12/14/15 Bill and I went to Detroit so he could have his check up on his knee and get the rest of the staples out.

The one on the left is what Bill's knee replacement looks like and the one on the right is what Gayla's hip replacement looks like....funny to have them together so took this pic to show Gayla

Bill at the the Oldie's Diner.  Could play songs for a nickel in the jukebox

Our Waitress took this for us right after we got our shake and malt. Dad's leg was bothering him a little so I asked for a plastic bag with ice but they only had paper.  He put his cup of ice water on it for a while and that helped.

I got lots of stuff done for the party tomorrow night for care group because we are going to Detroit later and tomorrow I have our breakfast and Hailey's Choir trip to Horizon's I am driving for.

We left for Detroit at 12noon.  Bill drove the whole way down there which made me nervous, but he did great.  We listened to Christmas music on the way.  Family Life is playing continuous Christmas music until Christmas now.  We got there and the PA was amazed at how well Bill was doing.  He said you are doing amazing God Bless You to Bill.  We told him God was the reason he was doing so well for sure.  He removed the rest of the staples.  It bled a little and when we walked to the car the bandage he wrapped around it slid down to Bill's ankle.  He took it off then because it was not bleeding any longer.  He drove and we stopped at Great Lakes Crossing in Auburn Hills.  We walked the whole Mall.  We got some Christmas shopping done and bought matching red flannel shirts Bill liked a lot.  We stopped at the diner and had a hamburger, fries and I had a malt and Bill had a shake.  We had a nice time listening to oldies.  We walked the rest of the mall and then left and headed for home.  We resisted Cinnabuns because we were full and not good for Bill.

Bill drove the rest of the way home too.  He is sure doing fantastic.  We got home an I made up goodie bags for our care group people.  Watched the news and went to bed.

12/13/15 Vikki and Isaac helped decorate cookies.

Isaac was a wonderful help decorating Christmas Cookies

He kept decorating right to the end.  Amazing for a 4 yr. old

Vikki was a great helper too.  So glad they came over and helped

They really decorated them beautifully.  Designer cookies!

We went to church this morning.  Stacie was there today.  Melissa and family and Vikki and Family were there too, except Kenzie.  Kenzie was working today.  After church we went home and ate, watched a DVD from Family Life Radio with singers singing their songs from the 80's/90's.  Very moving DVD for me.  Lots of memories.  Could feel the Holy Spirit moving with all the great songs.  After that we went to the funeral home as Debbie Davis's sister passed away.  Came home and did some knitting and then got a call from Vikki who found some good deals at the thrift store....picnic/card table clips to hole tablecloth on.  They are plastic.  She also found really good hair conditioner.  I told her I was going to decorate cookies.  She and Isaac came to visit and help.  Peyton was with Grammy because Rody took her carseat to work.  Isaac really is amazing the way he decorates cookies.  I was very impressed.  At 5:30, Vikki and Isaac left.  Bill and I got ready for the worship service at church which started at 6.  It was an amazing worship service with Christine H. teaching for 15 min. on worship and the rest of the evening was worship.  Emily led and did such a great job.  After church, we invited Dennis and Amy over to sample my Christmas cookies.  They came over and we had coffee and cookies and then played 3-13.  This was the first time they played this game and they loved it.  Bill won!

12/12/15 Baked and decorated Christmas cookies today.

Cookies are baked and ready to decorate

This is how Cole and Kenzie showed up to decorate Christmas cookies. Ha Ha  They looked really nice as they were going to go to Olive Garden, but this nana was worried they would get messy doing cookies.  Below is what they wore to decorate.

Cole and Kenzie did a good job decorating cookies.  Kenzie mentioned she notices she sticks her tongue out like grandma used to do while working on something.

Isaac playing in the mall.  I had just walked in and called him

Jack did a great job singing at Macy's for Salvation Army

Hailey, Jack and friends bell ringing and singing at Macy's.  They sounded great.

Isaac had fun playing in the Mall with Peyton and Evan

Isaac, Peyton and Evan in the boat

Isaac the Penguin

Peyton the Penguine

Evan the Penquine

Isaac and Nana at the Mall

Bruce led a great group of singers and bell ringers

Hailey did a great job and looked beautiful in her new glasses

Max with his bell

Started in the morning making 3 batches of Christmas cookies.  Kenzie and Cole came over to help decorate.  It was fun and they did great and were a huge help to me.  They were all dressed up when they came.  I told them they would get messy so Kenzie got something to put on and Cole took his sweater off.  We had fun and it didn't take long.  I told them they could eat round steak and mashed potatoes with us and save money on going out, but Kenzie had her little heart et on going to the Olive Garden.  Bill wasn't feeling too good so he didn't help.  He had offered earlier. We ate and he stayed home while I went to Macy's to see Bruce, Melissa, their kids and some friends from Bethlehem sing and ring their bells.  They sounded great. What a wonderful thing for them to do.  Saw Patricia Clark in the store and she wanted to go out and see Melissa so I took her out.  Then went inside and spent time with Vikki, Rody, Peyton, Isaac and Evan in the mall play area.  Left and went out to hear one more song before heading home.

12/11/15 Went to see Kimmy and the boys today

The boys after they got off the bus. It was so nice out that we walked down to see them get off the bus.  48 degrees out and sunny 

Love seeing the boys get off the bus

These boys give the best hugs!  Thank you Jacob, Adam and Eli

Thought this was so sweet of Adam so borrowed it from Kimmy's blog

Eli drawing a tree and Norman relaxing

Adam and Whitie

Jacob doing playing the songs he played at his concert for me

Love this picture of Adam, Eli, and Jacob in front of their tree

Love this picture of Uncle Tom, Isaac, Peyton and Aunt Debbie so borrowed it from Vikki.  They went to help her decorate Christmas Cookies

12/10/15

Beautiful sunrise this morning!

Evan trying a helmet on while we were shopping

Melissa had a huge sledge hammer to keep Evan in shape Ha Ha.

We had the helmet on backwards the first time.  Got it right now!

Now Evan gets to hold the big hammer

Met Melissa and Evan this morning at Toys R us.  Got Jack, Evan and Max's Christmas presents and Max's birthday present.  Went to Target and got Bruce's Christmas gift.  Glad to have most of my shopping done.  Went to Applebee's for lunch.  Came home and Kenzie came over for a while.  We made brownies and she had a bowl of chili with cheese and sour cream and saltine crackers.  I made dinner for a friend in our care group who just had shoulder surgery.  Took Kenzie to get her car from Poppi's work.  She had a boot belt repaired.  She went to work and I went to deliver the meal to Kay.  She has a friend  (in her late 70's) of hers taking care of her in her apartment.  She was such a sweet amazing lady.  She made banana bread when she heard about Bill's surgery and gave me a loaf.  Kay's mom and dad were there too.  Her mom was very sick and in a nursing home and now is back doing great.  Such a miracle and a very sweet lady.  Love seeing all the miracles God does.  Such an awesome God!  Bill and I watched a movie called "Letters from God" when I got home.

129/15 Took car in for extimate

Our sweet kids at Kids Care Groups  The front row is my group and the little guy with his hands on the girl in pink's head.

Bill did great today.  I am so happy to see him have it better this time.  Mykenzie called to give me her new phone number.  She is going to come this weekend and wrap Christmas presents.  Bill and I took my car into to get an estimate.  It will cost $1,126.68 to fix.  I am thanking God that the insurance company is waiving the deductible.  After we left there, we went to Riverside to get a hamburger.  I hadn't been there in a couple of years.  When we got home I did my lesson for tonight.  We made nativities.  They got all of the parts colored and now next week we will put them together.  Great group of kiddos!

12/8/15 Bill came home today! Thanking the Lord!

Went to breakfast today.  Had scrambled eggs, yummy american fries and rye toast.  Haven't been able to be there for a couple of weeks so it was nice seeing everyone.  After breakfast I went to see Bill.  He had a dental appt. in the VA Hospital so I went with him.  He has to have a couple of things in his mouth removed and tested for cancer.  Has to go to Detroit again for this.  Praying no cancer.  He was getting tired so I came home to get things ready for care group and waited for him to call.  He called me and I went back.  He was in an appt. with a Urologist so it took a while for him to come where I was waiting.  I was in a chair by the elevators.  Lots of people went by and said hi and then a guy came and sat on the bench across from me. The two elevators were between us.  He started talking about how everyone there was so nice.  His sister was in.  Talked about how many kids today don't know anything about respect.  Told me he loved reading and got one of the free books that people donate there.  I asked if he ever read the Bible.  He said he does now and then.  Told him about how Jesus is the only way to heaven and he repeated it and agreed.  God had just put on my heart that I needed to put some tracts in my purse which I had just done in the morning.  After about 15 minutes, he said he had to go and he got on the elevator.  I was able to give him a tract and he seemed very happy to get it.  Praying for him now.  Bill had many opportunities to witness while he was in and has a good testimony he shared at care group.  Bill finally came and as he was checking back in at the desk, I saw Pastor Bob Schultz sitting in the room by the desk.  We went in and talked to him.  He had been waiting for Bill to get back too.  I went to get the car and he helped Bill carry his things.  I was going to pull up to the door, but Bill is doing so great that I looked up and he had walked to my car in the parking lot.  We got home, he rested, then we ate chili.  Had a good care group  and amazing worship.  Sam was concerned about the strike at Nexteer and we prayed.  Before care group  was over the strike was over and people were back to work.  Praise God.  We had many testimonies of answered prayer.