11/24/16...had breakfast, played cards, had a huge turkey dinner, took a nap, went for a nice walk and had banana splitswent for a nice walk

My sweetie Bill

Me

View out the window when we ate our breakfast.  Kind of hazy on the water

Yummy Thanksgiving dinner they served us!  Had salad too and our choice of pumpkin, peach or apple pie

This big Buffalo watched over us while we ate.  So glad he was hung securely!!!

The Livery 

Entrance to the Livery East Wing

Hallway to our room

We went on a wonderful long walk

The museum....many old cars, snow mobiles, farm equipment, household antiques

Bill serving water

Me helping keep toppings full and ice in pitcher for water.

Bill's 5 scoop banana split!  They served 117 banana splits and thought they would run out of bananas but didn't.

The Amish guy in the background turned and asked dad if they treated the workers special and laughed.  They let anyone have seconds if they want.  No one usually does, but Bill did one time.

Got up and gave thanks to the Lord for all of the many blessings He has given us.  We went to the main lodge for breakfast!  The had scrambled eggs, ham, sausage, toast and bagels.

It was very cloudy and misting.  At 12:30, we went to the dining hall and had a wonderful Thanksgiving meal.  We were so stuffed afterwards.   We took a nap when we got back to our room.  Got up and went for a nice long walk on the trails.  Bill did good walking
with his boot and broken foot.  We played a couple games of 3-13 after that.  We skipped the evening meal because we were too full.  At 8:30, we went to help with toppings and serving water and coffee with the banana splits.  There were 117 people who had banana splits.  All but six of us were Amish from Indiana.  One sweet lady talked to us for a long time and invited us to come to the restaurant she works at in  Shipshewana.  Love helping and getting to talk and joke around with everyone.  Watched a Hallmark movie before going to bed

11/23/16....left for the Shack, stopped for breakfast, went to thrift shop and

Nice sun rise in the morning 

Bill relaxing 

This is our 6th year staying here for Thanksgiving and this time we stayed in a different building called the Livery

Panorama of our whole room

This is our door with our room number on the horse!

Our view of the building we usually stay in!

Nice fireplace with a remote.  It was nice and cost!

They served us at our table. They are so nice there

Our rockers, table, closet and on the wall is a cabinet with an ironing board that pulls down and an iron.  

Bill's yummy banana split.  Pretty plain...vanilla ice cream and chocolate

My yummier banana split....three different flavors of ice cream, strawberries, pineapple and chocolate

We left home at 9 a.m. It was 31 degrees and misting out but the roads were good and no ice on them which we were thankful for.  We were going to have breakfast at Jenny's in Shepherd like we do every year but they were closed, even though their sign showed the hours and they should have been open.  We ate in Remus instead.  I had a yummy omelet.  Bill had eggs, potatoes and bacon.  We ran into a little harder rain, but not bad.  Stopped in Whitecloud and went through a thrift store.  Saw a nice king size headboard we would have gotten if we had the truck.  Left empty handed, but with smiles.  Got to The Shack at 12:30 and got right into our room even though check in wasn't till 3.  No one stayed in it last night.  Loved our room.  We usually stay in the main building, but stayed in another building called the Livery.  We stayed in the west wing.   We had a nice full kitchen, a fireplace, colony bed and lots of room.  We took a drive to Fremont and went to a very nice Amish store.  Bought Carmel apple suckers for the grandkids and a birthday present for Charlie!  Got some tea tree oil there too.  Came back to the Shack and ate dinner.  We had delicious garden salad,  delicious roast beef that was super tender, fish, mashed potatoes, corn, green beans and rolls.  Walked around for a while and then went back to our room.  We went back for banana splits at 8:30.  The owners who are a sweet Christian couple in their 80's served everyone.  He scooped ice cream (three flavors per person of their choosing) and his wife cut all the bananas for everyone in line.  This was the longest line I have seen in the six years we have been coming, about 100 people.  Bill and I helped by serving water and coffee at the counter by them.  It was so nice getting to serve people and talk to them.  About 90% here are Amish and most come from Indiana.  They are always very nice to us and fun to talk to.  It started at 8:30 and we got our banana splits at 9:45.   They were delicious! We went back to our room and watched a Hallmark movie and played 3-13.  Bill won the first and I won the second.

11/22/16...Went to Special Friends Day at the kids school, 2 fireman came and installed 3 free smoke detectors, took Mocha to Vikki's,

Evan and his class at Special Friends Day at school

Papa was Jack's special friend

Evan in his turkey hat he and his Aunt Vikki made

Evan and me

Bill, Jack and me

Evan making his turkey hat

Evan in his classroom

Evan and his beautiful Special Friend Aunt Vikki

Evan's classroom

Max and his Special Friend his mommy (Melissa)

Melissa and Max

Max and me

Hailey and the ornament she made

Ally, Hailey and Ally's grandma

Me, Ally, Ally's Grandma, Hailey and Ginny

Hailey, me, Ally, Melissa, Amber and Logan (photo bomber)

Isaac and Peyton with the package they got today 

Isaac looking at his Advent Calendar that was in the box.  It is a  Nativity scene one and was so nice.  Peyton got one too and Lenny got a cute doggie sticking with his name on it.

Got to the kid's school at 8:15 and I found Hailey and Bill found Jack to sit by for chapel.  It was a very nice chapel.  Hailey's little chapel buddy reminded me so much of Eli except she was a girl with beautiful hair.  She was so cute.  Vikki was Evan's special friend and Melissa was Max's special friend.  We all went to their classrooms afterward and made something with them.  I went to Hailey's classroom and we made ornaments.  Here's mine hanging on my tree!

It was fun making them together at Hailey's Desk.  Ben's mom, Lynn, showed us how.  It was nice because Sharon Dill from church was in our classroom and so was Ally's grandma.  The kids sang Silent Night in German and Go Tell it On the Mountain for us while Mrs. Weiss played the piano and sang.  After that, we went to the church narthex for donut holes and coffee with the kids.  It was lots of fun and the kids were so happy.  We were happy to see them.  When I got home, two firemen came and put free smoke detectors up for us.  They put one over our bedroom door, one in the basement and one on the ceiling upstairs in the hall.  The one fireman was so tall, his head almost touched the ceiling.  It was pretty easy for him just to reach up and hang the smoke detector on the ceiling.  They were very nice.  After they left, I looked at the box the smoke detectors came in and they have a battery in them that doesn't need changing.  Love that!  Very happy I saw the little notice for the free smoke detectors in the paper.  Bill and I went and filled the car and truck up with gas.  Then I took Mocha to Vikki's.  The kids and Lenny opened their package that came today.

So nice for them to get from someone who said they were Santa.  Went and got a free sub and am 8' sub from Quiznos and brought them home for Bill and I to eat.  Packed for the Shack tomorrow.

11/20/16...Vikki helped move living room around to get ready for the tree to go up

Melissa and Bruce took Peyton, Evan and Isaac to the Temple Theatre to see Polar Express today.  They got free popcorn and juice at the movie too!  How very special for them.

Melissa and Bruce got them hot chocolate afterwards

They loved their ticket they got punched and their bell they gave them.  Evan wanted his by his bed when he went to sleep

Vikki came over and worked hard changing our living room around to make room for the tree.  She also brought the tree upstairs for us as Bill's foot is broke.  Thank you so much Vikki!

Went to church.  It was a great service.  The kid from Bay City ahead of me was such a great worshipper.  He was young and this was his second time coming. He was raising his hands and singing!  Love seeing young people loving the Lord.  Jack was worshipping today too.
After church, Bill and I went to Logan's for steak, a salad, and a baked potato.  Of course for peanuts too.  Everything was delicious.  We came home and watched the Lion's game and then took a nap.  Vikki and Rody came and visited.  Vikki stayed to help rearrange the living room and make room for the tree.  Love the room this way.  Thanks for your hard work Vik!  So nice that she brought the tree up too.  All set to decorate this Friday.  We watched a movie called Christmas Angel.