Let it snow...let it snow...let it snow...

I really dislike winter! I would use a stronger word than "dislike" but Tom is always telling me that "we don't 'hate'"! Well...yes I do! It is very white outside. Pretty but too cold and ruins travel. Other than that.....

Weather aside, I had a wonderful Christmas. We were altogether on the 24th, travelled (in the rain) to Battle Creek on Christmas Day, had lunch with Kathy & Bob Thies and Mary Ellen and Jenny Plummer yesterday noon and dinner last night with Rand & Gail Nilsson (in town from Camano Island, WA) and Dennis & Claudia Phipps. So good to see good friends.

Rich Pedler drove himself to the ER during the night so Elizabeth, Stephaney Nay and Jeff Miller were with their dad from early morning until this afternoon. Brent just texted to say that he and Layla are on their way here to go sledding. We have a field behind us which has a perfect hill for little ones. I'll bet that PopPop starts struggling into those cute little thermal underwear thingys that he has so that he can be out there in the thick of it. I think I do hear jumping, moaning and groaning coming from the bedroom. Hide your eyes!

Christmas Eve "Christmas"

This is our family Christmas Day. We had a wonderful day together beginning with me getting up at 6:30 to find a little boy (Blake) popping up from the couch where he had been since 4:20 a.m.. He jumped up to tell me about all the presents that were under the tree!!!! Talk about excitment! After Brent and the girls arrived about 9:00 (Elizabeth had to work until noon), we had egg casserole breakfast and then let the kids open their stockings. Waiting is sooo hard! They played beautifully all morning, had lunch, then the adults had Christmas dinner while Marley and Lexi napped and the boys played. Then it was time......opening presents! Such wonder and excitement. It was extra special in that it was Lexi's first Christmas!

We were at the 5:00 service at Trinity UMC and sang, prayed and took Communion together. And now, as I write this, the "messy" part is cleaned up but the "wonder" part will always remain. There is no greater blessing than watching the children as they open their gifts and as they light their candle at church.

There is so much to be thankful for and especially this year with Alexis being here for Christmas and healthy. She rolled over for the first time today from her back to her stomach. She had rolled from her front to back before but not back to front. She was so proud of herself.

Weather yesterday and today has been harsh. The roads were ice covered last night as Kendra's family travelled to Goshen. It was a long, long ride. Tomorrow, Tom and I are to travel to Battle Creek to have Christmas with Mother, Debra, Sharon and Keith, and Erin and Carl. Now the weather is again predicting ice. We'll just have to wait and see what happens. Again, I ask the question of the hour: why oh why do we live in the midwest??? (Answer: children/grandchildren). We'll just wait and see what tomorrow holds! Merry Christmas 2009

Christmas Day will be here on Friday. Our family Christmas, however, is always on the 24th since that is the day that Kendra and family and Brent and family are here altogether. Then, on Christmas Day, everyone heads to their other family and Tom and I head to Battle Creek to have Christmas with Mother and Debra. Since the kids have been married, it has worked out very well.

This year will be emotionally different. Brent and Elizabeth separated nearly 3 months ago. Brent has been living with us praying that his family will soon be back together. We are all praying for the best.

The presents are purchased and wrapped, house is clean, groceries are put away, pie and muffins are baked and lists are keeping me organized. Kendra and crew will be here tomorrow (Wednesday) afternoon in time for pizza. Thursday morning will be breakfast then stockings, kids will eat lunch, adults will have Christmas dinner at 1:00 (Marley will nap) and presents will be opened about 3:00. This accomodates everyone's schedule.

I can't believe how much easier it is to get everything done as a retired person. I love being able to shop during the day and avoid the huge crowds. I feel very relaxed and am enjoying watching a Christmas movie. Life is good.

Baby News & A Classroom Experience

I'm so excited for Nancy and Bob Weaver! Keri Hiatt Calhoun and husband Spencer became parents of Cameron Isaiah on Tuesday, December 8 at 11:02 a.m. Cameron weighed in at 6 lb. 2 oz and is 20" long.

My call came through while I was in Layla's kindergarten classroom teaching the children how to make Shredded Wheat Wreaths. Talk about having a fun time and helping to make a complete mess of a classroom. They will become little frames for the kid's pictures when they are completed. What fun to help Carolyn Smith who has been my friend for so many years and is now Layla's teacher! Who could have ever guessed!!! Someday, maybe I will be doing the same thing for Marley in her classroom. Who's to know!

The weather today is so cold and windy, choir has been cancelled as have many other activities all around the area. Winter came in with a blast (and it's still fall!!!)

Alexis is now a very happy 8 month old. Hard to believe! She is doing very very well and impressed the P.T. people last Monday. Nicholas went home after school today with a friend for the very first time. He was very excited. Blake went to preschool today but told me, on the phone, that he didn't go and then just continued to laugh. That's my Blakie!

Well...I'm about ready for Christmas....just waiting for the kids to arrive. Oh wait...that's not happening for another 2 weeks! Oh great...now what will I do?

SOLD!!!

Incredible! After being on the market for 1 year in poor Battle Creek, Mother's house sold today. I have aged a lot since the call from my brother on my birthday afternoon (Nov. 6) saying that they were moving from their apartment to Mother's vacant house. Long sad story but did it ever make my stomach ache! After lowering the price many many dollars, in a weeks time, we had a bid from a young couple. The realtor, Talia, called yesterday to tell me. I was thrilled. Then the call from my brother came last night telling us that they were going to make a bid due to full financing from his in-laws. I drove to BC this morning to be with Mother as she talked to Talia. Mother ended up selling the house to Brother Keith as is. No inspections!!!! This part is very, very good for us!!! The check will go into the bank on January 7, 2010. Once again, God was with us this weekend! I pray that this is a second (???) chance for my brother and that they can have yet another beginning in life.

Medicare Minus One!!!

What a weekend! Turning a year older never seems bad to me, especially when family members are so wonderful! The celebration began Thursday night when Brent and the girls and Tom took me to Between the Buns for supper. It's always fun with those silly little girls. Marley spent the night because Grandma Peg was going to be out of town on Friday. Tom and I kept her Friday.

Friday after Brent finished work, Tom, Brent and I headed for Noblesville because Brent and Ron were to run a half marathon on Saturday. Brent was very pleased with his 2:04.4 time. Ron had a very sore hip so only ran a short while. Tom and Heather cheered them on during the race.

Everyone had dinner together last evening at Logan's. For the first time in 2 years, I grazed my way through the entire day eating anything I wanted. I really did eat sugar all day and loved every bite: Dunkin Donuts were first on the agenda (with Kendra and Paula cheering me on!!!) and cake and margarita and more cake and chocolate ice cream....oh and the regular food!!!! It was wonderful! Today...back to reality!

The bad part of the weekend was the phone call on my birthday from my sister-in-law telling me that they had been forced to move into my Mother's empty (for sale) house. It is a terrible situation and very upsetting to my mother. Paula, Ron, Tom, Kendra and I spent hours analyzing the situation and calling Mother to talk to her about it. I will plan to go see her on Thursday. Very, very stressful!

Lexi turned 7 months yesterday which is such a delight! She is just precious. Nicholas and Blake just love her and she thinks that they are quite entertaining. Great little ones!

I've been thinking a lot of Rand and Gail Nilsson. Gail's dad, Ed Ogel, died on November 5th as Gail was driving to the Seattle airport to fly home to be with Mom at her dad's bedside. I picked her up on Friday morning to drive her to her Mother's. Very sad time for them. It has been a very difficult last few months with Gail being so far away and Ed getting worse by the day. Tomorrow is the visitation and Tuesday a.m. the funeral.

Boo!!!

This was a big weekend...Nicky's 6th birthday and Halloween! Wow! The Bowman house was buzzing once again! Brent and the girls, Jason's parents and sister and family, some friends of Kendra's and Tom and I were all at Ron and Paula's. Great fun. We did Nicky's bd party at noon and the kids went trick or treating at 5:00. There is a lot of room at Paula's for everyone to spread out so we all had a great time.

Here is a little description of each photo (as if you needed one):

1: Brent and Layla hanging out together

2: How long now has Blake been a "Pirate" fan??? It's been going on for a long, long time!

3: This is Lexi's 1st Halloween so she is our little "flower girl"

4: Marley got caught up in Blake's pirate obsession which was really cute!

5: This was a big 6th birthay for Nicky. He has gone from the "Monster Truck" phase to the "Transformer" phase. It's really fun watching them grow and change.

It's wonderful being a JoJo!