Cold weather and warm memories

"Oh the weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful....."  Almost true.  We have had cold wind for a couple of days and flurries to go with it.  So far no real snow like they had so many places, even in the south!!  My sister Rose in Atlanta was out of electricity for a day!  Even in Austin, TX they had 4 inches of snow!  Just crazy upside down, haha!

I'm still knee-deep in Christmas music practice and prep.  After Sunday's performance of our cantata, The First Noel, I'll be greatly relieved.  I have such dedicated choir members, which makes everything better.

I finally got our tree finished on Saturday.  I love the ambiance a lighted tree brings to our living room.

On Sunday morning we went to our 9:00 GBRV service.  The choir sang a song from last year's musical, Adore by Chris Tomlin.  Someone took this picture.   We're really crammed into that corner, and that's with at least 3 people missing!  When we do the cantata we'll stand on the platform and across the front, not in this choir loft corner.  I miss the more spacious area in front that we had at Fillmore, but I do like facing the choir when I play piano as it is here at Buffalo Run.

We did not go to the service at Calvary because we had a big day planned in Lancaster County.  We ate brunch as we drove.  Our first stop was to see Dick's parents.  We had a sweet time of catching up with them from around 1:00 to 2:00.  There's something Dad said that I've enjoyed thinking about.  He was saying that he had seen something on TV about the environmental hazard that plastic straws are.  He said, "I don't know if that's true or not, but I have all but completely stopped using plastic straws."  He's 92 and caring about the environment!!  I love it!

From there we went on some back roads to my brother's house.  We love reminiscing as we see things that were so much a part of our lives.  We even passed the big farmhouse that we owned and lived in and created memories in for 18 years.  Jim and Melissa have made so many improvements since we sold it to them in 2005, but this is how it looked when it was our home.

The reason we were getting together at Dick and Nancy's on Sunday was because our sister Barb and her husband John were in PA from Idaho for a few days to take care of some things for his parents.  So those of us who live in PA got together for the afternoon.  What a great time we had!  This is the crew that was there.

Mary Ellen covered Grandma Mary with a beautiful fleece blanket.

My sister Doris with her husband Dale and their youngest daughter Ellen.

Barb and John with Grandma Mary.

Dick and I.

Dick and Nancy, our gracious hosts.

The amazing view of the sunset from Dick and Nancy's house.

We sang some Christmas carols around the piano.  We always sound better when Barb and John are with us.  They are both strong tenors.

We had to have some Witmer Trio too, of course!

Dick took a very short video as we ended O Holy Night.  The piano is too loud, but I guess that's just the way I play.

Nancy had a beautiful Christmas table set.

And so much good food that she and Dick had prepared for us.  Everything was scrumptious!

And of course we had lots of laughs.  Once again, Grandma Mary was the instigator of our most hilarious moments.  There were pictures of her in a wig that cracked us up!!  She is so full of fun and mischief!

Around 6:00 Dick and I left to take Grandma Mary home.  We were glad to have a reason to go through the Manheim Square.  For as long as I can remember the square has been decorated with a canopy of lights at Christmas.  This picture does not nearly do it justice.

After taking Mary home we went to Sam and Jenn's.  Dick had asked to start work at noon on Monday so we could stay overnight.  We had a lot of fun with Sammy.  Bianca was already sleeping.

This is the Advent calendar he had gotten at our church a few weeks ago.  He had already eaten the first ten pieces of chocolate, one each day of December!

Their beautiful tree.  More about those gifts under it later.

He wanted to show me the decorations in the basement.  He LOVES decorating so much.

At his school they had set up a Santa's Workshop for Christmas shopping.  Sam and Jenn had given him money to do his own shopping.  Those were his wrapped gifts under the tree.  He couldn't wait until Christmas to give us our gifts.  When I unwrapped mine it was this sturdy rubber scraper.  He told me that he knew I like to bake so he thought I would like it.  I can't even tell you how that touched my heart.  Just the thought of him looking at what to buy and thinking of me when he saw that rubber scraper gives me tears!  He's just in kindergarten and already so perceptive and thoughtful!  He gave Dick a tape measure - "because you like to fix things."  

I got to bring home an 8x10 of his handsome kindergarten picture. 

On Monday morning we were all up early, including Bianca, and had a bit of time for some fun.

I was so glad to have some time to be with Bianca.  She was definitely in her "sweetheart" mood that morning!

Those of you who remember feeling bad about Sammy's long walk to the bus stop will be glad to know that now Sam usually drives him to school, so no walking in the cold or riding in a bus for an hour.  

We left for home shortly after 8:30 and got right back into our workweek mode when we got home a few hours later.  

Dick has finally been able to go back to the Y to play basketball this week.  The vasculitis on his legs is almost all healed up.  I think he said it was six weeks since he was there last.  I'm so glad for him.  He always calls basketball his therapy.

Tomorrow evening (Thursday) is our last practice for our cantata.  Anthony is doing a solo in one of the songs and will be coming to practice it with us for the first time!  AND he has to bring both boys along because Lori has a work dinner.  So we'll hope for the best.  

Hunter is such a barrel of fun.  I was over there when Anthony got home with him before dinner today and took this "hammy" picture of him.  

The pond is starting to freeze.  It looked so pretty today.  I guess the fountain had still been running, thus the frozen water on those low branches. I think Anthony turned the fountain off now for the winter. 

I'm finishing this at bed time.  It sounds like we may be getting a few inches of snow overnight.  Have a good rest of your week!