Friday, 12/4/2020....Charlie stopped over, Vikki, Peyton and Isaac came over and so didKimmy and the boys!

                                                                                      

 Sign that Bill hauled with his truck and helped set up

 Eli with the maze he drew while he was here.  It is A maz ing.   
It took him a long time...he sure had patience

The Adam, Jacob, Isaac, Peyton and Eli had a fun snowball fight in the basement

Peyton, Adam, Isaac, Eli and Jacob

Adam and Jacob were such a great help to papa unloading the wood pellets...fast and efficient

Our nephew, Matthew was honored and received an award and they also wrote a nice article in a magazine.  

Peyton and Isaac eating their ice cream and toppings they picked out before watching our movies.
Peyton picked out chocolate chips and caramel and Isaac picked out M & M's and caramel. They both wanted cookies and cream ice cream.  Bill and I had ours with banana's and nuts added.

After our morning routine, Bill went to help move the Marine Corp sign to Hemlock.  I fed the birds and put suet in the suet feeders.  I saw a vehicle that looked like Charlie's going slow down our road, so I walked around to the the front of the house by the garage.  It was Charlie.  He was dropping of a bag of dishes he was returning, even though I told them I didn't need them back.  I was happy to see him.  At first he acted like he couldn't talk and pointed to his throat.  Then I was telling him how nice it was he could drive to Sanford yesterday and he told me all about where they went and what they saw.  He sounded so good.  I was so happy.  It made my day.  I talked to Kenzie over an hour and had such a nice chit chat.  Matthew got an award and had an article written about him in a magazine telling of his great achievements.  I am so proud of him and so thankful he is a miracle and loves Jesus so much.  He is such a sweet and caring person.  Kimmy and the boys came over and so did Vikki and the twins.  She brought some wonderful and beautiful Christmas face masks!  Sure made us happy!  Thank you Lela! You are always so kind!  We played Pictionary and had snacks.  Jacob had a zoom meeting he had to lead, so he went upstairs for that.  Adam and Papa went to pick up wood pellets because the boys wanted to help Papa unload them.  When Jacob finished his Zoom meeting, he and Adam helped Papa unload wood pellets.  Thank you Jacob and Adam so much for helping with joyful hearts.   The kids all went down to the basement and had a snowball fight with my snowballs Hailey, Max, Jack and Evan got me last year for Christmas. They were having so much fun and sure looked tired afterward.  Everyone left so they wouldn't have to drive when it was dark out.  Peyton and Isaac are spending the night for a fun movie and ice cream night.  We picked up burgers and kids chicken tender meals from Culvers and came home to eat.  We watched Emmets Jugband Christmas and 12 dogs of Christmas.  When we watched the second one, Peyton said, good a movie with actual people in it ha ha.  I did some Christmas shopping while watching the movie.  We read the Bible, prayed and I tucked them in.   What a fun day!

Thurs. 12/3/2020..Walked 2 miles on the treadmill, went and saw Christmas light shows

Went to two light shows tonight...this one in Shields and the one below in Hemlock

After our morning routine Bill went to get stamps.  I did some laundry, then talked to Sue and to Rhonda on the phone. Charlie and Sue stopped over to drop off a dish on the porch that I had put food in for them.  We said a social distance hi and talked for a few minutes.  Charlie drove them to Sanford and they checked out how things were there since the flood.  When he got home, he was real hungry so Sue made cream of potatoes soup for him.  He asked her if she would had the burger/cabbage/onion that I had ground up fine to it.  He was able to eat it and said he really enjoyed it.  That made me so happy.  I am so thankful he is doing so well so soon after his surgery.  Talked to Kimmy and I'm so excited they are going to be able to put their pottery in a Gift Shop in Midland.  Such a blessing for them and for people who want beautiful and quality pottery.  In the evening, Vikki, Peyton and Isaac came over and we went to two Christmas light shows.  They were both very good!

12/2/2020

 No pictures today!  Did our regular routine, then I went to Penney's to pick up stuff for our Giving Tree at church and some tube socks and candy for inmates, and then picked up a ham for Christmas and some other things.  The stores were pretty empty.  I made cabbage buns for Melissa and family, some for Sue and ground up some of the burger/cabbage and onion for Charlie.  Bill delivered Charlie and Sue's and I delivered Melissa's.  Evan came out and greeted me and was so cute.  I will take some to Don from our Faith Riders tomorrow as he just had knee replacement surgery.  Just leaving on the porch.  We watched a movie called, Christmas Miracle on Amazon Prime.

Tues., 12/1/2020...Happy 15th Birthday Max! Watched Peyton and Isaac did schoolwork, Bill went to the dentist, Went to celebrate Max's Birthday, Prayer Meeting on Zoom

           Happy Birthday to Max!  We love you so much and we're so thankful to God for you!                                                                                     

Big woodpecker on the feeder

The woodpecker flew over to the tree

Bill and me...holding my French Vanilla Cappuccino from Tim Hortons...arriving for Max's Birthday

Papa and I telling Max Happy Birthday

Bill, me, Max and Hailey

Max opening his card

Me, Papa, Hailey and Max reading his card

Max blew out the candles...lots of smoke when you are 15

Jack and Max...Me and Hailey are outside the door and we are all singing Happy Birthday to Max

Evan sang Happy Birthday to Max while in the tree

It was a delicious cookie cake

Cute picture Bill took of Max and Melissa

Bruce, Max and Melissa

Melissa with Zoey their new hamster

Jack with the guinea pig

I got up early so I could get ready and then call Max at 8, before he started his school day.  He was so cute on the phone.  I sure do love him! Vikki brought Peyton and Isaac at around 8:20.  Peyton was cute when she walked in and saw the stair rail decorated and lit up.  She said she liked all the bows.  I had coffee made, so Vikki took a cup to go.  The kids both did amazing on their spelling words today.  Isaac only missed 1, and Peyton missed 4.  I only went over the words once with them.  I was so happy and proud of them.  We had fun reading!  When they would read with expression, I would say, you are reading like daddy.  Rody did a video of him reading Pete the Cat and we watched the video in the morning before we started schoolwork.  He did an amazing job!  We just finished reading and the kids went downstairs to play Air Hockey when Vikki got here. The kids ate breadsticks that were left over from our pizza night.  They left after that. Bill went to the dentist.  They were wearing suits with oxygen and were very safe.  He wanted to take a picture ha ha.  At three, we went to celebrate Max's 15th Birthday.  Max opened his card and money.  We all sang Happy Birthday, some inside and some outside, but it sure was fun celebrating with him.  We visited on the porch, and enjoyed our time together.  It was pretty cold and windy out, but we are delicious cookie cake and ice cream.  Bruce fixed Hailey some nachos because she always comes to eat at home.  Bill saw them and said we needed to go to Coco Loco's.  Max was deciding where he wanted to get food for his birthday and was leaning toward Taco Bell.  Mexican night ha ha!  We left and called in an order at Coco Loco's.  We picked it up and they were really being safe there...hand sanitizer available, tables blocking entries to restaurant, boxes for used pens and new pens to use to sign receipts, only about 3 people working.  We came home and ate and it was delicious.  My dear friend Vikki, called and we had a good talk.  Gave some Giving Tuesday donations online.  It started smelling so bad, I had to get the spray.  The nachos must not agreed with Bill.  I kept spraying, but ended up having to put a face mask on too.  Pretty bad!

Monday, 11/30/2020...Decorated the stair rail going upstairs...last thing to decorate! Watched a great movie!

 

I love this picture of Eli, Jacob and Adam working on the puzzle, so I borrowed it from Kimmy's blog

Last decorating project in the house!  My least favorite job!

Did our regular morning routine.  Finished decorating and vacuumed the needles up.  Put all the Christmas storage containers back in the attic.  Sent the Faith Rider's Newsletter out.  Warmed up chili I had in the freezer for dinner.  Watched a really good and heartwarming movie called Christmas for a Dollar.  It was so good!  Caught up on my blogs.  

Sunday, 11/29/2020...Watched church online, ate brunch, Put up more decorations, Vikki and the twins came over to help decorate the outside

Watching our church service in the morning

Isaac decorating our little tree

He did a great job

Peyton did a great job too!

Peyton sitting up the kids nativity

My favorite ornament.... It says....The Glory Be Thine Oh Lord

Nativity set up by Vikki and lights hooked up by Bill

Peyton and Isaac by the Nativity

Decorations are up outside...Vikki, Isaac and Peyton were such great helpers

Got up early to read my Bible, worship and pray.  We watched our church service online as we had a case of Covid at church last Sunday.  Thankful we didn't go, because we are close to the person who had it.  It was another amazing message and worship was great.  I made brunch afterward, then did more Christmas decorating.  Vikki, Peyton and Isaac came over to help with the outside lights.  Vikki was an amazing help and has a knack for doing it!  Isaac and Peyton did a great job helping too.  It sure went fast and was a nice day in the mid 40's.  Peyton went in and set up the kid's Fisher Price Nativity.  Isaac decorated the little Christmas tree in the family room.  We ordered pizza.  I thought it was delicious, but Little Caesar's made a mistake and gave us the wrong pizza with mushrooms on the whole thing, we ordered 1/2 with mushrooms, ham on it, and black olives (we didn't order ham, and ordered green olives).  They picked the stuff off which wasn't fun, but they ate without complaining.  Vikki checked Bill's pizza when we picked it up to make sure it was no cheese, and they got that one right.  Usually that's the one they mess up.  Vikki called and told them they messed up the order, and I can pick up one free pizza anytime in the next 2 weeks.  We went to watch the light show at the park in Freeland.  It was amazing seeing all the lights go to the music, but was disappointing that it's a Christmas Light Show and had absolutely nothing to do with the true meaning of Christmas.  Not even one song!  We drove around looking at beautiful Christmas lights around our area afterward.  It sure was fun!  Thank you Vikki, Isaac and Peyton for all your help today.  I talked to Melissa today and texted with Adam.  

Saturday, 11/28/2020...Decorated the tree, cleaned out the kernel burner, walked 2 miles, watched a movie

Love starting my reading in the morning with Kimmy & Jared's mugs.  Perfect size, perfect fit and perfect colors

Got the mantel cleared off and bottom shelves cleared off for Christmas decorations

Tubs with Christmas ornaments and decorations in them

Max showing how he is almost as tall as the tree

Max showing where he comes to on the tree.  He could easily reach to put the star on

Picture taken two years ago where Max had to stand on the arm of the couch to reach the top

Jack and his big bubble

Evan and his huge bubble

Melissa...they must take after their mom....look at her huge bubble

Evan got to put the star on their tree this year

All of our Christmas trees this year.  Lots of Sister/Aunt Debbie's Ornaments on our trees. They all look so beautiful! Vikki's had hers up for a while, Kimmy's family put theirs up last night, Melissa's family and we put ours up today!

 

Melissa's tree 

Kimmy's Tree 

Vikki's Tree 

My tree 

Did our morning routine.  Called Sue to see how Charlie was doing.  The Visiting Nurse was there, so she called me back.  The nurse said he is doing great and she didn't expect him to look as good as he did.  I dropped off some straws, as Charlie wants to try using straws to drink.  He feels like he is going to choke when he takes a drink, so he thinks this will help.  Adam sent me a picture of their pretty tree.  He also told me he and Jacob won at soccer.  Bill put some screws in the back of the treadmill that were missing.  It looks great and doesn't need duct tape any longer.  Bill and I got the lights on the tree.  I started working on the beads, but then the Kernel Burner quit and needed me to clean it. Boy was that a messy job today for some reason...worse then ever!  I even ended up saying I hate hate hate that job.  Usually it goes much easier.  Bill asked me to go for a walk with him.  We walked down our road and back which was 2 miles.  Finished the Christmas tree and watched a Christmas movie on Amazon Prime, called I Believe.