Memories of Christmas



Cade brought his Lego collection.  The grandkids had a contest to see who could make the neatest vehicle. It had to go the fastest down the hallway.





The hill in the backyard was perfect for a "sled train."

We had to make a "cheese run" to the Country Lane Pantry for the famous Wisconsin Cheddar.  I think the kids enjoy the 6 lb. logs.  Merry Christmas, everyone!

What is Christmas without the "herring" in **** sauce?  It goes well with a cup of coffee adorned with REAL whipped cream!  NOT!!  Oh well, if DBT's stomach can take it, who am I to question.  Hee, hee!

One of Grammy's activities was putting together a gingerbread house.  It was purchased at the end of last season.  That's okay because Willy Wonka candy does not get too stale.  It was a group project and it was fun listening to the kids work together without arguing. 



The finishing touches are yet to come.



Christmas Day 2010

We had the priviledge of having two Nursing Home services on Christmas Eve day.  As the years go by, the old Carols  become more precious.  As we listened to the older folks sing those songs from memory,we were once again reminded that Jesus was born to DIE. On the other had man was born to LIVE - eternally because of the death of Jesus Christ.  The message of Christmas will never change although our world is ever changing and trying to recreate.Glory to God in the Highest!  Our God never changes!

"Yust a little Lefse, goes a long way. . ."

Once again Elton and Mabel invited us to make lefse with them.  Dwight peeled, cooked and riced our potatoes. We bring our own potatoes and they provide the "instruments for cooking". We joined,daughter-in-law Angie, granddaughter, Erica, great granddaughter Addison ( hands in the flour bucket) and Angie's kids.  It is a four hour + production, but the end result is DEELICIOUS!!  These grandkids have been doing this since they were, well, Addison's age, three.

The Year of the Cardinal



I was inspired with Kari's thoughts about the cardinal.  I went looking for one of those red bird ornaments and found several.  I couldn't decide so I came home with three.  They were the right price - 40% off.  Then I got two more from some of my piano students.  SOOOOO my tree is singing with the cardinals.



"What Does God Want For Christmas?"

I had a great helper getting the props made for the 2010 Christmas Program. 

The final practice on Saturday went "okay", but I knew the night of the program everything would go smoothly.  IT DID!!  The boys and girls did a fantastic job.  The message of the program came through loud and clear.  God wants each of us to give our lives to HIM.  The characters of the Christmas story came out from the boxes  as the story was again told. 





My camera was not cooperating, but I did get a picture of  two of my little bellringers for the age old song "Christmas Bells" sung to the tune of Jingle Bells.  After the program was done, the fun began.  Everyone brings cards and gifts to pass out to everyone, guests and visitors included.  The young people do this and we came home with cookies, fudge, cheese curds, mini pies, peanut brittle, Christmas ornaments,a crocheted rug made from plastic bags (hee, hee, perfect for the garden  mud), etc., etc., etc.  People sit around and visit (as the kids run wild - eek!) and have a wonderful time together.  Everyone looks forward to this every year.



The Storm Results



When we went to bed on Saturday night the snow was drifted up to the windows.  By morning the drift had shifted behind the cars.




This is the drift in front of the main entrance to the church.




This is the view  looking straight on.  It took a bobcat and a strong teen age boy to clear the door.  Dwight was out helping shovel, too.



This entrance is on the road coming from the parsonage.  Part of the huge snow pile is from the plows.

Looking from the road to the church towards our house.  The sky was clear today , the sun was shining, and the wind was "wicked" cold.  We are so thankful for our warm house.  I made a double batch of chocolate chip cookies, too.  Ben really like them after he did all the digging out.  I think maybe he ate about a dozen.

December in Wisconsin

The view from the back deteriorated during the day. At times you could not see the trees.

The plows didn't start running til the afternoon.

The cars were sitting in the driveway and not in the warm two car garage.  I wonder why????  The snow now has drifted past the halfway mark on the car.

The drift on the front deck is just HUGE.



So what do you do on a snow day?  We work one of the seventeen puzzles given to us.  We are getting pretty good .



Another pastime for a snow day is putting up the Christmas tree.  It is decorated now  and the house is  "beginning to look alot like Christmas."  We will have "Christmas at the Parsonage" after our caroling activity on the 22nd.  Then we are looking forward to the Stilles coming for Christmas.
In all of the activities and plans I have once again been reminded that we don't worship the Babe in the Manger but Christ who died for our sins. 

When you are getting ready for a Christmas Program and you live in Wisconsin or Minnesota, you can expect lots of the white stuff.  Fortunately, our program is a week from tomorrow but we have already canceled the morning services for tomorrow. That means one less practice.  Oh well, I'll not waste my time being stressed about the lack of practice.  I still have two more times to perfect the participants.

Thanksgiving Day 2010

We are so thankful for the opportunity to be with some of the family for such a wonderful holiday.  I shared with the grandchildren a very memorable Thanksgiving from my childhood.  I hope they all enjoyed it.  It was Thanksgiving 1957, the year that my Daddy went to his heavenly home.  What a blessing to be able to thank the Lord for the testimony and example of a Godly father.!

Kari was the "hostess with the mostest."  She has three great helpers ( I have to include Teddy since he helps with the cleanup and trash removal).  But, the girls love to help do the cooking.  Alisa says she can bake cookies, cakes, brownies, etc.  Ashlynn can plan meals and fix lunch for Dad when Mom is gone. 

We had sweet fellowship and the sweets were great.  Of course, no holiday celebration would be complete for the Turbett clan without Mother's Angel Pie.  A yummy pumpkin roll has now taken its place on the menu.  The cocnut cream pie came on Black Friday.  Ted deserved that because he had to work such long hours on that day.
The time went fast and we made our way home on Saturday.  The Lord was so good to us and the weather was fine.  We had a great day on Sunday!  The Lord sent us some blessings and encouragement that made us even more thankful for His protection, provision and leading in our lives.

So Thankful for Friends

What a pleasant surprise when this beautiful fall table runner arrived in the mail from a friend.  Thanks, Jill!!

A second blessing came when friends invited us for the LEFSE EXPERIENCE. Dwight peeled, cooked, and riced the potatoes.  Then we went over to Hoffs and made lefse for 4 1/2 hours.  I was a flipper for most of the time.  The rest of the time I was holding a baby.  Anyway we came home with 32 large rounds of lefse from our pot of potatoes.  We plan to share with family.  Some will go into the freezer for Christmas.

What else have I been doing, you ask??  Thursday night was our Ladies Bible study here, and our feature for the evening was Christmas crafts.  I brought up Mother's white enamel table and set up ideas in the piano room.  I got a lot of ideas at one of the Ladies Retreats.  Everyone went away with a bag of goodies.    Now I'm in the mood for creating.  I hope that will continue since we are having Thanksgiving in Rockford.  That means major craft/creativity time.

We Had A Feast!!



The room were decorated on Thursday afternoon.  We had a great group of ladies and kids to help us.




We had corn stalks and hay bales and pumpkins outside as well as luminaries lined on the walkway.



The tables are missing the marshmellow pumpkin favors.  Those were put out right before the dinner.  There are too many little visitors in our building.  We were not going to feed them too.

The evening was cool but no rain had fallen as was predicted.  We had about 92 in attendance and many of them were visitors.  We were so pleased that our neighbors from across the street came.  I haven't had a chance to visit with her, so that was wonderful.  Dwight has talked with him many times.   The program was short but sweet.  One of the ladies, Connie, played her violin and Dwight sang "Ho, Everyone That is Thristy."  It was beautiful.  We had lots of yummy food and, thankfully, lots left over.   Most of all, there were many that came to the dinner that normally don't come to church.  Our prayer is that the testimony of our folks that love the Lord was seen and heard.  Some of the children and teens were asked why they were thankful for certain things.   We wrote their answers down and Dwight read them.  One of the teens said, "I am thankful that Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever because nothing else is."  That gives us all HOPE.  What a wonderful anchor we have to place our lives on!

The annual Fall Supper is history, but it was a great blessing and encouragement.

AND THEN THIS MORNING we woke up to THIS!!!  Actually, it started snowing and blowing about 12:30 am. 

Thankfully the yard work was done, although the picnic table and chairs still sit on the patio.  One never knows in northern Wisconsin if the snow is here for the duration of the winter, or if it will warm up again.

These snow picture are for Teddy.  Dwight's latest project was to cut the low branches on the stand of pine trees in the back yard.  They finished what they wanted to do on Thursday.  I'll have lots of pine boughs to use for Christmas.  We have moved quickly from God's Harvest Blessings to God's Winter Wonderland.

Fall is Flying Quickly Away

   Although I have not taken time to take pictures, the activities of the season are stacking up quickly.  The plans for the Fall Supper are coming together nicely.  The food sounds yummy and the decorations will be awesome once we get them all together.  The next on the agenda is our next Ladies Bible Study.  The feature for the month is Christmas gift/craft ideas.  I have several ideas from friends and family that will be fun to do.
The Christmas Program is taking shape, thanks to daughter number one and her creativity.  The parts have been decided, the songs are being practiced, the props will be taken care of by some great young people.  Now all we have to do is get everyone to work together.  I AM EXCITED!!
  In the midst of all the activity and plans, there is THE ONE who has made all of this possible.  I don't want to ever forget the real reason why we set aside a day to be thankful and a day to give gifts.  As born again, blood bought, Bible loving, children of God we can celebrate Thanksgiving and Christmas every day of the year.  This time of year is my opportunity to share with my grandchildren some of my special memories.  I am going to tell them, in a letter, of a special Thanksgiving and Christmas that I remember so well that it seems like just yesterday.
   Have a memory making, Christ honoring time preparing for the season.

A Visit From Family

Gerry and Connie stopped by for a visit.  They parked their trailer "home away from home" in our dirveway for several days.  We enjoyed visiting in their cozy home.  Then they were able to attend our Sunday evening service.  After we had an "Evelyne" lunch , we visited til past Connie's bedtime.  Hee, hee!!  After spending some time up North working on the plans for our Family Reunion next summer, G&C went with us to a Pastor's and Wives Fellowship.  Of course, they knew most of the pastors and their wives.

Their truck, "Big Red" as they affectionately call it, had some issues, but they were able to get the needed repairs.

After some sweet fellowship, we said goodbye.  We are all getting excited about the plans for next summer.  The Lord allowed Gerry to meet people who will help in making this all happen.  God is so good!!