Saturday, January 29, 2011

Christmas Eve

I am so sorry it is taking forever to post these. It has been crazy here. These are  pictures from Christmas Eve. Tania trying on her apron.
Aunt Tania always makes sure Rachel gets new purses. This time it had a gift certificate for The Dollar Tree. Rachel loves to go there. I think she may use it for some spring stuff for her garden or outside playing.
Taylor opening her apron from Rachel. Note to self : We need to start Christmas presents earlier this year.
John, Taylor's boyfriend came along to celebrate with us. ( Don't worry by now he knows we are all crazy.)
Grandma, Tania and Taylor all trying on the aprons that Rachel made for them. Rachel was so excited to see them all wear them.

We saw more snow at Grandma and Grandpa Knepper's house. As you can tell it wasn't much but Rachel was still dieing to get out into it.

Rachel trying to make a snow ball or snowman but the snow was just to dry. We also got together at Aunt Rosalie and Uncle Dick's house to play some games on New Years Eve. We had a good time.

Friday, January 28, 2011

Pre-Christmas

While we were up at Mom's for  Grandmas funeral we gave Mom her Christmas- a new toaster/convection oven. 

We all went to Mountain gate at Christmas time and Rachel wanted to sit with her cousin Ashlyn.They always have so much fun together.

When at home there is a farm that has a big light display for Christmas. They also have this display of sheep in the front yard. (They raise sheep) Those who come by to see the lights may get out and pet the sheep.  These two baby sheep were born on Thanksgiving and there was one more expected before Christmas.


Rachel was very excited this year to have a speaking part and a solo in the school Christmas program. Here  she is trying to get her microphone turned on to say her part. They all did a wonderful job.

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Grandma's Funeral



December 6, 2010 I got a phone call on the way home from school that Grandma had died. This was not unexpected she had been going down hill since Thanksgiving. I knew it was just a matter of time and prayed it would be quick since I knew she was having pain. I knew she was now with Granddaddy and most importantly with her Lord and Savior who she loved both very dearly. This was a joyful time really since we knew how much she missed Granddaddy. She had made this very clear over the three and a half years they had been apart.  As we talking at the church Daddy and Aunt Rosalie could only name a handful of times that the two of them had ever been separated. 
I had only once before seen since such an example of a husband and wife working together and sticking together as I did Grandma and Granddaddy. They had been married 73 years. They also grew up together so they really knew each other. They worked hard at their jobs, Granddaddy at the road department for 30 years and Grandma at home, ironing for extra money, working in the garden, canning and freezing food, taking care of her parents when they lived there and many, many other things. They both knew how to have fun too. Granddaddy each year at Christmas with a silly gift for each of us and many years he would buy us clear toy candy to eat. Grandma went right along with  him and laughed the loudest when we opened our gifts. 
Grandma and Granddaddy left us with many happy memories: a love of birds and nature, going each year to cut down the Christmas tree, camping, going to the bread store, going to the barber shop with Granddaddy, going to Waynesboro for groceries, picnics in the backyard each summer, roasting corn on the cob on an  open fire, freezing and canning food, taking care of Mam Maw and Pap Pap,working in the shop downstairs, learning to sew and trying to knit, learning to spend our money wisely and many other things BUT most of all to love our Lord and Savior and to listen to our parents. We miss both of you already but know we will see you some day soon with our Lord!
This is Dwight (my younger but just as gray as I am) brother with his lovely wife Carrie. Aren't they such a cute couple.

My older brother Tim ( has the least gray of all three of us) and his wife Tania. What a sweet couple. Can you tell they were picking on me about my gray hair?

We got a little snow while we were there. Thankfully we did not get this the day of the funeral. Rachel tried to make a snowball or a snowman but it was way to dry.

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Thanksgiving-Christmas All at One Time

So Sorry I am soo late getting these posted. It was a month of traveling during December. We made two trips to Maryland during the month. We had all of Philip's family together for Thanksgiving and Christmas on Thanksgiving weekend. This was so important to be together for a fun time. The last we were all together was at Mike's service. We had a great time.
Philip had wanted a WII fit board so that we could start exercising with our WII. He was glad to get this for part of his Christmas.

Rachel is starting to get into making cards like her Aunt Lizzie and she received lots of stamp pads, ideas and materials including this great tote in which to carry her stuff.
This was Rachel's and my big project this year. We made all the ladies aprons these are four out of the 10 we made. Rachel wanted to learn to sew and she picked this project. (Some of the others will be in a later post..)
Aunt Kathy and Aunt Lizzie wanted to get pedicures and decided to treat me. Rachel was treated to a manicure and most of us got signs of Christmas put on our nails. Rachel had small snowflakes on each thumb.

Rachel with two of her favorite aunts.
We celebrated Paul's birthday while he was here and he really wanted to see the Yorktown so we spent a cold day on the ship. It really was neat!

My own picture of the bridge at the top of my blog. It was really beautiful that day.