HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Nine grandchildren -Dawson, Abbey, Carter, Eric, Lindsay, Elly Clara
Jamie, Ashley, Nora

 January 6, is Epiphany and officially the end of the season of Christmas.  It's now time to put away the Christmas decorations but not a job that I like to do.  The season goes by so quickly and the memories still linger of grandchildren helping with the decorating - putting all the angels on grandma's tree, decorating the patio door windows with a nativity scene, making a gingerbread house, bringing a real live Christmas tree with it's own string of mini lights, hanging the nine stockings by the fireplace downstairs.  I love to see the seven candles glowing on the Norsk style holder shining from the living-room window.  Most homes in Norway have these lights in their windows during Christmas. 

Decorating the gingerbread house with
Lindsay, Nora, Jamie

This grandma doesn't do a lot of "Christmas shopping".  I started an account at the Credit Union for each new grandchild and add to those accounts each Christmas.  The money will be theirs when they turn 18 so Dawson will be getting his cheque on January 22.


I did enjoy taking Nora and Elly Clara shopping in Crosby.  I gave them each an American $10 bill and they were free to choose what to buy.  First we went to Crosby drugs but they found nothing tempting there. So we went across the street to the Craft Store and they made their decisions. Two year old Elly Clara looked up at the Ty stuffed animals, pointed and said "Lamb".  So that was her choice.  Nora took her time and then saw the grab bags of Ty animals which were priced at two bags for $5.  That's what she decided on, taking a risk as to what was in the bags.  She chose well as her two items were a cute Peter Rabbit and a little figure from Paw Patrol.  She also got a package of candy and had $2 left, that she's planning to spend on her next trip to Crosby!  Then Todd took us all to the car wash, a new fun experience for the girls too.  I do think spending time together is the best gift with such good memories that will last longer than the gifts.  The grandchildren drew names and exchanged gifts and Grandma and Alan ended up with gifts too.  Jamie found the perfect gift for Alan - a baseball decorated with a face and tinsel, perfect to hang on the angel tree!

We spent Christmas Day in a quiet house after taking in the service at Trinity that morning.  On the 27th we were off to Saskatoon to take in the Saskatchewan Junior Curling provincials that Abbey was taking part in at the Sutherland Curling CLub from the 27th to the 31st.  We had booked with AirBnB so had a "home away from home" just a five minute drive from the rink. We had booked three nights but ended up staying four as the girls were still in line for a chance at the finals.  

They worked hard against stiff competition. There were twelve teams placed in two pools.  The girls, Team Haupstein, came out on top of their pool after the five round robin games. Then they played the winner of Pool B, Team Erickson. It was a very memorable game and had them coming from behind most of the game to end up tied after the ninth end!  But without the hammer they ended up losing to Team Erickson, who was the team that won the final game and the right to wear the SK green jackets. (Their third is Sara England, daughter of Sandra Schmirler.) We wish them well as they represent SK at Nationals in Prince Albert later this month.  Team Ackerman will also take part as SK was able to send two teams in the absence of a team from the Yukon.   Here's a view of Team Haupstein in action with Abbey calling the sweeping.  She throws lead rocks but takes the third position when the skip throws her rocks.

 Here is a picture of the curling ice at Sutherland Curling Club.
 Note all the people sitting outside beside the ice.  We had to be at the rink at least an hour early to get a seat inside behind the glass, either up or downstairs!  Clare was coaching Team Haupstein for this event.  Alan enjoyed sitting next to him discussing strategies!

My parents lived in Sutherland area when they left the farm at Frontier and moved to Saskatoon. Dad did some curling so no doubt had curled at Sutherland Curling Club.   We drove by 462 Birch Crescent where they had lived and took a couple pictures. It was a dreary day so the house doesn't show up very well among those huge trees! I went up to the door and rang the door bell but got no answer.

Well, this is my blog post for this week.  Maybe I can get back to a weekly post, a goal for the new year.  I want to work on some posts of family history so look forward to getting at that project.  We have so many of my grandma Erickson's pictures from "the early days" that I want to share, so thought my blog would be a place to do that.