Tuesday morning.

Well, the house is QUIET. Way to quiet but that happen when all the munchkins go home. Back to the regular now where anything that gets moved around is my doing. How boring. Sunday was up early and off to church. Ate and heard great music. Services are pod cast so if anyone wants to hear them go to the church web site www.northchurchindy.org and listen to some wonderfully crafted Christmas Eve services. The 10:30 11:00 is the best. Watched the Colts Sun. afternoon. Yesterday I went to church and cleaned up the Christmas eve mess. That meant getting rid of burned candles for all three services, flowers off the altar and new stuff up including a new epiphany banner on the pulpit. I sewed this one last winter and it's a fun one hopfully to make people smile a bit with three crazy kings hats. The bells needed to go to their storage place which was a huge job but little by little gets the job done. I think the church space is ready for Sunday. Our Christmas star is now high in the balcony, a reminder of the three kings following the star. I got home around 4:30 just ready to be home. No Monday night football. Bummer. This morning I will meet with a few folks to get North Notes in the mail. I usually do a bunch of prep so that the morning is a little shorter but this time...didn't have time. It will be a long morning of work. Then to the postoffice they will go for mailing. I finished the 12th stocking hat and now have started another one but on bigger needles. This is an experiment. Tomorrow I'm working the desk until the church closes for New Years Eve. That's my life so far.

Saturday

I think today is Kristens Birthday. Happy birthday, Kido. We've had a wonderful three or four days. The Michigan Kids got here around 1pm Christmas Day. The little guys unpacked their Santa Stockings and waited for Eric and Kat and Andrew to arrive which they did around 4:30. Then it got alittle crazy for a while. Lots of smiles and thankyous. Then it was Michigan Pastys for Supper. Yesterday morning it was playing with toys that Eric and Jared played with when they were little. The Creative Playthings Table Top Blocks are still the best. That was a gift from Dee a long time ago. Eric and Kat came for a little while in the afternoon. Everyone picked something to eat for lunch. Then at 5:30 we all met at the zoo for Christmas at The Zoo. It was really, really fun to see ALL the lights at the zoo. A few animals were out but not to many. We rode the train and saw a wonderful train exhibit with many trains running all over the place. It was beautiful. Home and knitted a bit and then to bed. I was bushed. This morning I went to Dunkin' Doughnuts for everyone and finished the knitted hat and soon the kids will be going back to Michigan. I am so happy to have a few hours with them. Not all are that fortunate. It's been a great Christmas.

Christmas Morning

Wow...It finally has arrived. We had a wonderful Christmas Eve...Worked at church in the morning and then back to church at 4:45 for the first of three services. They all were very different and very well attended and very well planned. I would think that there were probably 300 people at each of the first two and then a good 700 at the midnight service. Such celebrating of the birth of Jesus. We were home by 1:15 and then right to bed. This morning it's good music and the smell of baking. The apple pie is in the oven and another batch of cookies ready to bake since we either ate them all or gave lots away. Now it's just those last minute things that I have time to do. The Michigan kids probably will arrive early afternoon and Eric, Kat and Andrew should be here the middle of the afternoon as well. It will be crazy Christmas Day for a while. I'll love every minute. Then Copper Harbor Pastys for supper, apple pie and cookies and more. It's the cooks afternoon off. Yahoo. I'm going to watch everything that happens. Tomorrow the Michigan family will go back home and on to other things. I have no plans to take the tree down. Goodness my 2007 cards stayed up all year. Merry Christmas everyone.

Another Tuesday

Baking, baking, listening to good Christmas music, wrapping gifts, stuffing stockings. Fun, fun.
I made loads of cookies and 4 apple pies for Sarah Ellen. She is having family and friends. That means 12 at the table for most meals. Just helping her out with food although her kids are big enough to do all the cooking. I'm roasting a turkey breast tonight and will have it available for sandwiches for my own kids. I also ordered the famous pasties for Christmas Day. It's called the cook is lazy. Who wants to work on Christmas Day. NOT ME. I'm on a roll with hat knitting for poor folks coming to church needing hats and gloves. I'm up to 10 stocking hats at this point using up all my yarn. Mary Beth bought some hats, some folks are knitting and we'll get the job done. Tomorrow morning I'm working at the church desk. It's predicted that the ice will be gone by morning. Then it's back to church for 3 services. I want to go to the 5 o'clock since the children are doing that one and I made the costumes a long time ago for that service. Then the choir will sing at the 7:30 and 10:30. Busy, busy. Lovin' every minute.

Tuesday morning.

Well, it was a fabulous Sunday. Wow...we arrived at church around 7:00. I got the hospitality things going and off to bell practice at 7:25. The special called in people got the pastries on the table while I was gone and everything worked well. The community room was stuffed with folks all morning meeting friends etc. It was African Missions Sunday for Advent. The altar was filled with African things. And...Imani Workshop came to sell items made by HIV/AIDS patients in Eldoret. The table was busy all morning with people shopping for Christmas. There were new nicer necklaces then we have seen in the past. I bought one for ME. It by far was their best sales day in many months. I was so happy for them. Joe and Sarah Ellen talked briefly during the service and the music was awesome with a wonderful Kenyan anthem. Thinking of the Sunday experience just gives me goosebumps. Bells did better second service than first but that's just a given. Joe and Sem had lunch with the team of youth and adult sponsores who are going to Eldoret this summer. It's a great bunch of folks. I am sooooo excited for them. I helped the Imani folks pack up and we got home around 2 pm. Then...it was cookie baking time. North has teamed with School 43 providing support in many ways. Today...Tuesday Patty and friend...I forget...are taking 33 plates of cookies to the school for the teachers. When I was teaching, our PTO did this for us...Teachers don't have time to bake! So...Now I can do for teachers what was done for me. Yahoo. I sort of pooped out around 5:30 Sunday. All energy was gone. But...yesterday morning...drove to Marsh...got more stuff and spent the morning in the kitchen. What fun. I did 6 different drop cookies. Mixed everything up...Put them in the refrigerator to chill...cleaned up the kitchen...and then started to bake. Fun, fun. Cookies were everywhere. Patty picked up her batches of cookies late afternoon and I was off to Greenspace to learn about Purple Martens. What a bird. So...see...now you know how much fun the last two days have been. What a blast.

I've applied for a job. Official Baker for Sarah Ellen for the last two weeks of Dec. They have more than a house full of family and friends coming in and I think this is something I can do for them. Families EAT!

Now...it's get ready for next weekend. It's local missions Sunday. We'll have something on the altar representing school 43...text books...farmers market, basket of squash etc. and bread and bowl. That's a small soup kettle, bowls, bread etc. I'm using many Dennis soup bowls. Leslie will know what that means. The offering will be collected in soup pots and pans and mixing bowls. It's thematic teaching...All you teachers will know what I mean. That's it for Tuesday.

Sat. morning

Well, this week has been delightful. Lots to do but not overwhelmed. All packages are wrapped...even Santa got the stockings finished. Wow...that has NEVER happened in the past 41 years. All is done that is unless I think of something else someone might like and we can afford. Speaking of afford. Sewers and water are coming to our neighborhood. Can't afford it. Talk about money. That will break the bank or more. There goes my retirement kitty fund. Bummer Humbug. Really can't change the outcome at this point. This will tell us how poor we really can become.

Last night Kat and Eric went to the North Staff Christmas dinner and I GOT TO STAY WITH ANDREW! What a treat. He just putts around entertaining himself and me as well. I love to hear him sing and sit play his gitar which is really a push popper toy with a long stationary handle. He really gets loud. Funny, funny.

I started to knit again. I'm making a stocking hat. Thursday at B and Bowl we gave out stockings that we stuffed with toiletries at church Sunday afternoon. It probably the only gift received by some of the folks. They were well appreciated. Stocking hats and gloves are always available to those who are in need. One homeless man has received his third pair of gloves already. He keeps loosing them but I really think other men jump him and take what they can. It's the adult version of picking on what they might think is a lesser person. So sad. We have a good supply of gloves on hand. I found great ones at Goodwill for a buck a pair. Went to a bunch of Goodwills and bought them out!

This Sunday at church we are celebrating Africa. The altar is filled with Masi figures and typical foods...corn and beans. We are singing a great Kenya song and Sarah Ellen and Joe Mamlin are speaking for a bit. There is a dinner for youth and adult sponsors who are going to Kenya next Summer. Adults are Brian and Ava Williams, Anne Moman and her dad. Anne is the youth staff advisor and Mary Jo Stinette who will be taking her second trip to Eldoret. It is a super group of mature youth who also will be going. Two of the kids along with their parents joined North in October wanting their children to have this experience.

Tomorrow morning will be another crunch time Sunday although I think I have planned better this week for it. Bells are playing, Anne and Dave and Waldene will not be helping but I've asked two other ladies to come and help. We should get the hospitality job done at some point before the actual time deadline. So the plan is to arrive at church at 7, work till 7:25...rehearse...work hospitality...play at 8:20...and then back to hospitality. Like Kate Pluse 8 says...It' s a crazy life but It's my life...or something like that. I'm heading down to church around 11:00 to do what I can early for tomorrow which will be an exciting day.

Tuesday morning.

Well, it's been a killer weekend...Much of it fun. Some I planned for and some just happened. I'll just write about what I remember. Thank goodness for a mind that forgets some things. Sunday was a huge hoot. Doug and I arrived at church around 7:15 driving seperately because dear Sarah Ellen is here from Kenya and I'm giving her my car to drive for the month. Joe is driving Patty H. car. I'm driving Becky VanVoorhis' car because SEM hates that car. Becky is related to the Evelyn VanVooris Fallot being a former sister-in-law. Evelyn was a neighbor in Ohio. Small world. I have no trouble with Becky's car. As we were working to get the hospitality room ready I realized that our helpers Dave and Ann weren't arriving. Well, they are in China visiting their son. So...Doug and I just worked a little harder and faster since even Waldene wasn't there as well to help. It's a huge job for two but we got the job done. Much easier with the regular 4 or 5. That meant that there was no regular clean up crew so I decided not to sing in the choir since I would miss rehearsal time. Lots of people kept us busy all morning. So...at 11:10 after second service started I declared to Rick, who was helping at that point that I was GOING to church, which I did. I was not going to miss great music and great preaching. It was communion Sunday and during the passing of the peace, Preacher Kevin said to me...I need you to serve communion. A preacher didn't show. So...up I go to serve communion which is such an honor. One I wouldn't miss. Church was over and I said hello to Sarah Ellen and Joe then off to get ready for Stocking Stuffing for Bread and Bowl folks at the Advent Festival Sun. afternoon. I also had to do a major put away stuff because the womans society who does Friendship time worked in the community room and didn't know a hoot about where hospitality stuff went. There was a huge cookie sale by the youth who baked over 9000 cookies at a local school on Sat. selling them to folks in the parlor. It's their major fund raiser of the year. We got the cars switched which is another story relating to the fact that we had a very cold snowy weekend and Joe and SEM's heated drive way refused to work. They live on a very steep hill so they are staying at son Burke's house. The snow is gone so I am assuming that they finally have arrived at their home. I got everything organized for the late afternoon event and decided to go home for a break. Well, by that time it was 3:15 and Carmel is to far from church to make sense to leave for a while. So...I just hung in there. We had great attendance at the festival and folks really enjoyed stuffing socks with lotions, shampoos, razors, soap, etc. which we give to our Bread and Bowl customers on Thursday. We stuffed 60 pair of socks. Then off to the pitch in supper where I brought nothing to pitch in. There was plenty of food and such a relaxing time just sitting and talking with friends. Wooo...I was bushed. So much walking long halls and using elevators to get things out and to put things away. Monday I just TOOK it easy all morning. I worked the desk yesterday afternoon which wasn't much of a job. Just more sitting which was great. I filled the crock pot with a great rump roast and the kids came for supper. Andrew is such an entertainer and is such fun to be with. Today, I feel like a live person again. Not much planned. Might go and get a few Christmas things but nothing more. I'm having a morning Joe with my morning Joe Friends on MSNBC. Now I would imagine that you who are reading this need a rest as well. Such fun being used to make life a little easier for others.

Monday after Thanksgiving

Well, the trip to Georgia was another interesting family memory. Check out rockinrfarm.blogspot.com for all the details. JB says it best with pictures to match. The little boys were such fun. Adam sneaking his mother's apple pie while she was in the kitchen, eating it with a big fork was the best. He loves apple pie. Speaking of...After the 5th apple pie...Kimmy made two of these and 1 pumpkin...the baker went on strike. ET...the monk got to finish out what was left. I have the impression that apple pie saturation appeared early Sunday morning at breakfast time. The guest house was full with all beds taken, the kitchen crew just rolled along and we had some good walking days as well as one in the rain. Having Andrew beside me in the van was gem time although I did hear the word STOP about a mile from home. That said it all. We all could have yelled STOP. Kat drove both ways doing an excellent job. Eric sat in the passenger seat with his mending shoulder and Doug took up the back pew in the van. Next year if all goes well and family does this again, I'm hoping that Rick's kids can join us. Nolan will just add another boy to the mix along with Dalton. It's not kid town...it's BOY town.