Modern Russian New Year has happened already but Old Russian New Year is later in January. I’ve posted the recipe for this salad with an interesting history on the Mennonite Girls Can Cook blog today. Head over to see how to put it together!
Happy Saturday to you all. I’m happy for a somewhat normal weekend. How about you?
Speaking of leftovers here are the rest of the photos from our Elliott Bay Marina brunch at Palisade Restaurant.
Palisade is on the second level of this building with great views of Elliott Bay and part of downtown Seattle in the distance.
Our family all together. I’m going to have to get more creative in 2013 with group shots. I’ve seen a couple good ideas on Facebook.
See what I mean. I think the only thing that changed in this shot is the position of my hands. I do weird things with my hands in photos.
By now you are tired of us so look behind us and check out the Space Needle and downtown Seattle.
We positioned my nephew Caleb in this shot to make sure he didn’t block the view of the Space Needle!
My nephew Caleb and his girlfriend Marie. They both graduated from Westmont College in the Santa Barbara area this past May. She’s working on her teaching credential and he’s working at a church in Santa Barbara with the youth. It was fun to have them with us for brunch before they headed back to Santa Barbara. On the day Caleb was born our son Joshua hit a homerun in his honor at a little league game. Joshua and Caleb…that rings a bell. They have been strong and courageous!
Had to include a shot with the new shoes. Andrew and Katie still behave like newlyweds…
On the way home we got closer to the needle but we were driving fast so it’s a bit blurry.
Tonight our Newlyweds fly back to the east coast. My little nest will be empty again. I took down Christmas on New Year’s Day. I had to make room in the living room once again since our small group meetings start back up on Thursday. We had a real laid back New Year’s Day and ordered pizza in for dinner. The night ended with 4 of the kids playing Settlers of Catan. Dear and I hit the sack early as usual.
Hope 2013 is starting well for all of you!
On Sunday after a great church service (the goat is gone!), we headed to Palisade Restaurant in Seattle to celebrate Andrew’s promotion to Corporal.
You might think that coming off our second Christmas on Friday and Saturday with great food and fun we’d take a day off from eating. Silly thoughts those would be. We enjoyed another great get-together around food with all our kids and my nephew Caleb (from California) with his girlfriend Marie (from Washington).
Katie and Andrew…our new Marine Corp. Corporal!
Our son Dan with daughter Katie and Son-in-law Andrew.
Dan
Our nephew Caleb with his girlfriend Marie and our son Josh and daughter-in-law, Laura.
We have 3 more days with Katie and Andrew visiting with us. Our son Dan will be heading back over the mountains tomorrow. We’ve had a wonderful time together despite some sicknesses going around. I have more shots to share from Palisade after our meal at the Marina with the Space Needle in the background. Tomorrow is another day. I’m so thankful that Dear has the next two days off so he can recuperate from a head cold that was shared at work. I’m hoping that it stops with Dear and isn’t shared with me…
Hope you are all well and ready to usher in the New Year!
Standing at the portal
Of the opening year,
Words of comfort meet us,
Hushing every fear;
Spoken thru the silence
By our Savior’s voice,
Tender, strong and faithful,
Making us rejoice.
Refrain
Onward, then, and fear not,
Children of the day;
For His Word shall never,
Never pass away.
I, the Lord, am with thee,
Be thou not afraid;
I will help and strengthen
Be thou not dismayed.
Yea, I will uphold thee
With My own right hand;
Thou art called and chosen
In My sight to stand.
Refrain
For the year before us,
O what rich supplies!
For the poor and needy
Living streams shall rise;
For the sad and sinful
Shall His grace abound;
For the faint and feeble
Perfect strength be found.
Refrain
He will never fail us,
He will not forsake;
His eternal covenant
He will never break.
Resting on the promise,
What have we to fear?
God is all sufficient
For the coming year.
Onward, then, and fear not,
Children of the day;
For His Word shall never,
Never pass away.
Words: Francis R. Havergal, January 4, 1873.
I decided I better join in for Friday’s Fave Fives with Susanne at Living to Tell the Story since this will be the last faves this year. Oye, where did the year go?
1. We had one of the most wonderful Christmas Eve Service I’ve ever been to. From a stomp band to the candle light Silent Night it was a night of worshiping Jesus.
2. Josh and Laura came to spend the night on Christmas Eve after celebrating the evening with Laura’s family. It was so nice to spend Christmas day with them. We will be together with Josh, Laura, Dan, Katie and Andrew on Friday night and Saturday for Second Christmas.
3. Having Katie and Andrew arrive the day after Christmas. The last time we had the two of them together here was for their wedding in March.
4. Celebrating Katie’s 27th birthday on the 27th. We gave gifts and then shopped to exchange some of the gifts, :). We met Dear for lunch and then Josh and Laura joined us and brought Chinese in for dinner. We put 27 candles on the cake I baked and watched it glow as we wished Katie God’s continued blessings for her golden year.
Watch the powdered sugar fly!
Laura brought golden roses for Katie’s golden birthday!
5. When Dear and I were at the MGCC Christmas party at Judy (My Front Porch) and Elmer’s a couple Sunday’s ago we were introduced to the game of Crokinole. We had never heard of it before. We ordered a game after the party and the family has been enjoying learning how to play it. Josh, Laura, Dear and I played it on Christmas day and last night after cake and ice cream Katie and Andrew were introduced to the game.
After Josh and Laura left we waited up for Dan who drove across the mountains to join us for 2nd Christmas (his first). He arrived at 10 PM safe and sound and then I went to bed sleeping well knowing that. Fun times….
I’m hoping to get around to a few Fave Five participants but it might take a while since tonight we are 9 for dinner here and I’ll be busy making preparations for our 2nd Christmas dinner. Tomorrow morning we will open stockings, have Dear’s Swedish pancakes and Judy’s bacon wrapped smokies again. Then we will open presents and relax together and probably play some more Crokinole. Saturday night we are having a relaxed soup meal together.
Hope you all have a good weekend.
27 photos of memorable events in Katie’s life! Happy Birthday to our Golden Girl who turns 27 on the 27th! We thank God for the joy she’s been in our lives. Happy Birthday Katie!
Katie and Andrew arrived safely yesterday afternoon and we are enjoying time together.
Josh and Laura arrived just after midnight and tucked themselves in for the night. We woke up on Christmas morning to familiar Christmas music. Dear mixed up his Swedish pancakes and we had Judy’s famous bacon wrapped smokies along side. Yum.
We opened up our gifts to each other saving the rest for our 2nd Christmas on Saturday. We will have the whole crew here on Friday night and Saturday to enjoy all our Christmas traditions once more.
Dinner was the usual prime rib and Yorkshire pudding with added roasted root vegetables and Brussels sprouts. We had Betty’s Cinnamon Bun Cake for dessert.
Thankfully before the kids loaded up their car for home we remembered to take a photo by the tree.
Today I’m preparing for Katie and Andrew’s arrival this evening. The fun will continue all week long. Tomorrow is our Katie’s 27th birthday…27 on the 27th. I guess I better bake a cake.
Happy Boxing Day to all our friends in Canada and the U.K.!
Joy bells are ringing,
Christmas is bringing
Tidings of Jesus’ birth.
Candles are gleaming,
Gladness is streaming
Out over all the earth.
Light is ascending,
Nighttime is ending,
Sunshine from God appears.
Hope of the ages,
Foretold by sages,
Comes to dispel all fears.
O what a treasure
God in His pleasure
Lovingly gives today.
Grace to the lowly,
Peace, pure and holy,
Angels to men convey.
Come to the manger,
Kindred and stranger,
Hail now the newborn King!
In adoration
With jubilation
Peoples and nations sing!
Banish all sadness,
Fill me with gladness,
Jesus, whom I adore!
All else may perish,
Thee will I cherish
Now and forevermore!
Words: Nils Frykman, 1881. Translated from Swedish to English by E. Gustav Johnson, 1946.
I posted this song last year. I love the words and wanted to share it again.
Merry Christmas everyone. I do not know when I’ll be posting again this year. I will be back again sometime soon. Blessings in the New Year!
The Happy Wonderer ~ ellen b. 