Wed., 12/21/22, Went to Kroger, Walmart and the bank, Hailey and I went to Burlington's, Bill took James to Jays Sporting Goods, Melissa was feeling worse today,

Happy to have a fire in the Kernel Burner again

I was the first one up again.  I wanted to get my Bible reading done before I went shopping.  Bill got up next, then Hailey.  Hailey and I ate breakfast together and had a nice talk.  She left to take Brianna to her appointment.  Bill left to pick up James and take him to Jays Sporting Goods in Clare, and I went to a couple of stores and the bank.  Got all of my Christmas shopping done and wrapped.  Talked to Melissa a couple of times, talked to Kimmy a few times and talked to Vikki a few times.  Talked to Sue also and messaged Stacie.  We are postponing our family Christmas celebration on Christmas Eve because we want to wait till Melissa and family can come too.  Melissa was feeling worse today, so got lots of people praying for her.  Every one agreed that we want them to be at our Christmas even if we have to wait.  Now it looks like the weather is going to be so bad they want us to stay off the roads anyway.  I was glad when we changed it because even though I know the girls hubby are great drivers, I didn't want them trying to make it here in bad weather.  

Hailey and I went to Burlington and it was packed.  They only had three registers open.  Joel called me when we got in the car.  It was so nice to talk to him and Gayla.  He thanked us for the Christmas card and gift card.  They leave in the morning at 6 to go to Maryland to his brother's house for Christmas.  

I called the Kernel Burner store because Bill has called 3 times and they haven't come yet.  It has been over a month.  They have a part for our kernel burner.  The guy said we can still use it though.  It wouldn't ignite, so we have been using our furnace.  I decided with the storm coming, I wanted to have it going, so called to see if we could start it manually.  He said we could and told me what to do.  I did what he said and it took some time, but it finally started.  Yay!  Nice to have it going again. 

Hailey went to pick up Brianna and bring her here to spend the night.  She is going with Hailey to Hailey's appt. in Ann Arbor tomorrow.  Tonight they are going to spend some time in Frankenmuth before coming here to stay.  Hailey doesn't want to catch what is going around so she is staying with us until all are healthy at her house.  

Bill and I watched the movie, Christmas Lodge.  It was a good one.

Tues., 12/20/22, Jared, Kimmy and Adam came before Adam's appt., I picked Jacob and Eli up from school, Vikki, Peyton, Issac and Rody came over, went to see Christmas light show

Bill and Jared after they finished eating a couple of warm chocolate crinkle cookies

Chocolate Crinkle cookies for Jared

Got Christmas cookies baked

Tina from church sent me this picture of her daughter's wedding.  They went to every table and got their pictures taken and tried to finish before the song stopped.  They did it!  Ha ha, I don't know who those weird people are behind the napkins.    Well, I might be married to one of them lol!

Jacob

Peyton, Eli, Isaac, Adam and Jacob decorating Christmas cookies for us

Bill and I helping out with the cookies

Vikki, Hailey, Peyton, Isaac and I went to the light show in Freeland.  

We got our oranges from the band fund raiser today.  They are huge!  We also got grapefruit and it tastes delicious!

Melissa called me and she isn't feeling well now.  I sure am praying for her.  Evan is feeling better today.  He just has the cough left.  So thankful he wasn't sick long.  I got up early to make Christmas cookies.  I wanted to make some Chocolate Crinkle Cookies for Jared because he loved the ones I made last year.  I used Bill's sister, Pammie's recipe.  I was just putting them in the oven, when Jared got here.  Kimmy and Adam got here shortly after.  They came to visit before they had to take Adam to his Neurologist appt.  I am so happy it is finally here.  I have been praying for him, so will be glad to get him started on a plan to get him better.  They left to get there early.  Jared dropped Adam off after his appointment.  Adam needs to have an MRI.  Thankful they are going to figure out what is the problem and what to do about it.  At 2, I left to go pick up Eli and Jacob from school.   We came home and Vikki and the kids were here.  Kimmy got here shortly after.  I made goulash and we all ate, then we decorated Christmas cookies.  Kimmy and Vikki frosted them, and the kids all decorated them.  Bill and I helped with a few for a photo shoot.  Rody stopped over.  Vikki warmed up the rest of the goulash for him.   He was really blessed a lot at work by people for Christmas so was very happy.  I sure am happy for him.  Kimmy and the boys left because she wanted to get home before dark.  

Vikki, Hailey, Peyton, Issac and I went to the light show in Freeland.  It was beautiful and the lights were amazing.  Vikki and the kids left, then Hailey and I hung out for a while and I made her some food.  Bill and I watched a good Christmas movie.

 

Monday, 12/19/22, Went to Kroger, went out to lunch with Wes and Gayla, watched a Christmas movie

Hailey in her new sweatshirt she got for her birthday

There was a fire in Hemlock last night at the elevator.  The corn caught on fire.  29 fire departments were there to fight the fire.  This was it today.  

 

I got up early and got my Christmas cards ready to send out.  Bill went for coffee with Charlie.  Hailey got up around 10.  We hung out for a while, then Hailey went to hang out with her friends and I went to Kroger to get some gift cards to put in a few of the cards I was sending out.  I had to hurry and get back so we could meet Wes and Gayla at Riverside for lunch.  We had such a great time!  They are just the best friends and they're so thoughtful and kind.  They got us a beautiful gourd Nativity ornament from Costa Maya when they were on their cruise.  They also got us a box of fancy chocolates individually wrapped.  

Hailey was at our house when we got home.  We hung out for a while, then Hailey went upstairs for a while.  I talked to my Best Friend Vikki for a long time.  We haven't talked in quite a while so it was so good getting to talk to her. 

We ate, then watched the movie A Christmas Wish and had popcorn, chips and M & M's.  We each picked which one we wanted for our snack.  The movie was really good! 

After the movie, I asked Hailey if she ate her chili.  She said she forgot.  I asked her if she wanted me to heat it up for her, but she said she would.  She asked me where a microwave cover was.  I told her I would show her so she would know the next time.  I showed her and got a cover for her.  Then the rest of the covers fell somehow, hit a plastic cup in the cupboard which fell also.  We didn't quite see what happened because it happened so fast, but the cup hit the glass bowl of chili Hailey was going to heat up and flipped her bowl upside down on the cupboard with all of the chili contained under it.  We scooted it over a couple of inches onto a heavy duty paper plate and then dumped all the chili back into her bowl.  It was amazing how the bowl didn't break on the cupboard or fall off the cupboard and break.  It was also amazing how the chili just stayed neatly under the bowl.  We sure did laugh, and I sure was happy there wasn't a big chili mess to pick up.  Thank you Lord!

 

Sunday, 12/18/22, Went to prayer, then helped with the kids Christmas party in Sunday School, Hailey, and Vikki and family were at church too, Jacob played Christmas Music with the clarinet ensemble of the Midland Concert BandHailey spent the night

Me learning how to Macrame a wall hanging

My finished project with lots of help from Vikki

It looks nice having on the wall

Peyton and Isaac

They were big helps and unwrapped a big bowl of kisses so I could make my candy.  They sure saved me lots of time

Bill was ready for church before me for a change.  We did leave right on time though.  I went back to prayer.  When I came into church, Hailey, Vikki, Peyton and Isaac were all sitting with Bill.  Rody was working in the sound/video room.  I went back and helped with the kids Christmas party.  The kids sure had lots of fun.  There were lots of games they had to move to, so it was really hard to get my K-1st graders to listen good with all of the other kids moving around.  They had fun even though they missed some of the directions though. They really liked the nativity bingo and also the game where they toss the air filled rings and try to get a ring around the reindeer antlers.  They had cupcakes, then got little Christmas activity books, crayons, a cross necklace to color and make, and a bookmark.  A couple of the boys wanted me to play tic tack toe in their activity books with them.  Time went really fast with all of that going on.  

After church, we went to Olive Garden with Diane and James.  Melissa let me know Evan wasn't feeling good, so we could pray for him.  He is so good about wearing a face mask to protect his mom and so kind.  I sure am praying he feels better really fast and that no one else catches it.  As soon as he woke up and felt sick, he put a face mask on.  What a great kid!  There was hardly anyone at the Olive Garden when we got there, but by the time we were ready to leave it was filling up.  I had lasagna and Bill had spaghetti.  It was delicious!  We both brought some home.  I have at least two more meals I will be eating from those leftovers, and Bill has one.

When we got home, I called Vikki because Bill wanted to hook up our new video doorbell and modem, and I needed some help with my new phone set up.  What would take us days to do, Rody does in a very short time.  He got us all set up.  We are so thankful for him and how he always comes to help us with techy stuff.  He's amazing.  Vikki, Peyton and Isaac came too.  Vikki taught me to Macrame and we had fun working together on my first project.  Vikki is a good teacher and a great help.  It turned out so nice and looks so good on my wall.  Thank you Vikki.  Thanks to Peyton and Isaac for unwrapping a big bowl of kisses for my pretzel candies I am making tonight.  What a big help they were!

Kimmy sent two videos of Jacob playing with the Clarinet Ensemble of the Midland Concert Band, and they were absolutely amazing.  I never knew clarinets could sound so good together without other instruments.  Jacob did an awesome job!  We were all so proud of him when we watched the video.  

After everyone left, I made the pretzel kisses candy with M & M's.  Hailey came around 8 to spend the night.  I watched the video from our new doorbell of Vikki and family leaving and it was cute because Peyton turned around and waved.  Hailey was cute when she came too because she was looking right into it.  Fun kids!  Bill, Hailey and I watched a movie.   Hailey ate some of her dirt that was left over from the party last night.  She took a shower, then we all just sat around relaxing.

Sat., 12/17/22, Happy 19th Birthday Hailey! We love you so much! Celebrated her birthday at our house!

Breakfast with Marine Corp League at Riverside this morning.  We sat with Hailey's friend, Emma's, Aunt Sandy and Uncle John

I love that Bill is faithful everyday to read his Bible.  What a difference knowing God's Word makes!  Jesus is the Word!!!

Happy Birthday Hailey!  We love you so much!

Hailey's friend, Brianna, is home from college in Nebraska, so she came to celebrate Hailey's Birthday!

Hailey and Papa

Hailey, me and Papa

Hailey with the game the boys got her

Hailey liked the body spray we got her

Hailey with the Central Michigan sweatshirt we got her

Evan reading Hailey's card he made to her

Melissa, Breanna, Hailey and I played 3-13.  Melissa and I tied and were both the winners.

Evan and Jack playing the wii while we played 3-13

Bill, Brianna, Hailey, Melissa and Evan playing Skip Bo.  Brianna and Melissa were the winning team

Did our morning routine.  Cleaned one of my jewelry boxes out in the morning.  Bill saw that I could get a good trade in price for my phone, so he took me to Best Buy and got me an I Phone 14.  I picked out a new case and a fast charger too.  It took a long time to transfer everything from my old phone to my new.  We had talked to Rody on the phone and he told us to call him if we needed him.  He has lots of phone knowledge and we had called to ask him some info.  He ended up coming in to pick up the kids Christmas presents, so Bill went to talk to him, then he came back so I could go to talk to him.  He was already almost to where we were.  He told me about a phone holder for this new phone that fits in the vent in the car, so I got one of those too.  He, Isaac, Vikki, and Peyton were eating at Charlies Subs, so he got Isaac and brought him to see us too.  Vikki forgot her purse in Charlies, so she and Peyton went back to get that.  Praise God it was still there and everything was in it.  2nd time in a week she has forgot her purse somewhere.  When we were done, Bill and I went to eat at Charlies too.

At 6, Melissa, Bruce, Hailey, Max, Jack, Evan and Bruce came over to celebrate Hailey's Birthday.  We had Hailey's favorite "dirt" with gummy worms for dessert instead of cake and ice cream because Hailey doesn't like cake.  It sure was delicious!  Afterward, Hailey, Brianna, and I played a game of 3-13.  It was a long game!  Melissa and I tied and were happy to both be winners.  After that, Evan wanted to play Skip Bo, so we got Bill to be his partner.  Hailey and I were partners and Brianna and Melissa were partners.  Brianna and Melissa won, but Hailey and I were down to just her 4 cards.  Sure was a fun night!  Vikki face timed us to show us another Macrame hanging she made and also some more things she bought and hung on her walls.  She sure found some great deals and everything looks beautiful!  They stayed around visiting for a while, then around 11 went to leave.  It had snowed, so Melissa needed a scraper brush for her windows.  Bruce hadn't put one in their new van yet.  I got one for her and helped scrape windows with another small scraper.  She let me know when she was home, and said the roads were very slippery.  

Friday, 12/16/22, Wrapped a couple more gifts, Shani came to visit,

Beautiful snowy day

We only got a dusting

Max and Bruce went for a walk today and the beavers have been busy in the last couple of weeks

 Charlie picked up Bill and they went to the Butter Crust Bakery in Bridgeport.  We think it's the best bakery around!  He brought a box of 4 donuts back here with him.  YUM!  

We read our Bibles and Advent devotion, then got a text from our niece Shani that she would be here in a half hour.  We cancelled our Schaard Christmas party on Saturday last night because too many in the family are sick or can't come.  We will reschedule in January if everyone's healthy.  I texted Shani and told her I would drop some butter horns off at her house today.  She let me know she would be coming to Saginaw today, so it worked out for her to come visit us.  She came and stayed for about 2 hours.  We had a really nice time and a good visit.  

We watched a couple of movies in the evening and snacked on cashews, cinnamon almonds and chocolate chips.  I always look for movies that are rated for all or 7+ and are 5 stars.  It takes a while, but they are usually really good movies.  The second movie tonight was a Jimmy Stewart movie.  Oldie but a goodie!

Made an apple pie using Lela's recipe Kimmy gave me.  I love the pies Kimmy makes using her recipe.

Bill went to breakfast at Riverside to celebrate Dick Carpenter's 92nd birthday with Charlie and a few guys.  I went to Aldi and to Kroger and got groceries I will need for our Christmas celebration Saturday.  Melissa called and wanted me to go to Penney's with her and Hailey.  I brought my groceries home because I had ice cream, then left to meet them.  We had fun shopping, but the store was really warm and we were all so warm.  We took our coats off and that helped some.  We went to check out and I used my 40% off coupon that came in the mail.  Melissa peeled her coupon and she had a 50%.  The girl told her it was off her entire purchase, so we decided to do some more shopping.  Melissa found lots of stuff for the boys and a couple of things Hailey wanted.  Well when we checked out, the lady had some problems and told us she was new on the job.  She told Melissa the shoes she scanned first were 1/2 off.  Melissa told her she didn't want them.  She was really nice and scanned the other stuff.  At the end she said the total was 238, but with the coupon it came to 198.  Well the three of us thought the same thing.  We walked off to look at the receipt and decided the lady was new so we would go to a different register.  We went upstairs, and she sent us back downstairs.  The lady wasn't there anymore so the girl sent us upstairs to returns.  The guy looked and took the items that weren't half off, off the Bill and Melissa didn't get them.  The final price was much better this time.  They sure should make it clearer what is covered by the coupon.  It said shoes and also items on sale were included, but then certain brand names weren't.  Oh well, we had fun and it sure felt good to get outside where we loved being cool.  

They went to eat at Culver's and I came home since I had already eaten and had lots to get done for the party.  I gave Melissa a diet root beer I had in the car and also gave Hailey a Lemonade, so they wouldn't have to buy drinks.  

We did our Bible reading and Advent devotion, then went to take some butter horns to Pastor Ken and Joan.  I visited with her for a few minutes, then we went to Jacks to get some Hickory Stick and cheese, to Sam's club for a few things, and then to Best Buy.  When we got home, I made 3 pie crusts and then an apple pie.  I talked to Kimmy and Adam was still sick.  His neurologist was sick too, so he cancelled Adam's appointment, and rescheduled for Tues.  This was a blessing since Adam was sick and now doesn't have to wait long to get in.  He has already waited months.  They can't come to the party on Sat.  Vikki talked to Matthew and he has a cold.  Melissa decided they can't come because she doesn't want to take a chance and get sick.  Vikki thought we should cancel the party and Bill and I agreed, so we will maybe have it in Jan. now.  When I let Shani know, I told her I would drop off some butter horns to her because she loves them.  She will be in Saginaw tomorrow, so she is stopping to pick some up.  I put the ham in the freezer, the turkey in the freezer, the pie in the freezer, the pie shells in the freezer, the cool whip, the Hickory Stick and the butter horns in the freezer for the next party Christmas Eve. 

Jacob texted me last night and told me he was accepted at Michigan State University.  Yay for Jacob.  He is smart, respectful, responsible, talented and a very hard worker.  He sure deserves this.  I am so very proud of him.  Next year I will have two amazing grandkids in college.  Where is the time going?????

I had a couple of nice long talks with Kimmy tonight which was really nice.  Face timed and take with Vikki and talked a couple of times with Melissa.  Kimmy told me how to put my pictures on so they will be in order.  What a great help and blessing.  I tried it and it worked. Yay.  Thank you Kimmy!