On Christmas Eve, we had a quiet evening with just the 3 of us. We ate some appetizers and enjoyed christmas music and mistletoe. We went to Calvary for the Christmas Eve candle light service. Nevaeh’s christmas gift to her parents was a full night of sleep (9 hours). The best gift a newborn can give her parents on Christmas! We love you!
For Christmas Day, we hosted family at our house in Maple Grove. It has been a long time since we had a Christmas without snow ~ The temp was 35-40 degrees during the afternoon. This was our first christmas with baby Nevaeh. We took a post-dinner walk around the trails and some of us didn’t even bring a jacket.
Sarah’s Family was in Paris, France for Christmas. We celebrated with them last weekend before they flew to Europe to meet Alyssa. We managed to have a Skype video call with them and our busy house.
This morning, I was told that my Grandma Jean had passed away. From what we know, she had a brain aneurysm or bleeding in the brain. Grandma shared the same birthday with me (June 12) but she was born 60 years before I was. She had a twin sister, June, who had passed away in 1993. She became a widow when Lloyd died in 1979 (six months before I was born).
Ever since I had been born, Grandma has lived in Thief River Falls, MN. When I was growing up, we’d regularly make trips up north to be with Grandma and also Leslie & Margret’s family (Dale and Darren). Darren also shared a birthday with me, so within the family we had 3 birthdays on June 12th, and we’d commonly celebrate together.
I’m going to jot down some memories that I have of grandma
Purple cow. Grape juice & ice cream float.
Her apartment building, for the longest time she was in room 22. I always enjoyed the framed picture that she had of the praying man over a loaf of bread. If you’re traditional Lutheran, you know the picture I’m talking about.
For Christmas one year, us kids played a joke on Grandma & wrapped a HUGE box that contained a stuffed dog and keyboard (that played a barking dog noise). Grandma was concerned because she couldn’t have pets in the apartment. We were all young, I’m not sure if she was playing along or if she was surprised to see that it was just a stuffed dog.
For 2009 Oen Family Reunion, we all went up to TRF because it was also Grandma’s 90th birthday.
Grandma made the best Lefse and it has always been a family tradition for Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Once I remember being at Grandma’s apartment and not wanting to go to church, so I pretended to be sleeping. She let me sleep ~ I felt kinda bad about that one. Sorry Grandma ~ I like church now.
