2020 Weekly Photos - #50

 What a great week!  Here's a look back with some photos: 

Saturday - We celebrated Christmas with Darryl's mom and step dad along with celebrating Nate's birthday with them as well. 

After celebrating, we drove through a Live nativity at a local church.  

We ended the night with Hot Chocolate and driving around to look at lights. 

Sunday - A quiet day at home jus relaxing and watching Football

Monday - I ran a bunch of errands in the morning.  Then we worked on wrapping gifts. 

Harley LOVES Christmas . . .specifically when we wrap gifts.  I had to give him his own roll of paper to lay in/on so he would leave mine alone! 

Nate - his last night as a 10 year old! 

Tuesday - It's Nate's birthday!  

Nate designed his cake and helped create it!  

Nate asked for a megaphone and, against my better judgement, we got him one.  I might regret that choice but he sure loves it HA! 

Wednesday - I did grocery shopping and the kids made gingerbread houses. 

I also baked a bunch of Christmas goodies!  This is something I've wanted to do for several years but usually don't have the time to do so! 

Finally, on Wednesday evening, Darryl and I went out for a bit for some "peace" before all of the "joy" of the holidays.  We got some hot chocolate and enjoyed seeing some more Christmas lights.  It was a nice hour out - plus it gave us time to talk about Christmas stuff without little ears trying to listen! 

Thursday - It's Christmas Eve!  We enjoyed a relaxing day at home while I cooked and prepped for Christmas and the males in the house wrapped gifts! 

My mom hosted Christmas Eve and it was so beautiful and relaxing! 

We had some amazing food before opening our traditional Christmas eve gift. 

The Christmas Eve photo with PJ's!  

And the traditional photo of the kids facing the tree. 

Friday - Christmas Day!  We had a wonderful day - I'll let the photos (almost) all speak for themselves. 

My mom created these amazing memory shadow boxes for each of the boys of Papa.  They are super special and both of the kids loved them. 

We even had a white Christmas! 

What an amazing week! 

Weekly Menu - More Holiday Time

    It's Christmas Time!!  Enough Said :-) 

Friday - Christmas Dinner!  The plan is ham, cheesy potatoes, and more! 

Saturday - Leftovers for sure :-)  

Sunday - Since we aren't doing our normal weekly treat on Friday, I decided that by Sunday night I'd be ready to NOT cook.  So we will get a treat! 

Monday- Scalloped potatoes and Ham

Tuesday- Sliced ham, Brown Sugar carrots and crash potatoes (and that is the end of eating ham HA!) 

Wednesday - Amish Breakfast casserole and cinnamon rolls

Thursday - It's New Year's Eve!  We always have snacks and lots of them.  I try to plan some "hot" appetizers for a late dinner (7:00ish) like meat balls and bacon crescent wraps with "cold" appetizers for before and after like a cheese ball and fruit.   

Weekly Worship - Tasha Layton // Comfort and Joy // (Official Lyric Video)

This is a new Christmas Song and it just speaks to me - both the words and the melody.  Just a great song!  

2020 Weekly Photos #49

 Hello!  This holiday season has been so much quieter.  I do miss all of the concerts and special events but I'm also enjoying not feeling rushed to get everything done.  We started our week with getting our Christmas tree and were even blessed with some amazing snow. 

Saturday - Our Tree!

Isn't the snow beautiful?  It was so unexpected.  We left home in pouring rain.  As we drove just 35 minutes north and as we drove the rain changed to slush, then to sleet, and then to snow. It was snowing hard by the time we got to picking out our tree which was amazing.  It is so much nicer to go Christmas tree hunting in the snow!! 

Sunday - After getting home Saturday evening from getting out tree, I had a zoom call with my brothers and mom plus our tree was covered in snow and ice.  We decided to let it dry out for the night and we would decorate it today.  

The tree before.  Now, lets keep it real.  When Nate cut the baling string off of it and it flopped open, we all just sat and starred at the monstrostity HA!  It looked nothing like the tree we cut down now that it was in our living room!  Well, Darryl went to work and cut off some branches so it wasn't overtaking the couch and cut some of the crazy top branches off so we had a place for the star and it started to look much better. 

Darryl had help with the lights. 

Adding the ornaments. 

The finished tree.  It really is beautiful all covered and lights and ornaments.  

Monday - Today was school as Josh is working hard to wrap up his semester work (Nate is two science lesson away from being done).  My mom treated us to Culvers for lunch as today was their grand opening here in our town.  There was some fun had with this years advent calendars too.  

Tuesday - School!  Josh focused on Science and finished up his Food Web project. We also went and saw some lights with my mom. 

First, we went church display that was set to music and it was awesome!! 

Then we went to another town and saw their lights including the covered bridge. 

Wednesday and Thursday were "just school" trying to wrap up things before Christmas break. 

Friday - Once our friends finished up their schooling, we had a Christmas party! First up, I had my mom picked up pizza for lunch as a treat! 

After lunch, we worked on an ornament craft painting snowflakes.  After that, we played some Christmas Bingo!!  

The four friends before we opened gifts!  

Finally, we also celebrated Nate's birthday with our friends!  It was a busy afternoon :-) 

So, that was our week - lots of fun and festivities! 

Weekly Menu - The one with a birthday and a holiday

 The next few weeks include some fun family events!  The days inbetween, I try to keep it simple! 

Friday - We will reconvene with our normal once a week night of eating out/ordering in. 

Saturday - My in-laws are coming for our small family Christmas with them.  Normally we have a big family gathering for Christmas but we aren't doing that this time around!  Anyway, dinner will be a roasted pork loin, baked and sweet potatoes, and my mother-in-law is bringing a salad.  

Sunday - Amish Breakfast Casserole and Cinnamon Rolls for lunch with Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup for dinner. 

Monday - Beef Tips and Noodles 

Tuesday - Today is Nate's Birthday!  He has requested Mac and Cheese made by Darryl and Sun Chips.  He has told me I can add to that so I'm going to make little sausages wrapped in crescents (pigs in the blanket) and fruit.  

Wednesday - Amish baked chicken, noodles and green beans

Thursday - It's Christmas Eve!  We are going to my mom's tonight for snacks and an enjoyable evening at her house.  I'm thinking a nice Soup in the afternoon would be nice and some good Yeast Rolls. 

Caramel Apple Pie