Christmas Day

Lovely Christmas day with our family.  So beautiful to have snow!  Micah was so excited to get to play in it. I don't think he remembers playing in snow before.  Daddy built a great snowman for him.

Opened lots of presents.  So much fun seeing what the kids picked out as presents.  Also fun seeing them open gifts we know they want.  Funniest-- Micah was just THRILLED with the calendar, timers, and calculator we bought him.

iPod

Katie purchased her own iPod on Monday!  Boy, is she happy with it.

Claire

Here's Claire, looking especially pretty last Sunday.

Snow

First time in ages-- we had a white Christmas!  Beautiful snow.  About 2 inches fell on Christmas Eve.

Yesterday, much of it melted.

Today, the snow is piling on again.  I think we're up to about 4 inches.  We're about to go out to shovel and find out.

Kids love it, and I do think it's beautiful-- but I wish we didn't have to think about driving to MI tomorrow.  Good thing we didn't go today.

Michelle

Paycheck

Katie earned her first paycheck!  Big stuff.  :)  She's been tutoring a Chinese exchange student after school, and doing a terrific job.

The Next Noel

This was Grace's Christmas program on Thur.  The band played first and then the 1st thru 5th grade did a wonderful musical.  I still can't get over how happy I am about it-- this was the new music teacher's first program, and she did a terrific job!  The kids all love her and enjoy music class.  That's huge, too.

 Newly formed band-- Jenna's in the front in red, playing clarinet.

 Claire and her good friend Audrey were the narrators for one scene in the play-- she did a fantastic job and really enjoyed it.

Katie helped paint this backdrop.

Trio

This is what happens when you leave something on the woodstove by mistake.

Hancock House

This is a missionary home we've stayed in a few times over the past year or so.  They need someone to occupy it at least once a month for insurance purposes, I think.  Chad took the kids, and they had a great time!  Loved staking out where to sleep.  Played some games.  Watched the Best Christmas Pageant Ever (cheesy!).  Ate food I packed.  I stayed home to try to catch up, but I'm still not anywhere near that!  A little closer, tho (Thanks, hon!), and I very much enjoyed Christmas shopping by myself, and working around the house in total peace and quiet.

Light Bright

My dad also helped us replace the disgusting light fixture that I've hated for about 14 1/2 years now.  Took a little planning and building a box just to get up high enough.  Made me a little nervous.  Had these thoughts about everyone always saying, "Yeah, Don was healthy and working great... right up til that fall he took at Michelle's house in 2012..."

Bed Business

Couldn't get these in my preferred order.  Jump around and you can see what happened with the room switch while my parents were here.  The yellow room is the downstairs room with the bunkbed removed.  This is now Micah's room (currently, he's sleeping among the flowers.  Hope to rectify this in Jan)  The surfer blue room is Jenna and Claire's.  My dad cut down the old bunkbed and built another one.  Now J and C each have a bed up high (which they are loving) and they each have their own private area below.  Someday

when they finally get their stuff put away and I get the curtains up and beds painted, we'll send you a finished pic.  Everyone's very much enjoying the new arrangement.

Programs at IBC

Program season at IBC.  See if you can pick out some people you know!

Thanksgiving

I know, I'm terribly behind.  That's my life right now.  :)  We had a lovely Thankgiving day.  Chad's parents and the DeVrieses joined us-- lots of good food and friendship.  On Friday, we went up to Sight and Sound in Lancaster and really enjoyed a showing of Jonah.  Picked out my friend Albert in several scenes!

Surgeryversary

Yesterday was Claire's 8th Surgeryversary! :)  She doesn't like to make a big deal of it, but we want to again  say "Praise the Lord!"