New Year’s Eve

Hmmmm – I can’t believe I only took one photo from New Year’s Eve.

Maybe it was because we were all a little on the Fooded-Out side.
Maybe it was because we couldn’t think of a movie for our “Second Feature.”
Maybe it was because I was scheduled to work a 12-hour shift the next morning.

But it came.  And it went.  And I am more than ready for 2018. 
There was a lot of refining in 2017.  And it wasn’t a wholly awful year.  Looking through photos has helped me to remember the joy and the fun, along with the challenges and the growing pains.

Genesis 8:22
While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease.

Christmas 2017

Christmas Eve 2017

This was the 11th year of gathering with the Brookses for Christmas Eve.
It’s hard to believe how much they have grown.  We failed to get a photo that first year.  And we have no proper pattern of collecting photos… 

But here you go. 

These were really 2008, but the camera had that weird date on it…

Making music move

The oldest three sang with the adult choir for Christmas, and Tab and Johanna sang with the Children’s Choir.  Both groups went to a local Senior Living facility tonight to share some musical Christmas joy.

Though you can’t see him… Nigel is there too. 

Christmas offerings at church

The youngest three got to bless Jesus from the platform this morning. 
And we got to be blessed where we sat. 

Gingerbread houses 2017

It’s nice when we can still do an activity with all the kids.  I savor these opportunities.

And though we had so much fun together, I somehow did not save the videos we made from our time.

But this was the boys’.

This was Marie and Johanna’s

This was Katriel and Tab’s.  Katriel grew weary of the process, but Tab finished strong.

I’m that mom

She’s reading so well.  But a little incentive never hurt anyone.

You’re a mean one…

Happy Birthday to me!

Like any other mom on the planet (?) I chose Chuck E. Cheese for dinner for my birthday.

It seems only fitting as my friend and co-worker, Karrie, thinks I look like Chuck E. Cheese.  (Really, she told me that.)

The place was mobbed when we arrived.  This is not how we typically find it.  In retrospect we know we went TOO early; birthday parties were still going on.  Once 6 P.M. hit it emptied right out.

We opened gifts first so that John could get them back out into the van.
I love Johanna’s wrapping.

We played games until the pizza was ready.

And after dinner, we enjoyed some amazing cheese cake. 

Nigel has always been a Ticket Master at CEC.  But what is different about him now is he gave all his winnings to his sisters.

Here is the close up of the new purse John gave me.
Can you see what makes it extra special?

(Pssssst – look for Mickey Mouse.)

Psalm 90:12
So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.

Craft like an Egyptian

Tabby took a class at co-op about Ancient Egypt.  They had a party today and showed off all that they made from the course.

Thanksgiving 2017

Like so many other Thanksgivings since 1995, I worked.  I love the people I work with and it’s always nice to work on holidays.  The patients are certain appreciative and we eat like kings. 

I got home in time to make the gravy and we sat down to eat around 5 P.M.

After dinner we congregated in the family room to exchange our Christmas gifts with my Aunt Betty, Cousin David, Cousin Cathy, and her husband David.

Then there were games.

And dessert…. always dessert.