Our Christmas week 2024

 

Time to get back here for an update! And I have so much catching up to do in reading your posts!  

I'll start with something we did last Tuesday evening (12/17) after I had written my last update here.  

The evening before I had seen a beautifully decorated Victorian house with a Christmas tree on the porch.  I thought, "Hmmm.  We got a new tree this year, I wonder if Dick still has our old one in the shed."  He did!!  So since we don't have any rockers on our porch because they have broken and we got rid of them, we put our old tree on the porch and I put a string of lights on it.  I LOVE it!!

Wednesday was soup day.  During Advent season we have had a worship service each Wednesday evening preceded by a soup and bread supper.  I had signed up to make a pot of soup, and it was also my regular cooking day for Anthony and Lori, so I made two pots of chicken tortilla soup.  It was a hit at our supper.

On Thursday I was busy with music prep and practice, and in the evening we had choir practice. 

On Friday I had my annual cardiology appointment and also did some grocery shopping and then Christmas card shopping at the Dollar Store.  We had a bit of snow that day, but not enough to make any driving issues. 

On Saturday morning Dick and I drove to Reading (a 3-hour drive).  Destiny, Ozzie, and Elizer had come from Indianapolis, getting there about 3 am.  Destiny's mom was at work, so we didn't get to see her.  Destiny and I were on a cleaning spree!  She cleaned the laundry room where the cat litter and food are.  She also went through a stack of her mail that had arrived since she was there three weeks prior.  Elizer and I (mostly I) organized and cleaned up Elizer's room.  Dick assembled a shelving unit for the bathroom.  

Then we said our goodbyes.  We were taking Elizer to his dad in Lancaster.  He'll be there for a few weeks.  I wanted a picture before I left.  She was embarrassed that she was still in her jammies and had bedhead.  But she laughed and posed for a picture.

Elizer - always the comedian!

I had SO much fun working in his bedroom with him. 

We drove to Lancaster and dropped him off, then went to my sister-in-law Nancy's house.  Her son Steve and his family were visiting from Texas.  We had a really fun visit with them, although rather short.

Then we went to our hometown Manheim to see the Christmas lights in the square.  Those lights have decked the square at Christmas time as long as we can remember.  

Sunday morning was really special at church.  The children did not go to classes, but there was a special part for them in the adult service.  First Pastor Jim talked with them about Jesus' birth being foretold hundreds of years before.

 

Then my friend Vicky presented the most interactive story of Luke 2:1-8.  You could tell that she was a teacher.  She was so good!

When we got home from church I decided we should take a picture of ourselves in our "Sunday clothes." I set the timer on my camera and ended up getting some really hilarious pictures.  

I decided this one will do.

We went to a 4:00 showing of "It's a Wonderful Life" at the theatre in State College.  It's our favorite Christmas movie, and it was fabulous getting to see it from beginning to end without any interruptions for commercials.   

As we went back to the parking garage afterward we walked through this lovely patio.

Tuesday evening was our Christmas Eve service.  We were filled up!  Even put a row of folding chairs in the center aisle.  It was a beautiful service.

On Christmas morning I sat in the living room for a while and reflected on the beautiful moments of peace we are privileged to have in our lives.  My heart aches for so many who need to fight just to survive.  We are SO blessed!

I made a huge batch of oatmeal chocolate chip cookies in the morning.  Also a too-yummy fruit dip for all the fruit I had gotten.  In the evening Anthony, Lori, and the boys came over.  Anthony had smoked ribs and they were the BEST he had ever done!!  We also had a hodge podge of meats, cheeses, crackers, small bites, desserts, etc.  Very informal and fun.  

Then Hunter wanted to play "Grounded for Life."  It's the most ridiculous game, especially geared to juvenile humor.  Lots of laughs.  This is the only picture I got of our evening together.  The men were in the living room.

This is Thursday and I gave my choir a Christmas break.  No practice this evening!  First time off since the beginning of September!

We have some more good times coming up, so stay tuned for the next update!  I'll try to visit you soon.

Christmas activities!

Last Wednesday I made three scrumptious bacon broccoli quiches.  Later in the afternoon I met Lori at Hunter's school and gave two of them to her.  I wish I had taken a picture of them.  We enjoyed ours the next day.

They evening we had our soup and bread supper at church before our midweek Advent service. 

On Thursday morning a group of ladies from church went to a nursing home to sing Christmas carols with some of the residents.  It's a tradition we started several years ago.  One of the residents is a member of our church and the mother of Debbie, one of my choir members.  We had a wonderful time!

Here's Debbie sitting beside her mom Gladys.  

I got to play a grand piano!

We had choir practice in the evening.  Our cantata is over, but we have plenty of chances to sing before the season is over. 

Saturday was a big day!  In the morning we had a rehearsal for our children's program.  A lunch of hot dogs and mac and cheese was provided afterward.  

Then in the afternoon we had our gingerbread house decorating party.  I was disappointed that Lori and the boys couldn't come because they had gone to DC for the weekend to be with friends.  At the last minute I asked Sam and Steph if they wanted to come up so the kids could participate.  But they were going to be decorating Christmas cookies at Steph's mom's house.  But even without any of my grandchildren,  our social hall was full!! 

 

Pastor Jim dressed up like Santa!  The kids had fun posing for pictures with him. 

On Sunday morning the sanctuary was buzzing with excitement.  As I sat at the piano waiting for the start of the service I took this little video.

The children led our worship with narrations and songs.  They did a really great job.  I had helped them to learn a few songs, but I was not in charge of the program.  I admit I felt the "directing bug" that morning.  All those years of directing children's programs at Manheim Christian.  Sigh.  There just isn't enough time to do all the things anymore.  

After church Dick and I went for a drive to find an inn and bakery I had learned about on Facebook.  It was 40 minutes away.  One of the owners was from Portland, so I wanted to meet him.  

It was GORGEOUS!!!

We might have gotten some of these goodies and eaten them in the car on the way home!

After we left we drove about 20 minutes down the road and stopped for coffee at a Sheetz gas station.  When I got out of the car I realized I was missing an earring.  I mentioned it to Dick.  He said, "Well someone gave an earring to the owners at the bakery that was found outside."  Yes!!  Now I remembered that too!  I called the bakery, described my earring, and they had it!  So we went back to get it.  Some of my earrings would not be worth the trip, but those were.  

By the time we got home it had started to snow lightly.  

I spent the rest of the day working on the music choices for next Sunday's service as well as our midweek service.  

In the evening I went outside to take a picture of our house.  Our little home sweet home. 

We didn't get much snow, just enough to be pretty on Monday morning.  

I was so excited to see a cardinal at the bird house!  How perfect!  Snow and a cardinal!

Another picture of our tree.

That's all for this week!

Cantata week

Last Wednesday started with a beautiful sunrise, and I took this picture through my kitchen window.

  

By evening, it looked like this.  

We had been at our midweek Advent service at church and were surprised at the snow on the ground when we came outside afterward.  I heard that windy, snowy weather was coming through the next day, and I started praying!!  We NEEDED to have our last cantata rehearsal on Thursday evening.  

And it WAS windy on Thursday.  I took this picture in the morning.  

As I worked on music prep and practice throughout the day I prayed again and again that the storm would blow itself out of here.  I even prayed that the sun would shine. God heard my cries.  The wind did become less and the sun did come out, and the snow stopped without amounting to much.  And we DID have our rehearsal in the evening.  

What a great group I have!  Most of them attend our church, but we had at least five who do not.  So much cooperation, commitment, humor, and support!   I felt really, really good when I went home that night. 

On Friday I made oven bbq chicken, mac and cheese, and brown butter broccoli for us and for Anthony and Lori's family.  Of course I had to do a taste test.  I don't typically take pictures of the food I'm eating, but my sister-in-law had posted a picture of cookies with the caption, "When you need to warm up your house, this is a good way to do it!"  So I commented, "This is another way, lol!" 

That was some really good mac and cheese, by the way.  I am lactose intolerant, but I keep Lactaid close by.  

I picked Hunter up from school and took him with me to get some groceries.  He really wanted to come to my house because I had told him that we would be putting up our tree.  So Anthony met me after I was finished at the store so he could get their dinner from me.  

WHY did I not take any picture of Hunter putting ornaments on the tree??  UGH!!  He was enjoying himself immensely.  When Lori came to pick him up she said quietly, "You know you're going to have to space those things out."  Of course!  He was putting most of the things all on one side of the tree, but I wasn't going to squash his joy.  

On Saturday I finished the tree and all the other decorating too.  I came across this origami box that Austin had made last year, and it occurred to me that it would make a perfect candy dish!

I actually got a new tree this year, a Black Friday special on Amazon.  The lights come with a remote, and we can choose colored lights or white lights, and all varieties of blinking.  

Sunday morning was a busy service for me.  In the afternoon I might have gotten a 15-minute nap.  Our cantata was at 4:00, followed by a potluck supper.  

Here are some pictures taken from the video.  I'll try to make some video clips.

We started with a prelude of four songs by our instrumental ensemble.

The cantata was one I had led six years ago at the Fillmore church.  Some of my current choir members had also been in that choir.  "Come, Let Us Adore" is the title of the cantata, and six of the songs are from Chris Tomlin's Christmas album titled "Adore."  Absolutely beautiful, worshipful songs!

When the cantata was over they presented me with a huge gift.  I'll show that to you later.  

 Anthony, Lori, the boys, and Lori's mom came.  That meant so much to me.  As soon as the service was over, Austin came up to me and said, "May I please play your piano?"  I told him he certainly could.  He made quite an impression!

We had a great time eating and talking. And again, I didn't get a picture of Hunter.  It's good he doesn't read my blog or keep track of my picture-taking, haha!

So here is my GORGEOUS GIFT!!!

Those ornaments have music scores on them!

I will treasure this for years to come!!!

Monday evening Dick and I finally got our icicle lights up on our front porch.  We were going to do the greens and bows this evening, but it's raining. I also want to figure out a way to put light on the wreath. 

Meanwhile, in Florida a new granddog has joined the family.  

But I just looked back, and I don't think I told you that Lisa and George had to put Nilla Bean down during Thanksgiving break when Sophie was home.  She was 14 years old and her health was really declining and she was in pain.  I knew that was a possibility when I took this picture of her in October as I was leaving their house. 

It was sad for all of them, but for Stella it was saddest.  They even had Stella there when Nilla Bean was put down to help her somehow comprehend it.  But she has been SO SAD.  No interest in going for walks.  When they take her outside she looks back at the house, then she keeps sniffing the ground for Nilla Bean's scent.  She even lost interest in eating.  Last week Lisa went away for three hours, and the camera showed that Stella stood at the door the entire three hours.  

Now the good news!  They contacted a shelter and found a male puppy named Prince whose owner has died, and he has been mourning.  Lisa and George were picked for adopting him!  He is a big boy!! So different for Lisa and George!  Here are Stella and Prince.  She is already a happy girl!

George has a boy!  Does he look a little bit happy too??

I'm so happy for them all!  

Time for bed.  Good night!