispy duck (which flew past our table whole with a neck), Lo Lo's favorite pork dumplings, chow fun and a green bean dish. My child is a social eater because she gobbled up Donald and friends like a champ. Then we put her to bed and Sarah came over to babysit while we went downtown. We were tempted to go to the Nelly concert at Karma instead but resisted. 8 Switch was really great, we enjoyed the show and kicked ourselves for not going to more of them!! My favorite song is one of the ones Casey wrote & produced call No Kiss Goodbye (working title: You Stole My TV Set).


Yesterday, we had a we had rowdy Christmas at my Dad & Linda's house in Maple Grove. Presents galore were shared...I finally got a ski coat not manufactured in the 90's, complete with fur trim. Grrrrrr. Jake received a ladder so he can change his energy efficient light bulbs and baby now has big girl toys. We enjoyed steaks, asparagus, bread and chocolate desserts. Then we rocked out on Rock Band on the Wii. For a tone deaf person, I scored quite well with my vocals on Roxanne and Dead or Alive, while Jake owned the guitars with a signature leg kick for emphasis. Joe & Mekensie make a great back up band. We had a blast, thanks everyone (Coincidentally, none of these people read my blog so my enthusiasm will go unappreciated).



Two days of work and then TWELVE days off! Woo hoo!

8 Switch

You know how I always say I am out at the clubs all night but really I am in my pj's with Vicks Vapor Rub all over me? Well tonight is my brother Casey's band's CD Release Party and we actually are going out. Downtown even. See you there?

8 Switch CD Release Party
Fine Line
9:00

This is not a dream, it's really happening! After three years together 8 Switch has finally finished their CD and are ready to release it to the public! Come to the Fine Line for a night of music and fun. Heatbox, Dred I Dread, Root City and 8 Switch. Buy a CD! Support live, local music!

$7 18+ Show!

11 months old!

Norelle is very talkative and loves to say mamama, no!no!no!, goong goong and broom broom. She pulls up to be on her feet whenever she can but is still very cuddly and loving. I can not believe she is almost one but she just keeps getting better and better!

Believe it or not, it is also the one year anniversary of the day we met Tasha. We were active in "the book" on June 18 2007, met with Tasha on Dec 18 and Nori was born Jan 18, 2008. So, I only had a seven month paper pregnancy to the day, hence my killer bod. It's weird to remember that someone else gave birth to her because she is a huge part of me, there just is no difference. I am sad that I didn't really grow her, despite my best efforts to convince her I did (like I when I reenact her birth panting and screaming "someone get me an epidural" or "boil some water"). She actually was born via C-section so no one had an epidural, except in my version of the story. Of course she has connections to her birth family in Duluth who care about her and blessed us with their decision to choose adoption and choose us. We are her parents, her mom and dad, her family who will love and adore her forever!

How cold is it?

Those of you who have been to my house in the winter know that we have some, um, heating issues. As in it is tropical upstairs (think shorts and a t-shirt with the window cracked) and icy downstairs (numb feet and snowman in the kitchen). See for yourself...

-12 degrees = frozen pipes in bathroom

EVOO is now a solid

My hideous ski coat from 1996 keeps me warm

Nori's pajamas (kidding!)

Whale Wars

Japanese harpoon ship

Have you seen this show? Whale Wars is about volunteer animal rights activists who raise money from rich people, like the Red Hot Chili Peppers, to go on missions to Antarctica and track Japanese whalers who they believe have violated whale quotas. It is really like Star Wars because they out in the middle of this great vastness tracking ships with the exact same radar used in Spaceballs the movie. There is a Japanese spy ship which tracks the activists (who call themselves The Sea Shepards) aboard their vessel, The Steve Irwin. Following? In last night's episode, The Sea Shepards were trying to lose the spy ship so they navigated into a field of icebergs and turned off their engines so they appeared just like an iceberg to the spy ship's radar, thus losing them. If the SS do come upon the Japanese harpoon ships, or better yet, the main processing vessel like in last night's ep, they turn into pirates and board the ship to serve a warrant citing some international whaling treaty. Because all of this happens in the frigid, empty international waters, no governments enforce the rules so these sea vigilantes are the only ones to do it. It is really quite fascinating, you must watch!

I need a coffee IV, stat!

Do they make those? Mondays are like meanest thing ever. Yet, at the same time, a relief as I can finally sit down and stop chasing a little crawler who loves to nibble on cords and shoes. Had a lazy weekend, maybe even too lazy? I blame Casey who didn't deliver the next seasons of Entourage and Dexter until late last night. Just think of how productive we could have been watching all those eps!! I did get ALL my presents wrapped courtesy of Santa's little elves at Kelly's Workshop (read about it here, here and here). I made Navy bean & ham soup which T.McB loves so I guess I am not a total bum.

I am in sort of in a bad mood. Probs because of my Grandma's passing, my ongoing cold and being tired. Also, my dog ate a whole plate of Christmas cookies so I'm not sure if I am more mad at myself for leaving them out, all that baking wasted or now having to deal with her Dorthorhea. Poor Jake finally went to in Urgent Care last night after 5 weeks of illness and was diagnosed with a sinus and ear infection. I made him tea so he would feel better. Actually, he made it for himself but it was my good idea.

After my coffee IV is hooked up, I expect to be feeling much more energetic!

Happy 22nd Charlie!

Grandma Audrey

Audrey Jean (Prenatt) Hengel

Dec. 2, 1930 — Dec. 11, 2008

Audrey Jean (Prenatt) Hengel, 78, of Winona, died Thursday, Dec. 11, 2008, at her home surrounded by her family.

Audrey was born Dec. 2, 1930, in Independence, Wis., to Otis and Luvina (Winsand) Briggs. She married LeRoy Prenatt in 1951. They had a son and later divorced. In 1971, she met and married Michael Hengel and gained four daughters.

Audrey worked as a hairstylist and manager at Spurgeon’s, Winona, and Magic Mirror, La Crosse, Wis. She also was employed at Picadilly Gallery, Winona. She was a member of the Red Hat Ladies, an avid bridge player and an accomplished seamstress. She made several wedding dresses and quilts for all of her children and grandchildren. Audrey loved football and was a Vikings fan to the end.

She is survived by her husband of 37 years, Michael; five children, Jeffrey Lee (Pamela) Prenatt, Winona; Holly Palbicki, Winona; Jill (Dale) Lindman, Shoreview, Minn.; Tracy Hengel, St. Paul; and Wendy (Randy) Winegar, Apple Valley, Minn.; five grandchildren, Jennifer Lee Prenatt, Megan (Jake) Seltz, Casey Palbicki, Michael Anderson and Abigail Anderson; one great granddaughter, Norelle Seltz; a brother James (Millie) Briggs, Caledonia, Minn.; and nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, a sister, Sandra Wyman, and brother, Vilas Briggs.

Services to remember Audrey will be at 6 p.m. Wednesday at Fawcett-Junker Funeral Home, Winona, with Pastor Thomas Schoen, officiating. A spring interment will take place at Holy Trinity Cemetery, Rollingstone, Minn.

Visitation will be 2 to 6 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home prior to the service.

A special thank you to the Winona Area Hospice for their loving care of Audrey.

Services entrusted to Fawcett-Junker Funeral Home and Cremation Services of Winona. Words of sympathy or remembrance may be left at www.fawcett-junkerfuneralhome.com

Many blessings!

It's a sad time for my family right now as my Grandma Audrey's health continues to decline and she requires around the clock care. It's hard to see someone you love slip away and suffer. Unfortunately, we have had a series of chronic illnesses throughout the past years staring with my Great Grandma Dorothy having a stroke and slowly passing away, then Grandma Barb fighting terminal throat cancer for several years, my mom's lymphoma, hospitalization and resulting disabilities and now my Grandma Audrey's pancreatic cancer and my Papa's Michael's health issues. The cumulative effect is difficult and taking a toll on everyone.

Despite the stress and grief, we have so much to be thankful for. I am really pleased to say I have caught the holiday spirit this year! Having a new baby in the house really helps me get outside myself and look at the world through new eyes. I never knew how much a little one could change my life for the better! I am thankful the simple things I can share with her: picking a tree as family, putting up decorations, baking cookies, shopping, going to church and holiday music. And I am so excited for Kelly's Santa's Workshop party where we can bring gifts to wrap and she will provide all the paper, bows, etc. How awesome is that? Another huge blessing is that we had our house appraised and it actually went up in value (huh?!!) so we can refinance to make this our home for a long, long time. We have jobs, enough food to eat and each other so I give thanks!

God is with us all the time and shows his love in big and small ways every day.

More card trauma...

Thanks for the feedback on my card-induced anxiety, especially to anonymous who used the term gobble gobble . Truly, try working that one in without saying anything about a turkey. So I bit the bullet and ordered our Christmas cards last night. You would think I have the perfect photo for them but you are so wrong. After several attempts I had to go with my good enough shot. My good enough shot features Jake in old man slippers, me laughing too enthusiastically, Norelle looking at me not the camera and Dorothy playing dead. However, I must say the Christmas tree in the background looks tubular.

BTB, do ever wake up and wonder to yourself "Whose birthday am I forgetting today?"...

Sunday Summary

The big graduation reception at Eastcliff that I organized was a huge success and I was so proud of my students. Take a look at me pretending to enjoy the eats... the ironic thing is I didn't even get to taste one before they were all gone.


Baby's first Christmas is upon so Jake took Friday off and we hit Rosedale Mall with a mission, finishing up 90% of our shopping. That afternoon we visited the tree lot and got a budget tree, a very prickly spruce with some Charlie Brown-esque qualities to it but hey, it works. I feel bad Nori won't get what she really wants for Christmas: USB cables and power strips, the things she wants to chew on. We had a very leisurely wonderful weekend decorating the house and relaxing.

Ooh! Check out the cookies MelRo, Jake & I made today. They are scrumtrilecent!

TWD

My friend Sabrina always writes TWD on her blog and then posts photos of things she baked. It stands for Tuesdays with Dorie and it's some blog baking club/cult. Me, I have my own TWD. It stands for Totally (rad recipes by and) With Doris. Doris, as in Doris Palbicki, former owner of the Zesto and my aunt. She gave me this recipe...eat your heart out Dorie!

Chocolate Waffle Cookies
Melt 6 unsweetened chocolate squares with 1 1/2 cups of butter (Doris forgot to tell me not try this batter)
Beat in 6 eggs and 2 1/4 cup of sugar
Fold in 2 cups of flour and 3 teaspoons of vanilla
Bake for 50 seconds in waffle iron you conned Andy into buying
Frost with chocolate fudge frosting

MelRo whipped up some yummy Chocolate Peppermint Sandwich just like Giada (only much slower)

Notice the candy canes on top? I did that.

Jake bakes cakes makes fake lakes earthquakes and pancakes

Meanwhile, Andy watches the girls...

Lo Lo gives Norelle lessons in being adorable

Try the pot!

December means one thing, sinus pots. Never heard of them you say? Me either until yesterday when I tried my first Neti Pot. Jake & I have had a perma-cold all fall so when Aunt Jill suggested we flush our sinuses, we rushed out to get the goods. We love gross things, remember those Biore blackhead strips? I really didn't think my nose would do it but I guess your sinuses are connected as you can pour the water in one side and it flows out the other. I always thought each nostril did it's own things but clearly not. I'm not cured but it's really fun so you need try one!

Are cards dumb?

I have serious card anxiety. I stress out so bad when, usually at the very last minute, I am scouring the card aisle at Target trying to find just a decent one (forget actually funny or meaningful) for someone's birthday/wedding/new baby, etc. Are cards that accompany gifts a waste? Waste of time looking and looking for one, waste of money, usually $3-6, and frankly not that appreciated? Maybe the gift receiver would rather have you spend that dough on a better gift or even a mocha for your efforts. Now cards sent in the mail as a thank you or birthday wish are awesome and worth the effort, not that I actually get around to that either as that would require a level of pre-planning that escapes me. But wait, I do need to contradict myself! I just realized I saved every last baby card we got when Nori was born and I had them hung on her door for months, now they are still stacked in a wooden box on her bookcase. Maybe I just hate shopping & paying for cards but I actually like them? Maybe I am dumb.

Happy Birthday Grandma Audrey & Britney Spears!

My two favorite people with so much in commom!

Behind the times...

It's only Dec 1 but I feel so behind! Everywhere I turn people have holiday decorations up, trees lit and so on. Being gone all week put me behind. This weekend we will find that tree, start some shopping and hopefully hit the Holidazzle parade. I read that you should choose your very favorite traditions and just do those since there is never enough time to do everything festive you could do. I think I will just stick to the essential things year like: caroling, building a gingerbread house, volunteering at the soup kitchen, dressing up as Santa at work, directing the church nativity play, leading the bell choir, hosting a holiday party, baking cookies for the soldiers, homemade soaps for the nursing home and passing out in the nog.