Weeks are flying by. I thought I'd try to keep updating every few days and it's been nearly 10 since my last update! :O So much has happened....during this busy month of December! :)
One evening when we were in Marianna, we stopped to visit a former inmate who worked for Dan in the chapel and was released around Easter. It is good to see men being able to rebuild their lives outside of prison. Pray for Tony!
~Tony & Dan~
December 5 was the Blountstown Christmas parade.
My friend Elizabeth was marching with their church float/band.
The "smoke" was steam from Dan pouring himself a cup of coffee right beside me! :) (It was a COLD night!!)
The famous Christmas bus, driven by local realtor, Danny Ryals.
After the parade, our church did some caroling in the Pioneer Settlement. We had a very small group this year! But it was still fun! :)
After caroling, we were invited to join some homeschool friends at the Pickrons. We had yummy snacks, great fellowship and then had fun putting a puzzle together!
December 7 was the annual GEMS Christmas Banquet. This year it was held at Seminole Winds in Tallahassee. Very good buffet and great people to visit with! :)
We sat at a table with Mike & Candice Nissley (below) and Gary and JC Montgomery. Gary and JC have recently become interested in working with Gospel Express, but do have their own ministry as well. Candice is one of the board members and is the planner, organizer, designer, and whatever else, of the Fundraiser Tea's and Banquets! She does a WONDERFUL job and loves it!
Gary & JC
~More of the board members and missionary chaplains~
Bill & Dot Slabaugh~auction committee members
Ken & Marcia Stoner~auction committee members
Lee & Jan Hoover~auction committee members
John & Edith Nissley~board members
Merrill & Marie Detweiler~board members
Monroe & Ruby Hochstedler~board members
Jonas & Emma Bontrager~board members
David and Jill Smith-volunteer chaplain
John Maxwell~volunteer chaplain and our neighbor :)
Dan & I <3
Thursday, Dec. 10, the children and I drove up to Thomasville, GA for the Victorian Christmas. Dan had Elder's meeting, so he couldn't go.
We enjoyed it as usual. The children always look forward to playing in the "man-made snow", but this year they were asking a $3 donation per child. We decided that was too much to pay to play in snow!! :P
Got the chance to eat some of TH's yummy chicken pita's again. MMMMM!!!
We also enjoyed the musicians playing up and down the street~
Met my sister Chris and her children there. The girls had their picture taken with a "Snow Princess".
The live mannequins are always a highlight for me!
Roasting marshmallows~
The children watching another live mannequin. People would go up to the glass and try to make them laugh! They have amazing self control!!
Live nativity~
Saturday night we were invited to Eric & Yolie's to celebrate Collin's 1st birthday! Wow, this year flew. He was born when we were in PA for my brother's wedding...that just seems like a few months ago, not a whole year!
The cute (and yummy!!) caterpillar cake Yolie made. :)
Opening gifts! What fun :)
We were given tickets to watch "The Nutcracker" on Sunday afternoon by our friends, the Pickron's. Most of them were involved in it in some way. Roy and the 3 oldest were in the play and Kay was a behind the scenes helper! :)
Roy with his step-mom. (In all his made-up glory....and with HAIR!! :) ...I bet it's all shaved off by now!)
We were not allowed to take flash photography during the production, so at the end I took a few of the entire cast.
The cute little mice....
Kayla Pickron (in the red and black) giving an award to the lady who was in charge of it all.
Today is Dan's Monday to work all day. Every other Monday night they have mentors come in to the chapel program and he has to be there. He went to bed with and woke up with a sinus headache...I hope it left him by now. I think it's this crazy weather we are having! It was so cold this past week and now it is back up in the 80's again and very humid...lots of rain!!
We are looking forward to heading up to SC for Christmas. :)
Well, I must go make supper for the kids and I and then I still have a few "chores" to check off my list tonight!! Blessings~
One evening when we were in Marianna, we stopped to visit a former inmate who worked for Dan in the chapel and was released around Easter. It is good to see men being able to rebuild their lives outside of prison. Pray for Tony!
~Tony & Dan~
December 5 was the Blountstown Christmas parade.My friend Elizabeth was marching with their church float/band.
The "smoke" was steam from Dan pouring himself a cup of coffee right beside me! :) (It was a COLD night!!)
The famous Christmas bus, driven by local realtor, Danny Ryals.
After the parade, our church did some caroling in the Pioneer Settlement. We had a very small group this year! But it was still fun! :)
After caroling, we were invited to join some homeschool friends at the Pickrons. We had yummy snacks, great fellowship and then had fun putting a puzzle together!December 7 was the annual GEMS Christmas Banquet. This year it was held at Seminole Winds in Tallahassee. Very good buffet and great people to visit with! :)
We sat at a table with Mike & Candice Nissley (below) and Gary and JC Montgomery. Gary and JC have recently become interested in working with Gospel Express, but do have their own ministry as well. Candice is one of the board members and is the planner, organizer, designer, and whatever else, of the Fundraiser Tea's and Banquets! She does a WONDERFUL job and loves it!
Gary & JC
~More of the board members and missionary chaplains~Bill & Dot Slabaugh~auction committee members
Ken & Marcia Stoner~auction committee members
Lee & Jan Hoover~auction committee members
John & Edith Nissley~board members
Merrill & Marie Detweiler~board members
Monroe & Ruby Hochstedler~board members
Jonas & Emma Bontrager~board members
David and Jill Smith-volunteer chaplain
John Maxwell~volunteer chaplain and our neighbor :)
Dan & I <3Thursday, Dec. 10, the children and I drove up to Thomasville, GA for the Victorian Christmas. Dan had Elder's meeting, so he couldn't go.
We enjoyed it as usual. The children always look forward to playing in the "man-made snow", but this year they were asking a $3 donation per child. We decided that was too much to pay to play in snow!! :P
Got the chance to eat some of TH's yummy chicken pita's again. MMMMM!!!
We also enjoyed the musicians playing up and down the street~
Met my sister Chris and her children there. The girls had their picture taken with a "Snow Princess".
The live mannequins are always a highlight for me!
Roasting marshmallows~
The children watching another live mannequin. People would go up to the glass and try to make them laugh! They have amazing self control!!
Live nativity~
Saturday night we were invited to Eric & Yolie's to celebrate Collin's 1st birthday! Wow, this year flew. He was born when we were in PA for my brother's wedding...that just seems like a few months ago, not a whole year!
The cute (and yummy!!) caterpillar cake Yolie made. :)
Opening gifts! What fun :)
We were given tickets to watch "The Nutcracker" on Sunday afternoon by our friends, the Pickron's. Most of them were involved in it in some way. Roy and the 3 oldest were in the play and Kay was a behind the scenes helper! :)Roy with his step-mom. (In all his made-up glory....and with HAIR!! :) ...I bet it's all shaved off by now!)
We were not allowed to take flash photography during the production, so at the end I took a few of the entire cast.
The cute little mice....
Kayla Pickron (in the red and black) giving an award to the lady who was in charge of it all.
Today is Dan's Monday to work all day. Every other Monday night they have mentors come in to the chapel program and he has to be there. He went to bed with and woke up with a sinus headache...I hope it left him by now. I think it's this crazy weather we are having! It was so cold this past week and now it is back up in the 80's again and very humid...lots of rain!!We are looking forward to heading up to SC for Christmas. :)
Well, I must go make supper for the kids and I and then I still have a few "chores" to check off my list tonight!! Blessings~
Thomasville sure know how to put on the victorian Christmas. We have Christmas on Liberty here in Waynesboro every year. It's nice, but they need to get some fresh ideas from Thomasville. I especially like the different groups of musicians along the street and the live mannequins.
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