Family Gift Exchange 2021

 A few years ago we decided we'd all simply draw one name for our family gift exchange - rather than trying to buy gifts for 21 people.  Tonight, was our family gift exchange. I made a big pot of salmon chowder and tomato soup. Everyone brought bread, sandwich toppings, drinks and dessert.   JaRissa are not able to be with us this year. CyRi missed the evening too, Josiah is sick. He had the big C last July...seems early to have it again...but he's too sick to be with us, and out of an abundance of caution Carrie and Livie stayed away too. I only took two pictures all night, but Cory grabbed some shots.  We went around the room, and everyone swapped gifts. There were some sweet gifts and some fun gifts. We thought we were done when the kids surprised US. 

Moment of revelation -  📷by Cory 

They had one more gift. This was from all the kids, though we've told Jamin was the driver behind the gift. Krista said they'd decided we should have to do a scavenger hunt to find our gift. When I made a face, someone quipped now we know how THEY feel. ::snort:: 

📷by Cory 

 The first clue said something about a sunset on the beach. We ended up in the basement where we found another pink envelope tucked behind our sunset on the beach painting. 

📷by Cory 

The next clue talked about HPT and the marker of time. We found another envelope clipped to GG's calendar in his room.  

📷by Cory 

The next clue was rather obscure and talked about modern nature and blow outs - which is the company Arielle has a business with....I had seen a box on the counter from Monat.  This was a combo blow dryer/curling iron. I joked it would have been more help to Michael before his hair cut. 

📷by Cory 

Inside the box we found a luggage strap and chocolate covered macadamia nuts. The kids asked us to guess what our gift was...almost too good to voice....

"Hawaii?" 

YES! We have a condo on Waikiki beach for a week in February. They've bought the tickets, paid for the condo, and arranged for someone to stay with Grandpa and do "all the things" we do. 

📷by Cory 

I cannot even BEGIN to tell you....we love our life, but the past year has been hard. I have been dreaming of a bit of time away - the two of us - and we knew it would need to wait...but here it is...no need to wait.  I told the kids it didn't escape my notice anytime we travel together it's somewhere THEY send us. When Michael retired, they bought us a cruise to the Caribbean. AND NOW HAWAII! 

Michael has been to Hawaii with the Air Force.  I have been to a women's conference in Hawaii. We have never gone together and certainly not to RELAX for a WEEK. 

The girls and I were talking as the evening concluded. We never had the money for fancy vacations. Our budget was maxed investing in children...but now the children are growing up and holy guacamole...we're going on a vacation! 

This sweet little girl, Annie, wanted meat - all the kinds of meat - and that was just fine with Baachan. 

This girl knows what she wants! 

The only other picture I took all day is of Stacia and her gift. She was excited. She got a blow torch. I guess it's a good thing for making desserts...I expect we'll shortly be seeing singed cupcakes and such around here. 

A girl and her blow torch

Mr. Gingerbread went home with KrUke. The men have won the gingerbread competition this year. Mr. Gingerbread doesn't do much on the years the boys have him, but they've said they will loan him out this year. He may get out a bit more. LOL 

Supply Chain Disruption

This is what a supply chain disruption looks like.... This happens due to weather fairly regularly. Alaskans aren't ALL panic buyers, but the few panic buyers mixed with the supply chain disruption during events like windocalypse lead to bare shelves. 

No fresh produce this week. It's a good time to eat down some of the produce in the freezer and pantry. LOL 

We are slowly building our stock of paper products, baking supplies, and things we preserve to be able to better handle the inevitable supply chain disruptions. 

This time we discovered the weakest link in our plan is the well pump....no water without electricity. We had drinking water, but needed water for household needs and animals....we are planning to start looking for a generator for the pump. 

We had a slow day around here. Stacia is writing more chapters in her book. I read the part of the book she gifted to Michael. Grandpa rested. Allie worked in a couple of book drafts. Michael and Alex had Bible study; they discovered there is no equivalent exchange in God's economy.

Epiphany

 

Epiphany and we have four big, beautiful, full blossoms. 

We had thought to have a household gift exchange today, but details didn't come together. We will do it on Nolan's next day off - Jan 11th. 

Allie and I drove around town and drank tea today. Michael prepped a sermon. Nolan worked to finish a course or two. Alex worked. Grandpa read the paper and napped. Stacia made more cake bomb - giant truffle thingies. 

I made Roasted Vegetable Pasta Primavera from The Skinny-ish Dish for dinner. I thought it was good. I would spice it up and it would become a love it for me. As is it rated one ate it, three like its and one love it.  At least there were no hate its. The veggies were yummy...Michael and Dad added salmon to theirs. 

Stacia has been looking for this game and finally found it this week. We spent an evening playing it. It's a fun game, though I will make sure I am NOT sitting next to Michael next time. 

Epiphany...and now Christmas is truly over...but then again...don't we aim to keep Christmas all year long? I will leave most my decor up until after the family gift exchange on Saturday. 

Millie's New Do

 

Millie spent a few hours at the groomers today! Oy Vey! I LOVE her dread locks. I like her longer, curly hair...but we HAVE noticed she simply behaves better when she's cut shorter. She was due for grooming. We had hoped not to go THIS short again...but her hair was one big matte. Literally. They kept it to show us, and it looked like one big bearskin run. 

New this time is her tail. I'll have to get a better picture. It looks like she has a duster on the end of her tail...and they left her face long rather than trimming it short like a puddle. I guess this is the classic labradoodle look. 

We were able to talk to the owner/groomer today.  We HAVE been washing her and brushing her....turns out that giving her a bath probably makes her hair matte more - unless we blow her out. Which we haven't. 

An Unexpected Day at Home

Happy 28th Birthday to Jared! 

This day did not go as planned.  We had three appointments scheduled, Millie needed to go to the dog groomer, Grandpa needed to go to the audiologist and Michael needed to go to Anchorage to the dermatologist.  We were going to fit in a trip to a store if we found one open. 

I woke up with a migraine. It took me a bit of time to figure out what was going on. First, I noticed I was nauseated, and my eyes were crossing. Eventually I realized my headache wasn't going away. I took some Naproxen, and it didn't go away. I took some Tylenol, and it didn't go away.  Michael wasn't going to be able to help as he needed to be in Anchorage. 

About this time the groomer texted to let me know they were still closed due to our storm. Next was the audiologist. Suddenly, the day cleared. Grandpa took a nap and I nabbed his chair. I spent most the day on the couch. 

Millie aims to comfort or snuggle - 📷 by Allie

Allie over-did things a bit yesterday. She was content to stay on the couch with ice. 

Stacia eventually decided she was going to go play in the kitchen. I've shared Krista and Bre made amazing cocoa bombs for all of us this year. Jamin hadn't heard about this phenomenon and didn't catch the instructions. He shared on New Year's Eve that he took a bite into one and nearly choked as all the powder exploded in his mouth and throat. I believe Stacia was inspired to create a bomb that would be safely edible by Jamin's story. She set out to make a cake bomb. 

It doesn't take long for things to come back to baking for Stacia. She baked a chocolate cake. Added to it to make it the consistency of cake pops or truffles. Melted chocolate and made molds. 

She topped the whole thig with another shell and wa'la a cake bomb. I've not tried one but those who shared one liked them. I would say they are far too rich and big for one person to eat them in one setting. Maybe a smaller mold...she may be on to something. 

It became apparent I was not going to cook what was on the menu. Allie suggested I stay on the couch and she and Stacia would make dinner. They began to talk about go to meals (divan, pot pie and stroganoff) while I shared what was in the pantry.  Allie had told us she didn't prefer stroganoff when she moved in. We haven't had it in eleven months.  We have moose meat. I thought it would work well with the stroganoff seasonings. We also had some yogurt to use up....I had a migraine and didn't remember it was one of two things Allie had told us she didn't prefer.  ::snort:: You SEE where this going? Allie ended up making stroganoff  with Stacia for dinner...she cooked...

Stacia measured and gave her seasonings and together it turned into a tasty pot of stroganoff.  Allie was surprised how much she liked it. I guess it is going back on the menu. Nolan still doesn't like it or Salmon, but we'll try for the meals on the 5 nights of the week he isn't home. LOL NOTE - neither Nolan nor Allie requested I NOT make specific dinners; I just try to prepare food people want to eat. ::snort:: 

By evening Allie was feeling better, my migraine was down to a dull roar, Nolan had finished the reading for two college classes, Alex was ready for a gaming break and Grandpa had slept the day away, so he was ready to be up. We enjoyed dinner. 

Michael got home LATE. He hunted down a few things I have been planning to get which we haven't found in the valley....a calendar with BIG squares, my Bare Minerals foundation and a specific gift for one of the "kids."  I had planned to take care of these on our thrice postponed shopping trip in Anchorage with Krista.  We sure appreciate the time he took to hunt the items down. 

We ended the evening watching the end of Season 3 of Lost in Space. I'm sad it's over. 

A bright spot every morning 

And so begins another week....

When I left off last night, we were going to watch an episode of Lost in Space...which we did...and the power promptly went out. It seems to do this just as we sit down to watch TV.  Sunday nights are ALWAYS ice cream nights - for as long as we've been married. No dinner - just ice cream. Who knows why?  Anyway - Michael and the girls were not about to let a little thing like no power derail the tradition. 

The power was out most of the night. I think it came on a couple of times - briefly. Michael is a champ and kept the woodstove burning. We were toasty warm.  The power came back on at 8 a.m. and has been on all day.  The weather advisory has been extended until Wed night. 

It was odd this morning - the wind was suddenly gone. It was quiet. I went outside and all seemed still. I could still hear the train sound off in the distance, but around our home after 2 days of howling, it was quiet. I'll never take that for granted again. Our temps have dropped. 

The girls woke with energy to jump on their chores. Allie felt well enough to do hers. They also cleaned and decluttered their room from top to bottom. 

We had planned to start school today, but we lost a week or more of our vacation due to strep, surgery and allergies. It seemed good to all of us to take another week off. And then the storm...

This is an amazing 2000-piece puzzle Nolan bought Michael for his birthday in November.  It's a puzzle of a puzzle shop...and there are hundreds of puzzles on the shelves....

They finished it. 

Dad has been busy making his "Monday calls" - he wants to know just what happened at "his church" each week...and what they are doing with this and that and shares his tidbits with the next person he calls....I know more about the church than I did when I lived there.  ::snort::

The second bloom is fully open. 

We had planned to have our household gift exchange tonight, but we are under a stay in place "suggestion" and some of us didn't get out to shop - so we think we'll open gifts on Jan 11th this year. Maybe. 

Michael has put the chickens in and everyone is ready for an episode of Lost in Space...maybe the power will stay on this time. 

Should I dump our collected water out? Is the power on to stay now? 

Stormy Sundays

 We went to bed last night with no power. Michael stayed up until 6:30 a.m. feeding the fire, our source of heat. 

The power was on when I got up. It went out within 30 minutes. I sat in the dark for a bit. Then I decided to light a lamp.  My thought was to pay our bills, but I needed the computer and there was no power for the router. 

 We still had no water so I began to melt snow to get the water for the animals. I got a bigger pot and it took three of them to get what I needed. I also made a piece of toast on the stove. LOL 

The power came back on around 11 and has flickered on and off but mostly stayed on. It is wild here. The sound of the wind is getting old. The doors and windows rattle. At times it sounds like a baby crying, or whistling, and at other times like an approaching train. Millie has gone crazy trying to protect us from all danger today.  The advisory has been extended to tomorrow. 

Inspired by a couple in our neighborhood who take a daily walk - regardless of the weather - I decided to do the same this year. I was NOT going to have my goal smashed on day 2 of the year. I decided I could at least go to the end of the block and back - 1/4 mile. I was feeling pretty smug as I started out. It was 4* and it felt much warmer to me than it has lately....but that wind chill factor they mention - whew - I felt it when I turned a corner. Next I noticed a creaking sound and decided it was trees. I slid my way back home...1/4 mile. I need to buy some yak tracks so I can wear my New Balance instead of snow boots. 

The power came back on and I raced for the shower. These disbelieving young adults didn't think it would stay on....I took an RV shower and got out with power still on. Next, I flushed all toilets. Then I filled all buckets with more water...and some drink containers. I am prepared if we lose power again tonight. 

Look at this brilliant flower! Two blooms. I am guessing we'll get four blooms. 

I have been trying to make a chewy sugar free cookie. I use monkfruit - they are always dry. THESE worked.  I suppose there is a bit of an aftertaste, but they are sugar free, and Dad keeps snitching them (he doesn't know they are sugar free) so I know they are good.  I need to write down the recipe before I forget what I did. Tomorrow. 

Even though we had power we spent the afternoon in the living room, mostly reading. Stacia is reading "A Separate Peace," by John Knowles, Michael is reading "Spawn of a Recluse," by Stacia, Allie is reading "Maze Runner," by James Dashner, Alex is playing video games, Grandpa is reading the newspaper, I am reading "Enemy at the Gates (Vince Flynn series)," by Kyle Mills and Millie is reading over our shoulders. 

It was nice to spend a quiet afternoon together even though we DID have power. No one was rushing to turn on the screens...well, I guess Alex was on a screen, but he WAS upstairs with us. 

Michael ran to the church to drop off some heaters for Shannon and Lindsey, while I made some yummy cauliflower soup and Allie made quesadillas. The girls have to taste test for me. It seems since covid I don't taste the finer hints of spices. I kept putting nutmeg in and couldn't taste it. They finally told me it was ENOUGH. Salt is about the one spice I taste well. LOL

We are going to attempt an episode of, "Lost in Space." Last time we tried this the power went out for hours and hours. LOL