Our Christmas Day

Christmas Day was a wonderfully, peaceful day for us.  In the morning, I turned on the tv while beginning preparations for our evening dinner and found that 

PBS was having musical specials - some jazz, Appalachian, classical, strings, choral groups, church and college Christmas programs....all day long there was program after program of music proclaiming the birth of our Saviour.  Just beautiful!!  Very relaxing and joyful.
 

The weathermen kept saying we would have a white Christmas, but it didn't happen.  This photo is from a few days ago and we did have just a little snow left where the sun doesn't reach.  (Before the song "I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas" was written, it probably never occured to wish for a white Christmas, would it have?")  But it would have been lovely!

For dinner, the family came.  Mom made this fancy Christmas gelatin.  She is so creative!  Also fixed a pot roast and twice baked potatoes (Thank you, Marilyn R. for the recipe from allrecipes.com!)

Adam stayed home.  His turn to be sick.  Luckily, he was able to give the Christmas Eve service!  Now he does not have a voice.  We have been fighting bad colds or flus for the past couple of weeks.  I had a fever for 6 days and am so glad that is over!

I got out my china that I registered for when we got married.  I haven't used them in so long.  But thought it would be fun.  The girls said it was fancy!  (don't you think the BBQ bottle adds such flair?)

We weren't exchanging gifts this day since our son's family and youngest daughter could not come - just having a wonderful dinner, celebrating the birth of Christ with Jill's family and my parents.  We sang "Happy Birthday" to Jesus when we had our little cake desserts.


It was Claire's first Christmas.  She has not been well either (can you tell with her little red eyes?)  So far Al has been able to keep healthy and we hope he continues!

We will be having Christmas celebrations this coming week when the whole family travels back home!

"Over the river and through the woods, to Grandmother's house we go!" 

Botanica lights

Last evening we decided to take a trip to Wichita with the folks.  Al had received a gift card to Cracker Barrel and we thought it would be fun to take the folks and go see the Botanica afterwards.  We debated doing it on Thursday evening, but it is supposed to get mighty chilly so made the decision to go this evening.

It is always confusing going to the Botanica.  Downtown Wichita with Central that curves all over the place is just too hard for us to navigate without our GPS.  Al didn't feel like the GPS was much help as it took us through residential.  Need to reset it I guess.  I think it is on shortest route, not the most practical at times.

We don't eat here much at all unless it is an invite by someone.  But man, it was full - and this on a Tuesday night!  The waitress told us it is like this all the time.  People love the "just like home" food.

My Mom was interested in why Cracker Barrel was named that.  The waitress said it was because they used barrels to store crackers (originally to store pickles).  I looked it up and it said it was to give the place a Southern country theme.  To read about the history of the store, click here.

After a delicious "home-cooked" meal, we drove to the Botanica for the Illuminations.
 

The girls would love these!  But the real butterflies are not around.  Too cold right now.  We do enjoy the butterfly house in the spring and summer!

Santa was available for the children in The Cottage.

At this point, we lost Mom for awhile.  I had to delete some photos on my SD card so walked over to the barn for more light.  I thought she was following Dad and Al.  But she couldn't find either of us!  So when I hooked up with Al (by calling on our cell) and realized she was missing, we went looking.  Luckily she knew to go to the entrance.  She wanted to see the children's area so we walked back there again. 

I think the children would  have been disappointed that you can't climb around the tree house.  Since it was strung up with lights, everything was blocked off (of course!).

After an hour and a half of walking, we took Dad and Mom for a drive around to see some lights in the city.  What a fun evening!

December Restaurant Pick

Well, it is December and we went on our last restaurant adventure for the year.  Each month this year we've tried out a new place we've never eaten at before. We took our friends Rich and Carolyn and they recommended this place.

We began with a starter - Wagyu Beef & Ginger Dumplings which are like pot-stickers, pan-seared with crispy shallots, Thai peppers and soy sauce.  There was a kick to them.  I LOVE pot-stickers!  In Japan, we called them gyoza.

 

Rich, Carolyn and Al all ordered shrimp and scallops with garlic mashed potatoes and each one had a different side (salad, green beans and brocolli).

I ordered Sir Will's fish and chips.  It reminded me of the fish and chip shop we went to in London.  And also the fish my mom used to fry in Japan.  Mmmm-mmm!  In Japan we ate them with soy sauce (shoyu), not tartar sauce.  And a bowl of rice instead of fries. 

We had good conversation with this wonderful and godly couple.  How we look up to them!  The waiters were probably wondering if we'd ever vacate the place to make room for someone else! 

Afterwards we drove around the town looking at lights.  Our daughter told us about this place on N. Stratford.  The lights are in sinc with a radio station.  Amazing!

When we finally got back to town, I took a photo of the decoration that Rich and Carolyn had on their porch.  Lovely.

Immanuel - Christ with us.

It has been a fun year trying out new spots and also visiting with all the different couples we took out to eat.  Next year will be a different kind of adventure - we are thinking about visiting different cemetaries!  Most in Kansas, one in Pennsylvania and we hope to see the most famous one - the tomb.  The reason Christ came in the first place.

The reason He became man was to die. As God, He could not die for sinners. But as man He could. His aim was to die. Therefore He had to be born a man. He was born to die. Good Friday is the reason for Christmas. This is what needs to be said today about the meaning of Christmas. - John Piper



Showers

No, not rain showers.  One can only hope.  We are in extreme drought conditions here in Kansas.

But there was no shortage of baby and wedding showers today!  I was invited to 3 of them!

The first shower was in the morning -  for this sweet young mom-to-be.  Heather was in our young couple's community life group that Al and I led for 3 years.  Here was the invitation.  Very sweet!!

The young women in charge asked if I would give the devotional.  I incorporated my gift to Heather with the devotional. 

1.  Some baby spoons to encourage them not only to feed Baby Olson with nourishing food, but with the Word of God.

2.  Some safety plug-ins to protect the baby from putting things in outlets.  And an encouragement to protect him/her by praying for them. 

"Pour out your heart like water before the face of the Lord.  Lift up your hands toward Him for the life of your young children."  Lamentations 2:19

I also gave her this wonderful book.

3.  Last, I gave her a couple of blankets as a reminder to cover the baby with Christ's love, an unconditional love no matter what.

To finish our time, we surrounded Heather and using 3x5 Scripture cards, we prayed for the Baby and for Andy and Heather.

At 2:00, I was invited to 2 showers, so I had to split up the time between both.  The first shower was for Sarah.  She is having twins!  A boy and a girl!  Sarah has worked in the nursery with me at church for many years!  From before she was even married.  I watched her romance with JR blossom.  We will miss her when she takes a break from teaching the Ladybug class!

We played "The Price is Right".  We had to guess prices of items on a tray.  Sarah's sister, Melody, is a super shopper and found such bargains on the things on the tray.  I was way off on my guesses! 

 Psalm 139 - For you created my inmost being;
             you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
       I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
                 your works are wonderful,
            I know that full well.
      My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place,
              when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
     Your eyes saw my unformed body;
                all the days ordained for me were written in your book
                          before one of them came to be.
      How precious to me are your thoughts,God!
            How vast is the sum of them!

I hated having to leave early, but I also wanted to go to this girl's bridal shower!  We have been family friends for many years.  These kids were in school with our kids.

 Congratulations, Karen!! 

As I was leaving the house where the shower was, I noticed this beautiful lamp!!  Oh my goodness!
LOVE!

 

What a fun day.  I didn't get my house cleaned like I had planned, but how special to go and share the joy of these 3 young ladies!

Christmas program

The grandkids had their school Christmas program last evening -
                                             Sing a Song of Christmas!

"Merry Christmas"

I'm not sure what the kids were looking at. 

 I think Hannah spied the photographer!

Love letters of Christmas