Our Christmas season objective this year was to ENJOY. Success for us in that area seems to hinge on preparing early and simplifying where possible. So, that's what we tried to do. When considering how large our family is, the simplify part is a little tricky, but now that the season is behind us, we feel like we were pretty successful. It was wonderful to be able to spend some time with many of the people we love so much. It was also wonderful to experience things that helped remind us of the reason for the season.
Joe and I love experiences more than we love things. So, I told him that what I wanted for Christmas was to fit in as many experiences as possible, and that's what we did. My list was long, but we were able to check off most some of them. I never said simplifying was easy for me. Joe, on the other hand, doesn't seem to have a problem with it.
Something that wasn't on our list that got added was the funeral of our dear friend, Mildred Spencer. She was in her eighties and she passed away shortly after being severely injured in a car accident. Joe and I had developed a relationship with her through home/visiting teaching over the course of about ten years. She lived in Alexandria, and most often, we would visit her in her home, but sometimes, she would come home with us after church for lunch. She was a feisty little thing and we were shocked when we learned of the accident. We had just visited her at her place two nights before. She was so excited about her upcoming trip to Texas to see her son and his family just days later. On a Monday night, we visited her and she was full of life. The following Wednesday night, she was fighting for her life. Another reminder that all we can be sure of is the time we have right now. Anyway, Joe and I both spoke at her memorial service and it was a very sweet experience.
We went to the ward Christmas party on the 14th. I helped a little bit with a nativity display and that ended up being my favorite part of the evening. On the 16th, we went to Addie's annual open house and enjoyed seeing her house all decked out in Christmas finery. We also enjoyed munching on all the goodies she had laid out for her guests. After that, we went to see Catching Fire. Not exactly festive, but definitely a movie I wanted to see.
A favorite thing for us to do this time of year is attend the annual Community Choir Christmas Concert under the direction of Donna Campbell at the Methodist Church downtown, and we did so once again on the 17th. The setting for the concert is perfect and the choir never disappoints. Just to watch Donna conduct is a joy in itself. Gene Webb played prelude music on the organ and that brought back lots of memories. I caught a glimpse of him as he was leaving and realized that a lot of years have passed since the time when he taught piano lessons to some of my children. We had arranged in advance to meet Marsha Reaves at the concert, who is an accomplished musician herself. It was fun to share that experience with her.
On the 18th, we drove up to Crossville to the Cumberland County
Playhouse for their production of a Sanders Family Christmas. It was so
fun. We laughed, the out-loud kind, and we even shed a few tears. It was
a wonderful performance - very entertaining - very well done - very
Christmasy!
On the 20th, I took Baylor & Kyndal to Baker Mountain Farm. The weather was perfect and the setting was perfect. I posted some pics of that evening earlier, so that's all I'll say about that.
Opal invited us to the Crosby Farm for breakfast on Christmas Eve. Nice to be with the folks who were able to be there that day just eating and visiting and eating some more.
After we left Opal's, we drove by the property on Dumplin' Mountain Road. We did lots of work there this fall clearing the perimeter and burning lots of brush. We still have some brush piles to burn and a little more clearing, but it is looking pretty doggone good! Sure would like to build out there. Getting electricity and water to that spot is very prohibitive, though.
Next stop was Grandma Miller's house. Bryce's family, Blake, and Brett met us there for a nice, relaxing visit. I didn't get pics of everyone, but here are the few that turned out okay --
G'ma was so happy for the time she had with us. Bless Kimber's heart, she wasn't afraid of G'ma at all. That's not always the case with little ones and elderly folk. To say she charmed G'ma would be an understatement. She is definitely following in her big brother's and sister's footsteps!
Funny story about that cell phone Kimber is holding. It's mine. Blake picked it out for me years ago and I have loved it and said that I would continue to use it as long as it works. I was standing in line at Hobby Lobby a few days before. Someone sent me a text message and I took my phone out of of my bag. An older lady with a walker standing in line behind me asked, "Is that a phone?" "Man, I thought, this thing really is old!" I told her it was and still staring incredulously at the relic I was holding in my hand the lady asked, "And you can receive text messages on that?" The nerve!
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