simply iowa: Merry Christmas from the Family....

I just...stood... on the landing...
stunned...
as John...was throwing Christmas Gifts...
to Liz...
from the balcony.....
oh... my...

I.. can't put my finger... on this Christmas....

exactly....

It...was... totally... out of sync.... for sure....

I... always want it to be... like... a Norman Rockwell... Portrait....

this year... if it wasn't for Liz...and Katie....

helping get the food out...{Katie... did all of the Cheese and Meat Trays...Liz.. helped with... the Hot Stuff... : ) } they both brought... desserts... and appetizers...

then...helped so much.... with clean up...

and John... finishing wrapping... gifts... while I was cookin'...

and Justin, and Liz... picking up... milk... ice and soda....

oh my...

it simply... wouldn't have gotten done....

It was quite a day....

I don't ever...remember... gifts... being thrown over the balcony...

en route to the Tree...

{any other Christmas... I would have been mortified...

any other Christmas...

they would have already...been under the Tree....}

{If...you didn't get a Christmas Card...I'm...So... Sorry...

I was going to do them...while visiting Mom... but... the time there... was rather... ugly...

I got 5... done....they are still... on the dash...of the Ford... }

I got a call... from the Hospital...this afternoon...

The Nurse said she was having a 'Difficult' time... with Mom....

She's been... a little... { : ) } 'Ornery' today...

wondered if I had any suggestions...on how to get her...to cooperate...

: )

I said... as I was mashing potatoes...

"Up until recently... I could talk her off of the Cliff...

and reason... with her... to...see things.. our way...

The last... time I tried... {the other Morning...} She pushed me... over... the edge...{a Long....Fall...}"

{Mama...can be a Pistol....: ) }

{I called back... they got what they needed...and she.. was in Good Spirits....: ) }

Seems... everything... was out of kilter... today....

Nick... realized... he was wearing Scarlett's Purple Ski Hat... all day... with the little pink hearts...

{he thought he had his gray one on...

None of us... noticed... until he pointed it out... : ) }

Just as we finished our meal...

Justin's phone rang...

a Friend... was stuck in the ditch... a few miles from here....

He and one of his friends...had already tried to pull the car out...

the cable snapped.... and swung back.... and broke the back glass... in the car....

{He is Very Lucky... it could have taken his head off... or...anyone's standing near it....

Dad... taught me that... when I was young...

When you winch... or pull... with a cable... or chain... get back....

if it should break... it could kill you... }

Justin was on his way... to help him...

I said... I'm going with ya!

{I LOVE... Pulling Cars...out of Ditches!!! }

{Love... 4WD in The Snow!!! }

It didn't take Justin... but a minute... to get the car out.....

I'm glad... no one... had been hurt...

Then... when we got back... John had the Old Victrola that Stanley and Klarika gave us...for Christmas... playing... Silent Night....

Little 'J'... couldn't get enough of it...

and kept asking Grandpa... to "Wind It Up Again!"....

Peg's Daughter, Mel... called... said... she was walking on the Beach... in Florida...

It was 80... there...

: )

I said...

"It was nice talkin' to ya...Mel... Merry Christmas... see ya!"... : )

She said... she topped my gift... to Peg... this year...

She called Peg... and told her... how Beautiful... the Florida weather was....

From Peg's... Front...Porch....!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

She drove straight through... from Florida... to Surprise her...

oh my...

Peg and Michael.... were... Crazy... Thrilled... to see Mel!!!!

What a Gift!!!

Peg and Mel... came up...to Iowa...today... A Surprise Visit...to Family... in this... Snow....

Mel said... if they'd have known... how the roads would be... they wouldn't have come, up... from MO.

I said... "Get Your Big Florida Girl Panties On!!! We have 4WD... if ya slip in the ditch... we'll come get ya... <3 "

{She grew up...in Iowa...Driving in Snow... is like Riding a Bike... : ) you get 'your legs'...pretty quick...: ) }

Nick... made my day.... tho...

He was... kind of quiet... all day...

as they were getting ready... to leave... he told John...and I...

"Thank You... for having...'Christmas'...

Christmas... like... it should be....

You....put so much effort...into it... and... I want you to know... how much... I appreciate...that..."

That... was... The Best... Gift... we could have...gotten....

oh my...

This... will be a Christmas... to...remember...

I Hope... you... had a Wonderful... Christmas....too...

Love..to Ya...

and...God Bless....

Barb C.

{The Robert Earl Keene song....

"Merry Christmas from the Family...."

keeps...wafting through...my brain....

{My Friend, Rob... shared...THAT... gift with me... a few years ago...

oh my... I Roll...every time...I watch it... {and... I...watch it... Often... this time of year }

This...Christmas... wasn't like... theirs... not...quite...that much... 'chaos'...but... it...was...not... our 'Normal'...Christmas...

When...I saw Katie... eating from a paper plate...

at Christmas... Dinner...

and... she was 'good'...with it...

and... I... was 'good'... with it...

yeah....

things... are...simply... out... of...

sync...

but...

The Good... News...

is...

It's All... Good...

: )

Love to ya...

{The Little Ones... were watching t.v. this afternoon... before Supper... then after everyone... went home...tonight... as John... made his way... to his Recliner....he discovered... his Beloved...remote... is missing... : )

We have searched this house... High... and Low...

{with Flashlights... under Cupboards...

flipped all the recliners... and Pet Beds...even looked under The Tree...}

It's going to be an interesting time... until...it's found...

: )

Just before...that... the sewer...backed up...

Well.. it...is a bit... chaotic.... here... I guess... : )

Hallelujah... Everybody say Cheese...

: )

Merry... Christmas!!!!}

The Family...
: )

The Black spot... on the back glass... is a Hole... a Big...Hole...
Our Friend...was still...pretty shook up...when we arrived....
It could have taken...someone's head... off...
they were lucky....