Ewald Family Christmas 2018

Christmas afternoon, we headed north to Unionville to celebrate with the family.  Both girls were so excited and filled with joy and a little tiredness.

We opened presents... which was capped off with Mary made shirts with Christmas Vacation sayings on them.  Which is by far our favorite Christmas movie - quite certain with have the entire movie memorized.

We feasted - despite no pictures of it.  And continued to eat and eat some more.

Played games and with toys. Shopped with Dad.  Hung out and played with Brayden.

A great couple days celebrating together.

Basketball Madness

March Madness came to Aubur Hills and luckily for us - both Michigan and MSU were playing there.  So Dad, Mom, Ryan and I all headed up there for a day of basketball on Saturday.  It was awesome!!!  Both teams won, there were lots of dunks and excitement, and I got to spend another day out before Baby D comes.

Michigan basketball

Well Michigan basketball is back!  And we enjoyed Mom's Christmas present on Sunday and it was a great present!  The new Chrysler Center is amazing.  We had great seats.  Michigan won!  And we got to hang out with mom and dad for the day.

Baby Delaney's first basketball game... loved it... was practicing his or her jump shot the whole game :-)

Julie's 30!

A day for celebration as Julie joined the 30 crowd.  We celebrated at the traditional Bavarian Inn and then walked around for Ice Fest and ended the night at the Warming Tent dancing to some country music.  A late night (we got home a little after 1:00 am) but a great time! 

Let the partying begin

The Christmas adventure began on Friday, December 21 and finally wrapped up on Saturday, December 29th.  Needless to say, I think we were both partied and traveled out. 

First trip was to Fort Wayne to hang with Ian and Jen and the boys and deliever their large present - a sandbox!  A nice break to the drive to Greenwood which we started Saturday morning.  Then the partying began.  The Greenwood friends all came over to the house for a Christmas celebration and it was great to see everyone.  Great food and friendship.

Sunday, we enjoyed a nice relaxing day with some Colts football and then a big Christmas dinner with Frikadeller, a Danish meatball of sorts, mashed potatoes, sweet corn, rolls, green bean casserole and more.  So yummy and filling.  Dessert was postponed until later when we had room.  We burned off a few calories by dancing around the Christmas tree and opening a few gifts.  I also got my first lesson in making aebleskiver, another Danish recipe that arel like pancakes in ball.

Christmas Eve was filled with breakfast and then more presents!  Ryan and I loaded up and hit the road about 12:30 to come back home for a night, go to church and regroup before the second half of Christmas. 

Ryan and I celebrated our first Christmas as husband and wife with a nice filet dinner and some sparkling cidar.  We opened gifts and enjoyed the quiet for a few moments before heading to candlelight church service.  We realized the Christmas Eve church at 10:00 pm doesn't fill up like St. Paul - we arrived nice and early and then sat in the car and waited for a few more people to show up before heading in. 

Then bright and early... well like 7:30 we work up to load up again and head to Unionville for lunch and Julie and Jason's with all you can each perch.  And man did we eat!  Not sure we ever really got hungry again for the rest of the day, despite eating some more snacks.  Then over to mom's for present opening.  Her and dad outdid themselves again and we felt very blessed.  Baby D did quite well including a crib, a RAD Farms onsie and a Lakke Ewald Farms onsie and much more. 

Day after Christmas was celebrated with Reicks.  Always love seeing them and hanging out.  It's so great that they are back in Michigan (well kind of), but we just hung out and caught up and relaxed.  I also got my first lesson in making donut dough - which will go great since Mom got me a deep fryer!

Day 2 post Christmas, a party at Dad's with the Ewalds.  More yummy food and this time lots of Echre - which I might add the cousins won both games.  We still have it despite not having played all together in quite some time.

The Day 3 post Christmas, we headed home nice and early to take Joey to the vet to get his stiches out and unload.  Day 4 post Christmas, I headed back to Saginaw for Uncle David's Christmas festivities.  Great to see everyone, but my social skills were wearing thin and I was ready to be home for an entire day.

But regardless... we got to see lots of friends and family and celebrate our last Christmas as 2.  Next year will bring a whole new meaning to Christmas.

Ewald Thanksgiving

The weather for this Thanksgiving just might have been the best I can remember - sunny and about 60... we even had the door open a little during dinner.  Mom cooked up a feast, Julie and Mary made some desserts and I ate everything.  Haha!  We even got Grandpa to come over and now that I think about it - I should have taken some pictures. 

Thanksgiving evening, Julie, Dad and Scott headed to Caro to do a little Black Friday (well Black Thanksgiving) shopping.  And got everything they wanted at Sears.  And then we all gathered around the TV and watched  Christmas Vacation.  I tried to stay awake but just couldn't.  Oh well I'm sure we'll watch it 10 more times.  We even finished Thanksgiving off with a few fireworks!

Black Friday morning, Ryan and I called on a gun safe that we had seen in the Menards add for sale.  And to our luck they had lots left.  So off to Bay City we went with Dad.  The store wasn't even too bad so we managed to pick up a few other things.  Then off to antiquing as I mentioned in the other post.  Then back home. 

The night Karle read some books to the baby - love that.  She is going to be a great big cousin.  Then Ryan and I went over to Julie and Jason's to hang out.  Julie and I in the house and the boys in the new shed.  A long night for some, but a good Saturday morning. 

Some Michigan football and then some tetris to get all our purchases into the truck.  Didn't happen, but we got close.

But we made it home safe and sound and everything now has a new home!

Easter Weekend with the Ewalds, Ruths and Welden

Great relaxing weekend in Unionville with the whole fam!  We headed up Friday after church to have perch in Frankenmuth - which has become a tradition.  And it was sooooo yummy!  Well worth the wait.  Then back to Unionville to check out Julie's new paint and shed.  Very nice!  Loved it.  And then over to Dad's to check out his new paint and carpet- also loved it!  Very different from what it was before.  Then we hung out at Dad's for the rest of the night. 

Saturday, up and at 'em.  Mary, Julie and I were going to Midland to do some shopping, get a pedicure and have some lunch.  A great time with the sisters!  As we get older, we realized we don't do that nearly enough.  Seems there are always other people around so it was nice for it to just be the 3 of us for a chance. When I got back, it was so nice out that I got to play with Karle and Kahle outside, we played softball, rode the 4-wheelers, ran around the house, played tag.  It was great!  Got some exercise and a little tan!

While I shopped, Ryan and Dad helped Jason put some insulation in his new shop.  Pretty much worked all day on it and finished it! 

That  night we fondued, which has also become a new tradition.  Very yummy and I made a new cheese fondue recipe with gouda, after last year's didn't turn out to well and it was great. 

Sunday, we went to church and then back to Mom's to have a nice Easter steak dinner with all our favorites.  Thanks Mom!!  Love ya!

Then we packed the truck up with some more of my stuff from Mom's - I think I almost have it all out.  After not living at home for over 10 years, I'd say that's not too bad.  We got home about 5:30 and in time to watch the back 9 of the Master's - which Ryan was quite excited about.  He watched golf and I read my book for a bit.  Eat some dinner and then to bed.  A full week of work this week and then off to Indy. 

Happy Birthday Mom

Happy Birthday to my wonderful amazing Mom!  Can't wait to celebrate this Saturday with some fried chicken at the Bavarian Inn.

Christmas with the Ewald

Christmas day we loaded up the truck and set off for Unionville - great day for driving - no snow and very little traffic.  And it only took us about 4 hours - even better!  We arrived in Unionville about 2:00 pm and snacks were ready to eat and stockings were ready to be opened.  Mom had outdone herself this year.  Shortly after we arrived, the Welden clan made it too.  And that meant, present time!

Karle and Kahle were very excited to open presents and they hit the jackpot.  I think everyone got what they wanted and much more.  Thank you so much to Mom and Dad!  You guys are the best!  And we couldn't ask for more!  A few highlights - we got Dad an Ipad and he was so excited!  And Ryan and I got Mom Michigan basketball tickets - 6 rows up!  And Mom and Dad got us lots of great stuff... gift cards to Lowe's, some cartharts for Ryan and new workboots... and lots more!  We are truly blessed!

 Then we had an awesome prime rib dinner and German potato salad (that everyone claimed to be the best ever) and lots of other yummy sides and a few desserts that Boo Boo Ma used to make - nice job Mom!  Then we decided to work a little of dinner off and play Wii Dance 3!  Julie and I had a blast and Mary and Ryan and Scott even got in on the action.  WAY FUN!  Can't wait to practice up!

Monday we ventured off to Saginaw for Christmas lunch at Uncle David's with the Weber family - another great meal with Turkey and all the fixing.  Great time seeing everyone.  Then it was back home to chill and play some games - Mom got us all of us a new game - Logos that was a blast and then I got the kids Quirkle - what required some thinking but also lots of fun.   

Thursday, we had lunch at Grandpa's house and hung out with him for a while and then Ryan and I loaded up to head home.  Wonderful first Christmas together!

Thanksgiving #1

First stop of Thanksgiving... Unionville!  We hit the trail Wednesday afternoon and made it there by like 4:00 in the afternoon, but only after a quick stop in Frankenmuth at St. Julian for some wine tasting!  So fun and tasty!  And we picked up a few bottles for the party in Greenwood at the Delaney's. 

In Unionville, first stop - Julie and Jason's for dinner and fun!  We lucked out because Jules and Jason offered to fry up some perch for everyone - YUMMY!  And I quick made my pumpkin pies for dinner the next day and then we kicked back and had a few drinks.  The boys in the garage and Jules and I in the house - watching Modern family and checking out some deals online.  Then off to some of their friends to hang out for a bit and then back to J & J's for one more... but then let's just say there was a small incident with the propane heater and a trip to the ER, but all is well.  And lots of memories and I'm sure some day a few laughs - just not yet. 

The next day - a very sleepy one, was off to Mom's for Thanksgiving lunch and Black Friday prep!  And discovered that there is really no reason to go out because all the sales (or at least the ones I wanted) were online... and I stocked up at Younkers, Bath and Body, and a few others!  A great lunch and lots of yummy snacks and football and naps and family fun - a successfull day!

Dad and Ryan napping

Now we are Indy Bound for our engagement party - thanks to Mom & Dad Delaney - and a great weekend with the Delaney clan!