Easter Weekend 2009!

I will try and do a video of our Easter outing at my sister Louise. But for now, I'm just updating on this past weekend.

Gary and I had gotten home late after hearing Dr. Morris Gleiser speak at Windsor Baptist Church. So on Saturday morning I heard from my siter, Jan that they would be coming down on Saturday to spend the night. Since I do not dust my house all the time...it was time to get with the program and do some serious dusting. (I know your thinking, when does dusting become a serious thing.) Jan and Darryl were planning on visiting mom. I did invite them to have supper with Gary and I. I was making a complete meal in one pan. You cut-up cabbage, potatoes, carrots and add sausage. No takers from that end of the phone conversation. Later Ann-Marie phoned and wondered if we would like to have steaks on the grill. Oops, I had already started supper-I invited them to come over...no takers there either. "I think that Gary and you are the only people who like that combo." was Ann-Marie's reply. "If you want, why don't you come over after supper." was my reply.

So later after we all had our separate suppers, we played Sequence that evening. We had three teams. Ann-Marie and Jan, Juliet and Gary and Brett and Darryl. Well, Brett and Darryl won every game.

There are times when I wonder why I didn't have my camera handy. At Heritage the front was so beautiful with all the lilies and several tulips. Gary and I had done two lilies in memory of Bob Trotter and Andrew Heilman. And the choir did such an amazing job under the leadership of Mike Jones Sr. of the Easter Cantata by Ron Hamilton. Then we had Dr. Morris Gleiser for the morning message. It was such a great worship service!

After changing clothes, we headed to Brodhead, Wisconsin for the Berg Farm.

Here we have the three sisters ready to eat. We were hungry by this time.
Louise had done a separate table for the grandkids.

Here's our table.

I hope now that you have had a peek at this I can get the video done, so you can enjoy seeing the fun we had out at the farm.

Surprise! Surprise!

We all love surprises! A surprise call from an old friend. A surprise birthday party. A surprise gift for no reason. We could go on and on. But the surprise I got yesterday was not a nice surprise.

Yesterday, I was planning to see my mother at the nursing home during her lunch time. So I decided to make a small lunch for myself. I grabbed the Budding Deli Cuts I had purchased from the Walmart store down the street from us. I love ham and I would looking forward to making a nice ham sandwich with lettuce, pickle and mayo on Jewish seedles rye bread. Got the bread out. Put mayo, lettuce and sliced a Claussen Kosher Dill pickel to finish the toppings.

I was sure everything was going just as planned. Looking again at the date told me that I was going to enjoy a great homemade ham sandwich. THEN CAME THE SURPRISE!!! Are you ready for this?

When I opened the package...I saw this really ugly mold on some of the pieces. It made my stomach turn. The dictionary defines the word "surprise" "To encounter suddenly or unexpectedly;" Unexpectedly would be the word I will use.

Thankfully, I had purchased some turkey for Gary from the deli department. So I make a turkey sandwich instead.

As for that gross looking ham, I took it back today for a refund and got some other ham from the deli. I know what it looks like!!!

Well, may you all have many surprises this year, but may they not be of this nature.

New Item In Grocery Store

Since I am retired and have no pitter-patter of little feet about my home, (at least not yet), I go for any short cuts when it come to baking. Well, what a nice surprise when grocery recently that I found a wonderful new way to make brownies.

If you can read the instructions, you have read right...just position the dough in the center of an ungreased 8x8 inch square metal pan and the oven will do the rest!!!!

I wished I could tell you if fudgy brownies with peanut butter filling turned out, but I can't. They were made for the Volleython that Heritage Baptist puts on. They have around 42 teams signed up to play on Saturday. It's a great way to present the gospel to some of the unsaved players who will be in some of the teams. If I had been smarter, I would have made a batch for us, but I guess I'm not that smart.

So if you are ever in a pinch for a dessert, this just might be your solution.

Brigitte Turns Seven!

On Wednesday, March 25 we headed to Dixon to celebrate Brigitte's 7th birthday. Brigitte's parents have been smart enough to record the children's height on a yard stick. That way if they move from one house to another they can take the yard stick with. It's a lot easier than trying to pull a beam out of the wall that has their height on it.This year Brigitte's height is 3' 11". That's the same height that Andrew was when he was six year old. We think Andrew may end up being tall. Her party, which included her classmates was held at McDonalds. And indeed they plan it all.

And our sweet Brigitte showing off her shirt...GIRLS RULE!!!!


She enjoyed opening all her gifts. That is such a fun part at any birthday party. The kids had more fun throwing the beautiful pink tissue paper at each other.

No party is complete without the birthday cake. And it was sooo delicious.

Hale, Hale the gangs all here.

She had so much fun with all her friend and of course both sets of Grandparents. Her gifts should keep her out of trouble for awhile. She is into making crafts and got several. Plus some of her girlfriend got her dolls. After eating, game time, opening gifts, eating birthday cake....they all ran to play in the playground of MacDonald.

Happy Birthday Brigitte! It was such a fun day to spend with you and your family!

Dawson Turns One!

As I have mentioned on other ocassions, I love birthdays! Especially when someone turns one. After church on Sunday, Gary and I headed for The Coliseum in Oreg0on, IL. What a beautiful day for a Sunday drive. When we arrived the place was packed with family and friends. Isn't this a great Pinate!
Cupcakes for Dawson and his little friends.

The gift table

Proud Grandparents!


After talking with family and friends we had a great luncheon. Then came the fun part for all any one year old...opening of gifts. He got such great gifts! But the one below is the first gift he (well with the help of Mom and Dad) opened and got upset when they tried to hid it so they could open up the other gifts. Didn't work. He saw where they put it and away he went to retrieve it.

He truly enjoyed riding it !

Grandma and Grandpa Berg gave Dawson this beautiful highchair!


Then came the surprise of this whole event. Kari and Dave had the grandparents come up while they opened the very last gift...the picture below tells it all.

Yes, you read the T-shirt. "I'm going to be a BIG BROTHER." What a neat way to let the grandparents know that they will have another grandchild.

Time to sing "Happy Birthday"

What a delicious cupcake.

I have so many more photos, but I think these photos tell the story best of Dawson's first birthday. Just enjoy another birthday with me. And the way my family keeps growing, I'm sure we will have more first birthday! Samuel for one!

Congratulations Jeffrey!

My nephew Jeffrey and his brother Justin have always been great at doing track and cross country running. So good that today Jeffrey, a senior at Rockford Christian School, was signed on by Mount Mercy College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa to participate in their programs involved with track and cross country running.

My brother, Tim with that short guy Jeffrey next to him, wife Judi, his other son Justin and of course their beautiful daughter, Elizabeth. (You owe me one Elizabeth for that comment.)

Here we have him with his proud father joined with one of his many proud aunts and uncles. Gary said he felt like a midget standing next to Jeffrey.

Congratulations to you Jeffrey!

And The Results Are In!

It been such a great day! Gary and I met Ann-Marie and Brett at her doctor's office to find out the sex of their baby. Oh, I wonder what will it be?

It's A Boy

During the ultrasound, it was so neat to see the baby's nose, hands, arms, etc. We especially loved the one where Samuel Robert Allan is sucking his thumb. That truly was so precious.

Congratulations are in order from Grandpa!


Here we have the proud mother and grandmother.

We of course had to spread the good news. So one of the places we stopped to tell friends was at Annie's at Edgebrook. I've worked there for almost 17 years. Some of my friends weren't working that day, but I did get to tell my old boss and her daughter. They were so happy for all of us. Since Annie's has a baby section, Ann-Marie and I just had to take a look. Would you believe that they had what usually are called oneies but these were called bunsie. And when you turned it to the back, it has a little white bunny tail.

For my daughter who is a rabbit lover, I just had to purchase this for Samuel.

Thanking the Lord that the baby is doing fine. And looking forward to holding our grandson.