Sunday, 12/5/21, Went to prayer before church started, Went to Faith Riders Christmas Party

 

Faith Riders Christmas Party

Prayer for new members of Faith Riders, Ron, Barb, Lew, Cindy, and Paul

Ron, Barb, Cheryl, and Bill

Got ready for church,  prayed, did my morning reading, worshipped.  Sue called me for prayer as she is having problems with her heart rate and she is worried about Charlie's health.  Please pray for them.  The worship was so good this morning.  The message was such a good one too.  Glen Hatcher was there and preached today.  Pastor passed a basket of wrapped cookies out to everyone after prayer time.  I heated up the meatballs I made and put them in the crockpot, til it was time to go to Faith Riders Christmas party.  We had lots of fun and are very thankful for 5 new members who want to be involved and active.  God is so good.  When we went to leave, it was sleeting out.  The sidewalk was icy, but the roads were still good.  We were happy about that.  My friend from church, and almost neighbor's cat accidentally got out and ran away.  They don't have children, so their two cats are like their kids.  She is heartbroken, so please pray for Kim and Mark's cat to come home.  She is one of the nicest, most giving, caring people I know.  Also, my niece Tammy, had a hysterectomy and it was the worst one the doctor has done in 8 years, so please pray for her.  

She is doing ok now, but in a lot of pain.  Bill and I watched Father of the Bride 2 tonight.

Sat., 12/4/21, Took Isaac to Tim Hortons, Went to Hobby Lobby, played monopoly, Vikki and Peyton came for goulash, went to Boar's Head

Peyton with the Christmas tree Boston Cream Donut Isaac got for her

Papa Bill and Isaac during our Monopoly game

Peyton showing me the Nativity Window Clings she put up for me

Peyton and Isaac at the Boars Head

Donovan, Hailey and Ally after the Boar's Head

I was the first one up.  About 15 minutes later, Isaac got up and came downstairs.  We read a the Picture Bible, then he wanted some Rice Krispies for breakfast.  I did my Advent Devotional reading.  Bill got up and got ready, and we headed for Tim Hortons.  We all got a donut, Bill got a coffee, I got a French Vanilla Cappuccino, and Isaac got apple juice.  Isaac loved his Boston Cream Christmas Tree donut, so he wanted to get one to take to Peyton.  We dropped it off for her, then went and got a car wash, and went to Hobby Lobby.  We found a big wreath to hang outside that was half off.  Bill has really been wanting one over the door.  When we looked to plug it in, it was battery operated and for inside.  He took it back.  Isaac wanted to playMonopoly, so the three of us played.  Bill landed on all the right spots, and bought most of the property.  He also won the big middle pile of money a couple of times.  I got Boardwalk and a few other good ones,  Isaac didn't have too much, but did have 2 railroads and a couple of other low price properties.  Long story, short....Bill won.  I gave all of my money and property to Isaac and bowed out first.  Isaac still didn't have enough to beat Bill.  It was his game pretty much from the start.  It was fun playing with Isaac.  Vikki and Peyton came, and we all age goulash for lunch.  She took some home for Rody too.  After they left, we watched Father of the Bride.  I couldn't finish it because I had to go pick up Peyton and Isaac to get to the Boars Head  on time.  Tonight is an actual performance where they tell you not to take pictures during it.  It was so good and Hailey did great as a King's page.  We talked to Hailey afterward and got her picture in her costume.  Went in and saw Vikki's Christmas tree and decorations when I dropped the kids off.  Talked to Melissa on my way home and talked to Kimmy when I got home.  Texted with Adam for a while too.  Watched the rest of the Michigan Game.  What a great game!

I sure had a super happy husband too! Happy to see them doing so good now!  Hope they keep it up.

Friday, 12/3/21, Raked up the last of the leaves around the house, Isaac came to spend the night, Hailey came for dinner, we went to the Living Nativity

 

Bill, Isaac and Hailey...Goulash and Garlic Bread for dinner

In church...Vikki, me, Hailey, Peyton, Isaac, Rody, Bill, Joel, Wes and Gayla

Vikki, Hailey and Peyton

Vikki with the Roman Soldier behind her...I guess the soldiers aren't as mean as they seem lol

Adorable cows next to where Baby Jesus was

Cookies and beverages afterward...Hailey. Peyton, Isaac, Rody, Vikki, Wes, Gayla, Joel and Bill

Hailey and Peyton

Hailey

Yearly picture at the Living Nativity...Wes, Gayla, Bill, Penny, Joel, Hailey, Peyton, Vikki, Isaac and Rody

Vikki, Peyton, Isaac and Rody

                                                                  Me and Gayla

This was the most beautiful Christmas Tree

Evan and Jack skating on the new Ice Rink in Frankenmuth

Evan, Jack, Bruce and Melissa in Frankenmuth

Bill went to therapy, then tried to find a outdoor power strip for the nativity.  I filled the bird feeders, then put peanut butter on some pine cones Kenzie gave me and hung them out for the birds to enjoy.  I sprinkled bird seed on the outside too.  I raked the leaves that blew up against the deck and also a pile that was in a line from the wind on the deck.  Done with leaves now.  Kimmy and the boys were supposed to come when the boys were done with their half day of school.  She called to let me know Eli had been exposed to Covid, so they ended up not being able to come.  Bummer!  I sure was disappointed.  Jacob and Adam were supposed to spend the night too.  Hopefully next weekend they can.  Better than it being on Christmas though.  I had been planning to make lots of spaghetti, but froze half the burger and made goulash instead.  Hailey was still coming and Isaac was coming to spend the night.  Isaac told me yesterday, he was hungry for goulash and Melissa told me Hailey loves goulash.  Vikki brought Isaac over and stayed for a few minutes.  They were excited to see a big blow up snowman in the yard.  Bill surprised me and had it all set up when I went out to call him to come eat lunch.  Hailey came around 4;30 and we ate dinner.  She ate two helpings and Isaac ate one big helping.  Goulash was a success.  Afterwards, we headed to Frankentrost to go to the Living Nativity.  It is just amazing!  We got right in and sat in the church and sang Christmas songs.  They also had kids playing instruments, and singers.  We were waiting for the story and the big angel to show up on the ceiling, but they called us to go outside with our shepherd before we got to see it this year.  Our shepherd was really good at leading us.  They make it so real as you walk through and the shepherds tell of the appearance of the angels and the announcement of a king being born.  Then we had to pass through the mean Roman Soldiers who try to search us and said we stunk and to keep moving.  How rude!  We stopped at another fire and warmed ourselves while the shepherd told of the prophecy of Jesus being born.  Then we walked through Bethlehem.  They have tons of people and the market place is filled with goods they are trying to sell, plus rabbits, chickens and even a camel.  This year is was bigger than ever and all the people acting did such an amazing job.  We stopped at the inn, but Peyton knocked and the inn keeper told us there was no room.  He did send us to a stable where he had just sent another couple who was with child, and told us maybe we could find shelter there.  Then the Shepherds and kids came excitedly running telling us the savior had been born.  We walked around the corner and their in the stable was a couple of donkeys, Mary, Joseph and the baby Jesus and a couple of cute cows.  Then we heard the story of Jesus and why he came!  We went into the school gym and had refreshments and visited after that.  It was so much fun and so meaningful.  We sure missed Kimmy and family and Melissa and family.  We came home and watched a couple of movies with Isaac.  We are so happy he is spending the night.

Thurs., 12/2/21, went shopping, helped Bill haul branches to the back yard, Vikki and the kids came over,put up Christmas lights,

Hot chocolate after putting up the lights and nativity

Isaac and Peyton...great helpers

Lights looks so nice...Thanks Bill, Vikki, Peyton and Isaac for your help

Bill checking out the lights...we both came out to look at them lit up and took pictures

I love this picture of Eli and Bo....except Eli is looking so much older.  Another grandson growing up so fast

I had to go pick up some groceries and also pick up two outfits for the kid's sizes I picked from the giving tree.  I went to Meijer, Macy's and Penneys.  They had very few outfits in the sizes I needed.  I was thinking I would see lots of cute outfits and have lots of choices, but there isn't much out there.  So sad.  Right now with Christmas shopping there should be many selections.  It was very difficult to find one 3 yr. outfit for a girl and a 24 month outfit for a boy.  I did manage to though.  Not my kind of shopping.  When I got home, Bill was trimming the tree out front that we decorate.  I ate half a sandwich I had left from yesterday when we ate with Kenzie.  It tasted just as good today.  I helped him haul the branches to the back brush pile.  We started putting lights on the bushes, then Vikki called.  She asked if we wanted her to come help.  I was going to say no because I know she works so hard at work, but Bill said yes.  His back was starting to hurt him because he had worked on trimming the tree.  She was picking up the kids and came right away afterward.  They were such great helpers.  Vikki helped with the lights.  I sent Peyton and Isaac upstairs to get the sheep out of the attic for the nativity.  I figured they could carry those because they were little.  They ended up bringing all of the nativity figures down and there are a lot.  Then Peyton went to rest in the Vikki's car.  Isaac helped us with the lights.  We all put stakes in the ground and put  the nativity figures over them.  The stakes keep them from blowing away.  It all looked great when we got done.  It was about 46 degrees, but so windy if felt much colder.  We all came in and had hot chocolate afterward to warm up.  It sure tasted good.  Vikki and the kids left after that.  Bill and I ate burgers, fried potatoes and peas for dinner.  Then I talked to Melissa and texted with Vikki.  Got some cute texts from Adam too.  So nice to have the light all up outside.  Thanks again Peyton, Isaac and Vikki.
 

Wed., 12/1/21, HAPPY 16th BIRTHDAY MAX! WE LOVE YOU! Bill had appt. with the surgeon in Ann Arbor

Happy 16th Birthday to our Max

Happy 16th Birthday to our Max

Melissa, Max and Bruce

Bruce, Evan, Papa, Nana watching Max open his presents

 

 

Papa, Max and Nana

Max with his cinnamon roll Kenzie got him today

Looks like Bruce want a big bite of the cinnamon bun

Hailey

Bruce, Hailey, me and Papa standing around Bruce and Melissa's new heater.  It worked great!

Took some back roads on the way home from Ann Arbor today

Bill met Rich for breakfast.  Got ready and made coffee for our trip to the VA Hospital in Ann Arbor.  When Bill got home we left.  We headed for the Expressway and the ramp to get on was closed.  It would have been nice if they would have had signs up ahead of time, but they didn't.  We headed back to the last exit and decided because there was a big back up on the expressway, we would head a different way.  It was a nice trip with good weather and not much traffic.  We got there just in time because of the little delay on the way.  The doctor was very nice and seemed very knowledgeable.  We both liked him.  Of course we had prayed for God to give him wisdom to do what was best for Bill.  He was pretty cool because he wore black CROCS.  He doesn't think surgery will help.  He is sending him to a pain clinic to see if they can help with the pain.  He also gave him exercises that if he does them for 3 months, he should see good results.  He said he should have therapy too.  I am happy for no surgery needed.  We had lunch with Kenzie and Travis on our way home.  We had such fun visiting with them.  Kenzie got Max a big cinnamon roll for his 16 Birthday before we left.  We went to their house and Travis got Kenzie's bow and put it in our car for Jack to try.  Bill and I  relaxed for a while when we got home, then when Melissa called, we went to celebrate Max's birthday.  He was so much fun and so cute opening his presents.  He had "dirt" for his cake and also delicious ice cream.  I had "chocolate paradise" ice cream that was yummy.  We all loved the dirt!  We hung out and tonight got to hug Max because he wasn't with us the last time.  This made us so happy.  I have missed being able to hug him so much.  Got hugs from the boys and Melissa again too which I love and sure did need.  I will never take a hug for granted ever.  I will appreciate each one so much after Covid.