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Our Last Christmas Dinner for 2006

My brothers, sister, and their families

Dani mixes the moca punch

This meal is mostly made up of finger food – and I only took a few pictures – there was food on every available table and countertop.

Mexican egg rolls

I didn’t take many pictures tonight – just enjoyed the fellowship!

Retirement Day For Cerwin!

The last time in the seat of his Ferrellgas truck was shortly after noon today.

Giving final instructions to Joe – the driver who is taking his place.

Cerwin pulled these tanks for 36 of the 40 years he drove propane truck – out of the same location – even though the company changed hands a few times.

He spent the first year driving a 10-wheeler and doing service work, then pulled a semi propane tank for three years.  During those 40 years he drove five trucks.

1961 Autocar

1970 Mack

1972 Peterbilt

1980 Peterbilt

1995 – KW

Saying goodbye to Warren – another driver.

Goodbyes in the office

There will be an official retirement party in a week and a half.

Lois and Claire

Carolyn

Rich

Brian

From there we celebrated by going bowling with three grandsons!

Cerwin

Josh

Nate

Jordan

How to you like this “action” shot of me bowling?

If you think the boys look discouraged while looking at the score board, it is because I won both games!  After this we went out for an early supper.

~~~

Retirement for Cerwin will not mean playing golf or relaxing.  As of January 1, he will be serving as Director of Chapel Construction for Transport For Christ.  He has been on staff with TFC since 1990 – on a volunteer basis – and is anxious to devote even more time to our favorite ministry…

Leading truck drivers as well as the trucking community to Jesus Christ and helping them grow in their faith.

Five Grandchildren & Chuck E. Cheese’s

Jared loved playing basketball.  (I picked him up this morning.  The others were at our place overnight.)

Gloria and the Coloring Book Machine

Jared in Chuck E’s Car

This game took some body action – notice Gloria’s hair!

I don’t think this car is made for two children.

Time for Pizza

Josh and Nathan

Gloria and Jana

The Sliding Board

Up

I’m coming.

Down

Let’s do it Again!

I’m coming as fast as I can.

When did Gloria sneak in there?

Heading home with the earned prize of choice – cotton candy.  Now I have five sugar-fueled grandchildren!

I took three grandchildren home (Gloria, Jana, and Jared) and picked up Jordan.

Now we have three boys!

This must be an exciting Nintendo game, because there is a lot of laughter and shouting going on.  

 After age 12 the Pennsylvania grandchildren get to spend seven days per year at our house as part of their birthday gift.  The Maine grandchildren come for a few months in their 12th year.  Jordan and Nathan chose today and tomorrow and invited Josh to stay with them.  I think both have a day or two to roll over into 2007, and we have three more turning twelve next year – Josh, Jenna, and Hezekiah.  Hezekiah (Maine) is looking forward to coming for a few months – and it sounds like these three will choose most of their seven days during that time – so they get to hang out with him as much as possible.

Air soft target practice with their “Soft Air Shot” guns.

~ ~ ~

The next two pictures are especially for our daughters who don’t live nearby.

This is what Jere and Kristen’s barn looks like this evening.

A Birthday Visit at Grandpa and Grandma’s

This afternoon I went to our son and daughter-in-law’s house to get Gloria (right) for her birthday stay at our house.  She wanted her cousin Jana to come too.  This evening they are playing Shoots and Ladders on my old laptop.

The timing was right for Nathan’s half-birthday visit – so he is also here…

…testing his new Christmas gift – a Soft Air Shot

He wanted his cousin Josh to share his stay with us, and showed him how it works.

I Accomplished My Goal For Today

Do As Little As Possible!

I even went to see Charlotte’s Web.

This morning our daughter-in-law Kristen called to see if I was available to keep two-year-old Jared.  She was taking the three older children to McDonald’s for lunch and then to see Charlotte’s Web.  She was tempted to take Jared, but wasn’t sure he was old enough to enjoy it. 

After having company for two days, I was ready to do something different, so asked if I could go along and take care of him there.  She was pleased – Jared did so well – and we had a great time.

It was especially fun watching four-year-old Ian’s reaction to talking animals.  He said, “Grandma, how are they doing that?”

I enjoyed the reminder that best friends are often quite different from each other, we need each other, and life is a series of cycles – some of them sad and others quite happy.

Highlights From Our Christmas Day

Brunch at  Jere & Kristen’s house

While Cerwin and I were enjoying coffee, watching news, and relaxing on our double La-Z-Boy (Cerwin playing with his new GPS unit and me updating my blog), our son Jere called to ask if we could come for a 9:30 brunch.  

We certainly didn’t need food – but hanging out with their family and Kristen’s mom was more that we could resist.  

Along with the beautiful fruit, we had quiche, juice, and mini sticky buns.

The children were still in their pj’s and had fun showing us their gifts.  Josh’s favorite gift is always Lego related.

He had this rocket ship together by the time we left.

Ian shows off his new “cell phone”. 

I was into their gifts and forgot to take pictures – imagine that!  Jana received a cute diary, and I had fun on the floor racing trucks with Ian and Jared. 

Diane (our Maine daughter), I loved the perpetual calendar your family gave them.  I tried and failed to do the January 1 puzzle, but later succeeded in completing the Christmas Day one.

We were home by noon and spent the afternoon preparing for the Annual Christmas Supper with Cerwin’s Family

Mel, Pat, Elvin, Leslie, Bryan, Gary, Gabi.

Jeremy looked real Christmassy (I just checked – that is a word).  Don’t you love his choice of food!

Jana, Leslie, Bryan, Pat, Elvin, Gary

After supper we played Now-You-Have-It-Now-You-Don’t with $8-$10 gifts brought by everyone age 12 and older.

Our sister-in-law Pat received a creative gift brought by our daughter-in-law, Chris.  It was called “A Walk Through Roots.”  (Roots is a local farmers market.)  Each item was separately wrapped.  This was a lolipop.

Little children sure make opening packages a lot of fun.  Jere (center in red shirt) asked Ian (left – back to camera) to get his packages when one of his three numbers was called.  Ian particularly enjoyed “stealing” a package for Jere.

Each year there are a few “hot” packages – either because of weight, size, or the wrapping!

Kristen received a delicious-looking package baked and brought by Leslie (Bryan’s fiancee).

Nathan got a large can of popcorn.

Mel, Velda, Gabi, Donald with their packages.

Cerwin and Shtefan

Since I was the “caller of numbers” for the children’s game (small, open gifts I purchase) there aren’t any photos.

The little boys entertained us with a wrestling match.

This sumarizes my Christmas.

~ ~ ~

It’s a Boy!

Just Like God Said

She will bring forth a Son

and you shall call His name Jesus

for He will save His people from their sins.

Matthew 1:21

My Favorite Photos from Our Family Christmas Today

Ian & Zachary dressed alike

Jere (youngest son)  and his wife Kristen

Our sons’ daughters:  Jana, Diana, Gloria, Jenna

Ready for Lunch

Chris (daughter-in-law) whose plate is being held by her daughter Diana.  Next, Gloria is helping her dad.  We ran out of children old enough to hold plates by the time we got to Jere.  He had to take care of himself!

I served a buffet lunch and asked the grandchildren to help their great grandmothers, grandparents, and parents by carrying their plates.  They all seemed pleased to help.

Jana and her mom, Kristen (daughter-in-law)

Jared and Deb (youngest daughter)

David

Jana and Great Grandma Hershey

Time for “Cousins’ Gift Exchange”.

Nathan

Jana

Ian

Gloria

Jenna & Deb

Ian and Jared checking out Zachary’s gift.

David

Jordan

Jared

Jana and Josh

Cerwin opens the Magellan RoadMate (GPS Unit) I bought him.

Jordan seems to have grown a curly, gray beard!

\

Available gifts in our “Now-You-Have-It-Now-You-Don’t” game.

Jeff (oldest son), Ivan (youngest son-in-law), and Cerwin check out the stats on a big buck in a hunting magazine.

Gloria, Jana and Jenna play “dress-up”

Deb & Grandma High

A Super Idea!

“Tastefully Simple” gifts from our children.  Thanks everyone!

We had a great day with our mothers, Pennsylvania children and their families.  Next week we look forward to celebrating the New Year with our Maine family.

We praise the Lord for His gift to us – the best family in the world! 

~ ~ We Love You ~ ~

If Our Greatest Need Was to Know More

God Would Have Sent a Teacher.

If Our Greatest Need Was Scientific

God Would Have Sent a Scientist.

If Our Greatest Need Had Been Money

God Would Have Sent Us a Financial Expert.

But Since Our Greatest Need Was Forgiveness 

God Sent Us a Savior.

~~~

International Children’s Bible – Max Lucado

Isaiah 9:6

In Him was life