Wed., Dec 24, 2025, Christmas Eve.....Family Christmas Celebration 2025,The whole family was here except Stacie and family and Sue, Happy Birthday Jesus! Emanuel God with us! King of Kings and Lord of Lords! All the glory is thine oh Lord!

Beautiful cookies Hailey made and brought for us all to enjoy

Hailey also packaged up a package of cookies for each family.  They are the best!

Kenzie by the snack table

Travis, Jacob and Adam...before we hung the tv over the fireplace

Hailey, Peyton, Vikki

Melissa, Kimmy, Jared, and Kenzie

Jared, Kenzie, Travis and Rehvyn, Eli in the doorway

Jack loved his gift....He still enjoys being a kid sometimes he said.  

Eli, Rehvyn, Jared, Travis and Kenzie

Jared with his 3 way charger...phone, watch and air pods

Bill, Evan, Lydia and Jack

Isaac, Rehvyn and Kenzie

Bill liked his Jeep stuff

Isaac, Rody, Vikki

Papa opening his hatchet Eli made him

Eli made this hatchet for Papa.  Papa was so happy to get it

What is in Kimmy’s Goose wrapped box

Kimmy opening her bag from me

Kimmy opened her very soft electric blanket

Kimmy loved her soft blanket and her bag with the dishcloth and stuff from me.  Melissa’s really soft electric throw didn’t come yet and Kimmy said, I told mom she could give mine to you and I would wait for the one coming
.

Melissa grabbed Kimmy electric throw and said thank you Kimmy.  We all had a good laugh!

Melissa with all of her stuff in her bag from me.  I always make the girls a dishcloth and then find stuff to put in with it.

Melissa was so cute and funny

It was our funny for the day!

Hailey and Kenzie

Bill, Jack, Melissa, Bruce and Max

Jared opening Kenzie and Travis’s gift

They made him a glass chicken and an egg.  It’s so cute!  You stick them in a plant!

Rody loved his Jeep Back Pack

Vikki loved her deep frying pan

She was happy to get the Owala she liked too!

I love how Jared, Kenzie and Travis are enjoying watching Vikki open her gifts.  Rehvyn is really smiling

Vikki opening her nice outfit from Kenzie and Travis

This is a little people of Vikki Kenzie made 

Vikki opening the glass skunk

Cute skunk Kenzie made for Vikki.  A few days ago a skunk really smelled up Vikki and Rody’s house

Rody loved the smell of this candle

Missy looking really cute.  She didn’t have a gift from us to open, but was ok with waiting for it because she really wants it.

Kenzie opening wicker hanging light she wanted from us.  It’s really cute!

Uncle Jared showing Rehvyn something

Rehvyn’s favorite toy that was from Isaac.  He tried to fix everything and was just so cute!

Bill looking very handsome in the shirt Vikki made him..  He’s going to advertise for Kimmy and Jared’s business

Jacob liked the sweatshirt we got him.  Too bad they started losing.  Oh well!  They are still our team.

Adam liked the knife we got him.  He can wear it on his belt he said.

We got Eli the same thing and he liked his too

Evan liked his cologne...he is going to smell really good

Isaac opening his money from us

Kenzie helping Rehvyn open his toy from us

Jared liked his Jeep shirt Vikki made him.  

Ooh....I love my new mug from Kimmy, Jared and family

Bill loved his gun case from me

Max and Vader

Rehvyn loved the little dog that moves Papa got me.  He had so much fun with him.

 

Kenzie and Vader

Papa opening Jeep Stuff

Melissa and Bruce with the snowman to stick in a plant that Kenzie got them.  I got one too!

Uncle Jared always has fun ideas

Adam

Jack, Lydia and Evan

Eli loved his chain from Kenzie

Peyton loved her Christmas slippers with the bells on the toes from Hailey

Rehvyn opening his cars.  He sure was happy

Eli and Rehvyn

Adam, Jacob, Bill and Jared playing Euchre

Our food table...we sure had lots

Vikki and Rehvyn making the same face

Vikki and Rehvyn both very happy

Rody and Rehvyn in the shirts Vikki made them

Peyton

Kenzie and Travis with his Amazon card 

Peyton

Kenzie, Travis and Rehvyn

Kenzie and Rehvyn

Kimmy, Jared and the boys were the first ones to get here.  She brought two batches of rolls and an apple pie. Vikki, Peyton and Issac came next and then everyone else got here at around the same time.  Vikki brought two pans of mashed potatoes and strawberry jello with strawberries.  Melissa, Bruce and Hailey brought a huge pan of so many beautiful and delicous cookies and also a tray for each of us to take home.  Bruce made some delicous rock candy too.  We ate snacks and then we all gathered in the living room to listen to Bill read the Christmas Story out of Luke 2 in the Bible.  It has been our tradition for many years since the kids were really little.  We focus on Jesus who is why we celebrate Christmas.  

After the Christmas story, we started with the youngest kid and went up to the oldest.  It was fun watching them open and seeing their excitement.  After the kids, we started with the adults from the youngest to the oldest.  Bill and I were last of course. Everyone sure put lots of love and thought into what they got everyone. We sure had a lot of wonderful gifts to open from our precious family.   Lydia got here, so the kids all did their gift exchange.  Melissa gave Lydia her gift from them and I gave her a little gift from us.  It’s her birthday today too.  She is such a sweet girl.  We were happy to have her come spend the day with Evan and us.  All the kids got really fun and nice things for each other.  Everyone was so happy with what they got.  It was so fun watching them open their gifts from each other.

Bill carved the turkey, I made the gravy and we set everything out on the table.  We sure had lots of great food to eat.  We prayed together and thanked Jesus for coming and for everything he has done and is doing and then ate together.  We were all too full for dessert afterward.  Rody had to work at his church tonight, so he and Isaac left.  Isaac was working too Vikki said.  I filled a plate for Sue and Jared, Melissa and I took it over to her house to deliver it.  I could walk up her deck steps the normal way which I was amazed at.  We talked to her for a few minutes on the porch, then we left and came back home.  Vikki had wanted Kimmy to stay with her.  When we got back we found out why.  They had moved stuff in the family room to make room for the chairs to swivel and they asked Bill to get a wall mount for the tv and he and Jared went and got one and they hung the tv over the fireplace.  It looks so nice, gets so many stations with our antenna and sure makes a lot more room in the family room.  It is so cozy in there now.  We ate dessert finally since we had room.  Then everyone cleaned up and had to leave for home.  It sure was a great day celebrating Jesus and enjoying the family he has blessed us with.  So nice to have everyone here.  

Tuesday, 12/23/25, Bill had a VA appt. with his urologist, I made two pies, 2 batches of rolls, cheesy potatoes and got the sliced ham in the crockpot, wrapped more presents, did some cleaning

I remembered to use parchment paper to bake the rolls on.  I had one tray ready and was starting the other one when Kimmy called and reminded me.  I am so glad she was going to remind me, but happy I remembered.  The word easy clicked in my brain today when I got the pans out lol. 

I didn’t sleep good again last night.  I was awake every 2 hours.  This is common with hip surgery though so I will get through it.  I can move pain free and bend over and pick something flat off the floor without pain.  It’s pretty amazing.  

Bill left for his appointment.  I started making pie crust right away.  Then while the pies were baking, I made the pudding.  I also started 2 batches of rolls in my bread machines.

I timed them so that while I was waiting for everything, I could get some rest time in.  

Bill called me because he didn’t know what a cheese ball was on my list.  Then when I explained, he couldn’t find it.  I told him to just forget it, because we would have enough of everything else.  He did get a whole Hickory Stick and had them slice it at Jack’s.  Much cheaper having them do that. than buying their sliced Hickory Stick from behind the counter.  One of the workers told me that one time when I was there.  

I made up the chocolate banana pie and the banana cream pie and put them in carriers and out in the garage to stay cold.  Baked the rolls and put them into bags.  I cooked up the burger for the dressing and while I did that made the cheesy potatoes.  

Bill and I moved the table and put the leaves out to make it big and circular.  He set up the food table in the family room.  I put the Christmas tablecloth on.  

I vacuumed the floors, then mopped the hard floors.  Then finished my blog and rested.  Excited for our family Christmas tomorrow.  Be glorified Lord as we celebrate your birth and all you have done for us!

Monday, 12/22/25, Bill had an appt. at the VA, I showered, got ready and washed up all the medical stuff I don’t need anymore, Bill took everything upstairs for me, I wrapped Kimmy’s gift, went to Meijer but too busy, went to dinner with Pastor and Elder’s, went to Meijer...not as busy

 

Beautiful sunrise this morning

I prayed I would sleep longer last night and I slept til 5 am before waking up.  Yay!  It felt so good.Bill left at 8:30 for his VA appt.  I showered, got ready and then washed up all the medical equipment good and put it by the stairs for Bill to take up.  I put worship music on, then afterwards Bill got home and we read our Bibles.  They got his appointment wrong today and it is actually tomorrow.  He picked up the money from the bank, so I put it into the different boxes for all of the grandkids.  Then I put money in envelopes for those kids that didn’t something that amounted to $50.  All is equal whether someone just wanted money or wanted something.  

Kimmy’s present was delivered, so I wrapped it.  Melissa’s is still coming but they haven’t said when.  

It show’s there’s been progress though.  Max had his wisdom teeth out today.  He was a little loopy when he got home,  but as long as he keeps up with the Motrin, he is doing ok.  Poor boy!

Bill and I went to get groceries at Meijer, but when we got there the parking lot was full right out to the end.  We decided that was too many people for us, so we went back home and will go after our dinner tonight and go to the less busy Meijer.

We stopped at Melissa’s on our way to dinner and dropped off a basket she wanted.  Then we went to Sullivan’s and had dinner with Pastor, Joan and the elders and their wives.  We walked in with Pastor and Joan and Chris and Tina.  They were all so happy that I was walking so well and doing so good.  Jeff was already there, but Debbie didn’t come because it is too hard to sit with her knee bent for long after knee surgery.  Brenda and Justin were already there too.  We visited, pastor talked to us about things happening at church for a while, then we ate.  Pastor, Bill, me and Brenda got the chicken strips the waitress recommended.  They were the biggest and the best we’ve ever had.  I could only eat one and Bill only ate two of his.  We each got 3.  We had the salad bar also.  They will be good for lunch tomorrow.  Debbie only wanted Jeff to bring her a roll home because she’s going to eat it tomorrow the the chili I sent them.  We had a great time visiting.  When it was time to leave, Jeff asked me to show him how I walked again.  He didn’t see me walk in only when I got to the table.  He was so happy I was doing so good.  It’s nice to have so many people so caring and happy and encouraging.  

Bill and I went to Meijer afterwards.  It wasn’t busy so we were happy.  Brenda and Justin had the same idea.  We saw them there.  Andy Lewis called Bill.  He just had an ankle replacement last week.  He talked to Bill.  Then he asked if he could talk to me.  He asked how I was doing after my surgery and I told him, then He prayed for me.  Bill and I prayed for him after he finished praying for me.  God’s people are so awesome!  We got everything on our list, except Carol wanted Bill to bring Spatz bread tomorrow when he goes to her house and meets Fred there for lunch.  I can’t go because I have to start preparing food for Christmas Eve.  The kid checking me out said it had been super busy when he got there and every register was opened.  He was glad it had slowed down some.

Bill hauled all the groceries in when we got home.  Then I put them away.  I cut up apples for each of us and we had them for a snack.  We went t bed at 11:30 which is early for us.  

Sunday, 12/22/25, Went to early service, my first time back since surgery, Bill volunteered at Pat’s, Vikki and Rehvyn came over, FaceTimed with Hailey and Peyton

There are so many blossoms on the Crown of Thorns plant.  They just keep coming.  It’s so pretty

Rehvyn playing with trucks at my house

I told him to look up and smile nd he did...He’s so cute

Me, Rehvyn and Papa. We love our boy!

Picture Vikki took of Rehvyn and Isaac at her house tonight

It was windy and frigid cold this morning.  We got ready and went to the first service at church.  I held Bill’s arm when we walked in the parking lot because it was so windy.  He wanted to let me off at the door, but I felt better about walking in with him to hang on to.  Once I was inside, I could walk on my own.  Joan came up to me right away and gave me a hug and told me she was happy to see me.  So many friends came up to me and greeted me and told me they were happy I was back.  I love my church.  Hailey came to church and came and sat by us.  We are always glad when she’s home and comes.  We went forward to worship, then after the message which was amazing, we went back up to pray for people. 

After the first service, we visited with people for a while, then Bill took me home.  He stays for both services, but I thought that might be too long for me to sit with my legs down.  Better to have them up some of the time still.  I defrosted some chili I had in the freezer so I would be able to heat it up when Bill got home.  I took a little nap (not intentional) and woke up when Vikki called me.  She sent me a worship video from this morning.  It was awesome.  I talked to Melissa.a few times too.  When Bill got home, we ate then he went and volunteered at Pat’s for the Marine Corp League.  Pat, my cousin, was the only one there volunteering and Bill wanted to help him.  I talked to Marie for 1 1/2 hours and caught up with her.  Then I talked to Sue for a while too. She said she’s coming to our Christmas Eve family Christmas.  I sure hope so.  I got my list all crossed off today and the money boxes for the grandkids all ready.  Bill is going to the bank in the morning and he’s getting the money out to put in them. I had too big of bills, so he’s getting the smaller bills I need.  When Bill got home, we read our Bibles.  Then we watched the Lions game.  It didn’t end the way we wanted.  We were hoping for a win!  Vikki surprised us and brought Rehvyn over so we could see him.  It sure made me happy.  He went right for the toys.  It was really dark in the family room and when I turned the light on there he was right by his toys.  He played with the trains and the trucks and cars.  He loves his toys here.  I gave him a Christmas cookie to eat.  I sent Rody a container of cookies too.  He had told me he wanted some the other day on the phone. 

I wrapped 3 more things and put them under the tree.  Everything is wrapped now and my list is complete except Melissa just told me tonight what Bruce would like.  Bill and I are getting it tomorrow.  

I filled out Christmas cards and addressed and stamped them.  Bill is going to mail them for me in the morning.  It’s late, but at least I got them done.  Yay!