Grandma and Grandpa Visited!

We had such a great time when my mom and dad came to Omaha to visit for a few days! Activities included a trip to the Trail Center (of course!), making caramel apples, watching two wonderful movies (that we hadn't seen yet -- how often does that happen!), conducting internet research on ancestors who lived in the area during the 1860s, celebrating birthdays, eating some good comfort food, and doing a lot of talking! Thanks for the visit, Mom and Dad. Come back and see us again soon!*

Emily, Chelsey, and Ryan with Grandma and Grandpa Lofgran

*This unfortunately is the end of our planned visitors. If anyone else wants to come stay with us for a visit, please let us know!

You may just keep my unofficial seasonal depression at bay....

A Late Birthday Celebration

Excited to open their presents from Grandma and Grandpa

"Oh, I saw this on TV!"

(not one of my proudest "Mommy moments")

Loving their new Cabbage Patch dolls

Just look at these cute jogging suits my mom made for their dolls!

And An Early Birthday Celebration

Ryan couldn't stop smiling when he saw this little car garage.

New cars, too!

(And like all good pediatricians, Grandpa made sure the cars were the proper age level.)

Does anyone else agree that vintage toys are by far the best?

This car garage is not one of the annoying new ones with obnoxious digital bells and whistles, and we love it!

Thanks, Grandma and Grandpa. I think you have made my winter a little easier!

Apple Pie Caramel Apples

The girls looked forward to this all week.

(Do you think Chels was excited?)

Halfway point (with Emily's caramel-scraping fingers)

*imagine here a picture of the beautiful finished apples*

Unfortunately, I must have forgotten to take a picture when we were finished. We were so excited to eat dinner (note: don't let kids make caramel apples when they are starving!) that I forgot the after-picture. Oh, well.

Apple Pie Caramel Apples:

6 to 8 small Granny Smith apples

14 oz. caramels

Rice Krispies

6 oz. white chocolate chips

cinnamon sugar (2 Tbls sugar and 1 tsp cinnamon)

Rinse apples in hot water and wipe dry (this removes wax from the apples -- important step if you want your caramel to remain on the apple!). Melt caramels in microwave with 2 Tbls water for 3 minutes, stirring after every minute. Place sticks in apples and carefully coat with caramel. Roll in semi-crushed Rice Krispies. Melt white chocolate in microwave for 1 min, stirring after 30 seconds. Drizzle on apples. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top of chocolate. Let set in fridge for about an hour. Enjoy!

We sure did.