Range Bucket

I have a cute little Christmas tree in our family room that has everything Golf on it.
Golf light, Golf garland, Golf ornaments.

I even have a few Santas playing golf, who sit by and under the tree.

I thought it would look really cute to have a range bucket under the tree full of Christmas bulbs. I text Jon to see if I could borrow a small one.
 "Sorry, Aunt Karen, we only have large ones."

Now the range buckets that I'm used too are the ones from driving ranges or public golf courses. I'm thinking a large one might just fit under there, so I text him back and ask if I could try one to see if it would fit. No Problem!

Now remember I am picturing a large bucket from a driving range.

Well this is what I got from Jon. This to me is a Jumbo, Country Club, It'll take all day for me to hit all those balls, bucket.
To Jon it's just a large one.

Yeah, That's not gonna work.

Christmas Cookies 2014

This started out 5 years ago with just Sharen and I helping Mom, who was getting tired of baking Christmas cookies every year.

Mom is gone, but her cookies are still present. Sharen made 2 of Mom's favorites - Thumb print and Whiskey balls. Carrie represented her too with peanut butter brownies and 7 layer. Me - I tried to make her snicker doodles, not the first time either, but for some reason they were a big failure. Ok, that was hard for me to admit. I deiced to give everybody just cut outs this year. Stacy tried a new recipe. Chocolate peanut clusters, made in the crock pot. She filled 2 crock pots!! Yeah, you can imagine the amount of those we had. Erica contributed her double chocolate goodness and Mary brought a cashew cookie that I'm sure was made in heaven and not her kitchen.

Each year it gets crazier and crazier. We had 3 new faces this year. 2 little boys, Ben and Owen, who I am sure will be pulling up a chair next year to help decorate the cutouts. They are too young this year. Papa Dup, who now is retired, showed up to help with Papa Daycare.

Luke wasn't interested in the decorating last year. Not the case this year. He had an assembly line going.

 Roger wanted to try his hand at frosting too.

 Kaylyn, the old pro, did both - Frosting and sprinkles. I had to make her a new apron this year. She out grew her "baby" one.

 The Zierk children - supervised by Mommy and Grandma.

 Kendell tried to put sprinkles on a cookie without frosting. She soon learned it wouldn't stay.

 Matthew liked to spread the frosting. Kallie liked to eat it.

 

 Here is the group. My house was full of daughters and grand children and LOTS OF LOVE.

Fruit Cake

I love fruit cake.
My Mother loved fruit cake. We were the only 2 people I know of that do.
Every year, for almost 25 yrs, my husband would order 2 cakes at the neighborhood bakery and give them to us for Christmas.

My friend Steve - Who's having a milestone birthday today and yes I could write some funny and heart warming things about him, but he know I much I love him and this is about the fruit cake he made me.
Happy Birthday, Steve!

Steve makes cakes. https://www.facebook.com/cakemondaysnyc Every weekend he is baking a cake and every Monday he is schlepping said cake to work for his co workers.
I joked to him that the only cake I like is fruit cake. So He made me one!  It came in the mail yesterday.

Now folks, Steve just didn't make me a canned green and red cherries, walnut fruit cake. He made me the Cadillac of fruit cakes.
This baby has cranberries, blueberries, Mango, pineapple, strawberries, nuts and I don't know what else. Oh Yeah and lots of brandy. It weighs about 10lbs. I don't even want to think about the weight gain that I will have to contend with after eating this thing.

Minus my tasting piece

 This is what's left for me to enjoy this Christmas season. I cut it into pieces and froze it so I can enjoy it all year. I gave Sharen a small taste and she liked it! Really liked it!

So Thanks Steve, I know what you put into this. The time and money and worry will not go to waste. I am going to savor and enjoy it all year. This thing is delicious.

I am going to cut 2 pieces and head on over to visit Mom and tell her how much I miss her and think about her while I eat a piece. I'm gonna leave a small taste for her too. Maybe a cardinal will find it.

Santa Breakfast

Mary tells us that the Santa Breakfast with the boys daycare is for immediate family only. Grandparens were not included!?

So when Mike and I picked the boys from daycare -  I went to all the teachers and thanked them for watching over our grand boys and making it a safe and happy place for them to go to everyday. I was sorry that we weren't invited to the breakfast this year.
That night Mary got a phone call. Was I in trouble? It was the daycare telling her that Grandparens WERE included and we were welcome to come. (Turns out some were bringing their cousins and neighbors and their neighbors cousins, etc.).

Well I was glad I opened my big mouth, because we went and had a great time.
The food was really good and they had chocolate milk! Yay!

 Luke was all about the fruit. He still is not happy to have his sausage cut in stripes. As soon as you learns not to stuff so much in your mouth you can have it whole.

 The Flory family with Santa.

 Roger was not afraid of Santa and had a whole list to tell him. Ummmm... Oh Yeah, and an Excavator.
Santa: "You want a toy excavator?"
Roger: No a real, big one."
I was laughing so hard - I thought he said escalator to get to his new upstairs bedroom. The top floor is almost done!!!!!!

 Luke was ok with Santa as long as Daddy was holding him. Yeah, I'll take the toy, but don't touch me.

 Both boys wanted their Papas to carry them out. Mary explained to Roger that Papa Murphey couldn't carry him because of his cane. So Roger asked him if it was Ok to just hold his hand. Now what Papa would say no to that?

Yup, I am glad that I opened my big mouth.

Into the City

Sharen and I looked at the weather forecast and picked a day that would be good for a train trip into the city. The Dups have never done it, always wanted to, they now have the time, so - Why Not?

So Mike took the reigns and mapped out our trip.
We got on the train at Big Timber station.  When we got off the train, we hurried and bought tickets for our return trip so we wouldn't have to deal with that later. We walked and walked and walked all around Chicago.
I wanted to see where Mary goes everyday so we walked by her beautiful building. I texted Andy to get his address so we could check it out too. He was in Ga. for training.

We made our way over to the plaza and had our picture taken with the tree from Elgin. Sharen runs into Carrie's old softball coach (Pat Wilson) from Larkin and stops to chat. Small World.

The Dupplers at the tree

Me and Mike posing at the tree

 After a quick stop to see the tree at Macy's and all their beautiful window displays, we head on over to Millennium Park and watch the ice skaters.

Sharen and Dup with the tree at the Walnut Room

 What would the visit be without a photo in front of the Bean. You can see the blue of the sky in the reflection. Perfect winter day with no snow anywhere.

The Dupplers at Cloud Gate

Us at Cloud Gate

 We wanted to have lunch at someplace famous. Mike made that happen. What better place for a cub fan than the Billy Goat.
We all had the double Cheezeborgers, washed down with a couple beers.

We decided to stroll up Michigan to Water Tower Place.
Walked by TV stations, theaters, known restaurants, Trump tower, all the places you here on the TV.
 We must have seemed like tourist, because one guy is following us, trying to tell us how to get back to union station. Yeah, we know our way and no you are not getting any money from us. Thank You!

So Mike planned out a pretty full, fun, relaxing day.
Dup has been to the city without going to a sporting event.
And Sharen and I are planning our next trip - maybe to include Navy Pier.

Double Header

This day had been circled on our calendar in red ever since the schedules came out.
Logan had a home game at the middle school and Dylan (who is playing his first year of basketball) at the high school. One right after the other.

We both were excited to get to see 2 games in 1 trip to Genoa. Something came up for Mike so I was going solo.
At Logan's games they know me by now and I just walk right in. Grandparents are free!

He is turning into a rebound machine, even thought as you can see the guy he is guarding is taller. He can box out with the best of them. They won 43-29, I think.

When I get to Dylan's game it said Seniors - 65 and older free.

I pretend that I didn't see the sign and asked her if Grandparents were free, like at the middle school. She stuttered and says yes. So I walked right in. Don't get me wrong if she had said no, I would of gladly pd. the $4. Doesn't hurt to ask.

I sit down and then it occurred to me "65" I don't look 65! Does she think I am 65? Next game I am paying.

I tell you it made my heart happy to watch Dylan play. He is on a team with many of his close friends and they looked like they were having fun. He didn't score any points, but be played some great defense and took down some rebounds.
Warm ups.

It surprised me to see the huge difference in height on both freshman teams. Dylan most definitely had the advantage there.
Dylan playing some defense.

His team got whopped.
Still fun to watch for this grandmother.