Huge Mistake!

Last week I made some super good cookies and Rick and I both ate them non stop. So after they were gone I promised that there is no way I was going bake anything in the near future.....

Of course then I saw that Amy pinned Crock Pot Cinnamon Almonds  recipe on Pinterest and they looked so good. So I figured they can't be that bad since they are almonds....right.....Big big mistake. I made them yesterday and as soon as took them out to cool Rick and I were both eating and eating them! They are pretty much sinfully good!

So if you want to make the same mistake that I did click HERE to find the recipe.

You know you are going to do it.....so enjoy!

Later Sharon

Game shows are designed to make us feel better about the random, useless facts that are all we have left of our education. -Chuck Palahniuk

I really don't have one subject to write about so I thought I would just write a little about a lot of things....

Today I remembered why I like living in a small town. I was at Hyvee to get some salmon, I got it from the butcher and moved on to get a couple other things. As I was shopping the butcher comes up to me and said he charged me the wrong price for the salmon and took back and remarked it saving me some money. I thought that was really nice since I never would have known. You don't get that kind of service everywhere!

So I have been so slacking in my workouts this winter. I really have no excuse. I was so busy in Nov. and December and then January came and I just wanted to relax and do nothing. Well February came and we went to Vegas and I ate like a pig! So when we got back I got myself downstairs to our  workout room and started working out again. I remember now why I love lifting. I have been doing good getting back into my lifting routine. I have even gotten my ab workout back almost to what it was before. I was able to do 150 sit ups twice this week along with my other ab exercises. Everyone of them is worth it! Now I need to get my running routine back!

Yesterday I had archery league. We shot a 300 round and it was only the second one I have shot this year. Needless to say it was not my best score but I did have a good X count getting 36.

I am making slow-cooker cinnamon roasted almonds right now and the house smells so good. I sure hope they taste as good as they smell.

I finally got myself a new iron. My old one was so bad, it took me forever to iron anything. I finally decided I need a new one when we were in Vegas and I used the one in our hotel room and it worked 100% better then the one I had. So yesterday while I was at Walmart I bought a new one. As soon as I got home I gathered all my ironing and ironed away. I know it is pretty bad that I am excited about a new iron...

I am super glad that it has gotten warmer out. I hope all the snow melts fast. I am ready for spring. We are getting some plans down for a couple summer camping trips. I am excited for them.

I guess that is all the random things I have to talk about today....

Later Sharon

Back to Reality....

In searching for a book to read the other day I came across this essay that Stephen King wrote. I really think everyone should read it. And before you get the idea in your head that it is an gun control book or a gun rights book just take a look. It is short and will only take you an hour or so to read it. It makes so much since.....People just need to step back and take a breath before saying things......So here is the link for the essay: Guns do yourself a favor and read it!

So vacation is done and it is back to reality. I managed to get myself out of bed and work my 4 ten hour shifts last week. This week I am going to have to put in my whole 5 days of 10 hour shifts. Hopefully the weather does not get to bad on Thursday and Friday like they are predicting. It has been such good winter driving this year, I was really hoping it would last the whole year.

Yesterday was our 3rd anniversary. We were going to go to Mankato for supper but we decided last night that since the winds and blowing snow were so bad that we would just stay home. We went and go some New York strip steaks and all the fixings and made a great supper. Of course the downfall of this is we had to clean it up too. We kept calling for the waitress but she never appeared :)

Yesterday I actually lifted and today I am going to go run. I need to get myself motivated! Rick said I have no motivation because I don't have any goals. I am thinking he is right. I was so busy for so long and had so many goal and now I have achieved them all. I guess I am going to have to come up with some more goals.....starting with getting my lazy butt downstairs on the treadmill!

Later Sharon

"The Canyon is it;s own answer. It fills the soul of all responsive person with awe.....It allures, attracts and holds those who have once gazed into its mysterious depths" -George Wharton James, Grand Canyon Of Arizona 1910

                                                      The beautiful Grand Canyon! 

 We were walking around at the Grand Canyon when Rick spotted this little snowman that someone else and made. It made a great picture.....

                       We went to see our first "topless" show in Vegas this year....

                                                       Rick shooting on the Sunday

                                      Rick and I at the BCY party on Saturday night

                                   Connie, Jane and I at the Rod Stewart Concert

                                                The dinosaur tail in South Dakota

I am back home in Minnesota! We had another great trip to Vegas. We left Monday at 7:00 at night and drove for 25 hours before stopping for the night in Flagstaff AZ. This year we went with another couple, Larry and Connie White.  We loved the Grand Canyon. We spent around 4 hours there and it was not nearly enough time! We both hope to get back there again and to be able to spend more time. It was just so beautiful and awe inspiring. We took a ton of pictures. 
We got into Vegas around 6:00 on Wednesday.

Thursday is a free day. Rick did a little practicing. We got to enjoy the warm weather and sat outside by the pool sucking up the sun. It felt so good to be in a little heat. Thursday night Jane, Paul, Connie, Larry, Rick and I all went to Ballys on the strip to see Jubilee. It was an old school Vegas cabaret show. Of course the women are topless. It was pretty cheesy but still fun to see. I had to laugh because at first I was looking at all the boobs and pretty soon you did not even notice them. The costumes were really the best part of the show. It is hard to believe those women can dance around with those huge head pieces on.

Friday was Rick's first day of shooting. He did not shoot until 10:30 so it was nice that we got to sleep in. He was not real happy with his shooting so after lunch at the Mexican restaurant he went to practice again and went back to the release he had been using for the last two years. Practice went much better for him. Friday night we went to the BCY party. BCY is one of the biggest bow string makers in the country and every year they put on the party for all the archers. It is all the free food and wine or beer that you want. We always have a great time! This year the owner of the PSE bow company and the producer of the new archery show Nock Out sat down with us at our table. It was really fun to hear all the stories they had to tell. The PSE guy really had lots of stories to tell us about the Vegas shoot and the history of the bow companies.

Saturday was a fun day! Rick did not shoot until 1:30 so we slept in and then went to the Steak and Shake and had lunch with Jane and Paul. Rick shot really good shooting a 298 22X. He was much happier with his shooting. We all went to the Colosseum at Caesars Palace to see Rod Stewart. He was so good! We had a a lot of fun.

Sunday Rick woke up with a bad head cold. He had been a little stuffy all week and on Sunday it came on full blast. I felt so bad for him, his ears were all plugged and he was so stuffed up. He shot again at 10:00. He was not as happy with his shooting as he was on Friday. But I think being so sick had a lot to do with him not shooting as well. I had to point out to him that even if he did not think he shot as good as he wanted to that he really did do good. He was in the 3rd flight and got 79th place out of 600 shooters. I think that is really great! The rest of Sunday we just hung out watching the pro shoot-off, and doing a little gambling. We went to the buffet for supper.

Monday we left for home at 7:07. We took the north route home, going through Utah, WY and South Dakota. We only drove to Douglas WY because the roads were icy from a storm that had gone though on Sunday and it had gotten foggy.

We got up at 4:30 and were on the road at 5:39 on Tuesday. Rick was still feeling pretty bad with his head cold so the ride home was not very fun for him. We got back to Waseca at 5:30.

As soon as we got home and got unpacked we started talking about how we were going to drive there next year....

Later Sharon

 This is a picture of my aunt Sandy and me. She is my mom's sister. For years people have been telling me that I look just like her. I think maybe we do....It is funny that we look alike because I have aways tried to model myself after her as I grew up. She has always been so independent and strong. I don't know if I did very good but I keep on trying :)
The pictures were taken on my phone, I not sure why they turned out so fuzzy, I think maybe the phone was not held steady.

Today we leave for Vegas! I am super excited to be going. After a stressfully week last week it will be nice to just have fun and relax. We were going to leave early tomorrow morning but we decided to leave tonight so we can take our time and spend a little more time in the Grand Canyon. I am excited to see it since I never have. One more thing I can take off my Bucket List!

Today I am watching Oliver because Christa is having her wisdom teeth cut out. She was so worried about it that it made me laugh. All three of the girls are such dentist babies. They did not get that from me since I have had enough dental work done for all three of them!

Dexter is at the vet today getting groomed and then he and Morgan are going to Amy's house while we are gone. I hope Dexter behaves himself, he as been very feisty lately! Hooker dog!

Well Oliver is up from his nap so I better go get him.

Later Sharon

Today we said goodbye....

                                                     "Who was Clarence Trenda"

Clarence was a loving husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather and great-great grandfather.

He was born and raised on a farm in North Dakota. At the young age of 20 he went to visit a cousin in MN and met his wife to be, Albina, at a dance. Who would have know that they would be blessed with 74 years of a beautiful marriage.

Through those years he had many trial and tribulations.

At age 80 he had a cardiac arrest but was politely told by the Bishop that heaven's doors were not open on Sundays. And so he remained with us another 15 years.

When he was 90 he was very sick and in the hospital but managed to pull through with flying colors.

He was in the hospital 3 times within the last year but managed to be able to return to Three Links each time. As his daughter said " he's just like the energizer bunny," he keeps going and going...

Clarence was a very hard worker and made sure that his children learned to be hard workers as well. Even though his first four children were girls they were taught to work the fields, bale hay and milk cows. He also spent a lot of time with Albina in the gardens they had and took great pride in selling the vegetables at the farmers market in Northfield.

Besides his hard work Clarence and Albina enjoyed traveling. they were able to visit many countries, went on a few cruises and also did some gambling at the casinos. Clarence also enjoyed going to the horse races.

Besides his hard work and entertainment he was very strong in his faith and made sure his children were also raised with a strong faith.

He leaves a legacy of his extended family to follow and will be missed greatly.


Goodbye Grandpa