Christmas activity over

Yes, as of this morning Lynn and I are back to the two of us. The Christmas decorations are put away and about the only remnant of Christmas is a few stale cookies. Our celebration lasted a whole week, starting with going to the Bailes and being there for Christmas morning. Then on to Mark's for two nights. Had a great day Friday with all the family except Mike and Joey's son-in-law present. Molly had a great meal; we all helped but as you all know the brunt of such an undertaking is on the hostess. On Saturday morning we headed for Decatur with Rhoda, Andrew (pleasant surprise that he could spend several days with us) and Jeffrey (who is always ready to come)--the oldest and the youngest grandsons. Andrew was recovering from having four wisdom teeth pulled several days prior. Jeffrey is very ACTIVE but seems to know when to slow down. Of course, having Andrew and Rhoda here made it more fun for him. Jeff loves board games; we played ever so many games of RummiKub--he won most of them and not because he got any special concessions. He's just a sharp kid but that's grandma talking. So tonight they're all back to their respective homes and we look ahead to the new year, not knowing what it might bring. How good to know the Lord and that He controls the future.
Yesterday morning Kayoko, one of my Japanese ladies, brought three of her nonEnglish speaking in-laws visiting from Japan to our house. That was an experience for Jeffrey; he knew one Japanese word from one of his classmates and he made a hit with them. Kayoko has been coming to the Bible study; she started totally uninformed about anything in the Scriptures. She attends regularly and asks good questions. Pray that the Lord will work in her heart so that she will become one of His.
Guess it's time to sign off. With love and best wishes the the year ahead.
Mim for L and M

Here's to all the blogger posters and readers in the EJK clan. I've enjoyed keeping in touch and getting to know some of you better as you share your daily activities and thoughts with all of us. Wishing you all a blessed 2009!

WE'VE ARRIVED

Just thought we'd let you know that we arrived in Silver Spring MD - our "home-away-from-home" for awhile. We had a good trip and got here about noon today. This afternoon we went "exploring" the immediate area and found a few restaraunts, grocery stores, etc. We will go back to a TFIFriday's for a New Year's Eve dinner - then return here and relax. Hopefully we can explore a bit more tomorrow when traffic will be less dense.

Happy New Year to everyone. We'll keep you posted on our activities here in the DC area.

They're all grown up!

In sorting boxes for the umpteenth time in order to move daughter #2 to start grad school next week, I came across an old box of photo albums. Here are a couple of photos of children who are now all grown up, with children older than this. How we loved playing with them when we visited Grandma! In the summer we usually went to Uncle Jerry and Aunt Ada's for a few days and always had a great time. How time flies!

I know it won't be hard to guess who they are. Or where they are. (Although obviously my photography skills were lacking!)

A CHRISTENSEN CHRISTMAS

Here are a few pictures from our Christmas - it was Owen's turn to read the Christmas Story from our Bible, the traditional "by-the-tree" picture (can you find anything special in this picture?), and "the mess" pictures. It was wild and crazy as usual - but most of all wonderful to be together. Even Nathan made it through the day without a nap - just having too much fun keeping up with his big cousins. The kids played hide-and-seek in the basement for a long time and it sounded like they were having a great time, although I was afraid to go see what was going on. We had traditional "goodies" to nibble on all day and finally Giovanni's from El Paso delivered pizza at 4:30. It was a great day. -- Now to get ready for DC!

Springerles

On Wednesday as I sat in the GR airport waiting to fly out I was reading that day's Grand Rapids Press. Click here to read an article I found quite interesting. I thought you may find it interesting as well since Grandma K. made them.

I ended up making two batches this year. The first I made while in Michigan and they came out of the oven as hard as can be. Then I made a second batch in Atlanta. The anise flavoring seeped out of the bottle into a plastic bag in flight to Atlanta so the second batch didn't have enough flavoring. Oh well, I guess there is next year.

At least the chocolate cookies were good this year, and I think a few people ate them (and liked them) who had never done so before.

--Rhoda

Our Christmas

We had a very nice Christmas except there was so much ice our guests could hardly get from the car to the house. Larry, Barb, Bonnie and Lauren were here. (Erin was with her in-laws).
They had to leave about 5 p.m. as they were getting ready to go to Jamaica. Their family and seven other families from church are going to Jamaica on a work project for 4 days and then a vacation for 3 days. Sounds like fun, doesn't it! Lauren went to the same place last year with the Sunday School and she liked it so much she said she is going back again sometime. Well, she got her wish.

We tried and tried to get Ken to come for dinner, but he refused. He said "It's too much of a hassle - I"m staying right here". So I guess the Nursing Home isn't so bad!!

Sounds like wild weather!

I'm sitting at the computer perusing the news for the first time in the past 24 hours - have been out of cyber-contact since being in Atlanta for the LCK family Christmas - and just read in the Pantagraph that you in that area have had severe thunderstorms & possible tornadoes this afternoon. This morning's Weather Channel said flooding was possible in central Illinois. Ice, snow, fog - What have you NOT had this week?!!! Sure hope things settle down soon.

Christmas 08

We had a great Christmas here at home in Alabama. Retta's parents drove down earlier this week and the Geyer's (Dan, Shelly & kids), formerly of Peoria came over for Turkey, cheese covered peas, yeast rolls, etc. etc. etc. Really had a good time eating, playing cards, taking a few Christmas quizzes, riding bikes, watching movies, and celebrating Jesus' birthday. We missed being up home at Christmas, but the 70 degree temp was nice too! Below are a couple pictures of our fun time.

Enjoyed Lynn's pictures of his Christmas morning. What did everyone else do? EDK

PS: Was that Dad (Dave K) in the Towanda IDOT truck on the Pantagraph website?

God Is Faithful...

...We're expecting.






















There are two heartbeats.


Updates coming soon on my blog The Cover and Title Page.

Christmas 2008

One great Christmas morning 2008. Breakfast at Mike and Ann's before we go to Atlanta to Mark and Molly's. Andrew had his wisdom teeth out two days ago so is a little "half-mast."

Mike Bailes is the chef this morning and served up some Canadian deer-sausage biscuits. Yummy. Along with a tasty ham and egg casserole, grits, and fresh fruit, the breakfast was delicious to say the least. Of course, brewed coffee perfect strength. And, sitting around the table with the Bailes was a treat.

It's 11:10 A.M. and we'll soon depart for Atlanta to be with the rest of the family. Mary Lee will accompany us and we anticipate a good time. Ann and Andrew will come tomorrow but Mike has to work his job at Duke Power. People seem to want electricity 24/7.

Klop migraines

I suffer from terrible migraines, and have just recently gotten relief from a heart medication. I have tried Imitrex, but it never worked for me. I have 3 100mg tablets left on one prescription with another refill of 9 pills. Our insurance pays 100% prescriptions once our deductible is met, and since I had a baby this year we haven't paid a dime for prescriptions, so it won't cost me to refill it. If anyone takes Imitrex and is interested in the pills let me know. Eric? Malissa?

Pics from December 1990

Carol and Perry wanted me to post these 2 pictures (their computer has a glich on getting pictures onto the blog (?). Carol can comment and narrate on these pictures which bring back many good memories. Remember, you can click on the picture to make it much larger. Cleve

Dippy??

I thought in the first picture that Casey was looking very "dippy" at Jamie. Second picture?? NO! He's sleeping!

Another MotherKism

Mim can claim the honors of coining the word for the title.

Well, as I was lying awake last night and reflecting on a host of past incidents, the remembrance of Mother referring to someone who was madly in love (or thought so) as being "dippy". She used "dippy" frequently and we thought we knew what she meant. I remember her warnings not to get too dippy along the way!!!

Reckon what all she meant by saying "dippy"?

Those good caramels

Aunt Alice, I remember your caramels so well. They are absolutely delicious. If I remember right - don't they have to be cooked for like an hour over the stove?! If so, making them would be a labor of love.

I also remember Grandma's chow mein noodle cookies (candies?) she made with butterscotch chips and chocolate chips. Also the chocolate cookies that Rhoda still makes each year and that Shelley wrote about making a couple of months ago.

I'm not going to make as much this year. Don't need it and don't have time. I did make a few spritz cookies last week, and will make fudge so that we'll have some here (some of Mike's family is coming in Christmas night) and to give away.

Anyway, I'd come help you make those caramels if it were possible!

Wetzel Update

Not much of an update, really. I just haven't written much in awhile. SF got wise on blogger, and blocked us from it, so I can't check the blog at work anymore. Once I get home, I usually don't have time. Today, we're skipping church because it's just too cold. The temperature is reading 1 degrees right now, and it's quite windy. I have most of my shopping done, so I will spend the day negotiating with Nathan and wrapping presents when I can. The Bears play tomorrow night, and we will have Christmas at home with our immediate family on Christmas Day, so I will plan a shopping list for food for both of those occassions. Hopefully, I will be able to go out later today for grocery shopping. If not, I will go out at lunch tomorrow. As far as I'm concerned, the only good thing about cold weather like this is that you can buy groceries at lunch, and they don't spoil by the time you get home that night. As long as you don't buy bananas, because they don't fare so well in freezing temps...

All this said, we're dreamin' of Florida ever so much these days. With Kelsie accepted to college there, and lots of SF activity down there too, we can only hope that this is the last winter we will have to suffer through this miserable weather. If I could, I'd take a pic of our view to the west, but our home computer is on the brink and in the shop after the ice storm last week.

JUST HANGIN' AROUND

I believe the weathermen hit the target pretty well last night. As I did my late-night email, blog check, and game-playing, I could hear the ice steadily hitting the window. This morning I awoke and looked out the dining room window to see the branches of our beautiful birch tree hanging to the ground.

The Pox

We have been staying close to home the past week or so because our little Joe (10 months) has the chicken pox. He has had a very mild case -- only 20-25 blisters over his entire body -- so he hasn't been too uncomfortable or irritable.

When we first discovered that this was what he had I started to panic and asked Sam all kinds of questions about it. His answer was "don't worry about it - it's just a common childhood illness". But now adays it's really not that common. My other boys have never had it (they got the immunization at 12 months), and I honestly can't think of a case I've heard of in the past 10 years. When I tell my friends that he has it they all are amazed and curious. They all ask... How did you know that's what it was? What does it look like? Can it be spread? Gone are the days of purposely exposing your kids so they'll 'get it over with'.

We have a Modern Home Medical Adviser from 1942 that Grandma K (Catherine) gave to us once. It is fun to read. Last week I looked up chicken pox and it says "The cause of chicken pox is still a mystery... Even though the cause is not known, it is realized that the infectious agent is present in the blisters...Nobody knows how long a person who has chicken pox remains infectious for others." Sixty years later we know exactly what virus causes it and we even have an immunization to prevent it. Fascinating.

Shelley

Follow-up on "clear"

There was an excellent response to the oldtime family expression "clear". This really brought back memories of family conversation. "Clear" was as common as the old fashioned "schmear kase"! (Who knows what this is?)

Well--here is another choice expression that I especially remember Grandma K. using: EKELS! and/or EKELISH! She would be talking away on some issue and she'd say, "Oh, it just EKELS me." or "That is so EKELISH." In her manner, she would sorta shivver and shake her torso and shoulders. This word pops up in my mind on occasion and I thought the Blog would be interested in this memory of my mother.
Reckon what she meant?

Christmas 2008 at Perry's Homeplace

A great time was had by all today (12/13/08) at the Homeplace. For those of you who missed it, here are 2 pictures of the small group gathered around the traditional heavenly hash dessert, provided by Aunt Alice. It was preceded by a most tasteful main course and followed by wonderful family fellowship. Many opinions dominated the main topic -- the deplorable state of politics in Illinois. The valuable prize ($1.00 toward the cost of gas), offered by Perry to the one who "traveled the furthest" was won by Cleve/Kathleen. A nice 2009 calendar was given to all present, compliments of P.A. KLOPFENSTEIN CO. INC.


Picture 2 of the kitchen scene reveals a brand new "home improvement" from 2 weeks ago. Can you identify it?

It's the Economy

While the high gas prices did hit my pocketbook, the economy has hit much more personally. On Wednesday my company laid off 110 mostly salaried workers. Many of you met my friend Renae at Mom and Dad’s anniversary weekend. She lost her job after 22 years with the company. She has been encouraged by the outpouring of support from co-workers and many in our dealer network. Best of all has been her attitude going into it. “God is in control, and if I lose my job, He has a plan that is different than mine.” She realizes God’s is better than hers.

For four years I got to work closely with a good friend, and it’s been a lot of fun. It’s been a rough couple of days, but the weekend will be good and then start a fresh week on Monday.

--Rhoda

Fun thing for me to do...

I haven't talked about it much, but I've been doing some work with a little photo shop here in town that is wanting to grow a bit. I spend a few hours a week doing some marketing and advertising activities for them. They, hopefully, will gain enough new business to hire another person, and I get to have alot of fun! Most of you know I am in Marketing at SF, and I really like it. The only problem is the size of the ship -- it's a major undertaking to do even the simplest of tasks there. With this new little gig of mine, we decide what we're going to do, and we do it! So far, we've sent out a couple e-mails announcing special deals, sent one USPS mailing and started a blog. Other things are in the works. You can check out the blog or their website if you want.

WE WON!!!!!

There is great excitement in the State of Illinois tonight. After many years of close competition, we think we have won the contest of having the most governor's in federal prisons at the same time. How proud we all are of our Great State. Just think how President Lincoln feels tonight.

We've been watching this story unfold all day. It was such a surprise to realize that Governor Blagojavich (or however it is he spells his name) is a crook!!

Ada and Jerry

Cavemen

From Cave

Owen and I had an adventure last night. We camped in Eagle Cave in Wisconsin with his scout troop. It was about zero degrees outside and about 50 degrees in the cave. Owen and all the boys (and some of the more adventurous dads) spent hours climbing over big rocks and army crawling through muddy holes - all about 200 yards under ground. There were over 350 people in the cave for the night. I'm not really sure how they got the kids quieted down and sleep but they did. I might have preferred kids running around to all the snoring.

Santa's Visit

Today, Dad and I took Nathan to the annual Santa visit at State Farm. He was really excited to see Santa and tell him what he wants for Christmas -- a car, a truck, a train, some books, a wall (he said as he ran out of things to say and looked at the wall). He got all dressed up and even wanted his hair "wet" like Noah's. When we got there, he was so well-behaved because Santa was actually there! I told him Santa was probably wondering when Nathan was going to get there, and I think Nathan believed me! When it came right down to it, Nathan wouldn't talk to Santa, but he did sit on his lap. Santa told him to be nice and be a good boy. Then we took a bunch of pictures in the little prop areas they had set up all over. It was really fun. We don't drag the Santa thing on too long around here -- I think H&K knew the truth way before their friends did. But it's fun when they're really little, I think. Here's some pics:

Mental Confusion

Yesterday I took the group mentioned below to see ARSENIC AND OLD LACE in Greenville. Andrew had a small part in the play, and a teacher in the dramatic production department had helped me arrange to get tickets for my students. (This was a senior college student's project; it's open to the public but usually mostly just college students and faculty attend. It was very good and the kids loved it.) I ended up with three extra tickets after passing them all out when we got there, and there were three people waiting by the door of the theatre in hopes of getting a ticket since the play was sold out. So I sold those people the three extra tickets and thought - how convenient to get rid of them all.

I forgot to keep a ticket for myself.

Fortunately I saw the teacher right inside the door, told her what happened, and she worked it out & let me in.

Sometimes I am such a dingbat. Middle age has messed with my mind.

Serenading Baby Julia

The baby is only a few days old and her devoted sisters are keeping her happy. I've tried several times to post a picture without any success---so I decided to try a video. Please explain why it is easier for me to post a video than a photo! Computers don't make any sense. When I tried to film a "close up" on the baby, the lighting was insufficient. I guess you will have to wait for our Christmas card to see the baby. . . . .Grandma Carol

Puzzle Trauma

This Thomas Kinkade puzzle has been in our lounge at work for at least a year and it has always caught my eye, as jigsaw puzzles are something I like to do. After our Thanksgiving/Christmas celebrations, I decided to bring the puzzle home to "reward" myself. Ugh! It is the worst puzzle I have ever worked on! First of all, I put that red sheet down so the table wouldn't get scratched and that was a terrible idea. Every time I move or reach for a piece, the sheet moves and messes up the puzzle. There is not one piece that interlocks properly. I usually do a puzzle by looking at the shapes, not the colors or the picture. Doesn't matter with this thing, I can't figure out shapes, colors, or the picture. Those sections in the middle..I have no idea how they attach anywhere. It's the craziest thing! I should pick it up and toss it in the box, but that is hard for me to do. I don't want to be defeated!

Painting with Ben

Today I got to go to a pottery shop with Ben's preschool class. Grandma got to go so Ben's project would be a surprise for his mommy. He did a good job and yet was the first one finished with his project. Don't worry, Shelley, what you see in the picture is not the finished product.

This and That

--I have very much enjoyed all the Thanksgiving updates! Please keep them coming. Even mundane things are interesting. Sometimes I wonder if people hold back because they don't want to appear to contribute too much. I say the more the merrier and the more often the better!

--Sometimes, if you see that pictures and text are not appearing the way you want them, you can go back into "edit post" and do some rearranging. Blogspot is a little weird like that - the final product does not always look like you think it will. But it can usually be fixed with some tinkering. If you want something adjusted and it just isn't working, I'll be glad to work on it if you let me know.

--It's fine to comment using the anonymous feature, but it's helpful to the rest of us if you put your name somewhere in the comment.

--I'm going to change the fonts for Christmas. Hope nobody objects!

--Perry and Carol, please keep us updated on Linda's condition. And how are those new babies doing?

--Tonight I take 43 people (39 students) to Greenville to see the play ARSENIC AND OLD LACE. It's going to be a fun trip but I'm always relieved to get them all back safely. And it makes for one very long day. Hope you all have a great one too.

Unbelievable Mishap

My sister, Linda, was injured yesterday while she was shopping at a sporting goods store. An SUV crashed into the store and she was hit on her left side, shattering her pelvis. Surgery is planned for today. This article was on the website of the Oregon newspaper:

Clackamas County Sheriff's OfficeThe Big 5 sports goods store in Oak Grove looked like a "war zone" after a car burst trough the wall and into the store.
A Canby woman was in serious condition this afternoon after she was struck by an SUV that crashed into an Oak Grove-area sporting goods store.
Linda Louise Schulenberg, 57, was undergoing treatment at OHSU Hospital in Portland.
Schulenberg was injured when an SUV driven by an 83-year-old Oregon City man burst through the exterior wall of the Big 5 Sporting Goods store, 16074 S.E. McLoughlin Blvd. The store is in the unincorporated Oak Grove area of Clackamas County, southeast of Milwaukie.

What an ordeal! ---Carol

RDK family Thanksgiving

While we are on the subject of Holidays and Shelley asking for some family holiday pics, here is one from Dave and Judy's last Thursday where 18 of us gathered for a wonderful home-cooked meal. Judy cooked MANY hot dishes, including real turkey, real corn, real sweet potatoes, and real mashed potatoes (she mixed in just a little real instant potatoes to make it go farther), real gravy and real dressing. Others brought much, too, with Grandma Catherine bringing some great pumpkin pie w/whipped cream. Here's a photo of the main adult table. Much to be thankful for.....
Cleve & Kathleen

Hi everyone. I think Ada got me straightened out so that I can again put something on the Klop blog. We had a great Thanksgiving (turkey and all the trimmings). It was the first time Thomas was here for a holiday. He fits in so well with all of us. (He can really eat!). That makes me feel clear good when they all like the stuff I make. I think their favorite thing of the whole meal is the peach pie.

Ken is adjusting very well at Restmor. He never complains about a thing--even though right now he has a semi-private room. We hope he will get a private room soon. We finally got his house all cleaned out and had an auction sale (which was a disappointment). People just don't want to buy that old stuff anymore.

Keith listed his house on Friday the 28th and by evening of the 29th we had a buyer. Hopefully it will all go through OK.

I enjoy reading everything all of you write on the blog.

Alice

CHRISTMAS 2005

Here are three pictures of Christmas at our house. I don't know why I can't get the pictures arranged with the words like I want to.







It has been our Christmas tradition since our children were very small to read the Christmas Story from Luke 2. They have always taken turns reading it and this has continued down to our grandchildren. We keep a log in our Bible as to who reads every year so we know who's turn it is. I just checked and it will be Owen's turn this year.

As you can see, Heather is reading in this picture. All the kids are shown - even Kelsie is sitting in the lower left of the picture. Then we take a nice picture in front of the tree -- and then the real fun begins. I just couldn't find a picture with all the wrappings, etc., but I'm sure you can picture it.

We take turns opening presents one at a time starting with the youngest child. They have always been pretty patient in waiting for their next turn and watching the others. This makes the fun last a little longer and cuts down on the confusion. We began drawing names a few years ago and that has helped - we just didn't have room for so many presents anymore.

PICTURE QUIZ

These pictures were taken on one of our vacations - but to make this a little more difficult, I will not say where we were. There is a good clue on one of the pictures. So . . . anybody recognize these pictures?

I'll tell you about them later. Who knows why we do the crazy things we do!!

Ada

THE JOYS OF WINTER

Like many of you, we're "hunkered down" and staying out of the cold/snow. However, we're not staying very warm. Last night our furnace went out and we had to get out our space-heater. turn on the fireplace and shut the doors to the rest of the house. Later, we bundled up in warm "jammies", threw an extra blanket on the bed, and slept well all night. (So much bulk on and around us that we couldn't move, so just had to sleep.) Temp in the house this morning is 56 - so not too bad.

We left a message on Jay's Plumbing/Heating phone last night, and they are here now checking it out. Hopefully they can fix it. I must say - the worst part of a cold house is the COOOOLD toilet seat!!

When I woke up this morning and looked out the front window, there was - and still is - a car in our ditch at the end of the drive. The driver was trying to "rev" it out, but it wasn't moving. In other words it was clear stuck! Someone finally came along and picked her up. She later called and said she has called a wrecker. We have no wrecker service in Gridley, so it will probably be a while.

Hey - it's only 8:30 so we're anxiously awaiting some more joys for the day!

Ada