Christmas in South Dakota

17 years is a long time ~ That's how long it had been since all the kids and grandkids on DJ's side had been together for Christmas. 

I can only imagine how happy it made my MIL's heart to have us all home this year! It was a wonderful visit ~ Full of laughter, stories (mostly of DJ and his 3 brothers when they were growing up :), way to much food, games and just being together. 

We drove straight through ~ About 18 hrs. or so. Ben serenaded us with his singing :)

Not to far from DJ's hometown in north east South Dakota. Farming country.

My MIL and I working in the kitchen Christmas Eve day. The cooking and cleanup got done quickly with people pitching in to help.
My MIL did a fantastic job of having everything organized so it was easy to put the meals together and keep people fed :)

DJ and Dani

Hoff and I ~ Not sure what those pathetic faces were for......?

Grandma and Grandpa with the grandkids ( 2 were missing)

Mom and Dad with the original 5 :)

Adding in the spouses ~ Except Nancy's husband, Jim, wasn't there yet.

Everyone piled together ~ Was so good to get these pictures taken.

Dave, DJ, Nancy, Shorty and Dale

Opening gifts on Christmas Eve since not everyone would be there the next morning.
Ben, as the youngest, got to hand out the gifts.

I just had to show you the tiger meat. Yes, it is raw ground beef with onions and different seasonings in it. You eat it with crackers. It's very popular in that area and can be found in the local grocery store. It's not as bad as you might think.

Two dads and their sons playing cards with a grandpa looking on :)

Jenga ~ it makes you hold your breath and pray that you aren't the one who makes it all come tumbling down.

Phew!

Balancing on one block........

Go Loo!  (look at Shorty and DJ in the background anxiously watching their kids)

Ben sends them tumbling!

It takes precise movement.

Dani and Nancy bundled up in Grandpa and Grandma's coats. They went down the street to collect dinner plates we had used at my MIL's sisters house the night before.

Not very Christmasy looking, right?  
My FIL starting making sausage along time ago. 
We love it and almost always make some to take back home with us.
This batch is a mixture of beef and pork.

Nancy, Dan, DJ and Dale set up in the basement.

These hands (my FIL) have made countless lbs. of sausage over the years! 
He does a fabulous job!


I think the warmest it got while we were there was 9*. 
I remember my first winter there, 20 years ago. My MIL said it was  -80* with the wind chill factor! I remember looking at her like "what does that even mean?" It means no matter how bundled up you are that wind blows right through and it's COLD!!

Stay warm :)

~JanMarie