Christmas 2008

Well here it is already Jan. 16th, 2009. Where has the time gone? The month of November and December was a very busy one. In December, I did two Taste Fests for Bride and grooms with David, a Trade Show up at Birch Run, we had a Company Christmas Dinner, Church Christmas Dinner, Church Christmas Program. It just seemed that something was always going on. But it was a good month.

The only bad part, was when we had to put our dog Mopsy down, three days before Christmas, Dec. 22nd. That was terrible. He had been sick, was coughing very bad, was blind, could hardly hear, and was starting to wet in the house, we knew it was time to do it. Dec. 22nd, was a very hard day. David and Brad took him to the Humane Society in Westland. They were very kind. But I know it was for the best. He was suffering and was 20 years old. If you ever have owned a dog for a while you will understand.

Christmas Eve, I had to finish up shopping, and getting my house in order, then we went over to my parents at about 4 p.m. David had worked until 3. We had pizza and pop and visited with my parents, and my brother and wife came too. We came home that evening and had some friends from church over Steve and Renita. We played Apples to Apples and Mexican Train Dominoes. We also ordered some more pizza, and had snacks. They stayed until midnight. Also, Justins girlfriend Brittany had arrived around 6 pm. along with her dog Puggles. We ended up exchanging some gifts that night. Justin gave David and I our gift, which was new speakers for our computer. Our gift from Brad was a new computer and printer, which is awesome, we had got that back in Oct. or Nov. It is our birthday and Christmas gifts for quite a while. lol Britt got David a book he wanted, and she got me a really nice sweater.

Christmas Morning David and I got up around 9 a.m. We had so much to do to prepare for our dinner. We started right in, putting a ham on, doing the turkey and stuffing, preparing the potatoes, doing desserts. Plus, I did some odds and ends around the house. Plus, we gave the boys, and Brittany their gifts and stocking stuffers. Oh yes, we have sight and speed on our computer so we were able to see Gage after he had opened up his gifts. He was so excited to show us his new fire engine he had got.

Around 3 p.m. or so Ryan called and said they had landed at Metro, so Brad went to pick up him and his girlfriend Ariana. They flew in from CA. We were very excited to see them, as we have not seen them since last Dec. 2007. Mike, Melody, and the kids arrived around the same time that they got here from the airport. It was kind of crazy. Gage was so excited to see his grandparents and to open gifts. We decided to open gifts before we ate, as I was having more people coming. It was kind of crazy when we were opening gifts, but fun, especially watching the grandkids open theirs. We gave all the kids money and a gift and stocking stuffers, the grandkids gifts to open and stocking stuffers. This was our first year to be all together since 2002 or 2003. It was so exciting. Technically my gift from my kids was a Dyson Vacuum that was given to me back in the fall, but Ryan also had me a Picture Calender made, and his dad also had him make one from him. That was awesome. Two calenders with pictures of my family on each page. I love it. Then from Gage and Ali, Melody got me a beautiful quilt that says Grandmas Garden and she put pictures on it, and a picture calender with the grand kids pictures in it. I was so excited. I am sorry, but if you all think I'm nuts, I just love pictures especially of my grandkids. I just love spending time with them. Pictures are priceless to me. They are memories. Also, my daughter had Alis footprint made. Last year she had Gages handprint done. I just love this kind of stuff. After all the gifts exchange, we had dinner. I made turkey, stuffing, ham, mashed potatoes, gravey, corn, green beans, potatoe salad, yams, rolls, chocolate cream pie, strawberry pie, strawberry cheese cake, angel food cake shaped like an angel, ice cream dessert, ricekrispy treats, my sil made fudge etc.. So we defintely had enough to eat. The angel food cake was made into an angel, as we wanted to teach Gage what Christmas is really about, so we put a candle on it, and we all sang Happy Birthday to Jesus, and had him blow the candle out.

Around 6:30 p.m. or so, my sister Angela and her husband and two children arrived from TN Also, Ryans best friend Chris and his wife and two girls Hannah and Chloe came over, then my parents, my brother Rick and wife Diane came over, and two dogs. Everyone was everywhere, playing apples to apples, air hockey, on the computer, talking eating, we took a lot of pictures. My sister has not been up here for Christmas since she has moved. Everyone stayed till 11:30 p.m, except of course my kids. My poor daughter along with everyone else didnot get a lot of sleep that night, Ali screamed her head off. She did not like the pack and play. She wanted her own room and bed.

On Friday the 26th we woke up to hear it freezing rain. We had a picture appointment at 11:30 a.m. which I cancelled and made it for 1 p.m. because of the weather. The roads were terrible. We were going to have to drive to Northville to Potrait Innovations. We got Family pictures done, they took around 93 they did an awesome job and quick. Then while they were doing them we went over to Bahama Breeze and ate dinner. Then went back and picked up our photos and came home. Mike went and crashed on the loveseat. Mostly everyone was kind of laying or sitting around for awhile. Then Chris and Christal and kids came over again. We just ate and played games all evening.

Sat. morning David had to work, well poor Justin had to work Friday morning and Sat. morning. He didnot get a lot of sleep with everyone here, as he was having to lay in the living room, he had to be at work on Friday at 3 a.m. and Sat. at 4 a.m. On Sat. we all went to Great Lake Crossing. David went to work, Mike headed home, he was going to go deer hunting. So the rest of us spent the day out at Great Lake Crossing, Chris and Christal and kids met us there too. It was a lot of fun. We got home that evening, and just played some more games. Ali didn't sleep to good at my house the whole weekend. I guess she don't like grandmas house. :(

Sunday we woke up to no power. Our power went out at around 5 a.m. because of the high winds we had. I nearly croaked. So we didn't get to church. Thankfully I could still use my burners on my stove, to cook and heat the house with. It didnot get to bad in here tho. Of course, Ryan and Ariana always thought it was freezing in here. They are used to CA temps. lol They lefted around 11 to go see Kayleigh his daughter. David and I prepared dinner, which we had taken over to the house by our church that used to be used for the teachers, to use their oven. Our power came back on around 11:30 a.m. for which I was so thankful. We ate around 1 p.m. My parents came over later in the afternoon to visit. My sister and family had lefted on Sat. Melody lefted to go back Sunday night. Chris and Christal came over again Sunday evening.

Ryan and Ariana were here till Jan. 6th. I went out with them on Tues, Wed., Friday, and Monday with Kayleigh. Tuesday we took her to get pictures done with Ryan, and one of her alone, at the same place, took her over to my parents where she opened her gifts from me, and my parents, Wed. took her to Cabellas, and the mall, Thursday Ryan didn't have her till evening, he went over to Chris's and watched the RedWings play, then they all went Ice Skating and then he took Kayleigh to the movies. Friday we went down to Hockey Town Cafe, Ryan had never been there and wanted to go, so me, David, Justin, Ryan and Ariana, Chris, Christal and kids, and Chris's kids went. It was really nice. We took a bunch of pictures for Ryan. He loves the Red Wings. Then we came home. That evening Davids mom and sister Kathy came over for awhile. They wanted to see Ryan.
Sat. David and I had a Bridal Show to do at the Hyatt Regency in Dearborn, MI. Ryan and them were home, Melody and the kids arrived around 3:30 in the afternoon. We got home around 6. We made dinner, ate and just sat around and played some games. We did bring Kameron over for awhile to play with Gage and then Melody and I took him home and we went to Krogers to pick up a few things.

Sunday, Melody and the kids went to church with us. Then we came home and ate dinner. We went down to my brothers and spent the afternoon, Ryan and Ariana and Kayleigh was there. Then they left around 5 and took the kids to Ceasar Land, then Mel was headed for home. I went home and then went to church.

Monday, David and Justin both took the flu. We were suppose to go out to dinner as a family for Ryans last night with us, but that didn;t happen. I just cleaned the house on Monday, then Ryan, and I and Ariana left to pick up Kayleigh we took her out to eat at Texas Roadhouse, then to a dog store, and Michaels, then to Coldstone. Then back to her mom. I was really worried that Brad and I would take it, but thank God we never have. My mom was very sick too, she had the flu, strep throat, and ear infection, infact, she is still sick. Ended up back at the doctors yesterday. On Monday night I slept on the loveseat, at I was trying to avoid at all cost. lol I took Ryan and Ariana to the airport on Tuesday at 5 a.m. I came back and crashed on the couch. That day all day long, I cleaned, scrubbed everything, did laundry trying to get rid of the sickness. David was fine on Tuesday he went to work.

New Years Eve didn't really do anything, went to church, then came home and we had Steve and Renita over and we ordered pizza and played some games to midnight. They left and we were in bed by 12:30 We were tired. New Years day didn't do anything.

I had to make a quick trip down to my daughters on Friday the 9th. Ali had been in the hospital since Tuesday the 6th, and I was needed to babysit Gage, as Mike had Drill on Sat. and Sunday. So I was so nervous as we got that snow storm, and it was worse in Ohio. I traveled down to Akron. Ali was in Childrens Hospital there. The one nice thing, is we got to stay at the Ronald McDonald house that night. I brought Gage over to the hospital which was right across the street. We stayed there until Ali got discharged. Then we went back over to the Ronald McDonald house to get our stuff, and clean the room, and we left for Mels. She lives around 1 hour away, and with bad roads, it took us longer. We got to her house unloaded, and Mel put kids down for naps, and we started cleaning her house and doing laundry. I stayed down there until Sunday afternoon. Arrived home around 8 p.m. The roads were pretty good.

I hope I don't bore you to death. But I enjoy letting you know what has been going on in my life, and I love posting pictures. I also love reading other peoples blogs, and looking at their pictures. If you do read my blog would you please let me know if you read it and looked at pictures. Until next time.......................