First Christmas as a Karhoff

This was an especially exciting Christmas for Geoff and I since it was our first Christmas as a married couple.  We enjoyed every moment of it!  I had to work at school up until December 22 (yuck!).  This meant that I also had to work on my Birthday, December 21, but it turned out to be a pretty fantastic Birthday.  Geoff woke me up to him and Roscoe singing happy birthday to me with my first Birthday present of the day.  When I got out to my car, some hunky stud had already scraped off the frost from my windows and had a diet coke and another Birthday card waiting for me inside.  School was fun and I got sang to me a times.  I even had one class make me a birthday card, probably my favorite card this year!  Geoff surprised me with Subway for lunch and took me shopping and out to dinner, to Chili's!, that evening.

Geoff and I on my Birthday

We took off to Joplin after I was done with school on December 22 and spend Friday with my parents in Joplin.  Then we took off, yet again, Friday evening to head down to Ada to see my Grandparents and the Brileys.  We were both really excited to see them since we hadn't seen them since the wedding.  I think this was the longest I had gone without seeing them.  I was definitely having Grammy withdraws!  We had a great visit with everyone and wish it was longer.  The only bummer was Papa was put in the hospital on Christmas Eve with an infection in his leg, he is doing better and taking medication, and the doctors do not seem to have concerns with any other serious issues to stem from this, its just a bummer to be in the hospital on Christmas.  Luckily we were able to get to spend some time with him.  For now we just have to pray for a speedy recovery for him from Nebraska.

Celebrating our birthdays with my family.

My cousin Danielle was able to ride back to Joplin with us on December 26th to meet Josh, Geoff's best friend from college.  We were again, super pumped to spend time with the two of them before they took off to Illinois to ring in the New Year.  And of course we had a great time hanging out with them! We also got to see Kirk and Peggy for a little while and hear about their adventures in Florida with Grandma and Aunt Ann.  Definitely a trip Geoff and I want to take very soon!

Sadly, we had to head back to Lincoln on December 29, but we had to get home to get ready to have our good friends Josh and Nicole come visit us for Geoff's Birthday! We spent all day hanging out, going to basketball games, shopping, eating and celebrating Geoff's Birthday and the New Year on December 31st.  This was our second year to ring in the New Year with them and hope that this tradition continues!

Geoff's Birthday Cake: Chocolate Mayonnaise that I made.  I only had 24 birthday candles so I improvised to make 25. 

As you can see, its been a pretty busy week and a half.  Good thing I do not go back to school until Friday for a work day and then kids come on Monday.  I am going to need these next few days to recover from the Holidays!

Happy 2012 from the Karhoffs!

Capitol City

Last weekend, it was finally "warm" enough for Geoff and I to walk around outside without having to wear multiple layers.  And by warm I mean sunny and upper 30s.  After a week filled with snow, highs in the low 20s, and lots and lots of wool sock and long underwear, this was a heat wave to us northern newbies.  So we spent our Saturday afternoon discovering new stores downtown and checking out the capitol.  I have said from day one we need to go visit the capitol.  Here is a fun fact for you, I've never visited a state capitol, so I was kinda like a little kid.  We seep the capitol on a daily basis, but I didn't realize how big it actually was until we were up close.  Being a public building, it is open every day, so we walked right on in.  I found it odd that we didn't have to pass security of any type.  In fact it wasn't until we were leaving that we even saw a security guard of any type.  We decided to opt out of a tour on this day and caught a bit of a tour in progress with a boyscout group where we learned some interesting facts.  We got to see the State Christmas tree which had an ornament from each county in the state.  The building was soo ornate and full of marble and details, details, details!!

The Capitol with the Occupy Lincoln Camp.  Haha silly teepee!!

Statue of Abraham Lincoln with the Gettysburg Address on the background.  Pretty neat. 

Us with the Christmas Tree

This chandelier weighs as much as a Volkswagen Bug! 

The ceilings were so neat!!

We had a great day.  And we truly love living in Lincoln.  There is so much to do.  We discover something new nearly everywhere we go.  We just wish we were closer to our family and friends.  Especially this time of year, I realize how we took for granted having all of our family and friends so close to us.  I'm looking forward to going home for Christmas more than ever!!

Roscoe, We're Not in Missouri Anymore

Its hard to believe we are going on our 6th month of living here in Lincoln! While we miss our families and friends back in Joplin, we are truly loving the opportunity God has given us in Lincoln.  I think back to our first week here and so many things have changed.  We have living room and bedroom furniture, I have a job, we have a Church, I can successfully navigate to pretty much anywhere I want to go in town, we've learned that you don't go downtown on game days, even for a little bit and that when people ask you about or talk to you about the Huskers you just stand there and smile and nod your head.  Even though we are in the "midwest" you don't have the southern hospitality or charm like in Joplin.  People aren't going to invite the new people in town over for dinner and a slice a pie, but they aren't going to be completely rude either.  Although, we are slowly starting to make some progress in the friend department.  We got invited over to someone's house for lunch next Sunday after church!  Woot!!!

We've also learned that people know how to handle winter around here.  Its become a joke between Geoff and I that it isn't "cold" outside but "brisk."  Each morning the weather man reports of mornings starting in the the low 30s and getting up into the 40s and that its "going to be brisk out today," while back in Joplin that would just be plain cold.  Although, this week we are learning a new type of cold.  Mornings in the single digits and hoping to make it past freezing by the end of the day!  This justifies a "cold" day to the weather men here.  And with cold weather comes the debate of indoor or outdoor recess.  Back in Joplin we wouldn't go out unless in was about 32 degress; here we're out as long as it is above ZERO!!! Even if snow is on the ground, we are outside!!  I learned this today, and boy was it an experience.  Snow and recess do not mix, no matter what the circumstances are! 

Speaking of snow, we got our first snowfall of the year on Saturday!!  And although I hate it for recess purposes, I just love snow!  It is so pretty.  I told Geoff that it makes everything look like a Christmas card!  Plus, the roads got cleared off and were ready to go the next day.  I can handle snow when its cleaned off like it is here!  Roscoe on the other hand, now that's a different story.  He does not enjoy the snow, bless his little hound dog heart.

A Very Thankful Thanksgiving

After a busy trip to Fort Collins, catching up on laundry, getting back to work, Geoff getting sick, then I got sick.... I am finally able to blog about our Thanksgiving!! Geoff and I were very excited to get to spend Thanksgiving with his brother Doug and family.  Plus who doesn't love a trip to the mountains?!?! I was excited as well since this was my first Thanksgiving as a Karhoff!  As usual, we spent Thanksgiving day feasting on all sorts of yummy foods and watching the Lion's, unfortunately but typically, lose to the Packers.  And of course a couple of naps were had by most all.  That evening, Amber and I headed out to Toys R Us to score some sweet deals on Black Friday Sales for the kiddos.  And thankfully, they opened at 9pm so we could go shopping and come home to sleep!

Friday was a super exciting day.  We decided to take off and go up to Estes Park and look around since Geoff and I had never been there.  It was absolutely gorgeous.  We both said that we are definitely going to live there some day! Unfortunately it was super crowded for the Christmas Light Parade and really cold.  So we said we will plan better next year and go watch the parade.  Then it was time to take off to head to Denver to eat at Casa Bonita!!! I had never eaten at Casa Bonita so I was super pumped, and let me say, it did not let me down!  It was totally awesome. 

Saturday we went to Downtown Fort Collins to go ice skating!!! I love ice skating, Geoff on the other hand, not so much.  So I was really happy to have a chance to go with Amber and Raegen.  The boys decided they would just watch and swap manly stories.  That evening I got to go with Amber and Raegen to a dinner theater to see White Christmas.  It was fantastic but nothing beats Danny Kaye and Bing Crosby.  Plus our very flamboyant waiter, Ryan, was also in the chorus and he truly thought he was the star.  We all had a great time enjoying his facials, and he was Raegan's favorite character!

Geoff and I loved our visit and are looking forward to making this a yearly tradition!  Here are a few highlights from our trip:

Geoff and his new little Buddy. 

Us in Estes Park

 

At Casa Bonita, I was a little excited.

Cliff Divers

Ice Skating with Raegan.

B.T.W. My Gorillas just beat Northwest Missouri State for the second time this year!! One step closer to the NCAA DII CHAMPIONSHIPS!!! GGOOOORRRIIILLLAAASSS!!!!!!!!

My Most Favorite Time of the Year!!!

Its here! Its here!! The Holidays are here!!!! If you know me, you know that I absolutely love Christmas and everything associated with it!  Now before you all jump down my back because I'm skipping Thanksgiving.  I consider Thanksgiving to be lumped right in there.  Nothing beats a day with family, good food and thankfulness.  I find it so appropriate that we enter the Christmas season with a day to be reminded of how thankful we should be for everything that God has given us, especially the greatest gift He has ever given us! An eternal life with Him!!

This past weekend, Geoff and I decided to take a trip back to the Ozarks to get our fix of Lamberts and Christmas at Silver Dollar City!!! And it made our trip even more special because both of our parents went with us!  So we had full tummies of yummy hot rolls and chicken friend steak and pass arounds and our hearts were full of joy from Silver Dollar City!  And good news: the highway to St. Joe is back open from all of the flooding this summer so now it only takes 5 1/2 hours to get home instead of 7! YAY!!

So after our festive weekend we decided it was time to deck our halls!  It was fun to pull out all of my Christmas decorations since I didn't get to last year. (I was moving back home from Pittsburg to student teach) Although, sadly a few of my music boxes are still in my parents garage, but I don't think there would be room.  Our little place is pretty festive!  And Geoff has big plans for our porch, that is this weekends project.  Lets just pray that Michigan beats Nebraska, otherwise I will have one grumpy husband for quite a while!

Us at Silver Dollar City!!!

My Christmas Decorater Helper

Our Tree!!

All ready for the Holidays!!!

Updates and Cooking

Hello bloggersphere readers!  I haven't updated in a while so I thought I would inform you of whats been happening around the Karhoff casa.  After a somewhat disappointing Halloween (refer to last blog post), we got to look forward to my parent's visiting the following weekend!! So our week was spent preparing the little abode to be ready for visitors.  Friday FINALLY came and my parents were here!! We really enjoyed just spending time with them, showing off Lincoln and cooking yummy food!!  We didn't do anything major, and I don't even have pictures to post of the weekend (Gasp!)

I've also kinda of gotten into cooking lately.  Maybe I'm becoming more confident in this wifey skill but I really am kinda proud of a few of my creations.  So I thought I would share my little tiny tid bit of success in the kitchen. 

1. Chili
I'm pretty proud of my chili.  Granted, chili isn't something that is too hard to mess up, but your talking to the girl who made the most disgusting batch of mashed taters in the first few weeks of cooking.  It all started on the first cold day, Geoff and I were freezing and decided to make chili.  It turned into throwing in a bit of this and a bit of that and voula, CHILI! I made a pot while my parents were here, and they were pretty impressed. 

2. Baked Potato Bacon Soup
This was a recipe that I added to from a cookbook I got at non other than Silver Dollar City! Its super simple and sooo tasty.  It reminds me of the baked potato soup from Chili's.  Here's the recipe:
1 can cream of potato
1 can cheddar cheese soup
2 cups milk
salt and pepper
2 cans of diced potatoes or peeled and cut up baking potatos
4-5 strips of bacon fried up and crumbled up into the soup

Throw all of the ingredients in a pot and bring to a boil, then simmer until the soup thickens.  I add in bacon once the soup is simmering. 
It is sooo yummy and good that we have had it twice in the past two weeks.  I think you could even crock pot it but I haven't tried yet. 

3. Calzones
Tonight I made homemade calzones that turnded out way better than I thought.  I'm still perfecting it, but I think it might be a new favorite.  I found this really awesome dough recipe from my new favorite blog, The Small Things blog. 

You should really check The Small Things blog out.  She is awesome with hair, makes cute jewelry and crafty things, attempts to cook like I do, and loves the Lord.  I'm pretty sure she is supposed to be my best friend.  Lol.  Here is the link: The Small Things Blog

Well thats all for now.  Our tummies are full of yummy calzones and we are watching Jericho, a show we have recently become addicted to on Netflix.  Until next time...

Fall Festivities

Happy Fall!!! Today was the first official snow of the year!!! WAAAHOOO!!! It really got me in the holiday mood.  So much so that I played Christmas music on my way home from work! But before I get into my Christmas/Thanksgiving holiday mode, I'll catch you up on our Halloween. 



We started out by visiting the pumpkin patch near our house.  We got to take Roscoe with us and he loved it!! They had a small petting zoo, corn maze, hay ride (or as they call it in these parts a hayrack ride, I don't get it) and you got to pick your pumpkin straight from the patch!  Roscoe was really intrigued by the donkey and the donkey wasn't so sure of Roscoe.  All in all, it was a fun afternoon.  

Then this past weekend we carved our pumpkins!! Geoff hates the nasty insides of the pumpkin, so it was funny to watch him squirm.  Fun fact for ya: this was the first time in all our years together that we were able to carve pumpkins together!

On Halloween, I had to work, with kids...ugh.  It was a long day, but when I came home I got everything ready for trick or treaters.  We even had an extra "spooky" dinner! 

Even our Gnome dressed up for Halloween! 

"Spooky" Rigatoni...Geoff is never going to let me live this down. 

Unfortunately we did not have a single trick or treater all night.  Oh well more candy for us!