A Good But Busy Weekend

Well another weekend has passed and what a busy one it was. Friday night Brother Nowling and I headed to the party craft store to find stuff to decorate the tables for our Christmas dinner that we put on for the church on Sunday. Then off to grocery shop and then pick Zay and Nathan up from the airport. It's always fun to have them come. We stayed up late of course on Friday night but I determined that I wasn't going to sleep the day away on Saturday but I wasn't about to set my alarm. I actually woke up at 9 am. I made sausage and pancakes while Brother Nowling was being goofy and got Zay motivated with a cup of snow applied to his head (isn't he mean). Nathan was already up. Then the kids headed out to do things while we finished our Christmas shopping.

Saturday night was our youth night at Sister Heather's. We walked in her door and oh it smelled so good of her Carmel popcorn balls. We watched Pilgrim Progress (if you haven't got the DVD it's worth it). Then headed back to the house. I put the boys peeling potatoes while they were watching TV while I made the jello and the cherry delight pies for the Sunday dinner. Plus I finished the bulletins. Another late night.

Then we had a good SS and service. The boys helped out setting up tables, moving the piano by to the back of the room by the Christmas tree and then back home to get the dinner all together. They all took off for a couple of hours to go sledding while we finished things. Brother Nowling was awesome, right there helping me however I needed him. I was panicking early on trying to figure how I would get everything to the church and keep it hot. Potatoes were my biggest concern. One of the gals at work suggested I borrow her rice cooker. We both forgot about it during the week, and even though she lives in Eagle River, she made it a point to come to town and drop it and a crock pot off for me. Isn't it something how God uses those in our lives in the least expected way. So my cherry delight, and my tropical fusion jello (Larry's mom thought I called it confusion Jello and it was quite fitting as you tried to figure out the flavor~tee hee), mashed potatoes, brown gravy, green beans, ham, buns, punch (with sorbet as Zay can't have dairy), pickles, black and green olives and the meal was complete. Everything ready by 4:45 pm (was to start at 5 pm). There were some that came in late ~ here it I am the one doing all the work and was on time. Everyone knew the time it started, but what is it with some always having to be late (not counting those that worked). We went ahead and started at 5 pm. The rice cooker worked perfect for my potatoes (I want one) as they were still steaming when we went to clean up AND they were moist. How cool is that. I'm not sure what everyone else thought, but as tired as I was, I so loved being able to give in this way. We had 15; with only 5 missing, Jessa (who was working the horrible crowds at the airport), Jeremy Adams and Don Texter, Jr both working and then Micah and Megan were in TN. All in all I was very pleased.I am so thankful for Zay, Nathan, Jacob , and Joleesa's help and of course my husband ~ although it was his idea.

But the best part of the night was the time following. I had the piano moved by the Christmas tree because I wanted to have the ambiance of an old fashion, family Christmas around the piano and tree. We sang caroles (I have really enjoyed the caroles this year and we started singing them as soon as Thanksgiving was over ~ grin) and then Jenna shared scriptures from Luke on Mary's Manificant. I then shared a tradition we had with my extended family when all the nieces and nephews were little, we had a Christmas story. There are so many touching story books out there. A couple of years ago I bought "Mary's Treasure Box" and I had Joleesa read it. She is so like her dad as she pretended everyone were kids ~ grin. With her goofiness she was referring to pictures of donkeys as horses and after having been corrected with laughs, she then referred to a cow as a donkey. It was great. We sang some more caroles, had prayer (I am so kicking myself I forgot to take up the VLB offering ~ I had forgotten it was a service, it was family~smile) and then some had brought gifts, so those were distributed. Then it was clean up time and once again Zay and Nathan, Jenna and Joleesa were right in there helping clean up.

Tonight Jenna went to her apartment, Joleesa was sleeping, Jessa and the boys out with Matt, I took advantage of having time alone and wrapped gifts. I decided though to use gift boxes for as much as I could. Joleesa said she wanted me to at least wrap her gifts, but Joleesa dear, mom is too worn out. There are some wrapped gifts but mostly they're in gift boxes. It's actually pretty.

Now to leave you with some pictures of church dinner and oldf ashion Christmas around the tree.