Santa stopped by...

Emma was spoiled by Santa!

Holiday Christmas Giving

Hi all. I hope by now you have all your Christmas shopping and baking well under way or done! I know I have a few odds and ends, but mostly it is about not getting carried away and buying more "things" that we really don't need.

Speaking of "needs," I know that you know there are plenty of people in this world that have needs on a level we can't even imagine. And that is why I want to float the idea of returning to the family charity giving concept that we started a few years ago. When we dispensed with the adult gift exchange, I think the idea was that each family instead would put some money into a pool (however much, if any, that you wanted to give), and we would give the money to a charity of choice. We would rotate, so that each of our families would have a year to pick the charity. The last I remember was Dave and Melissa picking the Make A Wish Foundation. I think we derailed the year that it blizzarded and left a couple of us stranded and unable to make the holiday party.

Anyway, I wondered if you would all be up for reviving that tradition? If you are interested, just bring an envelope with your donation to the party and place it on the tree.

Looking forward to seeing you all on Sunday-Monday! Wishing you a joyful and blessed Christmas Eve and Christmas morning!

--bobbie

A Little Christmas Holiday Cheer!!

Kriz Fam Zoo!!!

We are so very thankful

for each & everyone of you!

You are always in our hearts,

but even more on this wonderful Holiday!!

Love & Gobble Gobble!!

Terry, Tammy and Taylor

Details, details ... ho, ho, ho

Hi everyone! After making some phone calls over the weekend, I think we are set on having the family Christmas party on Monday, Dec. 26. So, please plan on that and hope for just the right amount of snow to make it pretty but not limit travel so everyone can get there!

We are on for another year of White Elephant. Melissa tells me that Owls are now back in style, so I expect we could see those resurface this year! I was asked whether we could raise the White Elephant purchase limit to $30. Here's what I think about that: The White Elephant is a crap shoot. What makes it fun is that you never know what you are going to get. So, if someone sees something they want to purchase for $30 for the White Elephant, well, that is totally their choice. At the same time, if someone wants to wrap up something out of the garage, that is also perfectly acceptable! Again, that's why it is so fun.

For the kids' drawing, Kade helped pull names out of a hat. Here's where we landed: Dave and Melissa - Bella; Bobbie and Kevin - Emma; Terry and Tammy - Adelyn; Jill and David - Kade; Jeannie and Jason - Jacob; and Mom and Dad - Alex. The other kids are once again all in the White Elephant. If anyone has any issues with how this ended up, let me know!

Ok, that's it for tonight's Christmas update. Hope you all are doing well and have the turkey out to thaw for the Thanksgiving holiday. If I don't talk to you before then, have a great and safe Thanksgiving. I am thankful for all of you!

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like ......

Late Fall. In fact, I just broke out the lined track pants tonight (the ones Jeannie "borrowed" from GHS), because there is a special chill in the air that includes some snowflakes. Track pants = cold weather and dark evenings in this household.

And, late fall means Christmas is JUST AROUND THE CORNER!! Time to start planning the holiday gathering. Now, perhaps you are all tired of seeing me. We have been very fortunate to see each other quite a bit this year, something I am very happy about, even if you may not be! Ha.

Anyway, let's start working to find a date that works for as many of us as possible. Mom does have Christmas Day off and said she can get the 26th of December off if we would decide that is the best day for everyone. The 26th is a Monday, so I don't know what that means for everyone's work schedule. I am going to start by laying that date out there, since it seems like that has worked for the most people the past several years.

Mom also has New Year's Eve (Saturday, Dec. 31) and New Year's Day off. Not sure if that interests anyone since you may have other party plans. I know that would take us out of the running since Kevin has a gig on New Year's Eve, but if it works best for the rest of you, well, then so be it.

Anyway, give me some feedback on these two.

As for the name drawing for the kids, I'll be doing that shortly and will let you all know whose name you have.

If you have any ideas for something different this year, throw them out for discussion. And don't forget to comment on the dates mentioned above!! Stay warm! --love, Santa's elf

All State Chorus

Birthday Boy!!

Happy Birthday Jacob!!

Hope you are having a spectacular day! :-)

Something new on the blog!

Kade, with his rocket we made for Cub Scouts. He painted it blue and gold and (to his dad's pleasure) named it "Notre Dame." Believe it or not, the sucker launched successful from the launch pad not once, but twice! I'm not sure who was more excited - me or Kade!

Some of the adult males there shot rockets as tall as me. It was pretty interesting and cool, actually.

Cub Scouts

Hi everyone. If you all received an email from Trails-End this is why. Kade just recently started Cub Scouts, and he is selling popcorn, which is Pack 15's fundraiser. Apparently the Boy Scouts sell popcorn, just like the Girls Scouts sell cookies every year. If you would like to buy some, great, but please don't feel obligated. It is kind of spendy stuff. If you do want some, but don't want to order online, let me know and I can bring it next time we come home.

I would have had him make his official Cub Scout popcorn speech to you when we were home last, but sales hadn't quite started yet. He went door to door on Friday night and was successful at a few homes, so he was pretty happy. There is a lot of competition, so it was tough finding homes no one else had already visited!

Anyway, sorry for the mass Trails End email, but just wanted you to know what it was about.

Hope you are all doing well!

post birthday party thoughts

Just a quick line to say thanks to all you guys who traveled and helped prepare, present and make Bobbies' bash happen. I think everyone had a great time- I counted and we had around 60 people here. (counting kids). Kevin, thanks for having the idea and working to get it right. House and yard are pretty quiet today, but lots of great memories. Baby is sad, looking around this morning for someone to feed her bones and play ball. Hope you all got home without incident, rested well and are ready for the real world again! Love to you all-- Mom

happy birthday miss emma!

I can't get enough of these two....

If you go on YouTube and search them - there are many more videos as well as their story! Enjoy and I hope they make you smile too!

Elderly Couple fo 62 years

An elderly couple walked into the lobby of the Mayo Clinic for a checkup and spotted a piano. They've been married for 62 years and he'll be 90 this year. Check out this impromptu performance. We are only as old as we feel, it's all attitude. Enjoy! They certainly do!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RI-l0tK8Ok0

And on the 8th Day

A nice piece......

http://www.youtube.com/embed/QuzhwkaNC40?rel=0

Hope the link works. If not, cut and paste it into your browser.

Emma's First Day of Preschool

Today our little girl started in the 2 year old preschool, which requires uniforms! The school didn't want to make her wait to start in another month after her birthday so they asked if we wanted to get her started now with their school year.After spilling milk all over the shirt and screaming when Daddy took it off to put it in the dryer, we made it to school. She gave me a kiss when I told her I had to go to work and then walked off to play with all the kids. This was a very unexpected surprise since she has been grabbing my leg and crying when I leave her! It was very cute though today!

Happy Birthday to Zach - 17!!!

Pictures from vacation - FUN!!

Great Weekend!

Dave, Melissa, Zach, Rachael & Jacob, we enjoyed your visit to Marshall,  it meant so much too have you guys come, it just went way to fast. Jacob & Zach - Ter will take you on for a WII re-match the next time he is back home!!

Happy Anniversary Jill and David!!

Zach's new pickup!!

Kids can sleep in any position

Kade, on the train ride to Colorado. Notice how the bottoms of his cool Puma tennis shoes actually make a puma when his feet are together.

SUMMER!!!

I just wanted to post a couple of these quickly. This is what summer is all about!!

Happy Birthday Tammy!

Hope you have a very special day!

Happy Father's Day

to all you Dad's!!

Hope you have a wonderful Day!!

Odds and Ends

Hi everyone! Just dropping a quick note to see how you all are doing. Things are fine here in Lincoln. I am including a couple pictures of recent activities just for the heck of it. Kevin had another birthday, and Kade and I got him a ukelele for it! (not sure how it's spelled) That is what he wanted, I swear! He is threatening to bring it back to the farm with him. Just a warning! Ha.

I've also included a baseball picture. Kade has played four games so far. They are doing pretty well and having fun. Kevin is helping coach.

Lastly, for Mom, a picture of my "garden." I think my little container zuchinni experiment is failing as that zuchinni that is showing in the picture has been the same size for two weeks! Plus, I think I have a mouse eating the new buds! The mouse we can kill (we think, although he keeps stealing the peanut butter without springing the trap), but I'm not sure how to get the veggies bigger.

What are the plans for July 4th weekend? Jill, are you set on when you are traveling home? We are kind of trying to figure out our travel plans but expecting to come home that weekend. Do Zach and Jacob have baseball games that weekend? It would be fun to watch them play while we are there.

Hope everyone is doing well. Talk to you soon!

Blog Commissioner - thanks for the new background!

Hard to believe the Kriz Fam Zoo has been posting since 2007!! It's been a wonderful way to stay in touch with everyone! Thanks Kevin for your wonderful idea!

My mom and dad are feeling better about the flooding situation. They live in Marion's Garden where a canal was dug in from the river channel. In order to fill in the entrance of the river channel that enters the canal, the home owner's association had to pay for their own levee. So, even though they had to pay for it, it was worth it. There are 3 pumps also pumping out the water in the canal back into the main river channel, so the water has actually gone down. They hope to be back into their house in the middle of July. Thanks for all the thoughts and prayer for the people affected.

Back of mom and dad's house

Rachael on a post, flooded back yard and

team of sand baggers.

Happy Birthday!!

To Melissa!! Hope that family of yours treated you to something special today. :-)

Dad/Grampa Kriz! We love you bunches!!

Just Another Day at the Kriz Farm...that is when David is away!

                    Dad Kriz "I think one of the cows are out"

Taylor and Tammy...."I think there is more than one"

Dad Kriz and Terry "We better get them round up

before mom gets home from work"

What can you say???? PRICELESS!!!

Rachael's Concert Solo

Rachael sang "Jar of Hearts" at her concert this past Thursday.

Kriz Professional Painters...call 1-800-Kriz Paint for your free estimate!!

Check out the snowfall in the window?!

My "Royal" Hubby Hard at Work...and to think....... He's all Mine!!!!!! :)

I know...I will be "dead meat" for sharing this one...but it's well worth it!!

Love ya Honey!!

Jacob playing in a 3 on 3 tournament.

His team placed 2nd in their division.

Zach throwing discus, placed 3 rd in

shot put and discus in Parkson and

Saturday placed 2nd in discus and

6th in shot.

It's Spring....Time for a New background Blog Commissioner!!!

Hi All-

Hope everyone is doing well, and having fun in Vegas. I was so jealous of the gathering going on in Vegas, that I thought we would create an adventure of our own this weekend. Okay, the mall was packed and we had to use the family rest rooms. The funny thing is Jason was on the kid potty and bella was on the adult potty. Plus, he ended up going potty all over the floow. I can't take these kids anywhere! As I stated on facebook. A family that potties together stays together. Or something like that.

We are wishing Spring will be here soon.

Love and miss everyone.

Jeannie

And not to forget......

Happy 15th Birthday Rachael!!!!!

A taste of the G-Men

Hi guys. Hope you are all out enjoying this nice spring day!

I thought you might like to see a little clip of Kevin's new band. He's been with them since December. They are called the G-Men. Kevin is on the right as you face the stage in the picture and the video. They are a lot of fun to watch perform!

Missing the Kriz Fam & the Farm...Remember this??!!

Happy Birthday Dave!!!

Hope the weather Gods are somehow managing to give a break in the S.D. weather for your birthday gift!

Not spring yet!!**??!!

Well, I hope we are the only ones with white on the ground, blowing snow in the distance and temps once again in the single digits. What a low blow after all those 40-60degree days! I know you Minnisota Kriz's got socked again worse than us, so I guess I had better not complain.

Otherwise lambing continues at a steady pace and we now have 2 live calves to start the season. Rach's little minilamb is still going-- he's too small to reach the automatic nipples so still has to have a bottle.

Bobbie, how was your week in Washington?? You probably got home just in time for the snow--- By the way, I did book tickets for Las Vegas for that last weekend in March. Looks like they are the same time as yours. Dad is going too, didn't have to twist his arm too much.

Well, stay warm everyone-- It's bound to be over soon-- no doubt in a few months we will be c/o it being too hot!! Love, Mom

Cupid was here in SW MN!!

What a fun surprise to get the mail on Saturday!!

 Valentines Day came Early!! 

You made us feel so special Bobbie, Kevin and Kade!!

Hope you have a wonderful Love Day as well!!

We wish all our Kriz Fam Zoo a very

Special Valentine's Day!!

Taylor's finally bloomed!! So beautiful and fun to have this time of year!!

23" Tall