12/31/21....Last day of the year, Made food for tonight, Bill hooked garage door opener up, Fun time with family and friends celebrating New Years Eve

Table all set with snacks.  We also had mashed potatoes and meatballs and gravy and lots of varieties of chips.  We didn't go hungry that's for sure

Hailey playing the snowman game

Vikki and her snowman

Jacob and Kimmy with her snowman picture with the funny arms I drew

Adam and Jared with Jared's snowman he drew in the snowman game

Isaac, Gayla, Joel, Jared, and Adam

Joel playing Left, Right, Center

Peyton and Hailey Left Right Left game

Playing Vikki's fun game, Right, Left Center.  Vikki, Isaac, Gayla, Joel, Jared, Adam, Jacob, Kimmy, me, Peyton, and Hailey

Joel giving the Loser sign when Jared lost.  

Isaac, Hailey, Peyton and Adam

Eli, Isaac, Hailey, Peyton, Adam and Jacob

Jared with the big saran wrap ball we played the unwrap game with.  It was big and heavy and had lots of neat stuff in it.  Vikki took these fun pictures!

Vikki, Adam, Hailey and Jacob

Peyton and Papa Bill

Jacob in front....Next row...Eli, Joel, Isaac, Peyton and Hailey
Next row...Jared, Kimmy, Wes, Gayla, Adam, me, Bill, Vikki and Rody

Peyton and Hailey

Gayla, Joel, Vikki in front, Wes and Bill in the back

Joel, Eli and Vikki

Gayla, Joel and Wes

Kimmy, me, Peyton and Rody

Jacob picking on his cousin Hailey

Jacob, Peyton and Hailey

Joel and Wes

Isaac and Joel

Bill, Joel and Wes

Isaac, Eli, Adam, Hailey, Jacob and Peyton

Adam and me

Joel and Vikki

Joel and me

Kimmy and Jared

Peyton called me when she got home and told me she lost her tooth.  She showed me it was really wiggly when she was here.

 

I got up early to do my morning reading before I got busy making food.  I played some good worship music too, then made meatballs and gravy, chocolate covered strawberries, chocolate covered cashews, cut cheese up, cut veggies up and got things ready for the party. Vikki, Rody and the kids got here around 4.  She made mashed potatoes, ham roll ups, 3 different kinds of bean dip, one with burger and cheese, one with ground turkey and cheese and one with no cheese (so even the fussy eaters had what they liked).  She also made her yummy salsa.  Rody made his delicious banana cream pudding dessert.  She asked me to put the potatoes in the oven to keep warm.  I asked her why the pan was cold and she said the potatoes were hot because she just made them.  I stuck them in the oven at 400 degrees for 3 minutes until the pizza bread I was making was done, then Rody brought in the real potatoes that were hot.  The thing I stuck in the oven was Rody's Banana pudding cake.  We were afraid to look inside to check on the pudding cake, so we waited until it was dessert time.  They stayed out in the cold garage until then.  Kimmy and Jared got here right after this event happened.  She helped us set everything out.  We all ate and were stuffed.  We waited for a while for the banana dessert and were pleasantly surprised when it was perfectly ok.  Wes, Gayla and Joel came and we played games and did lots of snacking. We played a snowman game that Gayla brought.  I drew arms on Kimmy's when I threw a dice that said draw something on your neighbors picture.  I drew big arms instead of stick arms and she got a good laugh. I was under pressure because you had to keep rolling until you got all the combinations of two dice to draw each part.  Yikes.  We played the penny game Left, Right, Center next.  It took a long time but was so much fun and it was nice because Joel could play too.  We had lots of laughs.  Jared was the first to lose and Joel made the loser sign with his hand.  Peyton won....I was runner up.  We played a game of 3-13 and Gayla was the winner.  Then we all went in the family room and played Vikki's game.  She and Rody had wrapped lots of cool things in saran wrap.  They used 7 rolls of saran wrap.  It was a huge ball as you can see from the picture.  We all drew numbers and that's the order we went in to roll the dice and then take our turn unwrapping until the person throwing the dice rolled doubles.  We laughed so much and everybody had so much fun!  Thanks Vikki and Rody.  Jared was a huge blessing helping Joel unwrap the saran wrap ball.   Vikki posted a cute video on her facebook page of everyone playing this game.  We waited until ten minutes before the ball dropped to turn the TV on.  Vikki passed out Happy New Year head bands Vikki brought and blow noise makers, and we poured sparkling grape juice that Vikki brought and gave each person the flavor they wanted.  Then we watched TV and counted down till the ball dropped.  We blew on our noise makers, the toasted and wished everyone Happy New Year.  Wes, Gayla and Joel left, then everyone helped pick up and left the house all cleaned up. Our family is such a blessing.  They all let me know when they were home safely.  Peyton called me and told me her tooth came out.  

Thurs., 12/30/21, Did laundry, Bill put garage door opener up, Went to celebrate Christmas with Stacie and Kody, Took cookies to Melissa, Bruce and boys

Bill watching a video on how to program the new garage door opener

Bill working on the garage door opener

Papa Bill, Kody, Nana Penny and Jedi

Me helping Kody with his Jesus Nativity Sticker Ornament

Stacie happy about the Grill Accessories to their new grill

Kody loved the Jesus sticker ornament from the Living Nativity and started putting it together right away 

Kody and Stacie...She was getting ready to open up her new camping chair for their motorhome

Kody

Kody opening his monopoly game.  He was so happy that one of the pieces you move around to play is a dinosaur

Stacie with dishcloth and scrubby
above and camping towels below

                                                        DJ opening his camping chair

Evan, Caleb and Jack playing with legos in the garage and having lots of fun.  Melissa sent me this after I talked to her and told her I wanted it

Did a few loads of laundry.  Washed up some Christmas tablecloths and towels and put them in a tub in the attic.  Made another batch of Chocolate Crinkle Cookies to have for tomorrow at our New Years Eve get together.  Cut some cheese up for then too.  Will make meatballs, chicken, a relish tray, chocolate covered strawberries, and put together a plate of Hickory Stick, cheese and crackers too.  We won't go hungry.  I have Christmas Cookies to put out too.  Vikki and Kimmy are bringing snack stuff too.  I am looking forward to all being together.  I only wish Melissa and family could be here too.   Bill did a great job putting the Garage Door Opener he got for Christmas up.  I helped a little with holding it up and also putting the bolt in my end.  He pretty much did everything himself though.  Now he is researching how to program it.  I'm doing my part by praying.  

We went to Stacie's for our Christmas Celebration.  DJ had to work, but we had a fun time and enjoyed watching each other open gifts.  Kody was so much fun to watch and he loved everything.  He was so fun and so kind and loving.  Sure do love that sweetie.  We stopped and got Culver's on the way home.  We got a concrete mixer and a burger.  I baked the cookies I had made up.  I took some warm cookies to Melissa for her, Bruce and the boys to try.  I picked up her sweatshirt I got her as she needs a bigger size too.  They must run small.  After I left her house, I went to take the sweatshirt back and get the right size.  It didn't take long as there was hardly anyone in Costco.  I let Melissa know I had exchanged it and would drop it off soon.  She told me they all loved the cookies.  Vikki face timed me.  She got a brush that dries and staightens hair and it worked amazing on Peyton's hair.  Peyton looked so cute.  

Wed., 12/29/21, Cleaned closet shelves, Went to Vikki's for a hair trim, Went to see The Underdog,

Vikki did a great job trimming my hair

Isaac

Peyton

Bill eating his free Veteran's meal at Texas Roadhouse

Got some cards like Kimmy and Jared's....Such wonderful cards...I won at Kimmy's when playing with the same kind of cards and I won playing with Bill tonight

Cute picture my niece posted of my sister, Brenda and her husband Dave

Bill made his decaf coffee and I made oatmeal for him.  I warmed up my breakfast leftovers from yesterday and had regular coffee with it.  We read our Bibles and prayed.  I cleaned the shelves in the bedroom closet.  I also cleaned out a drawer.  We took the runner back I had gotten for Christmas.  We all liked the one I have better.  The new one felt like velcro when you step on it.  We came home and relaxed.  Bill had a 3:30 appt. at the VA so he dropped me off at Vikki's on his way.  She trimmed my hair and did a great job.  Thank you Vikki! Isaac played the songs he put together on his speaker for me.  He sure did an amazing job.  They sound so good.   I bought some bubble gum from the kids.  There gumball machines look so nice.  Bill came to pick me up and he bought some gum from both kids too.  Those are going to be money making machines!!!  We went early to the Texas Roadhouse so it wouldn't be packed.  Bill got his Veteran's Day meal.  It was delicious and he got his pop with it too, plus salad, plus 4 rolls.  I got the same thing only had mushrooms on mine.  It is so nice how they did it with a voucher so that he could come have the meal anytime up until May.  I was happy to hear when Kimmy and family were home.  I sure do miss them when they are gone. We went to the movie "AmericanUnderdog" afterward.  We were so full, we didn't even get popcorn.  That's full for us!!!!  The movie was really good. There were only about 8 other people in there and they were very spread out.  You get your tickets by computer and pick where you want to sit.  It shows the seats that are taken.  When we came out to the truck, a guy was taking a picture of the tires.   They were at the restaurant when we were there, an he admired the tires, then they came to the same movie and saw the truck again.  He and his wife introduced themselves. They go to Hopevale.  He is a pilot for Delta and she works at the Midland Hospital in the office.  They were super nice.  They know some people we know at Hopevale.  We came home and Bill wanted to play 3-13.  We played with our new cards and I was the happy winner.  It was another close game though, but I was negative in the end and he was positive.  

Tues., 12/28/21, Vikki and I went to breakfast, returned items, and went to Kimmy's to check on animals

Beautiful Sunrise this morning

I was so happy to see Bo

So nice to have Vikki come with me

Bo...such a beautiful gentle horse!

Me and Vikki with Bo in the middle

Bo was out of hay, so we put some more in his box

Vikki came at 10 and we left to go to Lasko's for breakfast.  They make such great food there.  We ordered 2 eggs and they blessed us with 3.  I brought leftovers home.  I was stuffed.  We went to Costco's after that and took the gumboils back that I had got for Peyton and Isaac's gumball machines.  The gumballs were too big for their machines.  I also exchanged 2 sweatshirts.  They helped us right away with no waiting.  What a blessing!  After we left there, we went to Walmart and I returned Kenzie's camera that came yesterday and was the wrong color.  I picked up one there that was the color she wanted and it was cheaper.  Vikki found gumballs,  so we got those for the kids gumball machines.  We went to Kimmy's after that and checked on the animals.  They were all doing good.  Bo was out of Hay, we filled his hay box with the hay that was left in the wheelbarrow for us.  We gave him lots of attention, but forgot to bring him a treat.  Only Thor came to see us, so we couldn't put neosporin on Koala's paw.  We came home, hauled my stuff in and then Vikki left to go home.  She and the kids are going to Matthew's to play games with him.  Bill worked on putting the garage door opener together in the garage.  It was cold, so I took him some hot chocolate.  I decided to keep the runner I have in the hallway and get a new phone case instead.  I ordered it and can't wait to get it.  It's bright pink.  I have black now and it is such a boring color.  Bill and I played 3-13.  I was ahead during the whole game (not by much as we were both in the negative) until the last two hands.  Whoever was the winner of the last hand was the winner....It was Bill. I did get zero points though.  We watched a movie called The Tree that Saved Christmas.  

Monday, 12/27/21, Quiet day at home, End of year dinner with Pastor Ken, Joan, Elders and wives

Woke up to 2 inches of snow....beautiful outside

Eli, Jacob and Adam cutting Christmas cookies out at their house last week.  I borrowed these from Kimmy's blog because they were so cute

I was surprised to see it had snowed when I got up this morning.  About 2 inches and so white and beautiful.  Bill had therapy at the VA.  I heard the snowblower going when he got home.  He started the driveway before he even came in the house.  I texted with Adam and Kimmy in the morning and found out when they were leaving for Indiana.  I was happy to get texts along the way and then another when they got there.  I sure am going to miss them.  Talked to Melissa for a while.  Did my morning reading and prayer time.  Put on wonderful worship music.  In the evening, I got receipts for things I need to return.  I received Kenzie's gift I ordered her in the mail today.  Two of them arrived.  I had looked to see why her first one didn't come when they said, and saw on their web site that the order was cancelled.  It was only two days before we were celebrating, so too late to order anything else.  I decided to order the item again and this time could order it in purple like she wanted.  Last time I ordered pink because purple was unavailable.  Well the two that arrived today were both blue.  Go figure!  I will be going to Walmart to return them tomorrow.  Hopefully they have one in the store now and I can get purple or pink.  Otherwise, Kenzie said she will take the blue.  Bill and I went to dinner with Pastor, Joan and the elders and wives at Sullivans.  We had such a nice time and it was so good to get together.  This is a tradition we do every year, but we couldn't last year.  Such wonderful people who love the Lord who make such a great team.  I formatted one of my Christmas DVD's and then watched it on TV.  Love seeing our Christmas again and enjoying everyone together.