Sat. 1/28/23, We celebrated the Schaard Christmas today at our house. Lots of fun!

Peyton did so good braiding different ways 

Me by my charcuterie board I made for the party

Peyton and I

Adam, Evan, Jack, Isaac, Max in front row
Jacob, Hailey, Aunt Debbie, Kenzie, Peyton in 2nd row, Eli in back holding their 2022 ornaments from Aunt Debbie

Jacob with his graduation ornament from Aunt Debbie 

Isaac, Aunt Debbie, and Peyton with their Twin ornaments she got them

Hailey, Max, Debbie and Tom

Vikki and Mykenzie

Debbie, Bill (with the Military wreath Debbie had made for him) and me

 

Tom, Kenzie, Matthew and Debbie

Vikki, Debbie and Kenzie

Papa and Kenzie

Isaac and Kenzie

Isaac, Peyton, Kenzie and Aunt Debbie

Kimmy, Vikki, Debbie and Melissa

 

Kenzie with Kit Kat

Shelf Vikki helped me make and hung for me last night after she and her sisters helped me take our Christmas tree down.

Got up early to get food going and everything ready for the party.  We read our Bibles and devotions.  Vikki came early because she had a call from someone who wanted to buy the paddle boat she found and we picked up down our road for her last summer.  Kimmy and her family got here next, and Melissa and her family got here at the same time.  Debbie, Tom and Matthew came and then Kenzie.  The kids opened their ornaments from Aunt Debbie, then Debbie gave us a beautiful ornament with all the kids and grandkids names on it.  She also gave Bill a Military wreath she had made especially for him.  That made him happy.  Vikki took pictures afterward.  

We got the food on the table, and the person came to buy the paddleboat.  Bill, Jacob and Adam and Vikki went out to take care of it and load it.  We waited to pray until they got in.  I said a prayer with Hailey, so she could eat quick as she had to leave at 4.  Everyone came in from outside, and the rest of us prayed together.  We all ate and then visited afterward.  It was so much fun hanging out together.  We ate dessert later on.  Shani and Steve didn't come because they were getting over colds and also have a new puppy they didn't want to leave for a long time.  Amanda had to work 16 hours, so she didn't make it.  We were getting a snow storm and they said we could get 7 or 8 inches, so Kenzie headed home.  A little later Debbie and family started to get ready to head home.  I noticed a bag of food with a pop on the stairs and asked Debbie if it was hers.  She said no, she had hers in the car.  I remembered Kenzie packed leftovers for Travis and put a pop in it for him.  Vikki called her and she came back to get it.  She didn't stay long because she had a long way to go home.  The other girls wanted to take me tree down.  I told them no, and that they should get going because of the snow storm.  They insisted, so the boys hauled the boxes for ornaments downstairs and we girls and Jared took the tree down.  The girls laughed when they saw I had the boxes the ornaments came in and had written on each box what ornament it was and who it was from.  It took extra time, but they were blessings and actually enjoyed seeing the ornament and knowing who gave it to me.  So funny.  Jared did an amazing job in the back of the tree finding ornaments we read off.  It was great teamwork with amazing people I love.  So thankful they did that for me.  They even took the boxes upstairs and moved our furniture back where it was before the tree was put up.  Rody helped us do that.  Thanks everyone for all your amazing help and love.  Kimmy, Jared and the boys left.  Rody and Isaac left.  Vikki, Peyton, Melissa, Jack and Evan hung out longer and visited.  Jack cleaned the windows off the van and car.  There was about 5 inches.  Melissa and family and Vikki and Peyton headed out.  Everyone let me know when they were home.  I was happy to hear they were safe and sound.  I emptied the dishwasher and put some things away, then sat down with Bill for a while.   I went through the pictures Vikki took, but didn't do my blog.  I will do two tomorrow.  Such a fun day with my wonderful family God has blessed me with.

Friday, 1/27/23, Made rolls, went to Bible Study, made pies, got tables set up and covered, went to Sombrayro's, peeled potatoes, watched movie

Lots of birds flying and eating at the feeder

Peyton, Rody, Isaac and Bill at Sombrayo's 

 

Ha Ha, Stacie found another use for her pocket scarf....She used it to gather eggs

I started the dough in the bread maker as soon as I got up.  Got ready and went to Bible Study at church.  We are studying the book of James.  One of my favorite books in the Bible.  Maddy forgot all about it, so she didn't make it.  Brielle was up lots last night.

I met Bill at Kroger and he filled up my car and his truck up with gas.  We got $1 off of 35 gallons.  I went to T.J. Max and 5 Below.  Got a watch charger stand for $6.  I talked with all of the girls.

When I got home, I baked the rolls, made the pies, and got lots of stuff ready for tomorrow.    

Bill and I decided to go to Sombrero's.  Vikki and Rody love the Mexican food there and she told me about it.  We called and invited them to meet us there and they did.  The kids came too, but they don't like the food there.  Vikki and I split a small Nacho.  It was so big that neither of us could even eat our half.  Bill couldn't eat his either.  We were all super stuffed.

It was fun getting together.  They were stopping at McDonald's to get the kids some food.  

We came home and I  peeled potatoes for tomorrow. After that, we watched a good movie.

 

Thurs., 1/26/23, Bill snow blowed, I cleaned bathroom, scrubbed floors, talked to friend, Barb, Melissa, Hailey, Jack and Evan came over

Kit Kat looking at me through the window

Beautiful snowy morning. The trees and bushes all looked beautiful covered in snow

 

Handsome shoveler on our deck

Bill shoveling the deck

Mr. Squirrel was busy eating!  He brought some of his friends before I took this, but they disappeared somewhere

Lots of Cardinals visited this morning

Evan at Culvers!  Papa took him to celebrate him getting the "Overcomer"
Award at school.  Evan always has an amazing attitude, prays about everything and believes God will answer.  He is an amazing kid!  He's definitely and overcomer!!!

Bill went out to snow blow the driveway and sidewalks and then shoveled paths on the deck.  

Our friend, Barb, that is in Faith Riders with us, called me and shared some sad news.  She has been diagnosed with  Ovarian cancer and an abdominal aortic aneurysm.  I talked with her a long time and prayed with her.  She was at a friend of mine's house from way back.  Jeannie and her family went to church with us in the 80's.  So thankful someone is close by and helping her out.  She doesn't have biological family but has a great church family.  She wanted to be put on all of the prayer chains and wants as much prayer as she can get.  

I ate my oatmeal with strawberries and raisins in it and drank my coffee in a Kimmy mug.  

While Bill was busy, I cleaned the bathroom downstairs and scrubbed the floor.  Did my Bible reading time and prayer time.  

Bill took Evan to Culver's and I planned on having the kitchen floor scrubbed by the time he got home.  Kimmy called so I talked to her, then talked to Melissa, then talked to Kimmy again.  Bill got home, so I just did the floor after he was home.  Melissa and the kids came over for a visit.  We gave Hailey her pocket scarf.  Good night for that because it started snowing again.  Vikki called a couple of times.  She's pretty sure Peyton's toe is broke.  Another one is hurting.  A kid a school stepped on her foot.  Poor girl.  I know what it feels like.  We all, except Jack, watched the movie I Am Gabriel.  Jack had to get homework done.  After the movie, the boys played air hockey and hung out in the basement for a while.  Then they left for home.  It was still snowing and Melissa called when they got home and said the roads were slick.  

 

Wed., 1/25/23, Went to Meijer early for a few things for party, shampooed stairs going upstairs, made cookies

Cardinal eating lots before the storm

Pretty out

Got up at 7 to go to Meijer's before the snow storm started.  Just had to get a few things for Saturday.  Also went to Jack's for meat and also put gas in the car.   Started snowing lightly out, but I made it home before the heavy snow started.  Yay!  

I fed the birds.  So many were out there looking for food, I felt sorry for them and filled the feeders.  Did some laundry, did some vacuuming, and shampooed the stairs.  Made cookie dough that has to be refrigerated overnight.  Making those Chocolate Crinkle Cookies again.  

Bill and I did our devotions and Bible reading.  Then we researched king sized electric blankets online.  Bill's side of ours keeps showing an error warning and he said it smelled like smoke in the night.  Time to definitely get rid of that.  

We had blueberry pancakes for dinner, then after dinner we watched a movie called The Last Descent.  Really suspenseful since the main actor gets stuck in a cave.  After that I decided to bake the cookies.  The dough was plenty cold by that time.  They turned out yummy! 

 

 

Tues., 1/24/23, Made and baked pie shells, went to Stacie's, went to Old Town, went to Vikki's, watched a movie

Beautiful sunrise this morning.  It sure makes a difference when the sun shines.

My shelf Vikki taught us to make hanging temporarily until I take my tree down.  For now it's in the laundry room

Me and Stacie with our scarves

Papa and Kody playing the game DJ made.  You have to swing the string with the ring and have it hook on the hook like on Kody's side.  It took a while, but I got pretty good at it and made Kody nervous at the end of our game he said.

Isaac, Papa, me and Peyton....We took them their scarves with the hand pockets papa had made for them

Some old pictures from the past...These kiddos have grown up way too fast!

Adam, Max and Jacob fishing in a fishing contest when they were little

Jack and Eli

Hailey smelling a peony

Had my yummy oatmeal with bananas and raisins and drank my delicious coffee.  Put on worship music.  Did our morning reading and devotions.  I made pie crust and baked it after that.  Put them in the freezer until I need to make pies for the party.  

In the afternoon, we went to Stacie's and gave her her birthday gifts.  Stacie loved her gifts.  We got big hugs from her and Kody when we got there.  Stacie and I played the game D J made and then Kody and I played, then Papa and Kody played.  We sure had fun.  

We went to Old Town Drive In after we left Stacie's.  We each had a coney dog and then split one too.  We also had fries and, of course, their yummy root beer.  We had the best waitress!  She was just amazing.  I prayed God would bless her.  She was so kind and just went over and above serving us.  She was doing the same for others as she went from car to car.  She had a great attitude.  Bill gave her a nice tip.

After that, we went to Vikki's and gave Peyton and Isaac their scarves.  They sure were happy too.  We got to see Vikki's new rug down.  It is really pretty and really soft.  We said hi to Rody as he was going to his class on grief at church.  

When we got home, we did the zoom meeting with Ziggy and the other area reps.  Talked about the UP officers training coming up and also Seasons of Refreshing.  It was a good meeting.  We watched a movie after that called, The Name of God.  It was a good one.  

Monday, 2/23/23, Went grocery shopping, Cleaned some, Bill had Elder's meeting

No pictures taken today.  Put worship music on first thing in the morning.  Did some praying.  Looked at my recipes for Sat. and wrote down what I needed to get.  Went shopping to Meijer early so it wouldn't be busy.  Had lots of coupons for stuff I needed so that was good.  Most of what I needed for Saturday's party, was on sale.  Yay! 

Bill was still gone with Charlie and Rich when I got home.  I unloaded the groceries and then started vacuuming and dusting.  Thought I would get it done before Bill got home.  I just had a few more things to dust when he did get home.  Yay!  We did our devotions and Bible reading.

I did some more cleaning. In the evening, I made Little Caesar Personal pizzas.  They were really good.  They are the last ones in the freezer we ordered from Kody.  I ordered more from Jack as he is earning money for his Washington D.C. trip.  Bill left to go to the Elder's meeting.  I cleaned out the refrigerator, cleaned the coffee maker, and set the oven to clean it.  We watched a movie, but Bill played it from his phone, so I can't remember the name of it.  It was about an angel, and was quite intense but had a great ending.  I talked to Melissa, Kimmy and Vikki.  Texted with Maddy and Linda.

Sunday, 1/22/23, Went to church, went to Levi's with Debbie and Jeff, Took Gayla's gift to her, Watched CMA videos, Watched the movie Gabriel

Bill putting pellets in the kernel burner.  

Vader and Abby.  Vader has been really concerned about Abby being sick

Snowy morning

 

Went to church early to go to prayer before our church service.  It was an awesome message today.   Truth in power from God's Word was preached.  The Holy Spirit sure moved.  Lots of people came up for prayer afterward.  

After church, we went to Levi's with Debbie and Jeff.  We all ordered breakfast.  It was so good to be able to spend time together.  We came home afterward and had a day of rest.  Bill napped and I rested, but couldn't fall asleep.  The game I ordered for Gayla that was supposed to come yesterday, came today.  I took it and also the video Facing the Giants over to their house.  They are going to show Facing the Giants at the Rescue Mission Wednesday.  We usually go, but have lots going on this week getting ready for CMA trip to the U.P. for officer's training that Bill will be helping with.  We have lots of videos on a thumb drive we are watching before we go, plus I will be getting ready for our Schaard family Christmas Saturday.  

We ate a bowl of chili for supper, then a little later we had the rest of the banana cream pie.

I talked to Melissa for a while, then we watched some more videos.  We watched the movie I am Gabriel which was really good.