Letter from home - December 22, 2014

Dear ones: it has been a good week but dreary. Lanny and I don’t remember so many days in a row where the sun won’t shine! Seriously, I remember about two hours of sunshine in the last 7 days. The snow we got for our white Christmas has melted so now you “White Christmas” people will be wishing for snow again!

I worked Tuesday and Wednesday this past week, in the kitchen. Thursday, we drove to Bondurant to care for little Miss Bella who ran a fever all week. The doctor said “viral” so no antibiotics. It had to run it’s course -- and it didn’t run very fast! She still had a low grade fever on Saturday but Sunday, so far, no fever.

Friday, we kept Audri Lu who had strep, the doctor said. She was on antibiotics and wasn’t feeling too bad but she did agree to a little rest after lunch. Saturday, I guess she was going strong again.

Today, I slipped out to Erica’s after all the hard work was done at the Christmas cookie fest. Erica and Maddie had all kinds of cookies baked and all colors of frosting. I got there just in time to decorate a few cookies. There were some creative cookies produced today.

 

This guy supports his teams!

 

Here's Maddie and Audrianna; how did I miss Casen?



Too pretty to eat! 

Dad and I, this past week, wrote our Christmas card letters. I am cutting way back on Christmas cards as I didn’t send them out to any of the nieces or nephews. I will send out to my friends, your dad’s brothers, my siblings, etc. If I get electronic cards, I will respond with a Christmas letter via email. I think it is a good plan.

We also baked 2 nice big loaves of the chocolate chip banana bread and a bunch of cinnamon rolls. There will be a pan for each of you to take home for Christmas morning. Aren’t they pretty?

I have not ordered the usual Grandchildren Christmas card. At our Christmas Eve get together, I will try to get one good photo. If I can, great, I’ll have prints made up for us all. If not, I’ll wait and have professional photos taken next spring or summer for PaPa and Nana’s 45^th wedding anniversary. It has been 20 years since our last professional photos.

Also, I have not ordered the Hofmeister Annual Calendar yet.  I don't know what I'm waiting for -- except that it makes me a little anxious that I will forget someone or something!  It will happen!   

Audri wanted to make gifts for her cousins so this is what we came up with. It is a secret! But you probably won’t see this before Christmas. If you do see it, don’t say anything! These are dough ornaments (1 cup salt, 1 cup flour and ½ cup water. Knead as tho for cookie dough, roll out and shape. You have to bake them, or let them dry out). We improvised our stencils by using refrigerator magnets. We painted, decorated and glittered! Then tied a little ribbon on. We think they turned out pretty good.
 

We love Our Morghan Grace, all teenager now : )

until next week, love Mama