Family Party - December 26th and Snow

 Polly and Chris invited everyone to their home, Monday, Dec. 26th - We all sang Happy Birthday to Stan - had yummy food for dinner and then played this fun game - Chris Kroeber brought..you throw the dice and if you get 1 or 6 you get to try and unwrap the goodies before someone else takes it from you...sorry about the blurry picture -fun game!

 All the Grandkids who were there - except Kyle - he was sick and stayed in his room - so he didn't spread the sickness to the rest of us.

 Handsome son-in-laws - beautiful daughters - missed those who weren't there.

Handsome son-in-laws and beautiful daughters - sure missed everyone else!

  More family - missing all who weren't there.

 Snow and our Jane Street house.

 More snow!

 Our front steps - lots and lots of snow!  Christmas Day, 2016.

Our back steps are buried in snow!  Dad shoveled the front part of the deck so we can take our garbage to the garage.

Christmas Day - 2016

 Cute gift - box of thin mints - made into a snowman by our Activity Day Girls - plus you can always use another pair of gloves!

 Christmas Day - after teaching Sunday School at the Detention Center - snowy outside!

 Closer view of our Nativity Set in place of a Christmas Tree...we were traveling over two weeks in the month - and so we used the 'real reason for the season' this year.

 This was one of the trees we had downstairs!

 Another tree on our dressers - this one is from my childhood - pretty old!

 Ceramic tree on our hearth - so we did have Christmas trees in our house.

 These amaryllis's flowers just want to bloom ...poking out of their boxes at the store!

Our cute "Baby Faye" Christmas tree - sent to us in Jamaica!

Odds and Ends

When we were in Virginia - we noticed these cards announcing such a fun event - wanted to share with all of you.

 This is the Church Bulletin in Pike's ward - made us laugh... love the southern 'drawl' spoken there.

 Closer look - if you need it!

 We went to Shopko and had to take this picture of the amaryliss growing out of their pots - before purchase!!

Sorry kids - Santa really is pretty scary - at least to little ones!!

Joel's 13th Birthday Dinner - First Big Snow

 Joel's birthday dinner at Angies - Logan.  Sure was fun to share dinner with the Mortensen's.  Joel was talking about a girl at school ... I said: "Joel - no girls!  then he said - she's got red hair - that's
a different story!!

 The whole group - Joel's hair makes me laugh ...Sam didn't like his curls until middles school when the girls started telling him they liked them!!

 Our first big snow in Pocatello - yay!

 Dad clearing the truck - makes it seem lots for like Christmas when we have white on the ground.

Our flower bed - under a blanket of white!

Cub Scouts singing at Nursing Home

 Tuesday evening Jennie needed our help - she was supposed to take the boys to the Nursing Home for Christmas carols - and at the same time the girls to the Church for Basketball practice...we were more then happy to help out - here is part of the Cub Scouts and Activity Day girls - getting ready to sing.

 Luke and Noah have Santa Hats on in the middle row.

 Closer of our cute grandsons - Noah with zombie eyes!

 the whole group = note the second brother in from the left - green shirt - Christmas vest - he's the 11 years old Scout leader - cool outfit!

 Noah wishing one of the elderly ladies a Merry Christmas.

 Luke doing the same thing.

 Not the best picture of the girls - just wanted everyone to see the book in Grace's hand - around Sophie. That girl usually has a book in her hand.  See their cute Christmas sweaters - they had basketball practice and then also went to sing at the nursing home.

 Better picture of our beautiful grand daughters.

 Huge poinsetta tree at the Charlotte NC Airport.

Had to take a further away picture so you can see the size in comparison!

Last of our history lesson!

  Look at the top of this wagon - beautiful wooden ribs on the ceiling - Quakers were good craftsmen!

 Our tour guide explaining something about this wagon.

 Birchbark canoe - real deal.

 Tobacco barrel - loaded they would roll it to another spot.

 Us on the bench outside of the office - Jennie has pictures of the kids on this same bench - about 5 years apart!

 Beautiful old Christmas postcards.

The big white house is the Mendenhall house - with attached summer kitchen and smoking house and spring house - - the spring is still running.  Thanks so much Jennie for bringing us here.

More history ...

 More of the wonderful old furnishings of the Mendenhall house.

 Corner cupboard - built for this corner!

  Made me grateful for my bed!

 More fun Quaker words!

 Original barn - called a Bank Barn - note the overhang.  There are other outbuildings - well house, carriage house, blacksmith shop, corn crib and the yard where there was a tannery.

 False bottom wagon - used on the underground railroad to transport "precious cargo"...one of only two remaining - this one is documented and authentic.

This would have been our 'family van' - in the olden days!   This is a Studebaker station wagon - brought passengers from the station to the hunting lodge.