SNOW!!!

After not having had snow all through the month of December and part of January, we finally got some.  Because it was such a beautiful snow that fell, I just had to go out with my camera and take some photos at various places in our area. 

Caught the sun setting last night.  It was a beautiful red ball when I left.

So many ducks in the steam

The fresh white snow just glistened and sparkled as I walked through it.  Snow reminds me of my salvation and how the Lord cleansed my dirty heart and forgave my sins and made my heart all clean.  White as Snow...

Let's Celebrate 2012!

This year Keith and I hosted the annual New Years Eve party that Bob and Sue have hosted for many years.  Since we weren't having family here over Christmas, we asked if they would like us to host this year.  I sent out Evites online and invited the usual gang that has come over the years.  Many of this group are from the Jamaica team that also, for many years, had gone on annual mission trips there.  Since we don't all attend the same church anymore, it was nice to catch up with everyone.  There were a few that couldn't make it for various reasons, but we had a nice group of 9.  When we sent the Evites, we said we were going to provide pulled pork sandwiches, orange nutmeg sauce covered smokey links, and chips and hot cheese dip.

Pulled Pork ~ Crockpot 
pork loin
1 bottle of Sweet Baby Rays Honey BBQ Sauce
1 can of apple pie filling

Combine ingredients and cook in crockpot for 5 hours on high or
8-10 hours on low.  Serve on buns.  Yummy!

Orange Nutmeg Sauce for Smokie Links
1 cup sugar
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 1/2 cups orange juice
1 (11 oz.) can mandarin oranges, drained

Combine sugar, cornstarch, nutmeg and orange juice in a small sauce pan.
Cook, stirring constantly until it thickens.  Add the mandarin oranges, drained.
Brown 2 packages of the mini-smokey links and combine.  Keep warm in
crockpot for serving.

Hot Cheese Dip
1 (25 oz.) can Hormel chili, without beans
1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese (low fat)
1 small package Velveeta cheese

Microwave cheeses until melted.  Add chili and heat through.
{I put this in the crock pot for serving and for keeping it hot.
Keep crock pot on low or warm setting.}
Serve with nacho chips.

Playing Balderdash and having so many laughs.  One guest was laughing so hard, he was rolling on the floor!

New York Times Square -- HAPPY NEW YEAR 2012!!!!

Our guests then brought their favorite snacks to share as well.  We had a great evening together playing Balderdash, laughing a lot, and watching the ball drop from Times Square in New York. 

New Years Toast!

Bob, John, Jan, Becky, Keith, Marsha, Sue, John, Gary

Christmas Day 2011...a blessing

Ah...it's Christmas 2011, and we're home in Grand Rapids to celebrate.  Our daughter is in Pennsylvania celebrating with her husband and his family.  My parents, who usually are here to celebrate with us, are in North Carolina at my sister and brother-in-law's having Christmas with them.  This is the first time we've been alone for Christmas in many years!  It was going to be a very different one than what we are use to....

Christmas morning, Keith and I woke up to some presents under the tree.  We sat down to open our gifts and Keith looked at me and asked me to pass out the presents.  I looked at him with a sad face and said, "Our present passer-outer isn't here."  Then after a few tears were shed,{on my part!} we went on to open our gifts.  The Lord certainly has blessed us beyond measure through the years.  He's blessed me with a wonderful husband for 35+ years for which I am so thankful for. 

Keith and I had decided previous to this day that we would invite our neighbor, Ilene, over to share dinner and the afternoon with her.  Little did we know, we had some other friends, Steve and Pat, that were also going to be alone for Christmas, and invited them as well. We decided to fix our regular Christmas dinner of ham, potluck potatoes, green bean casserole, salad (pretzel salad and seven layer salad which Pat provided), rolls, dessert.

Ilene, Pat, Steve, Keith and me

Our dear, sweet, long-time friends, Pat and Steve

Our dear sweet neighbor and friend, Ilene

Our dinner was ready by 1:45, and we all enjoyed the fellowship around the table.  It was a wonderful afternoon, and before we knew it, it was over.  Steve and Pat were on their way back home.  We had been so blessed that day with our friends.  I believe they were equally blessed to have been with others as well.  Ilene stayed longer and visited before heading back home after dark.  

Christmas in Virginia 2011

Keith's final day of school for this calendar year was December 16.  Immediately after school, we drove to the airport for our flight to Baltimore, MD.  When we arrived in Baltimore, we then took Amtrak into Union Station, Washington, D.C., where Jess and Andy picked us up.  We then headed to their apartment building where they settled us into our very lovely guest apartment. 

We opened the door and this is what we saw!

This is a one bedroom, one bath fully furnished apartment complete with a washer and dryer, dishes, pots and pans and linens, etc.  The only thing we know we'll need next time would be hangers and washcloths.  We were located on the second floor (2 floors from Andy and Jess).  It sure saved much running back and forth from a hotel, etc. 

On Saturday, we went to their apartment, and Jess and I baked several different Christmas cookies.  While we were busy with the cookies, Keith and Andy went out shopping for a new television.  We were successful in our baking endeavor as they were also successful in their shopping!

Successful shopping trip = Happy Andy!

In the middle of all the baking!

The nicely decorated sugar cookies in the top of this photo were decorated with helpers Julianna,
Sebastian, Katie and Jessica at our cousin's house.  Jess brought the cookies and they had all the pretty/fun decorations to put on the cookies.  We had a fun time baking together.  I even got a chance to use her new Kitchen Aid Mixer.  So nice!!! 

While we were there, we also exchanged gifts.

This sweet little tree was a gift to Andy and Jess from Katie and Emin and family.  It's a real tree in a pot and decorated with various owl ornaments and a string of lights including an owl on top.  What a thoughtful gift!  

 

Andy organizing his new tools.

Very yummy hot chocolate and Christmas kitchen towels

Cheese bar board with little dipping bowls

Cologne!

A hand-blown glass ornament from the WAR Chest

iTunes card!

Thanks Pinterest!  I found out Jess "liked" these, so I made some for her! 

Sunday evening, they took us into DC to see the National Christmas Tree.  The tree is located in "President's Park."

Yes, there was a Nativity located next to Santa's place.

This is a park-like setting with a Christmas tree decorated for all 50 states.

The Eisenhower Building

Washington Monument in the background

The White House

The National Christmas Tree (48 feet tall)

On Monday, Jess and Keith made a shopping trip to an outlet mall and to Trader Joe's to pick up some baking items.  When they got back, we finished up the cookies and started some dinner for Andy and Jess to eat when Jess got home from taking us to the airport in Baltimore later that evening.  Andy happened to arrive home before she got back from taking us. 




Even though it was just a short weekend, we sure had a great time together!  We were so thankful to spend some Christmas time with them, as they would be in Pennsylvania for Christmas celebrating with Andy's family. 

Thankful for...

 Table all set.  Thanks to Jess for her help.

  Thankful for our food that God has provided us.

 Thankful for Andy and Jess to be able to join us for the week.

 Thankful for our family:  Mom and Dad, Andy and Jess

 Thankful for a godly husband.  Thankful for a godly mother.

 Thankful for wonderful grandparents for Jess

My parents and Jess and Andy joined us for our traditional Thanksgiving dinner. It's always a joy to have them here together.  As with Keith and I, Mom and Dad hadn't seen Jess and Andy since the wedding and were able to visit and love on them while they were here.   {We missed having Rich, Lori and their family as well as Mark and Denise.}

 At the end of the evening, Andy and Jess took the wishbone and made their wish.

It was very close, but looks like Jess' wish will be granted.  Ha!

PSALM 100

Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.

Worship the Lord with gladness;

come before him with joyful songs.

Know that the Lord is God.

It is he who made us, and we are his;

we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving

and his courts with praise;

give thanks to him and praise his name.

For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;

his faithfulness continues through all generations.

On a personal note, I would like to give my thanks to the Lord for allowing me to attend church this past Sunday.  Most of you know, I struggle with the symptoms of Crohn's disease and have not been able to get to church on a Sunday morning in at least a year.  It was so great to be able to worship with Keith at the service last Sunday.  Praying I'll be able to continue.  The hymn (a very favorite of mine) that ended the service was very appropriate and such a blessing: