Valentine's Banquet

Every year my church does a Valentine's Banquet for the married couples. I thought you all might find it interesting to see.  

And for everyones information, all the photos in this post were taken by Elaine. If you'd like to see more of her work click here. 

All the young people in the church get to help pull the banquet off. It is super fun and there are cool people to work with.

 Addy and Julia supposedly ironing.  Yes, we can have fun and work at the same time!

 One of our projects included making table numbers. Let me rephrase that, they were FANCY table numbers...

...that took a long time to make. But they did look pretty.

The finished product. What do you think?

Many, many teacups

The banquet style (or you could say theme) was fancy and vintage-ish. Having to come up with decorations at the last minute made for some interesting decorating.

I love the white chair covers!

A lot of cooking and baking was going on as you can imagine. 

The shortbread was amazing!! I don't really remember having shortbread before.

Part of our lunch. Probably the biggest order TacoBell has had in a long time. 

The fun begins when the banquet starts. Us young people get to work as waitresses, clear the tables, or put food on plates, etc.  My favorite job is arranging food on the plates. Sadly, I don't have a photo of what most of it looked like.

"decorating" the dessert

Very pretty. Actually, I would just skip the cake and go for the freshly made whipped cream!! That stuff was great!!

Taking group photos, except not everyone made it. Everyone was great this year and I had blast!

Clean-up time, which is still party time.  

That concludes my banquet post. Hoped you enjoyed it. Now I've got to get busy... See ya!

~Susanna

Sad news and something to make you happy

I regret to inform you all that the giveaway I had planned for today will have to wait until who knows when. I'm sorry. Some things happened to where I can't contact the sponsors I needed too. Now don't think that I'll never do another giveaway, because I WILL (just not now). And I will say I'm sorry to the sponsors I had lined up. I have no way of getting a hold of you. Hopefully you see this.

Do these faces remind you of the old Walmart logo?

 With that I need to make you all happy, so here is a picture of the sunflower cake Addy made for Kansas Day, which was yesterday.  I got her to let me help just a teeny tiny bit by putting some of the chocolate chips on top. 

We had a ton of company for lunch Sunday afternoon. I happened to get home from church before she did. So, I got to add the little touch to the twinkies. By the way, we never EVER have twinkies in our house except for this Kansas Day cake.

The cake actually tasted really good.

Speaking of cake, do you like cake? You can vote on my poll at the right. If you were to have cake would it be chocolate, white, or something different?

~Susanna

you are probably tired...

...of hearing me talk about Christmas. So, this will be the last thing I've got to tell you about.

For Christmas all the kids left at home in my family draw names. This year Addy got my name and I got her's.  Just you wait and see what she gave me. 

When we were Black Friday shopping I saw the most adorable espresso set ever! I had seen a set like it at another store, but not so cute as this one. We have an awesome Espresso Machine and I knew it would go real well with it.

Now don't you think that looks cute?!? I love how the edges of the plate scoop up.

You can probably guess by now what she gave me. Yep, that espresso set of cups and plates with the cute little stand. It is just AWESOME!!

If you can't tell I'm having a ton of fun with it.

 Between my whole family and I we've used it at least once or twice a day.

Thanks again Addy!! I love it!!

~Susanna

awesome weekend

I had a terrific Thanksgiving weekend and I hope you did too.  

My weekend really started on Wednesday because I quit school for the rest of the week and did some cooking. The only thing I really ended up making was garlic salad. That takes a long time to shred cabbage.

Charis made this pretty pumpkin roll. I didn't get to try it, so that must have meant it was good. 

Thursday I got up early (well...for Thanksgiving) and took Addy to go get Newspapers. We do the whole Black Friday shopping thing and since we don't get the paper to our house we still needed to get all the ads.  It was great because one of our local radio stations just started playing Christmas music. Being outside, driving a truck, and listening to Christmas music goes real well together.

Around noon we headed for my cousins for our "Thanksgiving Dinner."  We had a great time and good food. After lunch our friends from India taught all of us how to play Cricket. In a way it is like baseball, but I still didn't get all the rules. confusing...but a ton of fun.

That evening we took our cousin Sarah home because she was going to go shopping with us. Back at the ranch (yeah, that's our house) we pulled out all the ads, scattered them all over the table, and poured over them until they tore...they ended up that way by the time we were done. 

The plan was to get up at 3 and head out, until Mom decided to go to Walmart at 10 p.m. No one wanted to be left behind (execpt Dad) so we all headed out. Walmart was a zoo, but, oh man, it was so much fun. Being in a crowded store is like my favorite thing.  Everyone ended getting pretty much what they wanted which was surprising considering the amount of people. We went back home for a 3 hour nap and then headed out to Kohl's. 

After Kohl's we had to wait for JoAnns to open. My cousin Sarah, Addy, and I went to see if we could grab some coffee, hoping Starbucks would be open. Meanwhile Charis and Mom were the unlucky one having to wait in line. Cheers!!! it was open and with a long line, but who cares. The coffee was good and woke me up.

Shopping continued until lunch time where we ended up at our traditional food shop. By then everyone was dead (as usual) and after lunch we all went home and took big long naps. In fact I when I woke up I thought it was morning...

Thanksgiving weekend started my official Christmas season. I think this is the best time of year.  Tomorrow I'm going to set up our Willow Tree Nativity scene. It looks like this, minus the background and wisemen.

Did you have a good Thanksgiving??

~Susanna

thankful five

 This year  I'm very Thankful for...

1) My whole family.

  

   This picture was taken a year ago, but it is the only one that has all of us.

...and then later on came Yoanna!!

She has changed a lot.

2) Shyann. The BEST dog in the whole world!!

We've had her for at least 3 years.

3) My awesome flute teacher!!  No, I don't have a picture of her. I been taking from this new teacher for over a year now and have felt very, very blessed with all I'm learning from her.  

4) Starbucks or you could say coffee in general. :)

5) All my great friends. I don't what I'd do without them. You guys are great. There are a lot more I just can't fit them all in here.

Hope you all have a great Thanksgiving!!!

~Susanna

belated trip post...

So, a couple of weeks ago my family took a trip out east. Our destinations were North Carolina and Pennsylvania. One of my brothers lives in N.C. and we were going to a conference there anyway, so of course we had to see him. Then married sister and her family lives in P.A. Most of us hadn't seen where she lived and we hadn't seen Yoanna in a LONG time.

I had this problem on the trip with making these freak out faces. I think Addy and I were getting bored waiting for everyone else to load up.  Yes, we have awesome trips!!

 

When we got to the conference center in Ashville, N.C. I dropped off the guys because they had a luncheon to go too. Charis, Addy, and I went on a hunt to find a Starbucks. Thankfully, right before the trip my Dad bought "Roada."  Yep, even our GPS got a name thanks to him.

The conference was awesome and I learned a lot. It seemed to just fly by way to fast. I met so many new people and then had to catch up with all the ones from the year before.  If you'd like to learn more about the conference click here.

The conference center was so pretty. Some of us took a hike in the beautiful mountain behind it. This was on the way back. We decided to stay on the road instead of the trails. 

October is the best time of year to take a road trip across the US.

btw, Charis would want credit for this photo. :)

 Charis, Isaac, and I

After the conference we went to go see where my brother Isaac is living. A couple of days later we headed to P.A. with him along. We stopped at Fredericksburg, V.A. to see the battlefield. Since we had watched Gods & Generals it was very interesting to where the battle happened. 

 One of the houses, that is still standing, was full of bullet holes. It would have been creepy to there during the war.  The picture had to be taken from the window because the doors were locked.

Picture time again. (feels like we're always taking photos.) l. to r. Isaac, me , Titus, Addy, and Charis. This one turned out pretty good. Just felt a little weird getting your picture in a cemetery...

 Once we were done with the battlefield we took a walk downtown. I love downtowns and this one was really cute and old. Also, some of us had to stop at the local coffee shop. :)

Next stop is P.A., but it still 5 hours away. We had too say goodbye to Isaac because he had to go back to N.C.

Seeing my sister Kelsey again was so much fun. I spent an afternoon alone with her and that was when Yoanna warmed up. I don't think she liked everyone sticking their face or camera in hers.  The scenery in P.A. is very pretty...and different from Kansas. Some of us went rock/mountain climbing. At one point there was a rock slide on the side of the mountain which makes you able to see for a long ways.

There are rocks as big as you up there. 

They're also very, very beautiful.

Yoanna and I got some photos before I had to go home. Sad to see her go. I couldn't tell if she was.

 

Can't wait to see her again someday.

On the way home we stopped at Gettysburg. I'm standing on one or their lookouts. I told her to stop...

I never realized how much there is to see at Gettysburg. We only had about an hour and a half. Still, we only got through two of the stops on their tour. Either that means we're slow or just a lot of stuff to see. 

Addy and I in the same lookout.

Titus, me, and Addy in other memorial. This one had a tight spiral staircase built in 1907. 

I'm surprised they still let people go up in it.

Here, I found a picture on the web of what it looks like from the outside. Right underneath the dome where the square shape ends is where they let you go out on top. There are more memorials like it that we didn't get to see. 

After that they dropped me off at the airport. You see, I had to fly home earlier because of some things I had going on. The rest of them didn't want to leave yet that way I got to fly!!!!!!!!!  I LOVE FLYING!!!!!!!! I got stuck in Atlanta for 2 extra hours, which was great.  Do you like to fly? Or have you ever flown before?

Well, I've gotta stop now and get busy. Hoped you enjoy it.

~Susanna

Kansas State Fair!

The fair has always been a tradition (a very fun one) for my family. So, of course, we had to go this year. On Monday the fair lets everybody in for a dollar or free if 

they have a Dillion's card.

I actually rode the Farris Wheel this year. Usually I don't waste my money on rides. For some reason Charis, Addy, and I decided that was something we needed to do. I really thought it could have gone a lot faster. Maybe if I would of paid more the guy would have made that happen...

But, when you're stuck at the top you sure can see a long ways.

A view don't get from just anywhere.

Walking through all the farm equipment can make you want something you don't need.

This is Titus...dreaming. It would be a ton of fun to have lots of 4-wheelers

For the pass couple of years, Turkey Hill has given out free ice cream. They happened to be giving mint away today. Cheers!!

Walmart was giving out smoothie samples, except you had to work for them. The blender was hooked up to a bike. Thanks to my Dad for the smoothies.

I didn't realize someone was taking my picture. :) I think I was telling her to not take my picture. My siblings and I had so much fun at the Nascar Simulator, which was very addicting. The only thing that kept us from staying was the line. And yes, I did win my share amount of times.

We love to go through all the building and collect the free stuff. You end up throwing a lot of it away. :) My family used to work at the Kansas Honey Booth. This year we didn't because our church had a booth and we helped with that.

Titus and Isaac found the National Guard booth to their liking. I think this is harder than it looks.

Since it is "Dollar Day" you see about everyone you know.  Addy and I are with some friends that come every year like us.

You can get about any type of pictures here. Of anything and anybody. Charis took most of these.

The train used to be fun until your legs get to long. It is kinda tight.

Here is our church booth. My Dad and a friend, Caleb, are working it at the moment. This booth has a replica of Noah's Ark set to the HO scale. In the front is a ramp with animals walking up. We even had dinosaurs.  You can draw so many conversations with this thing.  We also gave out a ton of materials.

This one gives more detail.

 For supper I had a Gyro, which are awesome. It's grilled garlic chicken on a pita with stir fried veggies and sauce. Very, very good. You really should try one.

Isaac and I decided to try fried oreos. I know, it sounds awful and gross, but it's not everyday that you get a chance to try things like this. Only don't watch the people make them, unless you don't plan on eating any. The oreos turned out a lot better than I thought they would. They actually tasted really good. I could only eat one though. 

If you can't tell by now, I really like going to the fair year after year. I guess I looked older this time, because I didn't get any of the collage offers like I did last year. hmm...

Do you go to your State Fair or do you like stuff like that?

~Susanna