Santa and his....Fire Truck??

Every year our sweet neighbors, Dee & Mark, bid on the Santa Fire Truck at the Snoqualmie Fire Dept annual fundraiser in the summer. I think the parents look forward to this just as much as the kids!
Neighbor kids and Ms. Dee anxiously awaiting for Santa's arrival

Peyton dancing away :)

Santa arrived on an old vintage 1900's Fire Truck.

We were told this was the first truck the City bought and it was restored about 10 years ago. It is a very, very cool truck! Santa arrives to the house with gifts (pre-delivered by Dee) for all the kids

Bailey fell on her way in and "luckily" there was a paramedic with Santa to apply a very special band aide to her knee ...otherwise....it might have fallen off!

minor surgery -hehehe

The neighbor kids waiting for Santa to call their name!

Looks like Bailey was a good girl this year

and Peyton too!

These lucky girls!

This was the third time they got to see Santa!

My heart overflows with our fabulous neighbors...we are surrounded by the best people ever!

Group picture with Santa

"Bye Santa!" ....until next year

Does your family have any crazy holiday traditions...?

Well, I must tell you about ours. When G-Ma was a little girl her parents would make Swedish Potato Sausage for Christmas. My Dad grew up making it, I grew up making it...and now are girls are growing up making it too. This year we did it at our house...will my kitchen ever be the same?!? :)

You start by peeling 30 lbs (yes 30!) of Potatoes

Then cut up a ton of onions (killer on your eyes!)

Then you drink a beer...oh wait- not sure that was in the recipe!

But we added it :)

Next, you grind all the onions

This is done with G-Ma's parents original grinder, made in the late 1800 or early 1900's

Then you grind all the potatoes.

Dan married into this-poor guy! :)

Ground pork is then added to the mix

....and a lot of spice!

Now comes the gross part- thankfully Dad like this part!

smooshing... gooshing... mixing everything together

That's right Peyton- Gross! :)

(not sure anyone will want to eat this after seeing how it is made-hehe)

The next you use a press (another original- which is now 3-legged) to make the links

spreading a part the casings

Press is ready to go.

Meat in the press and casing on the tube

...and the cranking has begun!

Done! Look good to you?

The girls were very interested this year.....

They had quite the production line going on

5 hours later, they were done (I say they, because I did not help this year-hehehe)

27 quart Ziploc bags were filled

Ridin' the Santa Train...North Bend to Snoqualmie & back

The old railroad that runs between Snoqualmie and North Bend does a Santa Train from Thanksgiving to Christmas. The train departs from North Bend and it is a 20 min ride into the Snoqualmie Train Depot. You then get to stay for an hour and visit with Santa, play on the trains and warm up with hot chocolate and freshly made cookies. This year Grampie, Grammie Jo and G-Ma came with us. The girls were soooo excited!

Waiting to board the train
Aboard the train and ready to go

Me and our beautiful girls!

Dan & G-Ma

There were four passenger cars and a steam engine. The conductor said these trains were built in 1915...so almost 100 years old! He said they were built the same year as the Titanic, but these cars are still floating- lol! It is a cold and bumpy ride...and that is what makes this trip so fun.

Ridin' to Snoqualmie

We were in line to see Santa and G-Ma got pulled aside by the Constable. (She gets in trouble where ever she goes :) He said that Santa asked him to give her an early gift. Her eyes lit up and what does he give her......

...a piece of black coal. So funny. Can you see it in her hand?

Then, we get closer to the door where Santa is and she wanted a picture with this cute old man. He said, "Yes, go ahead, I only let good lookin' ladies touch my beard!" So she got to tug at his beard. G-Ma is soo0 funny. As you can tell she enjoyed herself

Girls with Santa inside the Snoqualmie Train Depot

Inside another train, they have cookies and hot chocolate. This is an old Aide Car...and it has the original kitchen- which they still use coal to cook with.

Playing outside on the trains

Bailey- 5 yrs old

Peyton 3.5 yrs old

Aboard the train back to North Bend. They do such a beautiful job decorating the inside of each car

G-Ma and I...oh how love that lady :)