December 2022
December 3
Marvin and I met Scott and Anne for supper at Wooden Nickel before heading to the Lyceum.
This was the Truman Steel drums doing a holiday show. It was really great! When we arrived we met up with Jonathan and Susan and then Daddy and Julie and all got in our seats.
December 4
Jason had been in town this weekend for the Missouri Livestock Symposium. We couldn’t see him Friday or Saturday because of all that was going on, so I invited him to lunch Sunday. He stayed in town to come. Sweet guy
Hannah got out Daddy’s Christmas tree for him and decorated it. So glad she did that!
December 5
I admit that I was so tired on this day and was dreaming of eating supper and then crawling into my warm bed to read. But as I was eating I remembered this was the evening of the Community Chorus Christmas Concert and I just had to go. But I am so glad I went. It as a lovely concert and the first one since 2019. So good to be ‘back’ this year with events in the community. It is stretching all of our wings and muscles and everything else to restart this stuff and I want to support with my attendance.
Scott had a solo. What a gift he is to our whole community! Never leave, Scott and Anne! But I did chuckle picturing him saying he is ‘the best looking guy in town’ at the end of the murder mystery dinner earlier this month. :D He is so funny!! And smooth! :D
Gracious, I knew I had a lot of puzzles, but even I didn’t realize quite how many! I SO WISH I had taken a photo of the before! It was overwhelming looking! And a bit ridiculous! But I managed to get every single unworked puzzle put away in those cubbies! Incredible! Took ALL the space, but I did it! I wasn’t sure they would all fit, to be honest. Those cubbies are amazing is the takeaway! I am storing all the previously worked puzzles that I still want to keep in the cubbies in our bedroom. I have a new stock of puzzles to give away or donate. I’ll let family go through them at Christmas then donate what is left over. But this feels really good. Like I accomplished something. Now only 499 more jobs left to do in this crazy house! But one is one. I’ll take it and call it a start.
I found these when I was decorating the tree... from Leah and Erica to Jackson and Jonathan. Jonathan’s didn’t fare so well, but incredibly Jackson’s was okay still. I showed the photo to Alicia on Saturday and she said she remembers the girls making these - out of applesauce and cinnamon maybe? So not cookies. That probably helped with no mice all these years. :)
I got the ornaments on the tree. It exhausted me and will likely be all that I do this year (remember all those years of decorating the entire house and outside??? How did we do that??). But the tree looks nice and makes me happy. It is enough.
Saturday, December 10
Jerry and Alicia invited us over for dinner. It had been awhile since we 4 were able to get together and it was soooo nice to have this opportunity. I have to say it felt so natural to just pick right up where we last left off. We have so many shared years together. The good kind of shared years - living and sharing life. We caught up on all our kids and ourselves and truly had a good time. We sort of went into the old routine like it hadn’t been years since we were together. When I told Daddy where we were going that evening he smiled and said, “Tell them I said hello. I remember the first time I saw Alicia was at a football game and then I can tell you that the decision to hire Jerry came from the presidents office. We talked about him and we liked his degree.”
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Jerry and Alicia still look good... but we have all aged quite a bit...
when and how did we get so old?? |
Sunday, December 11
I was back again at the Christian Church for dear Rich's Christmas concert. It was nice to sit and listen to Rich play the piano - he has such a way with the keys. He also had Julie H sing a couple songs and she is wonderful to listen to. He had the Gooch boy play sax and another young man play guitar. Both students of his and both very good. I sat by Marilyn P and that was a real treat.
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| Julie singing while Rich plays piano |
I love our church. I just thought it looked so nice tonight as I was walking back out to my car after the concert.
Monday, December 12
Enjoyed our annual Christmas luncheon with my Books With Friends group Always enjoy spending time with these wonderful women. Missed Sheryl and Brenda who were unable to attend.
Hannah accompanied Daddy to the Christmas party at the President's house. She was really glad to get to go and see the inside of that house again. So many wonderful memories there from when Mama and Daddy lived there. Hard to believe they left there nearly 20 years ago!
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| Daddy with President Thomas |
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| Traci and Daddy |
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| Daddy and Hannah |
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| that backyard was a special place for all the grandkids to play |
Thursday, December 15
Putting up a wall mount for Jonathan's TV in his bedroom. Will be a space saver and looks really nice.
December 17
Beautiful sunset in my favorite yard. :)
Preparations for the coming storm. Don't have room for every horse in a stall so Jackson built a wall of big round bales to block the north end of the field. It will provide good shelter for the horses that are out there.
I just try to document the various ranching activities here - for the family record. :)
December 22 -
some ice and snow - not much but enough to be a bit of a problem.
That night, though, the wind was blowing the snowy ice into the mud room through the light switch and the door locks. :(
This is the first time we have ever had this happen at this house!
Dinner at Daddy's house - Mav and Hannah playing with the Yodas. :)
December 24
Marvin working on putting together Mav's new grocery store... won't be ready in time for Christmas... now looking toward New Years Eve.
December 28
Some of our Zoom Reading Circle members were able to meet up for coffee together at Scooters. Peggie was going to be in town and Tammy was also visiting family up this way, so Janet, Nancy and I made plans to meet them. We had a lovely time visiting, laughing, and enjoying some refreshments.
While we were there, Alicia came in and saw me. Always good to see her - and now that is twice in one month! :D
