Schwalm Christmas 2023
Tag Archives: Gramma Jean
A Christmas surprise!
Since we missed going to Grayling for Christmas since Katie had Covid, we surprised them in Lansing for the Schwalm Christmas! We decided at about 10am that we could make it…and walked in to Beth and Jim’s as they were finishing dinner! SURPRISE!
Thanksgiving 2023 is over…
Thanksgiving Day 2023
Friends of ours—Scott and Wendy—also joined us this year as she was visiting from Seattle and they didn’t have other plans! She loves Thanksgiving and cooking so she brought most of the sides to go with Tom’s smoked turkey and smoked ham!
Thanksgiving tip? Gravy in an insulated pitcher! Pourable plus it stays warm!
The evening was spent watching football, playing cards, puzzling, and visiting!
Gramma Fixit
Yay! Gramma and grandpa are here early for Thanksgiving! So we put Gramma to work sewing up a hole in the beanbag!! Olive thought it was a perfect spot to nap.
Goodbye, Maine
My last homemade lobster meal from my mom before heading to the airport—a lobster omelette with a side of lobster!
Our last full day in Maine!
Our last fresh lobster dinner—2+ pounders! We couldn’t even finish them so we have leftovers for lobster quiche in the morning before heading to the airport and back to real life!
Marshall Point & Owl’s Head Lighthouses
Today’s adventure in Maine…So happy it was sunny today! We started at Marshall Point Lighthouse in Point Clyde, ME. This is where the Forrest Gump scene of Tom Hanks running was filmed.
Read the book? Check!
Visited the lighthouse? Check!
Another day around the house
It started out rainy and overcast but eventually the sun came out. We went out for lobster rolls for dinner.
It rained all damn day
I sat across the couch from Owen and read a book.
Everyone else played many hands of Buck Euchre (Katie learned it and loved it), Tonk, Kings Corners and others I’m surely forgetting. Katie was a card-playin fiend.
Lesson learned and Pemaquid Point
Last night we had asked Owen to take out the lobster waste and set the bucket inside the garbage bins (because it was too dark to go too the beach and dump in the water—but it couldn’t stay in the house or be left out where animals could get it.
Never underestimate the non-listening power of a teen brain. This is what we found in the morning. He somehow missed that we said to put the lobster shells IN the garbage bin and just left it on the porch. So then he got the glorious job of cleaning it all up! We all had a good laugh.
Then it was off on another adventure—to my mom’s favorite spot: Pemaquid Point!
You’ve seen the lobster dinner, now see our dessert! Everyone loves strawberry shortcake!
Lobster, lobster, lobster!
When in Rome…
When vacationing in Maine, fresh lobsters straight from the dock are mandatory. You’re looking at nine lobsters coming in at 18-ish pounds!
Our beach, Mount Battie & food!
There were LOTS of rocks between us and the beach.
Heading back up to the house to get ready for the day’s adventure!
On top of Mount Battie.
Then it was off to the surprise for the kids—Uncle Willy’s Candy Shoppe. They each got $10 to spend there ($5 from Grauntie Rose and $5 from me) and Katie spent all of it plus some of her own while Owen didn’t spend a penny and saved it instead.
This was one of the things she got—fruit flavored if you were wondering.
And this was what I got—it was interesting.
Then we went to mom’s favorite place for dinner—The Happy Clam. And of course I had to try their infamous Blueberry margarita!
Katie was enthralled with the old school playground so she spent most of her time out there! After dinner we took pictures!
Then Owen got involved!
Maine, I am in you.
My mom said this was probably going to be their last trip to Maine—so I took both kids out of school for a week and off we went!
And with my mom, the reason for the vacation!
Two-pound lobsters for dinner? Yes, please! Katie hated it (color me not surprised) and Owen liked it. Tomorrow we’ll have lobster rolls.
Katie wasn’t thrilled with any of it.
Owen tried everything—from cracking to eating.
After dinner they surprised me with a birthday cake—complete with 50 candles!
Grandparent switch 2023
Gramma’s Grandparent camp pics!
The Len Christmas in July is over!
It’s now just a gathering with food (lots of food!) and catching up…and euchre!
Plus we get the chance to get the kids together for comparison pics!! (They were all really good sports about it, too!)
If my mom is here, it’s Pysanky time!
I’m getting better but still nowhere near my mom. Hers is in the middle. Katie’s is the heart with tic tac toe. Mine are the rest.
I’m already planning on redoing the pride heart egg because I know I can do it better!
Pysanky lessons!
David wasn’t going to do it but then Evan didn’t want to finish his so David took it over! He did really well and it turned out cute!
Anna swore up and down she was going to suck at this but she did amazing with her very first egg! Now she can’t wait to do some more!
Making our favorite scones!
These are always a top request!
White Chocolate & Cranberry Scones
3 cups flour
½ cup white sugar
6 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
¾ cup cold butter
1 cup fresh cranberries (or ¾ cup dried Craisins)
1 cup white chocolate chunks/chips
1 cup milk
1 large egg
- Mix all dry ingredients in first group.
- Cut in butter.
- Add in cranberries and white chocolate.
- Add milk and beaten egg.
- Mix until combined BUT DO NOT OVERMIX!
- Divide dough in half. Pat each half into a ¾” thick circle and cut into six wedges.
- Bake at 375° until golden brown—about 20-25 minutes.
Pysanky Step 1 — making the dyes!
I bought just the right number of dyes when we were at Pysanky On The River! Or maybe I bought just the right number of jars!
Our first hosted Thanksgiving dinner!
I was so busy with a houseful of guests and dinner prep that I barely had time to look at my phone (so most of these are from everyone else)! But it was so worth it to have everyone together — from Georgia (Filipek), Michigan (Schwalm & Coe), and Illinois (Schwalm & Hudson). And our best friends joined us, too…and fit right in!
Then we did some reenactment shots!
I can’t believe it was 22 years between these photos. But we all still look the same, right?! Also: no kids in 2000, six kids in 2022!
Let the family festivities begin!
We excitedly volunteered to host the Schwalm side family thanksgiving this year—Filipeks usually host in Atlanta but they’ve recently downsized and didn’t have room. We had plenty of room for everyone (most even stayed with us—kicking the kids out of their rooms of course)!
Everyone had varied arrival times, but by Wednesday afternoon everyone was here! It makes my heart so happy to see my kids having fun with their cousins.
Dinner for 21 is served! Charcuterie that takes up our entire kitchen island!
Gramma and her lobster
Olive did not enjoy the costume. Plus it was a little small.
GJ enjoyed Olive—and vice versa!
POTR, Day 4
I bought $20 worth of raffle tickets and put them in a variety of things. Imagine my surprise when I got out of class to discover I won this ostrich egg!!
In case you thought I was kidding about wanting to do Pysanky now… I present my purchase — 10 dozen blank eggs! Already fully blown out and cleaned!! They were cheaper than actual eggs (she wanted to get rid of them so put them on sale!) so definitely worth the cost!! I’m actually debating getting more because they don’t go bad!!
(Yes I know there’s not a full 10 dozen here. Some are still being worked on!)
SURPRISE! A visit with some family who only lived about 20 minutes away from where we were staying!
POTR, Day 3
Group photo day!
POTR, Day 2
Pysanky on the River (POTR) Day 2 started with our first class—Beginner Drop Pull. We practiced on a paper plate first and then moved to an egg. I did better on the plate…but overall I did pretty well for my very first attempt!
The rest of our day was spent working on eggs of our own! These are two of mine!
And then lunch with pierogi, sausage, and sauerkraut!
And then I worked on copying one of my mom’s Halloween designs:
And the finished products!
They’re pretty bad (compared to the more experienced eggers) but they’re pretty good for what I’ve done thus far. I’m learning that no one draws freehand and everyone uses (what I used to think of as) cheat methods. But after starting to use them myself, I totally get it. And can’t wait to do more!!
Pysanky on the River 2022
We were up early this morning to hit the Ukrainian Museum Archives in Cleveland. Surprisingly the bathroom lighting was pretty good—I love Hampton Inn!
I bought a new necklace there (because I broke my necklace on the way here).
With my mom at the museum.
Then it was off to State Meats and eating lunch at Mama Maria’s Ukrainian Kitchen!
Then we visited a Ukrainian cathedral (to see the gold spires in the sun), grabbed a donut across the street, and then some ice cream at the Honey Hut!
Then it was back to the hotel to grab our stuff to setup for the event!
OMG all the “naked eggs” for sale… Typically you’d have to blow them all out yourself and it’s not complicated but it is a lot of work. These were already blown out and cleaned! And on sale! For less than it would cost to even buy them in the store! Turns out the vendor was getting out of the egg business and just wanted them gone. Stay tuned to see just how many I ended up buying!!!
And then I bought my Christmas present! A goose egg from Pysanky Master Lorrie Popow! It’s absolutely stunning. I couldn’t take my eyes off of it!
I asked her how she could even see to do that and she said “When my eyes were younger!” I eventually looked through her Facebook page to see if I could find it to see when she did it…and it was 2012!!
Lorrie Popow: LorriePopow.com and on Facebook
Cleveland(ish), I am in you.
A few months ago my mom asked me if I’d go with her to a 4-day Pysanky Retreat in northern Ohio. I jumped at the chance—I think I said yes even before she finished asking! I’ve long been wanting to get back into Pysanky—and I never get to spend any alone time with my mom—so it was a no-brainer!
So this morning I was in the car and on the road by 9am (in a super quick and easy road trip look) to Middleburg Heights/Berea!
Tom always does the driving so it kinda stunk not being able to work while on the road, but I did listen to an audiobook (which eventually made me sooo tired I took to eating popcorn to stay awake)! But I made it!
After we got settled and visited for a bit it was off to find dinner. I found a local Chinese place with really great Yelp reviews (Little Hong Kong) about a mile away…where we had some of the best General Tso’s chicken I’ve ever had. Highly recommend!
Then it was back to the hotel to make 65 goodie bags for the event…
And take a Covid test to be able to attend.
