Merry Christmas 2015

Dear Family and Friends,

            2015 is now drawing to a close for us all…regardless of the kind of year; good, bad, or ugly…we will be closing the chapter.  Our prayer for you and for all of us is that we will choose to remember the good, learn from the bad, and accept that our loving heavenly Father has a purpose in it all and promises to use it for our good.  

            We haven’t had any additions to our family in 2015 but are anticipating the arrival of our “China Baby” by way of the pending adoption to The Growing Table family.  Little ones are loved and cherished and we will all be sad when the little ones are big; but each age and stage is precious and brings blessings and joy. 

 

            We have celebrated a lot of birthdays this year…and two in particular were celebrated together as Grammy's Dad turned 80 and her Mom turned 75.  We enjoyed a family reunion around the celebration and were only missing a few.

            In May, we attended the All School Reunion in our beloved small Kansas home town and loved taking the opportunity to catch up with school friends.  The hospitable folks of our home town put things together in fine fashion and we had a great time!  

In May we also saw our oldest granddaughter, Lou Lou, promoted from 8^th grade.  She is a freshman  now and it boggles our minds to think we actually have a high school grandchild!  Our youngest grand just turned one and with 26 of us in our immediate family, we are a crowd! 

            In early October we flew to Charleston, South Carolina to attend a wedding near there.  If you caught the national news you saw that areas of South Carolina experienced what is referred to as the “Thousand Year Flood” and we felt fortunate to drive out of the state before the water got too high in the red Ford F150 we purchased while there that is now dubbed “The Ark” because it saved us from that flood and got us home! 

             Also in October we enjoyed our family for our annual fall party at the farm.  Pop and I have tried in recent years to surprise the grandkids with our costumes and this year we were Gru and Lucy Wilde from Despicable Me 2.  The littlest ones were not sure what to think of Pop with his mask!

            Pop has hunted, golfed, and fished…and Grammy has attended a women’s retreat, bible study, a Beth Moore event and spent a little time with her folks…but not as much as either of us would like since we’ve traveled so much!  I guess we have some things to look forward to when Pop retires someday.  We hope to sleep a little more, see our grandkids and kids a lot more, have more time for things at the farm (including friends coming to visit), and to just laugh and enjoy life with more time together.

            Wishing you and yours a blessed Christmas and a wonderful New Year,

                                                                                                            Pop and Grammy

Christmas Cards 2014

To our dear friends, 2014 has been an incredibly busy year!  Like me, I know some of you have felt time speeding by faster and faster, and are making choices to do the best things and let other things go.

I look back at years gone by...busy with raising a family, working full time, heavily involved in church ministry and activities and have no "earthly" idea how we got it all done.

I never would have thought that I could possibly be busier now than I was then, especially without a full-time job! I know that we have four grown daughters, four sons-in-love, and 16 grandchildren who all live within an hour from us and with whom we are actively involved...I know that since I don't work outside our home, I can say "Yes" to requests to help out with things within our family circle.  It just seems that the days tick by faster for me than they ever have and I am called more and more to focus on the important instead of the urgent.

Having said all that, Christmas came and went without Christmas cards/letters being mailed out.  Our love for family and friends is as deep and intense as ever and I just felt it needed to be said...Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from all the Four Sisters Farm family.

We actually had two celebrations at the farm as one of our Unconventionals became ill and they missed the big gathering so we made it up later!  Enjoy the pictures from our celebrations!  We love you!

Merry Christmas 2013

It always comes before I am completely ready and is over before I've had time to savor it.  I didn't even get cards or letters sent out this year!  We heard from many of our friends and family by mail, facebook, email, and phone and LOVE that connection!

Pop and I were blessed to celebrate Christmas with all our grown kids and 14 grandkids at Four Sisters Farm!  We invite you to a short clip (less than 2 minutes) of our celebration.

Christmas Decor 2013

It is Christmas inside and outside at Four Sisters Farm.  I LOVE the season and I LOVE the reason for the season!

Last Christmas season I had an idea for a faux fireplace with a mantle to hang our stockings from...I even went so far as to frame out a center and purchase some wood but then ran out of time.  I got back to it this year and Pop helped me...here is what we came up with.  It comes apart so we can store it easily for next year.

It looks even better with all the stockings hung! There are names embroidered on them but since we don't use real names on the blog, I know you understand.

As I decorate, I think about what fun we will have when we are gathered together...cousins playing...snuggling babies...yummy food and treats...stories shared...grown-up conversations shared by our kids after the children are settled into bed...the love and grace that we share for and with each other holds it all together in a small space with a lot of noise.  It's good stuff.  We will share some pictures from our time together in a few days so stay tuned!

Before decorating

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care (even if it is pretend).  

An old nativity scene that my Mom no longer needed and passed along to me
 is front and center with a gift tag that says, "To: Mankind  Love, God". 

Salt dough "cookies" made by our Superheroes are festive on a red plate;
and a clever cardboard "tree" by Bubba makes a rustic statement all its own.

A book about Jesus' birth recorded by my Dad and Mom is handy to pull down and "read" to the kids.

Garland, lights, and ribbon dress up the front door!

Crates I made hold lights, greenery, pine cones, and such.

Those cinnamon pine cones smell SO good!

A giant wreath is a must on the front porch.

Here we are all lighted up...it is all on a timer.
Driving up to a lighted house makes me really happy.

Merry Christmas 2012

We gathered together at Four Sisters Farm for a late Christmas celebration this year.  

We were mindful of the reason for the season and are so grateful for the God's gift of Jesus!

2012 was a busy year with many blessings...but three babies in one year certainly topped the chart. 

We are now up to 23 stockings hung...well...not by the chimney but near the Christmas tree!

Pop and I are so pleased to be living on Four Sisters Farm and with our recent house renovations we were able to host the family celebration for the first time at this location.  It was crowded and noisy but workable.  We hope that what our grandchildren will remember is that they had tons of fun with their family and cousins at Pop and Grammy's house.

Some day they will revisit the house as adults and it will surprise them how small the house is...and wonder how we all fit under one roof all together!

The Unconventionals

The Farm Hands

The Superheroes

The Royal Family

Some years ago we simplified Christmas and continue to revamp when we feel too much pressure or the weight steals the joy.  When we gather for our big family Christmas, Pop and I have new pajamas for everyone and one gift for each of the grandchildren and we all bring small items for stuffing the stockings.  When the grands are up and moving, we have so much fun with them...wrestling with Pop, cooking with Grammy, playing with cousins, etc. Then when the kiddos turn in for the night, we have the privilege of visiting with our children and catching up - the talk is always lively, enlightening, and thought-provoking.  We never solve any of the world's problems but we renew our faith as we all agree that we can trust God no matter what.

Enjoy this little video of some highlights from our gathering...there is no sound...nothing is wrong with your speakers!

Twas a While 'til Christmas

Twas a while ’til Christmas, at Four Sisters Farm.

The house was a wreck, but we’d meant it no harm.
There wasn’t a mantle to hang stockings upon.

Oh dear!  What to do?  It all seemed so wrong!

The walls were all finished with sheet rock and mud.

They were primed, even painted, we’d hidden the studs.
We’d worked long and hard but some things went amiss.

Pop’s shoulder was injured and would require a fix.

But Pop is so tough; that the surgery would wait

while he worked through the pain and made the walls straight.
He worked on the wiring, the framing, the floor;

he worked ‘til the doctor said, “No way! No more!”

The year had been busy with our grown up offspring

buying houses, and moving, and fixing their things.
They had helped us so much; gave the time they could spare.

“God bless them. We’re grateful.” was often our prayer.

We had put down lush sod for our lawn in the spring

then summer was hot, and no rain did it bring.
The garden, though watered, just would not produce

how long could the farm withstand such abuse?

It wasn’t all bad.  We did have some fun

like a trip to Gettysburg, then down to Charleston.
The time at the beach was so pleasant and warm

and hiking at Yellowstone took us out of our norm.

Pop’s shoulder’s still healing, the house still in progress;

we’ll keep moving forward, ignoring the mess.
The days go so quickly, like reindeer they fly

so we do what we can as each day goes by.

We decided against putting up Christmas lights.

“There’s no place to put up a tree”, Grammy sighed.
So we hung up the stockings at DW’s and Doc’s

and gathered up our family which always rocks!

We’ve been working for years to simplify this season;

less gifts and less fuss and more Jesus as the reason.
We got together early with a family mission

to share Christ at Christmas has become a tradition.

We still dress in PJs as matching can be

from the smallest to tallest and gather near the tree.
The children listen quietly while Pop reads the story

of Mary and Joseph and Jesus in His glory.

The young ones play while their moms stuff the stockings

with candy and toys and other small gift things.
They help roll out dough, then spread on some butter,

then sprinkle on sugar and make quite the clutter!

The sweet smell of cinnamon rolls lingers in the air

while the stockings are emptied and candy is shared.
We laugh, we love and retell some old tales

then we make some new memories without fail.

We review the year past with a special edition

made by the Superheroes which is their tradition.
They will add a new baby to their precious brood

an awesome and wonderful little super dude!

A baby girl is soon due to Romeo and Pretty Princess

They'll be the “Royal Family” then - that is our consensus!
The Farmhands, now city folk, due to their move

are adding a sweet baby girl to their crew.

Next year, Lord willing, we will gather once more

with three babies coming, no one will be bored.
Four Sisters Farm is where we hope we will be

with some lights, decorations, and of course, a tree.

So we all send our love from our homes to you

as you celebrate Christmas with your own loving crew.
May the coming New Year be cheery and bright.

Happy Christmas to all and to all a good night!

Adding More Christmas Stockings

New Christmas Stockings for 2011

The Four Sisters Farm homestead is, of course, not ready for family gatherings on the main level just yet so The Unconventionals will graciously host our family Christmas gathering once again.  The Unconventional Doctor's Wife (DW for short) was busy decking her halls as she does each year and she sent me a text message with a picture - both the picture and the message came across loud and clear - we were missing three stockings!!

So I pulled out my Christmas stocking sewing supplies (yes, I am prepared for MORE grandbabies at all times) and made the stockings for the babies who will be joining our family early in 2012.  (Of course, the stockings have "real" names on the other side.) Life is precious and celebrated in the Four Sisters Farm family...even before birth...so we will fill these new stockings at Christmas in anticipation of their arrival.

First, Pretty Princess and Romeo will welcome a baby girl into the "Royal Family", then the Superheroes will induct another baby boy superhero, and last but certainly not least, The Farmhands (at The Growing Table) will be blessed with all the frills that come with a baby girl to add to their family of rough and tumble boys.

2012 promises to be an incredibly exciting and blessed time and the whole Four Sisters Farm family is grateful to God for His rich blessings.  It's good stuff (contented sigh, and big smile from Grammy).

Knights & Princesses

We have a family tradition of Christmas pajamas that reached new heights as we celebrated Christmas 2010 with a “Knights & Princesses” theme. Our brave young men (with Lou Lou’s, DW’s, and Doc’s help) put on a short play.

The Dark Knight (Doc) kidnapped the “Middle Princess” Ladybug and the brave young men came to King Pop of Four Sisters Farm and asked for his help. They wanted to be knights to fight for right. King Pop told them that they must defeat the Dark Knight and rescue Princess Ladybug if they wanted to be knights…so…of course, they fought the Dark Knight and prevailed.

The fighting was so fierce that the mommies of the knights and princesses intervened.

Then they returned to King Pop with the rescued princess and King Pop made good on his promise to knight them. They went from fierce, LOUD little boys to intent listeners as Pop spoke. He called each one by his “knightly” name and knighted them with a foam sword. “Bubba, Son of EJ, I knight thee ‘Bubba the Brave.” You must defend right and protect the family.” They each waited their turn, very quietly; and took in every word that Pop spoke…then the princesses wanted their turns as well and instead of knighting them, Pop bestowed their titles as princesses of Four Sisters Farm. We got the whole thing on video and it will be a treasure.

All the princesses - including the mommies and myself (though I am admittedly the "Queen" of Four Sisters Farm by virtue of my long-standing relationship with King Pop) wore crowns and tutus and acted very “princessy.”

The food, Christmas cookies and candies, gifts, and stockings were fun too, but being together was the best of all.

From the whole Four Sisters Farm family, we hope you had a wonderful Christmas celebration and we pray that God will bless you abundantly in 2011.

Damsels in Distress????