Yesterday we went to a Grand Rapids Griffin's Hockey game. (They are the affiliate of the Red Wings Hockey.) Good thing we didn't go mainly for the game because they lost big time 1-5 and played terrible, but we did see a few fights. Hockey fans love the fights! The MAIN reason we went was because our son Jeff was asked to sing the National Anthem at the beginning of the game. Watch the video, but please excuse the poor quality. We were so far away from where he sang that the picture comes through blurry, but the sound quality is good and that is what matters most.

It was the perfect time for Jeff to sing because we had out of town family here for Christmas. Not everyone could come, but we were thankful that the ones that came had such a good time together. Grandpa & Grandma, Aunt Judy

Cousins: Ben & Kevin from California,

Uncle Jim, Cousins: Melissa & Allison,

Cousins: Max & Kim from California Cousins: Scott & Nathan. Jess came with Jeff, of course!! Joey, Julie, and Jeremy came too, but didn't sit near us so didn't get a picture, but they enjoyed watching their brother sing too.

Future Fruit On The Vine

 

Here is a picture of a couple of fruit trees I planted this late fall as you can see snow was on the ground already but the ground was not frozen yet so I could dig a hole easily.  They don’t look like much yet.  The one on the left is a Dark Sweet Cherry tree and the one on the right is a Peach tree.  It will take about three or 4 years and then should start seeing some good harvest off from them.  Hopefully they will look like this Cherry tree which is 4 years old, or this Apple tree that I got a good harvest from this year.

                                                

And hopefully in a few years I will get some good harvest’s and can do some canning of peach’s like I did the apples below.

Christmas Break

Christmas break from school means one thing to me…MORE KIDS to take care of!  School age kids bring on a whole new challenge for the day because they are used to being entertained having their day structured in school.  Now that Tyler and Rachel are both in school my days have definitely been easier and QUIETER! Craft time is simpler as the little girls are happy just to color, cut and paste.  But Wednesday’s are my day to have them ALL.  Good thing Charlie is a good baby who has adapted to the noise the others bring in.

We decided to have our craft time be a baking/creating time with plates of their yummy treats going home for the family.

 Reindeer Cookies (they became a bit more flat after baking)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             Snowman and Santa Cookies. 

Tyler thought his snowman needed a “charcoal” smile                            When the noise level reached that ‘certain level’ I shipped the two big kids outside to play in the snow.   Not really enough snow for them to sled down the hill, but they managed to have a great time all bundled up in their snow gear.                                                      

Winter brings … Static Electricity!  Cute Gracie!                   

And Presents to open… Tyler gets a Bakugan from Rachel and Gracie gets a Yoyo from Sarah.  Because it was a pretty pink Gracie thought it was a Princess Yoyo.

Notebooks and colored pencils for Rachel and Sarah from Tyler and Gracie and a Princess game set from Auntie.

Traditions

Ever since Tyler was 2 years old we started a tradition to have our picture taken with the grandkids at Christmas time. The first year was just Tyler and Gramma, but the following year Grampa joined us and we have made this an annual tradition. 20042005

2006 2007

Look how we all have changed over the years. 2008 Here Gracie is wearing a jumper that I made her from one of her Great Grandma Katherine's skirts that I was given after she passed away so it is very very special.

We usually go to Sears to have our pictures taken and then head off to Steak 'n Shake for dinner. Gracie was POSITIVE that she was NOT going to have her picture taken, but we got there without a scene. Once we were in the room the photographer did such a good job that Gracie wanted to keep posing and both kids did EXACTLY what was asked of them. I cannot wait for Dec 21st so I can pick them up.

Normally we go on the first Saturday of December, but this year Dale's brother, Phil, was visiting from Alabama on that weekend, and since time is pretty precious when he arrives we just cancel everything else. This year the only date we could fit in was last night. So here we are all dressed up to go, and I forget to snap a picture. Guess you will have wait just like me to see this years photo.

After dinner at Steak 'n Shake we "normally" come back to Gramma's and do some Christmas baking in the kitchen, but since this is NOT a normal year and BECAUSE it is a school night we divided up our fun and the kids each decorated a Rice Krispy Treat Christmas Tree using both regular and mini M&M's (my personal favorite) with a yellow Spree Candy for the star.

The kids really had fun decorating their Christmas trees and I must admit - more M&M's ended up on the tree instead of their tummy.

“Belle” of the Ball

32 years ago at our wedding the bridesmaids wore these “beautiful” yellow dresses…

Don’t laugh! Have you seen the movie 27 Dresses? Well, now you know where they got the idea from.  Anyways… my sister, Judy, keeps absolutely EVERYTHING and never had the heart to toss out the bridesmaid dress she wore at our wedding.  A couple years ago she decided to remake the dress over for her granddaughter, Kyra.  The day after Thanksgiving when the family was all together, my niece brought the ‘bridesmaid remake’ dress back so Gracie could wear it.  Gracie promptly dubbed it her “Belle dress” and wanted to wear it IMMEDIATELY.  When she came over for a spell the next day she had it on and truly enjoyed posing for Grampa taking her picture.

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Florida – Day 5 & 6

MAGIC KINGDOM!!! NEED I SAY ANYTHING MORE??!! This is my

(Christi) FAVORITE park!!

 

   Gracie loves the Characters if you haven’t learned that by now.                                              Wish I could have got Jeremy’s picture by Captain Jack Sparrow which is his favorite movie character from Pirate’s of the Caribbean.     Dale’s one and only purchase was this giant Caramel, Chocolate and Pecan Apple. It was like a massive turtle candy wrapped around a giant apple.  It took him a long time to eat it all.

  One of the fun things we did in 1995 was to ride Alice’s Tea Cup Ride.  Back then all five of us fit in but now we were still able to fit the four of us in. The guys just said “hang on Mom, we are going to make this tea cup spin”  And they sure did, just look at Dale in fast motion.                                                                 Gracie was still so unsure of going on any rides and oh, the carrying on and crying when Julie wanted to take her on It’s a Small World ride.  Julie knew she would like it once she got on it that she very patiently talked her through it.  Once Gracie heard the music she quieted right down and started singing along with the words.  By the end of the ride she wanted to go on again.                                                       There are so many things to do and see at Magic Kingdom. Here, Tyler is trying to pull Excaliber’s sword from the stone. Gracie wasn’t sure about the carousel.  Sometimes she is fine with the one at the mall and other times not, but she finally decided she wanted to go on the horses.                                               Playing at the 100 Acre Woods and at Mickey and Minnie’s houses was a treat for the kids.  They really got into that.  We didn’t stay for the fireworks at night as we have had so many late nights and it was hard for the kids to endure, but it was dark by the time we left the park so we got to see Cinderella’s Castle all lit up. Julie and Jeremy took the kids back to the condo/resort while Jeff, Joey, Dale and I went back to Disney’s Hollywood Studios to watch Fantasmic – a laser show featuring Mickey Mouse and MANY of the Disney characters.  That certainly was most certainly worth the wait.

Friday was spent leisurely again, but we did visit Downtown Disney and saw this dragon made out of LEGOS – quite amazing!                         

Our flight home on Saturday was early – up at 5:00 AM and out the door by 6:15.  I think by now we were all ready to get back to home life even though regretful that it all had to end. 

Jeff entertains Gracie as we wait to board the plane.  The boys were such a huge help with the kids so that Jeremy and Julie could have some time alone, but after all – they really love their only niece and nephew.  What a blessing it was for Dale and I to spend a week with our adult children and our grandchildren.  It is a trip that we will cherish forever.