Our year in photos

As 2009 came to an end, I looked back through some photos to share some happy Hagen family memories! I hope you enjoy my collage!

Happy New Year - 2010!

Here's wishing you and yours great health and happiness!

All lit up!

The couple living in this house just north of Eagan along Cedar Avenue has a famous tree. Why? Because everyone saw it during the holiday season on their commute home from work or on the way to the Mall of America or en route to Minneapolis! They told me that it's lit up with 41,300 lights on 150 strings of lights!

Unemployed until ...

I spotted these Shamrock snow plows on a cold evening all lined up, quiet and unemployed. But since then we have had snow blizzards so they aren't without work anymore!

Eagan Rotarian series #12

Steve Conlin, fellow Eaganite and Eagan Rotarian, just sold this house at 4817 Shevlin Court. This house with four bedrooms, two bathrooms, dining room, living room, family room and kitchen was built in 1985. Steve listed it for $198,500. An experienced and friendly realtor for Edina Realty, Steve works with almost any price range!

If you're looking to buy or sell a house, call Steve at 651-686-2033.

www.Steve-Conlin.com

It looked a lot like Christmas...

We enjoyed getting into the Christmas mood at the "Hagen Financial Network" office. The wooden Christmas ornaments on the Norfolk Pine tree were handmade in my dad's workshop and the wreath on the door was purchased at Bachman's Floral.

www.HagenFN.com

HFN & HFA

My 9 minute younger twin brother Luther, his blond wife Libby, his smiley office assistant Beth and my foxy assistant Allison (in white) and I met next door at Doolittles Restaurant for lunch on Tuesday. My company is called "Hagen Financial Network" and his company is called "Hagen Financial Advantage." Is that kinda confusing?

Christmas Eve worship

The sanctuary was decorated with poinsettias for Chrismas Eve worship. Every Sunday in Advent, the visual arts committee added more decorations until Christmas Eve! Look back at the second sunday in Advent to compare, click here. Gloria Dei Lutheran Church members & visitors had 4 Christmas Eve services from which to choose.

Photo by: Dr. Jim Johnson

Merry Christmas from the Hagens

My wife, our daughters and I would like to wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas! I give thanks for my family, friends and new CDP blogger friends! Thanks for your support and interest in following my Eagan daily photo blog this year!

Photo by: Michael Proebstle at www.LegacyCreativeImages.com

Our Christmas tree

We cut a fresh Balsam Christmas tree out in Stillwater right after Thanksgiving. Our Christmas tree stands in our family room with a collection of ornaments: Orrfors, Bing & Grondahl, pewter, glass fish from Hawaii, made in school kid ornaments, and many other varieties. An angel glows at the top! The presents get set out just before Christmas otherwise our curious young daughters ...

Snowblowers for sale

Giovanni on the left and the other two Home Depot guys helped me decide between several different snowblowers. My broken snowblower is standing abandoned in our garage. The $499 price tag surprised me but I did buy one! I'm ready for the huge blizzard predicted for later this week!

Clearing the way

While I was clearing the way for sidewalk strollers with my shovel, the Eagan city snowplow drove past to clear the way for local traffic. I think chances are good for a "White Christmas" in Eagan this year!

Fourth Sunday in Advent

Trinity Lone Oak Lutheran Church looked beautiful decorated for Christmas. Pastor Jim Kroonblawd showed me the children's program "Glory to God" artistic decoration hanging on the school gymnasium wall before bringing me up to see the sanctuary. Their church will soon celebrate its 130th anniversary!

Click this link to see an earlier posting of this church's exterior.

Biscotti & cookies

These Christmas cookies and biscotti sure were tempting during last Sunday morning's shopping mission. I should have bought a couple to enjoy with a cup of coffee at the Caribou Coffee stand within Byerly's grocery store!

Jingle jingle

These twin sisters, "Em" & "Mar," were the belly dancing entertainment at the Northern Dakota County Chamber of Commerce holiday lunch at Ansari's. The lunch started at 11:30; they didn't dance until 12:51 and I had a 1:00 pm appointment! I was so disappointed to only see them dance for 3 minutes! Double darn! Click here to see a previous bellydancer at Ansarri's!

www.ansarisgrill.com

Christmas music for lunch

One of the Eagan High School choirs performed at our Rotary lunch meeting on Wednesday. The guys sporting dapper tuxedos and the gals wearing elegant dresses looked and sounded great.

Fa la la la la la la la la

Peanut Butter Blossoms

This is one kind of Christmas cookie which is fun to make anytime during the year and yummy to eat! We've started baking different kinds in preparation of Christmas treat times.

Try the recipe:

Cream: 1 cup butter, 1 cup peanut butter, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup brown sugar, 2 eggs, 2 teaspoons vanilla & mix well!

Add: 3.5 cups sifted flour, 2 teaspoons baking soda & 1 teaspoon salt.

Shape into balls & roll in sugar.

Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 8 minutes.

Remove from oven, press a chocolate candy kiss on each cookie - return to oven & bake 2 to 3 minutes longer!

"Armful of Love"

The Eagan Lions Club and Eagan Lioness Club gathered for a potluck dinner at Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church. After dinner, they wrapped Christmas gifts which they bought for the "Armful of Love" program to support 15 needy families. That will bring some people some Christmas cheer!

Christmas cookies & business

Let me introduce part of the board of directors of our Eagan Rotary club from left around to right: Sue, club service; Beth, past president; Bill, treasurer; John, president-elect; Roy, community service; Sharon, foundation; and Bob, vocational service. (The club president took the photo) Our club secretary, international service officer and youth exchange officer missed the cookies, candy, coffee, Christmas chocolate boxes and fun mixed with Rotary monthly business at Leif's house!

Third Sunday in Advent

Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church located on Rahn Road is decorated for Christmas. I love all the wood and the simple design. What do you think?

Ellsworth's "stuff"

It snowed this last week in Eagan. Our view out our office window is beautiful; however, Ellsworth's "stuff" in his backyard does detract from the scene. Can you determine what he's got back there?

Happy Hanukkah!

The "Festival of Lights" or Hanukkah begins at sundown on Friday, December 11. Gail Rosenberg graciously showed me her collection of dreidels and menorahs; here you see a sampling of them. I wish all Jewish people around the world a very special Hanukkah!

Eagan dog series #16

I saw these beautiful Alaskan Malamute dogs one early Autumn morning before a breakfast meeting. I ran down the street after them for this photo.

Headless for the Holidays

If you're looking for the trendiest holiday dress fashions, you'll find that "headless" and long legged is now in style! C'est tellement bizarre, non?!

Wildflower book signing

Betty Vos Hemstad, a St. Olaf grad and a summer resident of Grand Marais near the Gunflint Trail, was selling and signing her book, "Wildflowers of the Boundary Waters - Hiking through the Seasons." I had a nice visit with her and was very tempted to buy her book.

Order her book:

bettyhemstad@aol.com

Saturday Santa

On Saturday evening, we drove to Burnsville, the suburb next door to Eagan, and found Santa ready for picture taking at the Burnsville Mall. Flicka, Ricka and Dicka sat with Santa, asked for Christmas gifts and I paid $21.35 for two 8 X 10 inch photos and the right to take their photo with my camera.

Second Sunday in Advent

Our church, Gloria Dei Lutheran in St. Paul, was built in the 1950s. We celebrated our centennial last year. The first church building stands further north in St. Paul.

Every week, they add additional Christmas decorations during Advent as we await the celebration of Christmas. Click on the photo to "embiggen."

"Light of All Creation"...

..."Scatter the Darkness" - that was the overall theme for the 98th annual St. Olaf Christmas Festival. Our middle daughter and I drove on Friday night 40 minutes down to St. Olaf College in Northfield, my alma mater, for the delicious Scandinavian smorgasbord and internationally renowned Christmas service of worship in music. Five choirs and an orchestra filled the Skoglund Center with wonderful, traditional and a few contemporary songs. "Beautiful Savior" arranged by F. Melius Christiansen closed out the program.

Svenska Sallskapet smorgasbord

On Thursday evening, the "Svenska Sallskapet" (The Swedish Society) enjoyed a Christmas smorgasbord at the American Swedish Institute in Minneapolis. At the men's monthly dinner, I introduced the "Spelmanslag" as the evening entertainment. They played traditional Swedish fiddling music which originates from Rattvik & Leksand in central Sweden.

The menu included:

Assorted hors d'oeuvres with Glogg;

Smorgasbord:

Aquavit herring; Sherry wine herring, Matjes herring served with sour cream, chives and chopped red onion; Sillsallad - Herring and beet salad; Boiled potatoes; Eggs topped with creamed caviar; Cold smoked salmon served with horseradish cream; Kalvsylta - jellied veal; Pickled beets; Julskinka - Swedish Christmas ham; Apple sauce and Swedish mustard; Gherkins; Pickled beets; Pickled cucumbers; Fresh fruit platter; Olives; Cheeses: Vasterbotten, Prastost, Herrgardsost and Blue Cheese; Limpa and hard tack; Red cabbage; Meatballs; Jansson's Temptation; Swedish sausages.

Main course:

Lutfisk served with cream sauce, melted butter and peas.

Dessert:

Rice pudding served with Lingonberries and Ginger Cookies with coffee. Smaklig Maltid!

(The photo with the Carlsberg beer bottle was my 1st course of smorgasbord; the second photo is of the buffet line with Lutfisk, etc.)

Our "Swedish lesson" for the evening was the expression: "Nar en advokat dor, foljer fan honom till graven." Good luck with the translation!

Eagan dog series #15

Susie and her 12 year old White German Shepherd named "Tasha" were enjoying a beautiful, Sunday, September afternoon at Jensen Lake Park. My family and I were there to play on the swings and playset.

Eagan Rotarian series #11

"Funny Don" drove his black 1929 Ford Model A, Murray body, 4 door town car over to my office for this photo. His Aunt Dorothy bought the car from its original owner, Edna Johnson, in 1958 for $200. When Don's Aunt Dorothy died in 2001, Don bought the car from her daughter, Dottie. The car is in mint condition!

Don began his career in computers at West Publishing in downtown St. Paul in 1969. He retired in Eagan as their Accounts Receivable department manager in 1997. He's a fun and funny guy to have in our Eagan Rotary club.

WAITING for a commuter bus

At 7:30 in the morning, these people were waiting for the commuter bus to downtown St. Paul from one of Eagan's "Park & Ride" sites.

December's Theme Day for the City Daily Photo blog community is: WAITING!

Click here to view thumbnails for all participants around the globe

Cartoon car

I spotted this car parked at the YMCA. It's painted with a famous American cartoon show. Who knows the name of the show?