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

Trip to Arkansas

This past Wednesday afternoon, I drove down to Arkansas to see my babies.  I missed out on their birthday party.  Al and Mindy had gone down, but I couldn't leave Aunt Millie at that time.  I promised the kids I would try to come soon.

During the night, my son got quite ill with the stomach bug.  While he slept the next day, the kids and their mom and me went to the mall to pick out the kids' Christmas ornaments for the year.

They were pretty happy with what they chose!

Sister was too shy to see the man from the North Pole.  Brother thought he could at least give him a high five. He would not sit on his lap though.  When Emeri was 3, they were at the mall and said maybe she would want to visit Santa and sit on his lap.  "Why would I do that?  I don't know him!"

Riding the escalator a couple of times is a treat!

That evening Staci ended up getting sick too.  And everyone was in bed by 8:00.  Lucky for me I brought along my Christmas cards to work on just in case I had extra time.  The kids had bad colds and with both parents down with this crud I am glad I thought to bring along my echinacea, L-Lysine and Zicam!  Seriously, the combination of those do help me!  It has kept me from colds for a couple of years!  Wish it worked on Rocky Mountain symptoms.
                                                                                                                                                        
 
                                                             

While the parents slept in the next day, we 3 had fun together!   We read books, had ourselves a breakfast, played beauty shop, played with cars, and in the afternoon we played outside and went for a walk.  Staci felt up to joining us.  But Josh was still sick.  He had to cancel worship team practice. 

Eli got a hair cut. 

 

Funny girl!

And funny boy!

I had such a good time!  So glad I was able to help Josh and Staci out so they could rest.

Emeri said she wished we lived on the other side of their house (their other grandparents live right beside them too) and that Sophie, Hannah and Claire would live in the next house so we could all live in the same neighborhood.  Wouldn't that be fun??!!

Men's Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

A couple of weeks ago, Sophia helped me bake chocolate chip cookies.  We placed them in the cookie jar I got from Aunt Millie.

 These are the best!!  Thanks, Diane Walter, for this recipe!

It didn't take long to finish them off!

Men's Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies
2/3 cup shortening                           3 1/2 cups flour
2/3 cup butter, softened                   1 tsp. soda
1 cup sugar                                      1 tsp. salt
1 cup brown sugar, packed              1 cup nuts (or a bit more if you like)
2 eggs                                             2 cups chocolate chips
2 tsp. vanilla

Heat oven to 325 degrees.  Mix shortening, butter, sugars, eggs and vanilla.  Blend in remaining ingredients.  (I usually whisk flour, soda and salt together first).   Drop by rounded spoonful 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheet (I usually spray it with Pam or equivalent).  Bake 15 minutes.