Cookie Break

I was fortunate enough to get to bake with Madison one day this week!  We had a good time making a TRIPLE batch of chocolate chip cookies.  While some cookies were baking we snapped a picture on my computer.  With us is Jennika, my little neighbor girl, who happened to be over for piano lessons.  She is also a friend of Madison's.  They're pretty sweet girls.

Care-Free and Friendly Days (Part 2)

Here is the second part, our insideness (I made that word up).  Sorry, I kind of was lazy in my picture taking most of the time and therefore only documented one inside game...Catch Phrase! It was pretty fun.  Please keep in mind when looking at the pictures that this game took place after sledding for approximately 2 hours.  We were enervated (that means tired).  I am most certain that everyone has experienced overly tiredness and the humor that comes with it.  Alright, now go ahead and enjoy.
Kady had had quite the day with travels from Virginia to Duluth to Bluewater...time for bed.
Carolyn is the funniest person in this game.  She gets VERY excited and involved.  It's good to have her on your team.

Care-Free and Friendly Days (Part 1)

My "Christmas Vacation" has been quite pleasant, I must say.  I don't have classes until the 22nd of January...crazy, I know.  I am enjoying every bit of it though.  Obviously the first week consisted of Christmas gatherings with family.  Great time.  After Christmas it has been pretty "care-free" and filled with "friendly" visits, etc.  Also great.  The following documents my New Year's activities.  

Over New Year's I was at Bluewater!  (One of my favorite places...along with anyone else who's ever been there.)  The staff from this past summer had a little reunion from Sunday to Tuesday.  We had a good time sledding, playing card/board games, blind man's bluff, and broom ball, and just catching up.    

Camp looked beautiful with its healthy dose of snow.  Quite different from summertime!  We took great advantage of this with all our outdoor activities.

The first night we went sledding on one of the neighbor's long, steep driveways.  Above:  me, Seth-ready for some solid sleddin'....and waitin' for miss pokey, below, Leah.This is the large section Chad cleared for us to play broomball.  We actually played late at night, so we brought out a big light.  It was quite an intense game.  Ultra fun.

Jingle Bells

To my faithful readers: thanks for your patience! After about an hour and a half of picture uploading, I have a new post for you! There were a couple more pics I wanted to put on, but they didn't want to come, so, another time. As you will notice, these are all pics. taken from the Christmas weekend/week of events.

It was such a delight to be able to see some fellow Bluewater staffers at Aaron and Mitch's Christmas concert. Amy, Pam, and Carolyn were all able to make it! We tightly squeezed into the very back row in a couple of wooden benches...it was a pretty hilarious sight.
Christmas Eve morning mom and dad made us a Christmas brunch. We had blueberry pancakes, egg bake, and delicious pineapple juice! So good. You can see us enjoying it below.

Christmas Eve night we got together with the Larson side at my aunt Gwen and uncle DeWayne's house in Park River, North Dakota. It was good to see ALL my Larson cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents.

Here are my grandparents: Neil and Doris. My grandpa is 86 and still farms sugar beets and potatoes. My grandma, 83, has had heart surgery but still does as much as she can. They are some of the hardest workin' people I know...great examples.

We are quite a large group when altogether! There are 11 grandchildren and 12 parents/grandparents/aunts/uncles. As always, there was plenty of food and treats.

Christmas day my sisters, Erica and Ingrid, parents, and I went out to our cabin. We had a grand time having some old fashioned board game fun along with roasting brats over the outside campfire. Because the drive way was so snowy, dad gave us a ride in the back of his truck so the van wouldn't get stuck. (that's where this pic. is taken...back of the pick-up. i was sitting in front of a nice deer hide, mmm.)