Day 364 - Project 365/2013

During my walk at Camp Jordan today I spotted a bunch of these little birdhouses all over the park in different designs!  I wonder where they came from? Feels good to walk/jog after sitting and eating and sitting and eating for the past several days!

I really love my special pink ribboned coffee mug from Anne!

Day 363 - Project 365/2013

So glad we had time to stop in at Roeda's so I could add another member to the Nativity :-)  Good to be home and have time to settle in a bit before heading in to work tomorrow morning.  Lots of New City hugs and kisses this morning!

Day 362 - Project 365/2013

So thankful for traveling mercies and the cozy Court to come home to!  We had dry roads until Nashville and then it rained pretty hard the rest of the way home.  We passed a few minor wrecks but nothing that stopped traffic completely - so grateful for that!  We partially unpacked - the rest will have to wait till the rain stops.  Now time to ponder the amazing Christmas of 2013 filled with overflowing blessing upon blessing! 

Day 361 - Project 365/2013

What a crew of Cnossens!  And that's with a bunch of cousins missing from this annual pic! We had such a fun time at Nancy's!  So much laughter, food, conversation, fun gifts in the Game, etc., etc., etc.  Mom and Dad would love love love that we still get together and have such a great time.  The addition of new grandbabies every year is so fun!  Love my family so much!  Earlier in the day I had a wonderful time at Char's with a girlfriends breakfast while D.A. took Mark and Crew out for breakfast in Caledonia!  We did a little shopping at Baker Book House and Gander Mountain and then went back to Jenison to get ready for the next party!  What a week of partying it's been!

Day 360 - Project 365/2013

The VanderWoude clan continues to grow with the addition of baby Rowan this year!  We had a great time at the Greenhouse with everyone!  Great food, fun game gift, and sweet fellowship!  Earlier in the day we had lunch with Youngbloods and Dan and Bre in Breton Village with a quick shopping trip to the Roeda store (added another angel to my nativity set!) and then coffee with Weavers, including their son Dan, at their beautiful country home which looked like a postcard with all the snow and ice around it! Another amazing day filled with love!

Day 359 - Project 365/2013

The hosts with the most loving, generous hearts ever!  Such a fun day at Mike & Renee's!  They've included Dale and I in their Christmas Day celebration and we are so grateful!  Love them and their kids/grandkids so much and it makes the absence of mom and dad during the holidays so much easier to bear!  After a long coffee time, the arrival of Anne and family, a great breakfast, the donning of our new Christmas jammies, and opening lots of fun gifts, we all (except baby Lydia who was napping) bundled up and had so much fun out in the snow - sledding, riding on the quad, tromping through the woods......one of the best days ever of my life!

Day 358 - Project 365/2013

After arriving in the Winter Wonderland aka Michigan and hugging mom and dad's necks we packed our bags for Middleville to spend Christmas Eve with Mike and Renee - our tradition for the past several years. We went to their Candlelight Service and then came back to their cozy cabin to catch up and await the arrival of Josh and family.  Love this pic of Grandpa Mike reading a book before bedtime to sweet/sassy Clarissa.

Day 357 - Project 365/2013

Fun Monday of hanging out with these two and their mama while Mark was at work!  Did lots of crafts involving tape and had lots of hugs and giggles!  When daddy got home from work we went out to City Barbeque for a yum dinner and then came home to open stocking treasures!  Always a good time to grab some kid pics with the promise of presents afterwards :-) 

Day 356 - Project 365/2013

Camo clad Joe about to leave for duck hunting with Ingrid's cousin :-)  She is learning to live with a hunter!  Such a good visit with these precious kids and the addition of Dan and Bre was such a bonus! We are blessed!  After getting wings to go from Dale's Restaurant for lunch we got on the road for Indianapolis - nice to take a different route up there.  Arrived at Sanders Street to a warm welcome from Mark & Tara - their house looked so cute and Christmasy!  So thankful for every one of our kids and grandkids! Blessed beyond belief!

Day 355 - Project 365/2013

Catching up See Rock City after being gone for the holidays! So fun to look back over the past several days and relive one of the sweetest Christmas breaks ever!  We started our travels by arriving at Joe and Ingrid's Friday night, the 20th and staying until Sunday after church.  On Saturday morning we joined them at Ing's aunt's house for their extended family Christmas party.  This pic is on the steps outside her home.  We had a great weekend with the kids! Hard to say goodbye to our Zoe when she left with her dad on Saturday afternoon.  A fun part of Saturday was Dan and Bre's arrival later that day - we went out to Sweet Pea's for dinner and then just hung out. Family time is so precious and rare!

Day 354 - Project 365/2013

One last stop at one of my favorite places before leaving for the holidays and I ran into this very fun sale!  This was my third time stopping there this week - I should have waited until now!  Left for Mississippi around 3:30 PM and had good roads and safe travel!  So good to arrive to lots of hugs and kisses!

Day 353 - Project 365/2013

I can hardly believe the deck is finished!  I just love it!  And I love the surprise D.A. had up his sleeve to go ahead and cover part of it for a future sunroom! I picture that as an outdoor GTCA! It turned out just beautifully!

Day 352 - Project 365/2013

One of my favorite December activities is caroling for Ms. Rena and her neighbors!  Our small group went out to the Southern Star for dinner which was delicious and then over to St. Elmo for time with one of the coolest women I know!  So very thankful for the compatibility of our small group and look forward to lots of good times ahead!  Ms. Rena's daughter and son in law might be joining our group in January!

Day 351 - Project 365/2013

Fun night with the Littles!  We went out to eat at Roy's Grill in Rossville and then headed up to Rock City to see the lights - lots of good conversation and laughter!  Love those guys who are not very little anymore!

Day 350 - Project 365/2013

When I started my walk today I saw this guy checking out the other guy!  The owner of the real dog says the statue kind of creeps out her dog :-)

Day 349 - Project 365/2013

When we came into church Sunday morning the display of Communion ware, poinsettias, and the Emmanuel banner caught my eye :-)  During greeting time I went up front to take a picture of it.  Beauty is everywhere!

Day 348 - Project 365/2013

This is where this wonderful day started out :-)  Quiet morning reading the Press, drinking coffee and dreaming about the future outdoor GTCA!  After a late breakfast we started getting the house ready for our small group Christmas party. I was at the Court the entire day and I can't even remember the last time that happened!  Fun Facetime with the Indy loved ones right before the party started. And what a great party it was!!  So thankful for this group of folks to go through life with!