Peanut Dance Spring 2007

Peanut is on a competition dance team again this year. She's been having lots of fun dancing in competitions this spring. She's danced at the U of M, the Mpls Convention Center, Monticello High School, the State Theater in downtown Mpls and Eden Prairie High School.

In each competition she's danced her 5 dances and has become quite good at quick changes as each dance has its own costume, shoes, and hair style, etc. I'm getting good at applying her fake eyelashes and black eye-liner... even in the early morning.

Peanut's 5 dances are:

- Hip Hop "Bossy Girlz"
- Jazz "Nightglow"
- Tap "You Can't Stop the Beat"
- Lyrical "Wild Horses"
- Jazz "One in a Million"

I am Peanut's BIGGEST fan! I had a t-shirt made that says "DanceXchange Mom" on the front and "GO PEANUT!" on the back. I am so blessed to be Peanut's mom. I'm so proud of her.

The big difference between Peanut's dance competitions and my golf tournaments is that for dance it matters how you look... the make-up and eyelashes and hair are part of the deal. Thankfully there are no style points for golf (I wouldn't get any).

Here's Peanut showing off some of her dance style:




Peanut waiting for awards at Monticello:



Peanut and a couple of her dance buddies in front of the State Theater:



May 19th is the recital and the second week of June we all are going to Nationals at the Wisconsin Dells. Should be lots of fun.

Braces Update

I just celebrated the one year anniversary of getting my braces. The tin grin is still in! I'm still hopeful that they will come off by June.

Christmas 2006!

I just love Christmas. This year I took the whole week off of work and we spent lots of time seeing family and friends, shopping, and of course eating!

Here's a picture of me, my cousin Sunny, and our Nana Lee.



Here's a picture of my brother, Scott, and me.



And Peanut with her cousin Piper.



Here are my pseudo-nephews. Max, the little one, has the greatest face ever in this picture - he's holding the Bat Man that we gave him!




Peanut also spent one afternoon putting together a gingerbread house - from a kit of course.



Here's a picture of Timothy with his new hat and Toula in her party dress!



And I love watching the kids open their gifts. We have a tradition that Peanut and Boo each receive 3 Christmas gifts from us. This tradition is to somewhat remind us of the gifts of the Magi for the Christ Child... and put some limit to the madness. Both Peanut and Boo are very aware of where their presents are under the tree. This only heightens the fun.

Jesus is SO wonderful and we are so blessed.

Merry Christmas Everyone!

The Hunt for the Tree

We have a lovely family tradition of cutting down our Christmas tree just after Thanksgiving. This year the weather was so warm it seemed that we were in the Carolinas instead of Minnesota.

This tradition is especially fun as we go on our trek to locate the newest Larsen Christmas tree along with our dear friends, the Fries.

Here's a picture of the Fries:



Here's a picture of the finished decorated product:

Thanksgiving 2006

We spent Thanksgiving this year at my Mom's home. For the past 3 years we have eaten the Thanksgiving meal at a local golf course - with a large and elaborate spread. Appetizers galore, Couple kinds of turkeys, ham, beef, potatoes, stuffing, and lots of dessert choices (including the famous CHOCOLATE FOUNTAIN).

Peanut has decided over the past couple of years that her favorite Thanksgiving dish is the Sweet Potatoes. I promised her that I'd make Sweet Potatoes for her this year... So my Thanksgiving culinary adventures innocently began...

A friend sent me a recipe - and it looked simple enough. Remember that it is very unusual for me to cook without the help of the recipe on the back of the box or a favor packet!!

The prep work went well - and I successfully baked the yams in the sugar/butter sauce.

However, I was aggressive in applying the marshmallows and didn't realize that they would expand at 500 degrees....
  and flow over...
   and burn in my Mom's oven...
    and cause smoke...
     and trigger ALL of the fire alarms in her condo...
      and cause the dogs to howl...
       and have to open all of the windows to air out the place
       just a few moments before we were to sit down for the meal....

You can't buy holiday moments/memories like that!

They tasted great and Peanut loved them - which was the main point. I caused a little more stress for my Mom then I intended....

I guess if they had come off perfectly I wouldn't have anything to talk about! (And the pies that I purchased were wonderful!)

HAPPY THANKSGIVING, EVERYONE!

One Solitary Life

He was born in an obscure village
The child of a peasant woman
He grew up in another obscure village
Where he worked in a carpenter shop
Until he was thirty

He never wrote a book
He never held an office
He never went to college
He never visited a big city
He never travelled more than two hundred miles
From the place where he was born
He did none of the things
Usually associated with greatness
He had no credentials but himself

He was only thirty three
His friends ran away
One of them denied him
He was turned over to his enemies
And went through the mockery of a trial
He was nailed to a cross between two thieves
While dying, his executioners gambled for his clothing
The only property he had on earth

When he was dead
He was laid in a borrowed grave
Through the pity of a friend

Nineteen centuries have come and gone
And today Jesus is the central figure of the human race
And the leader of mankind's progress
All the armies that have ever marched
All the navies that have ever sailed
All the parliaments that have ever sat
All the kings that ever reigned put together
Have not affected the life of mankind on earth
As powerfully as that one solitary life

Dr James Allan © 1926.

Boo's 10th Birthday

My boy is getting so big.

Here he is with his cake:



Here he is with his new pirate outfit:



And his new air hockey game that Peanut insisted he needed:

Moose on the Loose

I was on my way to work, driving into my office complex, when I saw a MOOSE in the parking lot. A real moose... with a rack, etc.



By moose standards, I understand that the bull was little. But he sure was big to me.

Unfortunately, he left our office parking lot and ventured onto the highway. The police had to put him down to prevent him from causing a terrible accident.

It was quite the start of my day!

Moose on the Loose!!!

First Day of School 2006

I can hardly believe that Peanut has started junior high. Where has the time gone? It doesn't seem like that long ago she was boarding the bus for a half-day of kindergarten and here we are with a seventh grader!

Of course, Peanut is very excited about school and is adjusting better than me to catching the bus at 7:20 in the morning!!!

Boo, because our home must be balanced, is not as excited about school. He's mostly in denial that school has started. He much prefers having more play time - and video game time. None the less, the school year is upon him and I think that fourth grade is going to be a great year for Boo.

Since the munchkins are now going to different schools we actually took separate first day of school pictures! Of course Boo was still in bed when Peanut left for school, anyway.

Peanut - the 7th grader (gulp!):



Boo- the 4th grader (man! he's grown a lot lately):

Boo's Camp Adventures

Boo went to camp at Lake Beauty Bible Camp for 4 days and 4 nights without a parental unit! He didn't shower - or use soap - while he was at camp. But he learned about Jesus and had a great time.

Here are some fun pictures of his camp experience.

Peanut's Birthday

Peanut's 12th Birthday! She's so cute!

Family Party at Kristi and Keith's



Just us Larsens at Macaroni Grill celebrating!

Cookie and Milk Delivery

Last Thursday, I received a call from the reception desk at work, "You have a Cookie and Milk Delivery."

I thought that it was a mistake - or that Timothy was downstairs with a delivery for me....

Instead, a young lady was awaiting me with 2 dozen beautiful, wonderful chocolate chip cookies, still warm from the oven, and a half gallon of milk.

Timothy had ordered the delivery for me from Tank Goodness, a local company that specializes in baking and delivering gourmet chocolate chip cookies.

Check out their website: Tank Goodness

They were fantastic cookies and it was a very nice gesture from Timothy - just because (most of the guys I work with thought that Timothy had done something wrong - or bought something - but he sent them just because)!!

Braces - the new hip look for 2006

Just to keep things interesting, I got braces put on last Wednesday.  I now have returned to the "look" that I had as a 14 year old.  Ironically, I got my braces off the first time just a few weeks before I met Timothy - 20 years ago as of Feb 7th.
 
The braces aren't that bad.  They definitely have slowed my eating which is good for my waistline.  Eating is more of a bother...
 
I'm hopeful that I'll get these beauties off by my 37th birthday 17 months from now.  The orthodontist said 15 to 18 months... 
 
I hit golf balls with Timothy and Boo a couple of nights ago (first swings of the new year) and the braces weren't a factor...  so we're good to go!
 

Merry Christmas from Toula the Boston Puppy!

Merry Christmas from Toula the spoiled puppy! She loves the gas fireplace!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!  MERRY CHRISTMAS!  MERRY CHRISTMAS!
 
I wish you a Merry Christmas as a statement of blessing and a sincere
wish of joy for you and your family.
 
If you are reading this and Christmas is not part of your family
traditions or beliefs, I hope that you aren't offended.
 
I wouldn't be offended if you wished me a Happy Hanukkah or Happy
Kwanzaa or Happy Winter Solstice - as long as you meant it with good
will.
 
With all the news about trying to remove Christmas from the public
square, these things come to mind:
 
-  Christmas to Christians is about celebrating that God became man and
humbled Himself to be born as a helpless baby - in an animal stable. 
The true meaning of Christmas is mind-blowing.  The all-powerful,
all-knowing, ever-present, eternal God submitted Himself to the confines
of time, human weakness, and suffering to allow us to have a
relationship with Him.  Jesus didn't come as a ruler and all powerful
king - a force to be feared and subjected to (to which I would probably
be offended and object!).  He came as a babe only to live a perfect life
and suffer a brutal death for me.  Christmas is all about celebrating
the humble Servant God in Jesus!
 
-  The first amendment to the Constitution of our great country says,
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or
prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of
speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to
assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances."  
Separation of Church and State was framed by the writers of the
Constitution to mean that the state could NOT start and maintain its own
church and force the citizens of the United States to participate. 
Separation of Church and State does not mean that religion
should be excluded from the public square.  There is nothing wrong with
Christmas displays, Hanukkah displays, etc!  Let's celebrate the things
that we hold dear.  Let's pass on our traditions of faith to our
children.  And let's not cower from expressing our faith and joy.
 
MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE! 
 
 

Boo's 9th Birthday

Boo is now 9 years old. My baby is 9 years old. He is getting so big and is such a good kid. Of course I'm extremely biased - and I'm supposed to be.

Boo with his birthday cake:


Boo sporting his new Bible Man outfit with his buddy Ryan:

Duct Tape or Nails

My sister in love sent this to me - and I decided that it should be on
my blog:

Duct Tape or some Nails

A man dies and goes to heaven.

Of course, St. Peter meets him at the Pearly Gates.

St. Peter says, "Here's how it works.
You need 100 points to make it into heaven.
You tell me all the good things you've done,
and I give you a certain number of points for each item,
depending on how good it was.
When you reach 100 points, you get in."

"Okay," the man says, "I was married to the same
woman for 50 years and never cheated on her,
even in my heart."

"That's wonderful," says St. Peter,
"that's worth three points!"

"Three points?" he says. "Well, I attended church
all my life and supported its ministry
with my tithe and service."

"Terrific!" says St. Peter.
"That's certainly worth a point."

"One point!?!!"

"I started a soup kitchen in my city and worked in a
shelter for homeless veterans."

"Fantastic, that's good for two more
points," he says.

"Two points!?!! "Exasperated, the man cries.

"At this rate the only way I'll get into heaven is by the grace of God."

"Bingo, 100 points! Come on in!"

We often try to fix problems with WD-40 and duct tape.

God did it with some nails.

AMEN!!

Halloween 2005

Annual Halloween Adventures!

Boo - Darth Vader.



Boo - Darth Vader Unmasked!



Peanut - the 50s Grease Lightning Poodle Skirt Young Lady.



Our nephew, Sir Twainalot!



And my cousin, Sunny, her husband, Shaye, and their kids!

Operation Christmas Child 2005

Timothy, Peanut, Boo, and I went to Target on Saturday evening and purchased items for this year's Operation Christmas Child gift boxes.

For the past 8 years or so, we have filled 2 boxes - one for a girl Peanut's age, and one for a boy Boo's age. It's a fun thing to do. But it was just a holiday exercise until this past summer while we were in Peru.

One afternoon during our trip, Operation Christmas Child gift boxes were handed out to special needs kids from all over Lima. Seeing them open these boxes made it much more real and personal to me.



If you have a chance to fill a shoe box with gifts for kids, know that they are much appreciated.

There's more information on Samaritan's Purse website

LIVEPLASMA

Check out LivePlasma

Type in a music group - like Beatles - or Point of Grace, etc. and see
all of the relationships by genre and time period.

This technology is really cool.

It's all about relationships. And brings to mind the 6 degrees of
separation concept.

Check out Wikipedia's Entry for Six Degree of Separation

I'm only 3 degrees away from President George W Bush:

1. I know my cousin's husband, Shaye.
2. Shaye worked for Dennis Hastert, the Speaker of the US House of
   Representatives.
3. Dennis Hastert works with President George W. Bush.

Wow!