Christmas Dessert

We had our family Christmas gathering last Saturday. Part of every Christmas gathering for close to 30 years has been our special Christmas dessert. When our kids were very small, we decided that we would stay home on Christmas Day. To travel to family would be 3 hours. We also had late Christmas Eve worship which meant we wouldn't get to bed much before 1 or 2 a..m. Plus as a child I remember going to 2 sets of grandparents in one day and not getting much time at home with my new toys.

We discovered that our neighbors, the Mulvains, had their family in on Christmas Eve and were alone on Christmas Day so we invited them to come spend the day with us. Juanita volunteered to bring the dessert. It was a chocolate pudding dessert that my family loved and so for the years that they joined us for Christmas Day, Juanita brought "Christmas dessert." After their plans changed and they no longer joined us on Christmas Day, "Christmas dessert" remained part of our menu. As I fixed it the other day, I thought about this "tradition." Tonight, as I am finishing up the last of the left-over, I am thinking again about those Christmases shared with Jerry & Juanita and how this dessert has become a Hardwick family tradition.

Christmas

I enjoyed watching the grandkids open their gifts. The 3 littlest ones had fun playing with each other's presents. Everyone got along well with each other. It was chaos at times, but a joy to watch the kids play and interact. I thought about my grandparents watching us many years ago.

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve 2008 started out with an absolutely beautiful snow. It stuck to each branch and weed. It looked like a fairyland. Then about 8:30 a.m. the snowflakes were large. It was a magical time before the temperature warmed and the flakes became small again.

The five grandchildren were all at church this afternoon. We attempted to take pictures of them....all together. We did accomplish getting all 5 in one photo. See the attempts here
.

3 of 5

What's Avery looking for?
As close as I'm going to get tonight!

To each of you, a blessed Merry Christmas! Enjoy your blessings! I will mine!

Big Shoes to Fill ?

12.18.08.Avery.myshoes

Avery is joining cousin William in toddlerhood. She's getting into things. Tonight as I was leaving, she got into the cabinet and got a plastic plate and the container of trail mix. (Silly us.....we didn't put the toddler lock on.) Evidently she was hungry. Before I left I heard Jenn exclaim, "Oh, Avery!" She had opened the container and had trail mix all over the living room floor.

Before Mom and Dad came home, Avery went into the kitchen. It was quiet and then there was this clunk, so I went to investigate. Fortunately my camera was in my bag on the table. I hope the video I took works. I found Avery in my shoe/boots. They are pretty heavy, but she was trying to make them work.

Shelby on TV

As a parent of a child who is often in the Peds unit at Rockford Memorial Hospital, Jenn was asked to speak at a breakfast this morning for the hospital's corporate sponsors. Shelby and Papa accompanied Jennifer. Shelby was interviewed by one of the local tv stations. Follow this link and click on the little camera to see Shelby on TV - WREX. After we watched it on the 5 p.m. news, Shelby said "But I said more, Grandma!"

Happy 10th anniversary, Jenn & Scott !

Ten years ago today it was much warmer.....in fact, we had the air conditioning on at the church! It was close to 70 degrees as Scott & Jenn got married. We didn't have to wear coats. Quite a contrast to today (11 degrees with a wind chill factor of 3 degrees)! Hard to believe 10 years have passed already!

I know that there have been some bumps and dips along the road, but you have perservered. You have 3 beautiful and intelligent daughters. Keep on "keeping on"! We love you! Happy 10th!