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Christmas / Tayla / A New Year
January 7, 2010
Happy New Year, everyone! Wow, can you believe it's 2010? That seems so future sounding. I really don't know why we don't have flying cars yet. Like, in Back To The Future II it's the year 2016 and there are flying cars everywhere. We have six years left. Don't think it's gonna happen.
Anyway, lots of pictures here, covering Christmas and New Years and Tayla Maira's visit, etc, so better get moving! Thanks so much for stopping by. Whether 2010 brings good or ill, how comforting to know that we serve an Almighty Father who directs and controls ALL the affairs of men. What a wondrous thought.
And here we go ...
It's the Sunday before Christmas and our church is putting on a Christmas program! Thanks for stopping to smile Luke, Elliot, David and Joel.
Pastor Sauder opens the program with Scripture.
Look at all the cootie pies.
(you too, Emily :-)
The men. That one kid appears to be yawning.
It's Christmas eve and Lori and Jared Voeller are up again to celebrate it with us!
The Brain Doctor with his Brain Child (or grandchild).
A most lovely dinner. We actually went caroling afterwards to our 4 neighbors! Yeah! All four of them! We sounded pretty pathetic, and it kinda rained on us, but it sure beat a sharp stick ... actually ... a sharp stick in the eye might have beat our caroling.
Our Christmas tree, a gift from Jer and Danni. Hopefully it'll be a more impressive one in years come.
Snow on Christmas morning! Crank up the snowplow and close down the schools, baby!
My princess prepares for company.
Everyone's here! That's the table there we bought last year at the auction. We got a good piece of glass and underneath I've put coins and old historical stuff I've collected over the years. Pretty cool!
Kalea requested that she might be able pass the presents around. Times have really changed. When I was a kid I just wanted mom to hand mine over to me.
I honestly don't understand how a woman could be so elated over green smoothie crackers. Revolting.
Nathan, those journals are AWESOME. We're using one as a guest book for visitors. It'll be your turn to sign it next!
Check that out. Such a simple but profound thought.
Keoni doesn't bother saving the wrapping paper for future use.
Suddenly, in one shining moment, a single box of fruity yogurt bars and 5 dollars make all of Jared Voellers wildest dreams come true.
Man, can you remember the sheer elation you had when you got a big set of legos or playmobile?
Or how bout when you got two boxes of macaroni?
Another lovely meal together. Just look at all those genuine smiles! Whose do you think is the most genuine? I've narrowed it down ...
Jeremy gets 3rd place with his forced, slightly painful smirk.
Mom comes in a close 2nd with her sorta sweet, teeth-clenched grin.
And taking 1st place is the Brain Doctor with his Peter Rabbit impersonation. Congratulations, dad!
As some of you may know, one of my 'favorite' Christmas songs is, "I Want A Hippopotamus For Christmas". Well, Meliss took it literally and got me one! lol! You're too clever, my love.
William get his own play phone! Yeah, boy!
Company's gone and it's special Christmas eve time with mommy.
Love you two so much.
We jump ahead a few days and find ourselves at Macaroni Grill after having picked up Tayla Maria from the airport!
Awesome dinner.
Just so nice to go out every once in awhile.
All right! Another blizzard! Still not very much, but better then last time.
There's only one thing 30 rolls of beautifully wrapped toilet paper could mean. Someone very special must be turning 30 years old soon.
A month-early surprise birthday party for Danielle! People are always surprised when you do it a month early! Heh, actually, with her mom leaving in a few days, we wanted to have it with her still around.
Kalea engages in adult conversation. "So, what do you think of the collapse of the American dollar?"
Love this picture. Keoni's all business.
Such agreeable-looking women.
Carry it with pride, birthday girl. You deserve it.
William chats with his overly-eccentric extended family.
So I'm slaving away outside when these two lovely ladies come out looking like this. "What are you out here for?" I ask. "We're here to help!" they reply. Uhh, yeah. You don't grudge away in the woods dressed like a J. Jill catalogue.
"Oh goodness, I think I broke a nail!"
I suggest a relaxing walk instead. :-)
Willy and I chilling afterwards.
Brad and baby.
We jump ahead again to New Year's Eve! Yet another lovely meal at Jer and Danni's.
We watch "Up". Great movie.
*sniff*. We had no TV to watch the ball drop in New York City, so we decided to drop our own!
Pretty lame and boring, but great job, girls!
It's January 1st and we're again at the auction in Hartville! (check last year's entry)
Willy Locks was loving every minute of it. We ended up getting a nice sewing table and a stepping stool for our bed!
It's the next day and we're attending Josh Courville's wedding to Jemimah Ueland. Pretty sharp looking brothers.
Some singing and playing. Very well done, Jon!
Singing with all their hearts. What a beautiful picture.
Congratulations, you two!
(that was some smooch)
Snow again! But this time a good 5 inches! Now we're talking. Oh, and Melissa found those medieval-looking chairs on Craig's List! Almost 50 years old and in near-mint condition. Proverbs 31 woman. :-)
Time for a stroll to the neighbors.
Pretty high up there on the cute scale.
Joy in the snow.
Oh the weather outside is frightful ...
Maid Marian carries her goblet of eggnog.
Straight out of Narnia.
Check this out. The snowflakes were the biggest and most clear-cut ones any of us had ever seen.
A better look.
An even better look. Be sure to blow this one up. What an awesome, unbelievable Creator we serve. Billions of snowflakes fall every year, and no two are exactly alike.
We arrive to our destination, with yummy French Toast awaiting us. (I look like I belong in a John Travolta flick there.)
William has some fun with his Uncle Jer.
Ello, berd.
We're out again! Love to watch dogs having a blast in the snow.
The intrepid explorer with his little papoose. (almost looks like Willy ran into me at 80mph)
Brotha and sista.
How I adore you.
The ladies.
Our cozy bedroom. Meliss surprised me with those lights a few weeks ago.
Hung this outside our bedroom.
William's tree is still alive and well.
William would like to thank you again for stopping by. He says, "Keep wam. Es code out der."
Lord bless you all!
