Friday's FIVE!

We had another wonderful Christmas Day - Celebrating the birth of our Savior... gathering together with family... eating and laughing - and exchanging gifts. I'm so thankful for all of my family - and the love we have for each other. This was a wonderful Christmas with many fun celebrations and services. Decking the halls kicked off the season - with parties hosted by friends, family and employers. We especially enjoyed seeing Tyler in the entertaining CSA Christmas program. We enjoyed the Candlight Christmas Eve service at Center United Methodist Church. We enjoyed fellowship and food and fun with the Lankenau family on Christmas day at 12:00PM and at 3PM we were back at Yellow Creek for a celebration with Katie, Phil, Tyler and Trevor...Betsy and Debbie...Mom and our nephew and niece, Jack and Allie. We were blessed with our newest grandson, Trevor this year...it was fun celebrating his first Christmas - and the blessing of Debbie as an official member of our family following their marriage in Hawaii in November. There is something special about every Christmas...

however, we all have those that stand out in our memory. This is certainly not all of my memories of wonderful Christmas celebrations, however, this weeks Friday's FIVE! is a collection of five of very memorable Christmases....

1. Approx. 1962 - I was about 4 years old, and I can remember waking up to a childs Christmas wonderland.... Santa had certainly come! We had hand knit stockings with our names on them...filled so full the items were falling from the stockings. Santa brought me a Betsy Wetsy doll and a stacking bunk bed and a baby carriage....all left under the tree that was adorned with those big lights that get too hot to even touch. Roger had a a big Bazooka gun ... and I think I remember a football helmet. It was the kind of Christmas a child remembers forever. We always would celebrate our Christmas mornings at home - Christmas Eve's were at Grandma and Grandpa Pences - We went to Grandma and Grandpa Alexanders later on Christmas morning until 1968... after that, they would come to our house. Grandma would wear her Christmas 'smock' and bring the coffee cake. Those are happy Christmas Memories at 52nd street...

2. Christmas 1973 - I was 15 years old...and it was the first Christmas that my Grandma and Grandpa Pence were not in Indiana to celebrate with us...They were snowbirds and had decided to stay in Sunny Florida rather than make the trek back to our hoosier winter wonderland. That year on Christmas Eve, instead of Grandma and Grandpa's house, we gathered at my Aunt and Uncle's house in Wildwood for a Pence family celebration. I can remember talking to my Grandma on the phone and being very sad that I wasn't with her. She made Wildwood Christmases special with red knit stockings hanging from the mantel - and the envelopes that were placed on the Christmas tree. I can remember Wildwood Christmas Eves vividly - I remember the ambulance that would bring my great Aunt Vera from her nursing home to celebrate with us...and I can remember playing in the basement with my brother and my cousins - those were happy days in Wildwood.... Later we had many, many happy memories at my parents home in Wildwood...a very special place to the Pence family!

3. Christmas of 1986 and we lived on Koldyke Drive - Steve and I had an especially good year at the Christmas tree lot. (We sold Christmas trees at the lumber yard in Wabash for Christmas spending money)... Santa Claus brought the girls desks filled with many desk and school supplies - the living room was full of toys and Santa brought the family a computer. We always spent Christmas morning at home with egg casserole and coffee cake. We would leave cookies for Santa and carrots for the Reindeer... Santa would often leave footprints for the girls to see.

We would go to Steve's Mom and Dad's on Christmas eve - Candlelight Church at 11PM and then we went to my Mom and Dads in the afternoon on Christmas day. Memories of my children in that big living room on Koldyke drive at Christmas are happy memories!

4. Christmas of 2000 - The first Christmas with our grandson. The first year we celebrated with him was a reminder to me that life goes on... and that this child was my legacy, that I would not live forever, but that a part of me would. Our 1888 Victorian home on Spencer Avenue in Marion was the perfect setting for wonderful Christmas celebrations with our family and our friends and neighbors. It was a beautiful home and we would spend weeks decorating and preparing for the holiday - we put up 5 Christmas trees in that house. Candles would illuminate every window. I believe there were 53 window candles in that house. Steve and I hosted a big Christmas party every year in that home and I loved the days of preparing for that party... however, that year... the focus was on this beautiful child. There wasn't a Christmas party that year or any year after that...but the gift of my grandchild, Tyler gave me hope for happy days ahead of me!

5. Christmas of 2001 - the year of change! I lived on Nelson street after my divorce. It was a hard year - the kids went to Steve's family on Christmas Eve, and I was in the house alone that day - but we all met together at Church that night. It was a night of heavy snow, and Betsy and Bruce went sledding after church! Bruce and I were getting pretty serious ... and I suspected an engagement was forthcoming, however - he was struggling with his business and he told me he would have to 'make' my engagement ring. Christmas morning he presented me with a hand whittled, wooden ring with a fake diamond glued to it. It looked like something right out of a Flintstone cartoon - but the real message of the gift is what mattered - my soulmate wanted to spend the rest of his life with me...we were engaged to be married! Bruce also gave me a bicycle backpack that year...and buried deep in one of the pockets of the backpack was my 'real' engagement ring - a beautiful solitare diamond. We celebrated that Christmas morning with Betsy, Katie, Phil and Tyler. It was my first Christmas celebration with the Lankenau family and Bruce's first celebration at Wildwood with the Pence family. Christmas is special for Bruce and I because our first 'real' date was on Christmas night ... 1974. I was 16 and he was 19 and we saw the movie, Airport '75 after our family celebrations were complete... We met each other again at Charmayne and Danny's Christmas Eve Eve party...and later, we were engaged in 2001 on Christmas Day! A difficult transitional year that ended up bringing many happy years ahead of us!

~~~~As I indicated earlier - this is not an all inclusive list....I've been blessed to have so many happy wonderful Christmas memories... Another significant Christmas was Christmas of 2007.

That is the first year that we celebrated Christmas Day at Yellow Creek Lake - and I loved every minute... I love that my Grandsons are able to build memories of Christmas in a place that is so special to so many generations for me. Ironically - our family has been coming to Yellow Creek Lake since the early 1930's and 2007 was the first year that there was ever a Christmas Day celebration at Yellow Creek... the first of many more to come!!!

Here's hoping this was a joyous Christmas that brought many happy memories for everyone!

White Christmas

It looks like it is going to be a White Christmas...We've had subzero temps and snow flurries all weekend and the forecast indicates that the there will be snow on the ground and the lake will be frozen at Yellow Creek Lake for Christmas Day!

Baby, it's COLD outside!

We had an ice storm yesterday that left us without power and cable for almost 12 hours...

I was thankful for my iPod and my battery operated speakers, my Blackberry and my fireplace!

Schools were cancelled, giving kids and extra day of Christmas break! Many of our campuses at work were running on generators - and many roads were not passable with 1/2" of accumulated ice and fallen power lines and trees everywhere. My weeping willow trees along the lakefront are covered in ice... frozen in time...begging for warmer days!

I simply must go (It’s cold outside)
The answer is no (Baby, it’s cold outside)

The welcome has been (So lucky that you dropped in)

So nice and warm (Look out the window at that storm)

Friday's FIVE!

Christmas traditions are a part of the excitement and anticipation of the season... Those special things you look forward to during this blessed season. I'm a rich traditionalist - so our Christmas traditions are many. While we participate in the typical Christmas traditions such as Christmas dinners, Gift Exchanges, gatherings with family and friends and Christmas eve services at church- this weeks Friday FIVE! are five of a our families special Christmas traditions...

1. Red and Green Foil Paper

Santa Claus doesn't have time to put ribbons or bows on packages - so he wraps all presents in foil paper. Red foil paper for girls, Green foil paper for the boys. At our house - Santa Claus didn't bring all of the packages - he brought each child just one present.... usually the 'big' item on the Christmas list. This was the way Santa brought gifts to my house when I was a child, it is the way he brought gifts to my children...and it is the way he brings gifts to my grandsons at their home.

I remember Santa bringing Betsy "Talking Big Bird" - and the joy on that childs face still warms my heart. I remember the look on Katie's face when she got her Cabbage Patch Dolls - and I remember Teddy Ruxpin. The reflection of the Christmas tree lights on the shiny foil paper emits a warm glow on Christmas morning that says "Santa Claus has been here!!".... Let the fun begin!

2. Recycled Gifts

Christmas of 1976 - Steve and I had just married, and we didn't have much money. I taught myself to macrame' and made gifts for everyone. I made plant hangers and wall hangings and key chains. When Christmas came, I still had one item left to make - a Belt for my brother, Roger. That Christmas, I packed up his buckle and the beads and the jute that would become his belt - and wrote a note as an IOU - a promise that I would make the belt after the holiday.

The belt didn't get done - and he wrapped it up and gave it back to me the following year. We passed the belt back and forth for 25 years. The box would hold poems or some creative way to pass the gift back and forth.... On the 25th anniversary, we decided to retire the tradition. Roger put a few of the beads on his key chain... and I hang the buckle and a few of the beads on my Christmas tree each year. Sometime when the girls were in high school - they began passing back and forth a stinky strawberry candle that came from a Cross Country Team Christmas exchange. The smell of that horrible candle has not waned with years... it still smells as bad now as it did over 10 years ago.

3. Christmas Jammies

When the girls were really small, they would get Christmas Jammies for Christmas at Grandma Dubie's house on Christmas Eve. They would put them on at Grandma's house so they would have their jammies on and be ready for bed as soon as we got home (often falling asleep in the car) When the girls got a little older I started buying the Christmas jammies - I would carefully choose pajamas that fit personalities or the 'theme' for the season. When we would get home from Grandma Dubie and Grandpa George's house on late on Christmas eve, they would have one present to open ... and of course, that present would be the jammies. This tradition has continued throughout the years...and while I haven't bought Christmas jammies for two years, I'm sure Tyler and Trevor will be in new Christmas jammies this year!

4. Coffee Cake and "Grandma' Salad"

When I was a child - we always went to Grandma and Grandpa Pence's house on Christmas eve - and Grandma and Grandpa Alexander came to our house on Christmas morning. We always had "Grandma's Salad" at Grandma Pence's house - it was a recipe passed down from my Great Grandma Ballard - and my Grandma Alexander always brought a coffee cake to our house on Christmas day. We still eat "Grandma's Salad" at Christmas....and I know my cousins, Nancy and Amy continue this tradition... and we still have Grandma's Coffee cake for breakfast on Christmas morning!

Grandma's Coffee Cake

2 C Sugar

1 C Melted Butter

2 Eggs

1 C Sour Cream

1/2 tsp vanilla

2 C all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

2/3 C chopped pecans

2 T brown sugar

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Combine sugar and butter. Beat in eggs, add sour cream and vanilla until combined.

Combine flour, baking powder and salt - gradually mix into sugar/butter mixture.

Pour 1/2 of the batter into greased/floured 10" bundt or tube pan. Combine the pecans, sugar and cinnamon - sprinkle on top of the batter in the 10" pan. Add remaining batter.

Bake in pre-heated 350 degree oven for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and cool for 5 minutes - invert cake onto serving plate and dust with confectioners sugar.

"Grandma's Salad"

2 Large cans of Pineapple chunks

2 Eggs

3/4 C Sugar

2 heaping T flour

pinch of salt

chopped pecans

2 C mini-marshmallows

Drain pineapple and reserve 1 1/2 C juice, add sugar, wisk flour and salt into juice, add 2 beaten eggs - cook over medium heat stirring constantly until thickened. Remove from heat, cover with wax paper and allow to cool. When cool - Fold in chopped pecans and marshmallows. Garnish with Maraschino cherries and pecan halves.

5. Special Christmas items

When I was growing up - we had three angels with red feather dresses...I don't know whatever happened to those angels - but I loved them so much. They always sat on our fireplace mantel.

When Katie was a baby, my mother gave me a little ceramic frozen pond winter scene with a snowman iceskating on it. The kids have always loved it - and it is one item they still expect to see when the Christmas decorations come out. One of my mothers most treasured items is her Nativity Scene that she had as a child....a primitive little creche now at least 75 years old, that she still puts out. She doesn't do much decorating for Christmas anymore - but the Creche is still the central theme of this blessed Christmas holiday....

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!!

Friday's FIVE!

IT'S THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR!!! I love Christmas...I love the entire Christmas season!!!! This weeks Friday's FIVE is Five of my favorite 'Christmas Season' activities...The fun things that help to build the anticipation for the Blessed Day of Christmas!

1. One of my favorite things about the Holiday Season... is the Walkway of Lights in our hometown of Marion... I miss the Riverwalk - and the Walkway of Lights. When we lived on Spencer and on Nelson in Marion - the Walkway was within walking distance...and I loved walking that Riverwalk. It was especially enchanting during the holiday season when the lights were lit - and the gift shop was open.... a cup of Cappuccino at the gift shop would warm you up for the walk back home.

http://www.walkwayoflights.org/ http://www.walkwayoflights.com/

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2. Christmas Eve and Advent Services at church.... I love to sing the traditional hymns and participate in Christmas worship services. My home church, First United Methodist Church in Marion always had a Christmas eve service... and the entire advent season was a festival. We rehearsed Christmas programs, Bell Choir and Chancel Choir songs... There was always so much going on. Bruce and I are now attending Center United Methodist Church, a very small church in Silver Lake - and with a congregation of just 20, there isn't the Pomp that was always present at First United Methodist Church during advent - but there is no less reverence... Advent is advent... big or small, it is a time to prepare - to celebrate the birth of Christ.

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3. Saylors Christmas Eve Eve Party is a wonderful tradition... I have been attending this party for many, many years - and am now thrilled to be a part of the family - to attend this party with Bruce as my husband. Because we live out of town, this is an exciting party for us - because we often get to see friends and family that we don't see very often. It is a true holiday homecoming for us.

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4. Holiday celebrations with neighbors and friends ... Now that this is our home, after nearly seven years - we have established deep friendships in this community. I love the celebrations we have with each other. We share many festive dinners with Allen and Esther - we often get together with Janet and Steve, we recently had dinner with Johnsons, Pattersons and Schlemmers and enjoyed a wonderful holiday dessert at Schlemmers home in Wabash....

Pattersons host an annual party on the Sunday before Christmas. It is a nice time to celebrate with friends so close to us - that also have families that aren't so near....

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5. Children's Christmas Programs always bring tears to my eyes. I can remember my own children in Sunday School Christmas programs. I remember one year - Betsy didn't like her costume so she just pulled up her little lady bug costume and exposed her leotards... She was sooo funny. Katie LOVED wearing her sparkley/Crystal-ly 'fire-fly' costume... "ANGELS AND LAMBS...LADY BUGS AND FIREFLIES told everybody in sight...that Jesus was born in Bethlehem... on the Christmas night!" School programs with children singing "I'm getting Nuttin' for Christmas" and "All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth" bring smiles to my face.

My mother was such a wonderful grandmother to my children and she would always attend these school programs with me. Tyler is now in CSA (Community School of the Arts) and will be performing in his second CSA Holiday program this year. There is truly something magical about Christmas in a childs eye.

MERRY BLISSEN ALL BODIES!!!!

Still, Still, Still!

The lake is so much fun in the summer... Long summer days bring swimming, skiing, sailing and boating and neighbors and family are always around. The beer is always on ice, the salsa is always in the fridge... and the adirondacks beg for a tentant to come along and read a book on a lazy sunny weekend.
However, winter brings a different scene. It is soooo peaceful and quiet - our evenings are usually spent in our jammies in front of a fire - at an hour that usually sees us still out on the lake laughing and playing in the summer.
Today is a long awaited day for us... the day the lake freezes over. We woke up today to a skim of ice...to the peaceful, quiet of winter! Especially timely - during this Blessed Christmas Season!

Still, still, still,

One can hear the falling snow.

For all is hushed,

The world is sleeping,

Holy Star its vigil keeping.

Still, still, still,

One can hear the falling snow.
Sleep, sleep, sleep,

'Tis the eve of our Saviour's birth.

The night is peaceful all around you,

Close your eyes, Let sleep surround you.

Sleep, sleep, sleep,

'Tis the eve of our Saviour's birth.
Dream, dream, dream,

Of the joyous day to come.

While guardian angels without number,

Watch you as you sweetly slumber.

Dream, dream, dream,

Of the joyous day to come.

Friday's FIVE!

I love Christmas... I love everything about it - and I especially love Christmas Music! During this Holiday Season many radio stations begin playing Christmas music nonstop the weekend after Thanksgiving - and I am constantly listening to the familiar tunes on the radio, on my iPod, streaming through my computer or on the TV. This week I will focus on five special songs of the season. Five songs that I love -
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1. While Shepherds Watched Their Flock -
A tradition hymn - dating back to the 1700's, based on the Gospel of Luke - 2:8-14. I can remember singing this song in church choir when I was about 7 years old...and I can remember both of my girls singing this song in Childrens Choir in church - We sang this hymn in church today and I still feel like Martha Daugherty is directing me when I hear this song.
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2. Christmas Cookies and Holiday Hearts
by Ruth Roberts and Bill Katz. We had this song on an album - a real record album... and we played this album over and over again when the girls were small. I can remember singing this song and baking cookies with the girls when they were very little. I remember one time baking cookies and decorating them - Betsy piled all the sprinkles and decorations in one small cookie. It was beautiful! We still sing this song to each other at Christmas time! "Christmas Cookies and Holiday Hearts... thats the way - the Holiday Starts! Christmas Cookies and Holiday Hearts...Goody Goody YUM YUM YUM!!!!
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3. Where are you, Christmas? Written by James Horner and performed by Faith Hill. The song was written for the 2000 version of "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" - I remember sitting at the movie theater listening to this song in tears....My personal life was in the midst of emotional upheaval - but this was a reminder that the blessed season was going to come - even without ...The ribbons! The wrappings! The tags! And the tinsel! The trimmings! The trappings! I had the true blessing of a new Grandson - and the promise of the Christ child... for
Peace on Earth, Goodwill to all!
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4. Joy to the World - Mannheim Steamroller. I also love Coventry Carol, Carol of the Birds, Good King Wenceslas and all of the wonderful Christmas songs by Mannheim Steamroller. These songs bring back many fond memories of wonderful Christmas days spent in our beautiful 1888 Victorian home on Spencer Avenue in Marion... the parties, the festivities and the friends. I still laugh when I think of the girls referring to them as "Mannheim Rollerblade" - and two years ago, I had a wonderful , festive holiday evening with my Mother... we had a wonderful dinner at Eddie Merlot's and then we enjoyed a fantastic concert at the Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne. We had a front row table and enjoyed wine and cheese - while Mannheim Steamroller palyed all of the Christmas favorites. It was a special holiday evening I will never forget.
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5. Silent Night - Of course, Silent Night would be the Favorite. I have so many wonderful memories of Christmas Eve services at First United Methodist Church, singing out the candle-light service to Silent Night... I remember many different versions... and many different times.
The services always end in silence... as the congregation walks silently out of the church.... into the "Silent Night"....
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Honorable Mention
Still Still Still ... is a beautiful carol and I love the peacefulness of this song. We sang this in Church choir more than once - and I have several different versions on my iPod.
Fum Fum Fum - I can remember singing this song in the Church choir directed by JoAnn Rediger - and standing in the alto section next to my dear, dear friend, Sandy Steele. I also have many of renditions of this on my iPod.
Hot Chocolate - and all the rest of the music from Polar Express