Christmas Was Fun...Life Moves On

My Six Words today:  Christmas was fun...Life Moves On!




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I haven't blogged in awhile.  It seems like I haven't been motivated lately to take pictures or to post them.  But while I was thinking back on our Christmas fun, I thought I would post a few things and share what is happening in this New Year so far.

I still have my Christmas tree up...and it is already January 10th!  This is nothing new for me...I often leave it up until the middle of January, and I keep enjoying it as long as I can...plugging the lights in every morning and leaving them on until I go to bed.  (I'm lazy yes...but I am still enjoying it!) 

On the Saturday after Christmas we had our family gathering. We had 23 of us together for crockpots full of Beef and Noodles at lunch time with a frozen strawberry side dish, and my girls brought a yummy spinach dip with crusty bread...and also a veggie tray with yummy yogurt dip.  We also had coffee, and brownies, and cherry and pumpkin pies with whipped cream...and munchies like cheese and crackers and chips...and Christmas candies sitting around, so we grazed on the food as we went through the day and evening.

This was a shot of the living room before the house started to fill up with the lively chatter of family.

When everyone arrives,...lots of silliness goes on...especially when my daughter Lynnette goes around snapping pictures!

He who is of a merry heart has a continual feast.
(Proverbs 15:15b)

I love having my family around us!  It is such a wonderful blessing!

We head downstairs to our assigned spots where our presents have been placed and we open from the youngest to the oldest!  Grandpa and I get to sit back and take it all in!

We had Uncle Dan with us this year (In the recliner on the right), and two days later he was in ICU with out- of- control blood sugar levels.  But he is out now, and doing better!  I am thanking God that he didn't go into a coma or die...since they told him his blood sugar levels were over 900.  (Isn't that awful?!!!)  I am so glad he recovered.

This is my oldest daughter Lisa and her hubby Brad and their 20 yr. old daughter Bailey.  We squeezed them onto the couch from the wooden chairs behind, so they would be more comfortable! Maybe we need to buy a big sectional or something so more people can fit in.  (But it is fun to snuggle up!)  (:>) 

We make the younger set... sit on the floor!  These gals are 13, 14, 15, and 16.  Look at all of their presents!  It takes us a long time to open everything, but it is fun.

 Here's my baby girl Lonna LaVon.  Isn't her long wavy hair beautiful?  All 3 of my daughters have long, thick, pretty hair!  Mine used to be thick...once upon a time!  (:>)  Not so much since I am getting older! 

I call this one the "Nerf Brothers!"  Our sweet "little" boys who are not so little anymore!  There's my sweet Lonna in the background.  She and Bob look like they are in quiet reflection.

And here are Abigail and Jared, now 19 and 22.  I call them the twins...cuz they do look a lot alike, and they do everything together.    (After gift opening Jared played the piano and Abigail and others sang around the piano, while others played pool!  It was a ton of fun!)

Here's 16 yr. old Caleb sitting by Grandpa.  Gramps asked Caleb to read the Christmas story to us from the book of Luke.  He did a great job and we reflected on the true meaning of Christmas.

We can always count on Kyle and Lynnette for some humor and fun!  Lynnette takes the pictures for us...and I love that!  (Abigail probably took this one, since Lynnette is in it!)

A view from the stairs.  This was when Caleb was reading, and everyone was quiet and listening to the story of our Saviors birth!  Then we discussed it, and added our thoughts, and amazements... over the precious birth of our Lord!  What a loving God to send His son into the world to later die for us...and make a way for us to be forgiven of our sins!  Hallelujah!
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Here are some of "my boys" visiting with each other upstairs. Kyle, Brad, and 17 yr. old grandson William..  Having raised three girls, I had to wait for sons-in-law and grandsons to get "my boys"!!!  I love them all so much.

Since the New Year began, the kids are back in school, and the guys are back to work.  Our daughter Lonna is interviewing for a couple of jobs...one on Friday, and then another on Monday.  Please pray that she will do well on the interviews and that she will get the one that God wants for her.  (Thanks!)

We have had some 50 degree days since Christmas, and my husband has even gone golfing a few times in this New Year!  He plans to do a lot more in the coming Spring....Lord willing.  He enjoys it when he is feeling good.

The Kraft family sold their house and have purchased another one since Christmas....since Kyle's work is now in the Kansas City area.

 This is their 100 + yr. old home on 5 acres.  They have lived there 14 years, and they will really hate leaving it behind!

This is their new home in Missouri.  God has new adventures planned for them in their new location!  And John and I look forward to our visits there.  We trust God with their future!  (:>)
They will be moving in the first part of February.  It was built in 2011.

The rest of our family will love going to visit them too, as there are a lot of things to do in the Kansas City area....and we will be missing them so much!  We have all lived close these last several years.  (For a few years our daughter Lisa and her family lived in Manhattan Kansas, but they have lived in our town, a mile away for about 15 years now.)  Yes, we have been blessed.

This is the Plaza in Ks. City!  It is pretty, all lit up at Christmas time at night.

Life is full of changes, and we all go through them at one time or another.  Some are pleasant, and some are not.  I have a good friend in town this week from Arizona, who just lost her brother-in-law, so she is here helping her sister.  Please pray for the Butterfield/Steinbuchel families as they grieve.  And on a brighter note, this same friend, Toni, is going to be a grandma again, and her daughter just announced it!  So as I said, life is full of changes!  (:>)
New life in the New Year...New Adventures!  God is good!

May we all grow closer to our Lord in 2013.

Love, Linda