Holiday Hiatus Happenings

With finals finished and the holidays behind us, I thought I would do a little recap on our crazy holiday. We returned home as promised on Monday night last week, and the fun began. We started by cleaning for the annual Christmas Eve Party at the Perrenoud house. While Brooke and I cleaned, Jeff took Annie to the store.  After cleaning for about 3 minutes, I broke the sink...Yes, it broke...I felt like an idiot. Who would have thought that if a jar candle fell into the sink, it would actually put a hole in it? Guess I learned a lesson...I just wish that It would not have been at my In-law's house. Luckily, Ty's Grandpa is handy and came to repair it. 

After the drama of the sink, it was an uneventful next few days...A little shopping with Brooke and Annie and a day with the McD's playing games, finishing some last minute Christmas shopping, and finally opening a few presents. Then in the morning, it was Chirstmas Eve and It was off to work for me and Ty. Ty has been picking up some shifts at Dove and I picked up at the Rutledge and had to be up at 5:15 am for work.

At 2pm work was over,  I was exhausted (I guess I forgot just how much work it is to get 15 people up and moving that have dementia). Then it was time for Church at 5pm. We got ready for church and headed off to service. After church it was time for the party to begin! We got all the food out and ready to go for the crew to come over. It was a night filled with food, friends and Family, and poker.Ty won once! It was great!

Mia was happy sitting on Ty's lap all night

Poker game in the basement

Annie enjoyed Jack's Santa hat

Once the party was over and everything had been cleaned up, we snuggled into our beds anxiously awaiting Christmas morning with all the little ones! They came in around 8:30 am excited to see the presents under the tree.

Treyton seemed more interested in the paper than the presents

After presents we went to Ty's grandparent's house where Ty won another game of Poker. When the game was done, we headed for Waseca, MN where my family was going to be celebrating Christmas this year. Taylor had to work on Christmas in Mankato only 30 mins from my grandparents house. Brittany and Eric were supposed to head back to Milwaukee and after opening presents they left. 

Britt and Eric before they had a long drive home

Playing Just Dance II was a popular past-time

Even Ty and my dad got into it

After two days we were headed for Red Wing, MN for a fun time with the Perrenoud side of the family. They were all staying over night at the hotel, but Ty and I decided we would go and sleep in our apartment in River Falls. 

With a beautiful scene, we began our hour and 45 min trip

Upon arrival to the hotel we headed right to the arcade with the boys

Treyton enjoyed watching all the lights on the machines

Carter and Ty playing Air Hockey

The hotel had a Bowling Alley and Ty and Leslie both had a great game

Jack and Mom bowling

Annie enjoying her Milk distraction while we bowled

Treyton was happy to watch

 

Now things are slowing down and we are back in Chippewa Falls. Ty has the whole week off, and we are going to try to get in as much fun as we can! Hope everyone else had a VERY happy holiday!

Spanish Phrase of the Day

el tiempo de relajarse después de una fiesta señalada ocupada

Transltion: Time to relax after a busy holiday season 

Twas the last day of finals

Twas the last day of finals, when all through River Falls
Not a student was stirring, inside of its halls.

Our bags were all packed in the Yaris with care,
In hopes that last finals soon would be there.

The students were nestled all snug in their desks,
While visions of paragraphs danced from their texts.
And Ty in his classroom, and I in my own,
Had just worked up our brains the semester had flown.

When out in the hall there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from my desk to see what was the matter.
Away to the hallway I flew like a flash,
Tore open my book bag then ran out in a dash.

The sun on the crest of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to freedom below.
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature car, and two students with cheer.

With a little Ty driving, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment we'd be gone in a lick.
More rapid to grandma's, for shopping we go,
driving so careful through all of the snow!

"Through Ellsworth, and Prescott! then, Goodhue and Red Wing!
On, bridges! On, highways! on, blacktop, we're dri-ving!
To Country Club Manor! To the West of the town!
at long last arriving right round sundown!"

We had a great time at the Mcdaniel Celebration

It was a much needed mini vacation

But it was time to go, and we drove out of sight

"Happy Christmas to all, we'll be home Monday night!"

Spanish Phrase of the Day

Desearle la mejor esta temporada de Navidad

Translation: Wishing you the best this Christmas Season

Its Going to be a White Christmas

Friday we heard the buzz about all the snow that was going to come...I laughed at it and said, "they always say that." We drove home Friday night and had the usual Cancun supper with Brooke, Matt, Annie, and Leslie. Then it was a VERY special night for the guys....they resurrected HALO!!! They had been looking forward to that all week and were able to get enough guys together to play. Meanwhile, us women folk(Hannah Riley, Heather Clutter, Sarah Spencer, and I) went to the Riley house and drank apple cider in front of their wood stove and had yummy brownies and turtles. We started at about 7 pm. We chatted about girly stuff like decorating our houses and apartments for Christmas and yummy recipes. Then we thought we would watch a movie. Hannah made popcorn while we watched the movie...well that lasted until about 12am. The boys were STILL NOT DONE!!! Finally an hour later, Ty texted and said they were done. That was nice, but it had already started to snow!

Ty and I were scheduled to work the Community Closet (a food pantry started in our church basement) but we woke up to about 6+ inches of snow....OH BOY! Luckily Jake had been out already so we took Leslie's van and Jake shoveled us out after the attack of the snow plow! We made it down to see a few people lined up waiting to get food for the week. We closed up early because it was crazy dead. While Ty waited for people to come, I took Leslie her van and picked up our car to head over to my mom and dad's to help shovel. Maybe I should clarify that...so TY could help shovel while I chatted with my momma. We were basically snowed in there because the snow plow doesn't see their street as a priority. We napped on the couch and watched T.V. In the mean time, Brittany and Eric decided to drive back from Milwaukee...it was sunny there when they left! Right before we left, they had hit Osseo, Wi and 94 was closed! They made it back safely tho!

Sunday afternoon when it all settled down

Not too long after taking this picture, Jack and Carter were digging a tunnel right here

Everything from concerts to church  services were canceled, but not our church. We still met. Lucky for us, Jake was out to shovel again and we didn't have to do it in our church clothes. Right before we left, news came from Carter that the Metrodome roof had collapsed! That meant no Vikings game. After a small (only 11 people) but very good service, we went home to relax and watch the Packer game and play with the kids. Jack and Carter made a little tunnel in the 22 inches of snow that fell in Chippewa. It was a good day. We left for my parents house to see Brittany and Eric and played a little Buzz Word, ate some soup (they had made for the 20 people that they thought may be over for Brittany and Eric's fund raising meeting that no one showed up to because church had been canceled).  It was time to head for home...on the way we saw three semis in the ditch with one on its side...we are glad to have made it home safely. Up next: Finals all week!! then the semester is over! What a great feeling! 

Annie playing in my slip...here it is as a shawl

Coloring in their books before mom came with snow pants

Spanish Phrase of the Day

Sueño de una Navidad blanca

Translation: I am dreaming of a White Christmas

(to hear a Spanish White Christmas by Andrea Bocelli Click: White Christmas)

Its Beginning to Look a lot like Christmas

With the snow fall this weekend, campus has become a Winter Wonderland. Its been so great to see the beautiful white snow, but Baby its Cold Outside. Looks like we are in for a White Christmas. This year we have decided that, since we'll Be Home for Christmas, it wouldn't make sense to put up a Christmas tree. O' Christmas Tree we will miss you, but it just doesn't make sense to have one for the three weeks we are actually here in River Falls. We did still Deck the Halls with white lights and our stockings to make it look a little more festive. I even had a nice little visit from Jolly Old St. Nicholas who left some nice treats in my shoe.

Our Merry Little Christmas decorations

Treats from Jolly Old St. Nicholas

This is our final full week of classes and then we will be Rocking around the Christmas Tree at our families houses and singing Joy to the World that school is done. Its time for a break for a whole month and a Feliz Navidad with Mia our chihuahua. We will be waiting patiently for our grades and Santa Baby, please bring me some good news for Christmas!

And a Feliz Navidad from Mia

Spanish Phrase of the Day

Tiene usted un poco alegre navidad

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

(Click above to see the rest of the lyrics in Spanish)

St. Nicholas Day

When I was a little girl, my mom started a new tradition. One day when we came downstairs there were chocolate coins in our shoes. My mom told us that we must have been good, because St.Nicholas had come and put candy in our shoes. Where did this tradition come from? When did it start? 

The story goes that there was a man from a poor family who had three daughters. They were going to be married, but they had no money for a dowry. The daughters had been forced to "walk the streets" to earn their money. When St. Nicholas, who was from a wealthy family, heard this he threw three bags of gold in their window one night to serve as their dowry.

St. Nicholas

Tomorrow, Dec. 6th, is St. Nicholas Day. In many different countries it is celebrated. St. Nicholas is the patron Saint of Russia, but this day is celebrated all over Europe and even in the United States. Good little girls and boys will receive a small trinket or piece of candy if they are good, but coal in their shoes if they were bad. I hope I don't find coal in my shoe tomorrow morning!

 Spanish Phrase of the Day

Dulces (mexico), Caramelos (Spain) en mis zapatos

Translation: Candy (in Mexico and Spain) in my shoes

Friday!

Its finally Friday and the crazy week is coming to a close. I am SO happy to say that its over. After taking my test (I passed the Reading and Math portion, but have to wait 2-3 weeks to see the score for the writing portion), writing a paper and teaching a Spanish lesson, I am happy its all over and the weekend is here. Only two more weeks of school! What a great feeling of accomplishment...I guess I didn't know that accomplishment felt so much like exhaustion. Well, weekend here I come. I am SO ready to have time at home with family with minimal homework. We just keep saying, "Only 2 more weeks. We can make it."

I thought I would also put a little plug in for my sister-in-law...they are doing a fundraiser to bring home another baby from Ethiopia. Since the audience that I reach is a little different, I thought I would do a little advertising. If you are interested in helping, please let me know email me or leave a comment and I will contact you. Or you can check out the Lukowitz Family Blog by clicking on it.  Here is her post about the fundraiser!

"We loooove coffee. So I thought, what better way to raise a little extra money than to get back into the coffee selling biz? ;) We are selling one pound bags of Alterra’s Ethiopian Harar Blend for $15.00. Alterra is a great roaster out of Milwaukee. We purchased all of our coffee for Higher Grounds from them. The Ethiopian Harar is a medium-light roast that is full bodied and smooth. This is the description from Alterra: 'Milk chocolate and berry-fruit notes are abundant, while mild, sweet acidity and creamy body round out the cup. Unique and very drinkable!'"

Harar is an ancient, Ethiopian city and some of Annie's (their first child adopted from Ethiopia) birth relatives were from there. Ethiopia is the birthplace of coffee and Harar is especially known for its delicious beans."

Spanish Phrase of the Day

Le gusta su cafe con azucar o sin azucar

Translation: Do you like your coffee with sugar or without sugar

A BIG day Tomorrow

Its going to be a BIG day tomorrow...I am taking my PRAXIS I test. If I pass this test, I can take 3 methods courses in the Spring and finish all my other classes in Fall 2011. Then I will be ready to student teach in the Spring of 2012 assuming I pass my second PRAXIS which is in my content area. 

This has been a busy week so far. I have to teach a lesson to my Spanish Phonetics class on the pronunciation of rr. That is a 2pm today. Then I have night class and in the morning I head off to take the test! When I come back I have 2 papers to finish for my Thursday night class, and a quiz to take. Ty is lucky enough that he will be going shopping with Brooke and Leslie, while I try to pass this test and finish homework. Oh the joys of the end of the semester. Only 2 more weeks after this week, and we will be home for a whole month!

In the mean time, for a little fun, we have been playing Scrabble. It is Ty's new favorite game and we use it for a little down time! I just wish he would let me use Spanish words. Then I would really kick some butt...there are more ways to sue a q in Spanish!

Spanish Phrase of the day

Los peces en el río

 The Fish in the River (a traditional Spanish Carol)

http://spanish.about.com/od/spanishchristmascarols/a/peces_rio.htm 

 

Happy Birthday Dad and Leslie

Sunday

Happy Birthday Leslie and Dad! They share a birthday! It was time to head to church in the morning where we made the coffee and ran through a few verses of the songs. Allen Rieck was asked to give a sermon at the last minute and did a great job. Everyone pulled together to make church happen even though our pastor was sick. Church ended and we packed up all of our stuff and went over to McD's to see my dad's parents who came to celebrate my dad's birthday. It was a fun time to spend with Family before Alyssa was back to Milwaukee until Christmas. After our tummies were filled, laundry was finished, and I helped mom put the garland up on the banister, we left. I remembered that I had some last minute homework due online at midnight that night, so it was back to Perrenouds where we found that I couldn't finish it there. Apparently, I needed to be on the school network to access the article. We headed back to campus, but hit traffic at Hammond...we were literally moving a mile in 10 minutes....REDICULOUS! We decided to get off the highway and head home on alternate 94, but missed our turn to go to River Falls...whoops. We went all the way to Somerset and drove backwards to River Falls. At 6:30 we arrived at the University Center. I finished my homework and we went home for a quick game of Scrabble (which I lost of course) and then off to bed. It was a crazy weekend, but we enjoyed it! 

 Spanish Phrase of the Day

Estamos perdidos! Dónde está River Falls!?

We are lost. Where is River Falls

A Weird Weird Day

Saturday

We were woken up at about 8:30am with a knock at the bedroom door, the most interesting day of the weekend had begun...we just didn't know it yet. Matt had been sick with a stomach bug since 6am and we needed to unlock for the Community Closet.Once Ty came back from that we decided we would go to Eau Claire and work on homework. We were going to take the boys to Action City later so we just thought we would meet them there. We never made it to do homework. Brooke had thrown out her back and she couldn't get Annie ready, so we went to meet Leslie and help her with Annie, who was also sick. After getting all ready to go we went to Action City and played video games, rode go carts and bowled. It was a good time. We were celebrating Leslie's Birthday at Ciciones. Apparently, they were closed. What!? We ended up eating somewhere else and went back home to eat cake. With Matt sick, we went to church and picked out the songs for Sunday, practiced and went back to Perrenoud's for bed, where two little boys waited for grandma to get them in the tub and snuggle them into bed for the night. 

Spanish Phrase of the day

Que raro!

Weird! 

 

Thanksgiving Break(part 2)

Black Friday

Woke up at 4am with Ty( what a trooper) and headed off to my parents to grab my mom and Tay and Lyssa. Everyone was home for Thanksgiving, but Britt had to work at 10pm that night and thought it would be better if she didn't get only 4 hours of sleep. First stop Yonkers and the Mall. We went to all the sales and shopped until 11:30am! I Finished almost all my shopping for my side of the Family for Christmas. Then we celebrated Brittany and Eric's brithday's (which were earlier in November) by eating stuffed mushrooms and playing Settlers of Caton...I didn't play, but Ty did and enjoyed it. After that it was cake, presents, and Britt, Eric, and Tay had to hit the road. Ty and I left and crashed at about 7pm.What a day!

Thanksgiving Break(part 1)

Its been awhile...but here is what we were up to during our little blogging hiatus. 

Wednesday-After my class (not being canceled with a major snow storm) we decided that we would drive home. We were bored....I have noticed that we do that a lot when we are bored. We made it home safe and sound. It took a little longer than usual, but we were home by 9pm. It was nice to be back.

Thursday-  It was a lovely Thanksgiving day and we only had to make two stops this year. Apparently everyone was sick over break. Annie had a nasty cold just like Tyler and I so before the Thanksgiving festivities, we had coffee at the new "Highergrounds Coffeehouse" now located in Matt and Brooke's basement (be very jealous, it still exists for us). I played with Annie reading her a page at a time while she ran in circles after a giant pink ball that was bigger than she was. We had some adult time and chatted until it was time to head out to Ty's Uncle Mike and Aunt Dana's for our first stop. We stayed there for about two hours chasing Treyton around and keeping Annie occupied so their parents could talk a little. Then it was off to McD's to eat. After food and chitchatting, we decided we would look through all the ads for Black Friday. It is tradition that we get up and go. Then around 7 we went to see Tangled in 3D...what a cute movie. As little girls my sisters and I always had to see the newest princess movies, but Disney has recently made a statement saying this will be the last Princess movie because there is not a market for it anymore...As long as there are McDaniel Girls, there will be a market for Disney Princesses! Then it was off to bed for 4 hours of sleep and shopping in the morning!

Día de acción de gracias (Thanksgiving day!)

Well, the school week is winding down, but it isn't over yet. Tomorrow is another day of class, but my professor was nice enough to cancel my 2pm-3pm class...however, my 5-7:30pm professor was not as generous. We are having class and if the roads aren't too terrible after that, we will be headed home for Thanksgiving. What a great holiday, lots of food, family and a break from school. I thought today I would show what we are thankful for!

Sisters/in-law (hermanas, cuñadas)

Mom/in-law and Dad/in-law (madre/suegra, padre/suegro)

Sister (hermana) and Brother-in-law (cuñada)

Sister/in-law (hermana/cuñada), bother-in-law (cuñado), and niece(sobrina)

Mom/in-law, Dad/in-law (madre/suegra, padre/suegro)

Brother-in-law, sister/in-law, nephews (cuñado, hermana/cuñada, sobrinos)

brother/in-law(hermano, cuñado)

Mia, the little dog (la perrita)

There are many other things that we are thankful for, but I do not have pictures for all of them. We are thankful for friends and for all of you who are reading this blog. Hope you all have a very Happy Thanksgiving. Feliz Día de acción de gracias!

Spanish Phrase of the Day

Da gracias por todas las bendiciones de Dios.

Translation: Give thanks for all God's blessings