Thurs., 12/14/23, Bill went to his retiree breakfast, I met Vikki for breakfast, went shopping, Vikki, Rody and the kids came over,

Ki

New Kitty showed up...it was here the other day and Bill saw it and told me about it.  Today I got to see it

Kit Kat checking it out...it’s hiding under the grill cover

New kitty under one side of grill cover and Kit Kat under the other side lol

It looks just like Kimmy’s Teddy.  I asked her if she brought him here in her engine, like Melissa and Bruce took Blaze

Ha ha, once the kitty ate some of Kit Kat’s food, Kit Kat got up in the window to tell me there was an intruder.  

Isaac sitting in Papa’s spot

Our Nativity, My nephew Mark made the stable years ago when he was a kit

Peyton

Peyton decorating my tree

Rehvyn sleeping in his bed

He is just adorable

Bill got up early, got ready and went to his retiree breakfast at Riverside.  I slept in.  Vikki called me right after I got up and wanted me to meet her at Tony’s for breakfast after she dropped the kids off.  I quickly got ready and met her there.  We had a really good breakfast and Vikki treated me.  Thank you Vikki.  This is the first time we have gotten together in 12 days because she had been sick for so long.  I was so happy to spend time with her.  Of course we loved talking about our new grand/great grand baby.  It was so fun.  Vikki went to work, and I came home and organized my coupons and then went shopping.  Got baking supplies, candy making supplies and some groceries.  

Kenzie face timed me and I talked to Rehvyn.  His eyes moved and he focused on the camera even.  He sure is an alert baby for his little age.  He had the hiccups, then after those, he started cooing. He’s just so cute and such a good baby.  I asked Kenzie if he’s cried much and she said no.  Just then he started crying his precious baby cry.  She said he probably needed his diaper changed, so we hung up and she changed him.  I talked to her later and she said as soon as she changed his messy diaper, he stopped crying.  She and Travis are doing an amazing job with him.  

I texted Eli and showed him all of my new kitty pictures.  He loved them of course and told me the kitty looks just like his Teddy.  I was amazed at how much they look alike.  

I made meatloaf and put it and some potatoes in the over.  Rody came over to help Bill with something on his computer and Vikki and the kids came with him.  Yay!  We had fun hanging out while the guys worked on the problem Bill was having.  We all ate afterwards, then had double stuffed Oreos afterwards.  They left so they would have time to stop at Goodwill.  I called Kimmy to ask about a Christmas idea I had for Jared, so forgot to wave goodbye to them.  I’m so glad Jacob is home and I got to say hi to him.  Yay!  Can’t wait to see him.  

Kenzie called me again.  I love that she is close with all of us, and we get to hear about baby lots, and see lots of pictures.  Plus we get to see him on face time.  Can’t wait to meet him in a couple of days.  

I talked to Melissa for a while and she showed me the cutest video of Evan carrying a big snowman globe around singing the songs it played.  He was three years old and sang some words wrong, but when Melissa showed him how to sing it right, he showed her the receipt he was looking at (which was his songbook he said) and he said if you look at the songbook you will see I’m singing it right.  He was just so cute.

 

Wed., 12/13/23, Did some knitting, did some organizing of drawers, did some filing, Kenzie, Travis and baby Rehvyn went home, Max came over, Bill and Max went to Claire

Sweet Baby Rehvyn came home today

 

He was very content in his carseat on the ride home

 

In his bassinet at home

Peyton’s shirt says “Best Aunt Ever”. I ams sure she will be too!

Iain on the way to his band concert!

I had my oatmeal and a cappuccino.  Bill started reading his Bible right away.  I had to put Kit Kat’s food outside for her and give her some attention, then also had to get a few other things done.  After that, I came and sat next to Bill and started reading my Bible.  We also did our devotions.   Charlie called him after he got through with his appointment and picked him up to take him out to breakfast to Leo’s.  I worked on knitting dishcloths.  

I talked to Vikki a few times.  She is feeling much better and slept really good last night.  I am so glad.  I have missed her!  

I did more online Christmas shopping today.  Got my list together for what I am getting for everyone, so tomorrow I will go out shopping here and get some things, plus groceries.

Kenzie, Travis and Rehvyn went got to go home today.  Kenzie sent me some really cute pictures of our sweet baby.  I just can’t wait to meet him.  

Bill picked Max up, and came home and told me Max wanted to say hi.  I hung up from talking to Vikki and went and talked to Max and asked if he wanted a pop.  Bill and him were going to Auburn and Clare to take a scope and some other things back.  They were stopping at Culver’s and Bill’s bringing me back a burger.  Yay!

Sue called me and said she loved my chicken noodle soup.  She talked to me for a while to find out how Kenzie and the baby were doing.  She thinks the baby is so cute.  

Bill and I watched a Christmas movie in the evening with Melissa Gilbert starring in it.  It was good.  

Tues., 12/12/23, Kenzie sent me pictures and FaceTimed me, I was so happy! Talked to Vikki, Kimmy and Melissa lots! We were all so excited about baby Rehvyn! Did some Christmas shopping online,

Lots of precious baby pictures of Rehvyn today!  He is just the cutest and most precious baby!

Melts my heart. I love him so much!

I can’t wait to snuggle him!

Many buds and a blossom opened on my Christmas Cactus

They are so much fun to watch and take such a long time opening.  I enjoy watching this plant each day.

When I got up, I saw Kenzie sent me a couple of baby pictures.  I was so happy to see my first great grand baby.  He is just beautiful and so precious.  Kenzie posted pictures of him on her Facebook page that were adorable.  She FaceTimed me so I could talk to her and see him.  I took my phone in by Bill so he could see him too.  We both loved this.  If I turned my phone Bill would tell me to turn it back so he could see.  We sure loved that Kenzie did this for us.  It is so hard when you can’t go to the hospital.  

We girls sure all had fun talking about baby Rehvyn and how adorable his is.  It has been an exciting two days.  

Dec., 12/11/23, Kenzie’s baby was born Yay! Met Vikki to get Kenzie’s house key, Kimmy came over, We went to pick up Myles from Kenzie’s, Made out Christmas cards, went to Applebee's

Our first great grandchild/grandson, Rehvyn Dream was born today.  He weighed 7 lbs. 8 oz., and was 19 1/2 inches long.  We are so thankful and happy.  Such a great miracle and blessing from the Lord!

Proud daddy, Travis, with Rehyvn.  Congratulations Travis and Kenzie!

Pretty Cross card from Sister C.  It is so neat how it’s made.  Zoom into see alll the swirls

Kept checking through the night to see if Kenzie had the baby.  No, No and No.  Checked again in the morning when I woke up. No again.  Vikki called and was going to come drop off the key to Kenzie’s house after she took the kids to school.  I told her I would meet her and pick it up to save her time.  She parked in the parking lot next to me, cracked her window a little, and I used a sanitizing wipe and grabbed it from her.   Bill met Charlie for coffee and then went for a bladder scan at the VA hospital.  It went good and results were good.  I came home and had my oatmeal and cappuccino while I was waiting for Kimmy to come here.  When she got here, I made her a cappuccino.  We talked to Melissa to let her know Kenzie still hadn’t had the baby..  Kimmy drank a little of her cappuccino, then we put the rest in a to go cup and we headed to Kenzie’s.  Melissa talked to us most of the way.  Vikki called us, so we hung up from Melissa.  Kenzie was dilated to 7.  We called Melissa back to let her know.  We all thought it would go fast from here on.  Kimmy and I went inside when we got to Kenzie’s.  Kimmy went first so she could grab Mylee and make sure she didn’t escape outside.  Kimmy took Mylee outside.   I started cleaning up the Poinsettia plant and candle holder that Mylee had knocked over.  Also picked up the box of candy canes and the ones I saw on the floor.  Also cleaned up some Kleenex and cardboard she chewed.  She didn’t make too bad of a mess for being left so long.  When Kimmy came in, she noticed a puddle by where Mylee was when we got there.  She did that when she got so excited to see us.  I cleaned it up while Kimmy held Mylee so she didn’t step in it and track it all over.  Kimmy started sweeping up some more papers Mylee had chewed.  She was a pretty good girl though.  We were glad she didn’t chew on the leaves of the plant.   Kimmy gave the outside cat water, and also watered the ducks and chickens.  We headed back to my house.  Kenzie and Travis called, and we were so happy to hear from them.  It had been a long time.  Kenzie talked, but we could tell she was in lots of pain.  They gave us updates, and were really happy Kimmy had Mylee and was taking her home with her.  We talked for a few minutes, then they had to go.  We called Melissa back to let her know they had called.  Kimmy had a bowl of chicken noodle soup and I had a bowl of goulash when we got to my house.  She left after that to pick up kids from school.  

We were all on pins and needles waiting all day for information.  Finally we heard our first great grandson was born weighting 7 lbs. 8 oz. at 4:43 p.m. (on the same day Melissa Gager’s baby, Penny, turned 1 year old.) We were all happy about that.  We waited to see pictures, but are still waiting for those.  We do know he has lots of hair and is healthy and beautiful.  Thank You, Lord.  Yay, so thankful for pictures to post on his day of birth.  You have to click on the ? mark to see the pictures.

Bill and I went to Applebees for dinner.  There weren’t many there at the time we went.  He had chicken strips and I had an oriental grilled chicken salad.  When he prayed over our food he thanked God for our new grand baby, and asked God to bless Kenzie, Travis and baby.  I sure was in agreement.  

Sunday, 12/10/23, Kenzies water broke, she went to hospital to have the baby, our CMA Christmas party, went to Culver’s

Elders praying over Pastor Dan and his family

Those of us in the congregation praying for them too

Our CMA Leadership Christmas party was lots of fun, good fellowship and good food.  Such great people to be serving the Lord with!

 

 

Sweet little Lydia...we love her!

Our table....Bev, me, Bill, Tiny, Debbie, Paul and Ron

 

 

We put our gift for the giving tree under the tree, then went to prayer.   church afterward.  Both were awesome!  Pastor Dan and his family went up and he was prayed over as he will be the Executive Pastor of our church now.  He will be a blessing to the Lord and to all of us at New Life.  I took some Christmas DVD’s we have that our three of my favorite Christmas movies and gave them to Pastor Dan and Amber to watch.  We had sat with them at our church Christmas party and talked about good movies and I told her I would lend them to them.  

We talked to lots of friends after church, then left to go home and pick up our dishes to pass (I made goulash and banana cream pudding dessert).  We packed up our gifts we were taking also and the games we were going to play, and headed to Owosso.  I called Kenzie because we were going to drop off the gift bag of beautiful baby things Lela made for her and the new toilet for them to put upstairs.  We had planned on dropping it off first, but had to change it because we stopped to get some gift cards for gifts for people to win when playing the games and it took longer than we planned.  We let Kenzie know we would drop it off later.  She told me her water had broke and she was getting ready to go to the hospital.  She told me the doctor told her there was no need to hurry as she had lots of time.  

I’m thinking, I would hurry to get to the hospital since it is a long trip there.  I sure have been doing a lot of praying for Kenzie and baby for a safe, healthy delivery with no complications.  They are being really careful at the hospital right now because lots of sickness is going around again.  Only Kenzie and Travis are going to be in when she has the baby.  Vikki was going to and so was Kimmy, but Vikki, Kenzie and Travis got sick and are still getting over it.  We love that Kenzie is keeping us posted.  We know when we don’t hear, it will be because her contractions are getting worse.  

Our Christmas party was so much fun.  Such a fun group of friends.  We ate, than Bill had a short meeting.  After that we played two games.  Then it was time to do the Chinese Christmas gift exchange.  You could steal a gift from someone 3 times, then it couldn’t be taken again.  I gave Lydia the present we had got her.  She was so happy.  Her dad played with it lots and so did she.  Julie was the first girl to go up.  She picked my gift and as she was walking she said she loves baskets.  I put it in a bag, but when she felt it she knew what it was.  She loved the stuff in it too.  The rest of us took turns as our number came up.  I was number 7 and Bill was number 10.  The guys kept going after the knives and the ladies all wanted a gift on the table to see what they were before we went backwards and started stealing gifts.  I liked what was in the gift I picked, but I really don’t have a lot of room for stuff on the wall.  There was a picture saying about Faith, a plaque with the Love Chapter and a beautiful Nativity in glass that lit up.  On my next turn, I traded it for a cute basket and a beautiful off white blanket.  It goes nice with my grey chairs in the family room.  I’m going to try to get another one like it. Bill picked his own gift and just kept it through the whole game.  Someone tried to steal the gift Julie had, but she had such a low number she told her she would get it back, so then Sue didn’t take it.  

We stopped at Culver’s and got Concrete Mixers on our way home.  Yum!  They were so good.  When we got home, we read our Bibles and did our Advent Devotion.  So thankful how it reminds us of Jesus and why He came and keeps us focused on the real meaning of Christmas.  The last I heard from Vikki was that the Doctor thinks Kenzie will have the baby in the morning.  

Sat., 12/9/23, Happy Birthday to Sister C, Kimmy, Jared and Adam came over, Bill and Jared got the new toilet in upstairs

Eli and Jack eating breakfast

We loved looking out the window and seeing all of the guys working together and having fun.  Fun to watch them shoot at the target too.

Bill, Jared, Bruce and Max

 

Adam...he was pretty tired when he got here (he played games with Jacob until 3 a.m.) He perked up later on so I took his picture

Jack looking very cool!

Our new toilet works so good.  It looks crooked in this picture, but it’s not

Our toilet paper holder was pretty loose and I was getting concerned it would fall off.  Kimmy fixed it today and it is a sturdy as can be

Bill got up early to go to the Marine Corp. League Sat. Breakfast.  Then he went and picked up our new toilet.  I let the boys sleep in.  I had my oatmeal and coffee.  I ran some chicken noodle soup over to Sue and Charlie.  Talked to Sue for a few minutes on the porch, then came back home.  Bruce called me at 11:15 and said there was a fencing tournament he thought Eli and Jack would like to go to.  I went upstairs and knocked very loudly on the bedroom door and finally after the 6th knock, I heard and answer.  The boys were getting up, so I went downstairs and made them eggs, bacon, hash browns, and toast.  I got some special glasses out of my china cabinet and poured orange juice for them too.  Bill got home and cleaned up the rest of the eggs.  

When they were done eating, the boys carried the old toilet downstairs and out on the porch and carried the new toilet upstairs.  Jared and Kimmy put in a toilet like it at their house last night, so they were coming to help Bill after they finished putting in the toilet they moved out of the main bathroom, in the back bathroom.  Bill fixed the water leak in the thing that hooks up to the toilet.  He did a great job.  He had everything ready when Kimmy and Jared came.  They had to run to Home Depot and got Bill’s discount for Kimmy and Jared by showing their receipt.  It saved them $38.  They were very happy.  We were very happy for them helping us and saving us money to have ours put in.  Bill had set up to have someone do it.  Bill called and had Jared talk to Kimmy and asked her to clean the wax off the ring upstairs.  I had just helped Bill do that with the last one, but Jared knew Kimmy just did it and would know what to do.  I told her I would, but she said she wanted to.  When they got home they got the new toilet in right away.  Great job everyone!  

Bruce and Max came over and they went out with Bill and Jared and practiced shooting.  It was so much fun watching them out the window.  It was a beautiful warm day around 60 degrees.  Max sure was happy hanging out with all of them.  They all seemed happy to be outside having fun together.  So very thankful for such a close family.  I made goulash and we all ate it except I made spaghetti'Os for Eli and Kimmy had chicken noodle soup.  Jack ate 2 bowls of goulash, then he went home with Bruce and Max.  They were eating Bruce’s homemade stew at home.  Kimmy and Jared went to Blue Thumb and came back with a fish  when they picked the boys up.  They had to hurry and get the fish home, but they took time to load our old toilet to dispose of it for us and the boys put the toilet we are taking to Kenzie in the truck for us.  

I talked to Melissa a couple of times, talked to Vikki and talked to Kenzie.  Kenzie and Vikki are feeling better today.  So happy about that.  

We watched the movie Silver Bells while I worked on my blog and Bill worked on the agenda for tomorrow’s CMA Christmas party.  I wrapped little Lydia’s Christmas gift to take and Bill wrapped his guy gift.  Vikki had already wrapped my girl gift beautifully.

Friday, 12/8/23, Kimmy and Melissa came over in the morning, Vikki was still sick so she couldn’t come over, went to dinner with Wes, Gayla and Joel,

Melissa sent me a picture...when she got home today, Bruce had the snowman up and was putting more lights up

Joel...with his M & M’s.  We celebrated his birthday tonight

Wes, Gayla and Joel

Gayla sent me this picture....ha ha it looks like I was the only one who knew the picture was being taken.  She takes pictures like Bill.  Doesn’t let everyone know so people aren’t looking.  Bill has a surprised look on his face.

Eli and Jack are spending the night

Got up and had my oatmeal and cappuccino.  Kimmy got here and I made her a cappuccino too.  We called Melissa and talked to her.  I took some soup over to Vikki’s and dropped it off on her porch.  Rody came out the door as I was pulling out of the driveway.  I rolled my window down and talked to him for a minute.  Melissa was coming over to my house, so I hurried back home.  She was there when I got home.  We ate chicken noodle soup for lunch, then had fun hanging out together.  Kimmy and I helped Bill put the new toilet in upstairs.  It wasn’t what Bill liked and Kimmy and I agreed, so Bill went toilet hunting.  He saw a Kohler at Home Depot and told me that’s the one he wants to get.  He wants me to look at it tomorrow.  Kimmy had to leave, then about an hour later Melissa had to leave and I had to get ready to go with Wes and Gayla.  Bill got home and got ready quick, then Wes and Gayla picked us up.  Eli texted me to see if he and Jack could spend the night.  I told them yes.  He said he knew we were gone, but he knew how to get in.  I texted him that he could get in the front door.  Then I texted him and told him they would have to use the potty on the front porch lol.  We went to pick Joel up, then went to the Cracker Barrel for dinner.  We celebrated Joel’s birthday, which was in August, a little late.  Our waitress was nice and when she asked if we were celebrating anything, I told her his birthday, but it was a while back.  She still bought Joel a big piece of cake and some ice cream.  He was so happy, which made us all happy.  Everyone got fish but Joel and I.  I got chicken and Joel got ham.  Gayla told us Wes told her this morning that Bill was his best friend.  That was so sweet and sure made Bill happy.  They are all like family to us.  We dropped Joel back off on our way home.  

Jack and Eli were there and greeted us, then they went back outside.  They were out there quite a while, then came in and played ping pong.  They had lots of fun together.  Kimmy sent me a picture of her new toilet Jared put in tonight.  It is the same one we are getting tomorrow.  She knows how much we love our flat sided toilet.  I know she will love having it too.  

Bill and I watched a movie while the boys hung out in the basement.  They came up and found the Oreos and Nilla wafers and crunched them up and had them with milk.  They are two wonderful boys and I’m thankful they are my grandsons.