My Christmas Present

Well, after not having a car for several weeks, I finally made my decision and purchased a vehicle. The bank and I are the proud owners of a 2007 Chevy Cobalt with only 30,000 miles. It's probably not considered a grandma car, but that's alright I don't feel like a grandma when I'm driving it.

Cool web site

I was checking my email tonight and found this cool web site.
Check it out!

http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1513146678

And this one:

http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1513408797

I have son in-laws to be very proud of!

Jeannes Wish List

This year for christmas I would like:
1. A fleece Eeyore sweatshirt from JCPenneys that says "Chillin" (XL-XXL)
2. Foot Spa
3. New cute jeans (22W)
4. Cute shirts (L-XL)
5. New socks
6. A Soft Robe
7. Blue Fuzzy Crocks (8 1/2)
8. To be home
That all I can think of for now Love ya

More Differences Between Guys and Girls

What do you see in a pile of aluminum foil, newspaper or paper grocery bags?
Trash?
Recyclables?
Do you know what a guy sees? He sees wrapping paper!
Even scraps of leftover wrapping paper count as wrapping paper—just tape them all together. With a little extra tape and folding, old homework, trash bags, the plastic that covers cheese slices, corn cobs, bear fur—almost anything can be used to wrap gifts.
Well, unless you’re a girl.
Guys wrap gifts with this thought process:
1. Here is this gift.
2. I need to cover it.
3. This will work.
Girls have a thought process too—with more steps than it takes to build a weather satellite. Highlights include choosing the right patterns or colors of paper, making bows (all gifts MUST have bows—and they MUST coordinate properly with the wrapping paper), cutting and folding with the precision of a robot, adding more decorations and special gift labels—and maybe some rubber stamps, glitter and a jingle bell. Soon an ordinary box will be transformed into a miniature parade float. However, if a girl is in a hurry, she can always use a gift bag with some fluffy paper.
When it comes to Christmas, gift-wrapping is just one area girls confuse guys. Another starts at the mall. Guys Christmas shop. Girls Christmas shop. Simple, right? But girls start shopping at 5 a.m. the day after Thanksgiving, using a list they started in March. Guys start shopping sometime between 1 and 3 p.m. Christmas Eve.

Thank you God for my children!

The family gathered together for Thanksgiving in Madelia where some of Dales family live. We have so much to be thankful for. The thing that I'm most thankful for is my family. We have truly been blessed with children that (for the most part) have been easy to raise. The older ones have started wonderful, good looking families and are strong assets in their church. Did I tell you we have the smartest and best looking grandkids and grand dog around?

Wish Lists for Christmas

It was requested that I put everyones wish lists on our website. I don't have Jeannes yet.

Dad:
-An evening curled up on the couch next to Mom,
listening to all my kids playing their instruments
and singing Christmas songs, with a crackling fire
in the fireplace, hot dogs and marshmallows roasting
on the fire, apple cider to drink, and whatever else I
think of between now and then to add to the scene.
-DVD+RW 4.7 gigabyte blank discs
-4 or 8 gigabyte flash drive
-zip up neckties
-tall sized socks
-handkerchiefs
-spice drops
-peanut or almond M & M's
-cashews

Mom:
This is the worst year for me to come up with a wish list. I can't think of one thing I want that is either inexpensive enough or that money can buy. What I want most of all is time with my kids and grandkids, and to have a nice long visit with my dad. I miss everyone. Other than that, I guess the best thing would be gift cards, a nice centerpiece for my coffee table, new family pictures for my wall, and new pictures of my grandkids.

Jessica:
- socks (for bigger feet)
- Willow Tree figurines
- iron
- jewelry
- electric pan
- ornaments
- decorations for my house (CoachHouse gifts has the kind of stuff I like)
- feet massages
- cook books (realistic for me..like church cookbooks)
- watch for work with all the numbers plus second hand
- gift cards are always good
- scrubs..I'd like a red pair with the Cardinals emblem embroidered on the front pocket

James:
- black Crocs- mens size 10
- Diesel cologne
- leather slim-line large print NLT Bible
- dress clothes shirts size xxl or 18 pants size 40x32
- sweaters size xxl
- new socks (sport and dress)
- gift cards are always nice

Grayden:
- new TF1000 basketball 28.5
- basketball shorts- size large 12-14
- sweat bands
- sports duffel bag
- Cardinals baseball cap
- XBOX 360
- mp3 player
- biography books
- surprises

Ben:
- bike
- PS -hand held gaming system
- remote- control car
- history books
- Harry Potter books (all of them)
- Flushed Away
- Meet the Robinsons
- playing cards
- sweatshirts- size medium (10-12)
- wind pants- size medium (8-10)
- jeans- size 10
- cool belt- (cool buckle)
- new baseball bat
- basketball TF1000
- sweatbands

Betsy:
- Mini USB optical mouse for my laptop (doesn't have to be this one, I prefer a cord and not battery)
- "Refiner's Fire" book series, by Lynn Austin
- Skechers black Calies shoes, size 10
- Lace bangle watch from Target
- Makeup mirror (if it's corded, not battery)
- Tote bag for my laptop
- Long white, black, and charcoal tank tops

Winn:
- wood rasp
- Warcraft III (computer game)
- Woodcraft giftcard

Carrie:
- House deco or... gift certificates for house deco
- clothes- sweaters mostly
- earrings and necklaces- (there is a necklace atTarget that I love
- with a long chain and a big roundmetal pendant on it)
- some of the a little bit older romantic comedies-like
- My Best Friend's Wedding- not Ghost

Roger:

- Demon Hunter (Christian Metal) (NOT latest release)

- JRR Tolkien's "Children of Hurin" (firstedition/first printing) for my collection

- Packer's Football Paraphernalia

- DVD of past games

- Football Jersey (green or white) #4 FAVRE

- tickets to Packer's game at Lambeau Field

- War Movies (no nudity)

Cate:
- Baby Alive (she really wants this)
- Hannah Montana Barbie
- Hannah Montana car
- Hannah Montana microphone
- magnadoodle (the small kind)
- Dora refrigerator
- only for me fruit roll-ups
- chocolate candy bar
- digital camera with a view screen (she loves to take pics on my phone)
- kid games (like Hi-ho Cherry-oh)
- a baby?
- Princess suitcase
- She loves to draw, so anything that has to do withthat, she will love.

Joel:

- Joel says he wants Santa Claus and a house and a fridge and a brown bear. And that's all he wants. He would probably like:

- balls (he loves balls, especially bouncy balls)

- cars

Bob:
- Legos
- Overalls
- Clothes for work
- Goose Island Rootbeer
- Gift Certificate to Barnes & Noble or Best Buy
- Watch (I have big wrists)
- Bald wig
- Address book (with space to write)
- Chocolate Chipless Cookie Dough (like Polly owes me)
- any Asterix and Obelix Books
- any Tintin Books
- Movies:
- The Pixar Short Films Movie(!!!!)

- Laurel and Hardy 3-pack at Target(20th Century Fox)
- Old Maid, starring Bette Davis
- Charlie Chaplin's The Gold Rush
- Guitar
- Laptop
- Car
- Riverfront Property (house included)
- Pretty wife who laughs at my jokes and can balance a checkbook
- lots of other stuff

Polly:
- Jeans
- Sweaters
- Hat, scarf, and mitten sets
- Apache mall gift card
- Shoes
- Portfolio for my drawings
- Medium-Advanced piano books
- Comfy pajamas
- Bathrobe
- Real Alive baby

Peggy:
- Brandon Heath "Don't Get Comfortable" cd
- This is Me by Jeffrey Dean
- Cute Shoes
- Clothes
- Chris Rice "Amusing" cd
- Hawk Nelson "Letters to the President" cd
- Um.... other cds
- Very cute apron that's at target.
- Basketball
- Books

Jimmy:
- Airsoft gun
- trail-cam
- I-pod
- laptop
- paintball gun
- blaze bibs
- power tools
- cds
- model car or air plane
- rook cards
- legos
- shirts, pants, shoes
- drum set

Billy:
- Rocktron Classic Wah Pedal http://www.musiciansfriend.com/navigationpage=1&N=100001&Ntk=All&Ntt=Wha%2BPedal&Nty=1&Ns=P_Price%7C0
- Ibanez AW7 Tone Lok Autowah Pedal (Same Link)
- Boss DD-3 Digital Delay Pedal http://www.musiciansfriend.com/navigation?page=1&N=100001&Ntk=All&Ntt=Echo%2BPedal&Nty=1&Ns=P_Price%7C0
- Electric Guitar
- Epiphone Les Paul Jr. 90 Electric Guitar (Vintage Sunburst) http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Epiphone-Les-Paul-JR-90?sku=518572
- Legos
- I-Pod
- NHL 2008
- Airsoft/Paintball guns
- NFL 2008
- Guitar Cables
- Guitar Amp
- Gift Certificates to Wal-Mart and Schmitt Music
- Saxophone supplies (such as Cork Grease, Pad Saver, and Key Oil.)
- Laptop
- Recording program with plug-in for a guitar cable
- Flash Drive
- Bicycle Cards (Blue and Red)
- Double side Blue-Red Backed cards (preferably Bicycle)
- Videos

Another Room Almost Finished

Here's a picture of our den. Arranging furniture in this room has been a bit challenging. It's large, but laid out strange. I have a large plant that is going in the corner between the bookcase and entertainment center. I also need drapes of some sort. I need to figure out where in the house to put the computer. I really want something that closes up so it is hidden. I also would like to fit another bookcase or two in for Dale without having a cramped feeling or looking awful. I'm thinking maybe the laundry room? Some day he'll have a home office again with wall to wall bookshelves, I'm sure.

Polly's New Blog

This was the easiest way to let everyone know, so here I am, once again, posting on Mom's blog. I have created my own blog. The web address is pollyblanshan.blogspot.com.

Balloons

Brian Dunbar, my (Polly) music professor, was sick on Tuesday, so a few of us students (mostly choir students) decided to use the opportunity to prank him. We happen to know his TA very well...okay, actually, she was one of the main conspirators. She holds a key to his office. For the next 5 hours, we practiced breathing from our diaphram... =D ...we figured it would make him proud. By 4:00, his office was filled floor to about a foot from the ceiling with nearly 1000 balloons. On his door we left an envelope that said "To help you with your troubles" and inside we was placed a thumb-tack. 5 hours + 15 students + an office key + 1000 balloons = a ton of fun. I recommend it...the after-effects aren't quite as pleasant, however. A few students ended up with blisters from tying the balloons and everybody ended up with sore mouths....yes, sore mouths. It hurts to blow up balloons for 5 hours!

Panera Bread

Here are a few pictures that I took yesterday at Panera. The first one is of the bakery area right after lunch. The bread area off to the left appears to need some attention in restocking. The second picture is the lull after the storm. Everyone is cleaning and restocking after the lunch rush. The line on the right is where sandwiches are made, soups dished up and everything is consolidated. On the left the paninis are made and grilled, and the salads are made. The last picture is of the ovens. The one on the left is a huge oven that holds large racks that are frequently filled with bagels during the day and several kinds of pastries and more bagels all night. The other side is a deck oven with 4 separate ovens. During the day these are used for baking baguettes, but at night they bake the bread.

Joe

Yesterday I went to an awards luncheon at the Ramada put on by Possibilities. They help people with special needs get jobs, housing etc... One of my associates, Joe, was there and we received this plaque. I didn't think he was going to give it to me until I promised I'd hang it up at work. Joe has down syndrome and works 2 days a week over lunch. He walks up and down in the dining room washing tables and does a good job keeping them clean.

I came home from work at 11:00 to change, get ready for the luncheon and be back there by 11:45. I got there in time and was standing in line to get my name tag when I looked behind me. At the end of the line there was Bobby. Neither of us knew the other was going to be there, (we have good communication skills at our house). Evidently, after I left, Dale gave him a ride and they pulled in as I was walking in.

They had special music put on by several of the special needs people. Every year they practice and sing Christmas carols. They sang 4 or 5 of them, then they sang a song they practiced just for us, "Twist and Shout". There were a couple down syndrome girls with no inabititions in the front row that "twisted" and sang "back-up" Everybody enjoyed it!

Apple Orchard

I took Peggy, Jimmy and Billy to an apple orchard this afternoon, but forgot the camera. I am going to have to break down and buy my own I guess. I took Dale's to work the other day so I could share pictures of Panera, but the batteries were dead. Anyway, as soon as we pulled in I missed my grandkids. There were little ones walking around the pumpkins and running in the maze made especially for little ones out of hay bales. I thought Cate and Joel would enjoy that. Grayden and Ben would have liked guessing how much the pumpkins weighed with Jimmy and Billy, then seeing how close they were. The trees were turning red and apples were heavy on the trees. This orchard doesn't allow you to pick your own and that was disappointing to both Peggy and I. I would still like to find one that you can. Several dollars later, we had 4 pumpkins, 20# of apples, and old corn stalks in the back of the van. The day is so beautiful, that after we dropped Peggy off at school I came home and did a few things outside, including putting my corn stalks and pumpkins out.

What Color Blinds?

Alright, I'm getting ready to order blinds for my living room windows. There are two this size and two smaller. I am going to go with the wood blinds, and the only thing left to decide is the color. The walls are gold, the sheers are gold, the piano and tables are dark wood, the window trim is light wood and the windows themselves are white. So...... what color?

Jimmy and One of His Favorite Pastimes

If he's not dreaming of plucking pheasants, he's busy plucking guitar strings.

My Dining Room

Here's our dining room as of this evening. There's ceramic tile sitting right behind those glass doors for the floor. Eventually, I hope for a new table and chairs, but there are other things on my "wish list" first.

The china cabinet in the background is a gift that I got from Bobby a few years ago when we were in Iowa. He went to an auction with Dale, and they came home with the cabinet. The front has curved glass and holds china that my aunt gave me. Dale was sitting looking at a book when the auctioneer hollered "sold." When the auctioneer asked for his number, Dale looked up and Bob was holding his card up.

It's one of my favorite gifts I've ever received.

I'm Going To Try Harder

I was just sitting here reading several blogs, thinking about how much I enjoy keeping up with every ones news. I decided to try this again and commit myself (not literally I don't think) to keeping everyone up to date with us.

The first news I'll try to catch people up on is our new house.

We have moved into a fairly large house and I love it. It is taking longer to get settled because of my job, but I love it, both the job and the house. Winn and Betsy have put in several hours (days) helping with everything from painting, planting, hanging, fixing, to flooring and cabinetry.

I have the best kids!

Dale and I in Charlotte, NC

Dale and I went to Charlotte, North Carolina last month with my job.

I sat in seminars all day and Dale did some sightseeing. One day

over 2000 of us divided up and put together 350 bikes and gave

them away to some kids in Charlotte that didn't have any. Just

another example of why I love Panera. Panera Warmth! They are always doing

something for the community. I get to decide who and how much to donate from

my cafe in Rochester!

Jimmy's Hair

So, I (Polly) decided to have fun with Jimmy's hair. First I turned it into an afro, which turned out pretty hillarious. And then I tried to straighten it...which didn't work so well. I think if his hair was just a bit longer we could do it.

Sisters

Polly's Choir Tour

I (Polly) just got back last weekend from a 10 day trip around the midwestern states of Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Iowa. I went with my choir on tour and had a really fun time! We had two concerts nearly every day with a day off in Springfield, Illinois where we got to go see one of President Lincoln's homes and Lincoln's Tomb. We had another day off in Chicago, Illinois where we just spent the day sight-seeing. After I got back, last Sunday, I spent the next three days sleeping to lick the head cold, chills and fevers I was having. By the time Thursday rolled around, though, I was up and smiling again! One of the songs my choir sang in every concert has a line in it that really described our tour, "no story wave can pull me under." During the days of tour, eight of our group had their money stolen, somewhere around 3/4 of us got sick, tornado warnings went off during one of our concerts, a couple of our group got lost in downtown Chicago...and yet we had an amazing time of growing closer to each other and God! No stormy wave could pull us under.

Adoration Retreat

Yesterday the college music group Polly is in, Adoration, returned from their annual retreat. Polly sure had a splendid time and I was jealous when I heard of all the exciting things they did! Here are some of the pictures taken while they were at the Wisconsin Dells.

Panera Bread

This is mom, hard at work, at the south Panera Bread where she rules and reigns. Mom started working at Panera a year ago and is now already the general manager.

Welcome!

Hi everybody! Welcome to the Blanshan family blog. We are still figuring this thing out but so far we are having a lot of fun with it! So have look around and please give us any tips or suggestions you have.