...Cookies...and Caroling...Part 2...

...we met at the Church for a quick pizza supper...I packed a veggie sammie...

...there were already lots of happy faces...

...over 30 of us piled into the Church vans and cars and headed out...

...one of the advantages of sitting in traffic was that it gave us time to enjoy everyone's Christmas lights...

...we gathered on the lawn...

...and sang a few carols...

...then we moved on to the next house...

...and sang a few more carols...

...still delivering cookies along the way...

...more houses...

...and more carols...

...and more lights...

...it was such a fun evening...

...have you been caroling yet?...

~Have a lovely day!

...tragedy...

...we are all just so sad about the horrible events yesterday...

...Cookies...and Caroling...

...Just like we did in North Dakota...

...our Jr. High Youth Group gathered to bake cookies for our shut-ins...

...we'll take the cookies tonight when we go caroling...

...they rolled...

...and flattened...and sprinkled...

...and pounded...and coated...

...and baked...

...and wrapped...

...and then just as cheerfully as they had baked...

...they got everything cleaned up and back in perfect order...

...we're all looking forward to caroling tonight too...

~Have a lovely day!

...a quick and snacky before Church supper...

...y'all know that Wednesday nights are about as hectic around here as Sunday mornings...

...we rush around walking dogs and doing homework and we need a quick supper...

...if we've thought ahead...(ahem!)...we've planned leftovers or put something in the crockpot...

...as it happens...last night we had done neither...

...so I pulled out a pack of Daiya Havarti...my awesome grocery store carries this one and the cheddar...

...it's jalapeno-garlic...and it's perfect for vegan quesadillas...

...just fire up a big cast iron pan and spritz it with oil...place a tortilla (this one is whole wheat) in the pan...

...just slice some Daiya right on top of the tortilla...

...fold it over and cook until lightly brown...

...see how melty the Daiya gets...

...we cut ours with a pizza cutter...

...served with some salsa...it makes for a quick and easy supper...

...what do you do when you need a quick and easy supper?...

~Have a lovely day!

...More Chrismtas Cheer...

...this time it was the Boy Scouts spreading it...

...they each brought a wrapped gift for a child at our local hospital...

...so we headed over to the Women and Children's Hospital...

...we gathered in the lobby and took a few photos...

...then headed up to the fifth floor to deliver the presents to some children who are spending their Christmas time in the hospital...

...it's such a good experience for the scouts...we often forget about the people in hospital and nursing homes this time of year...

~Have a lovely day!...

...Angel Tree gifts...

...we took the Youth Group...about 27 kids...to Stuff-Mart for the annual Angel Tree Gift buying spree...

...the Youth had baked Sourdough Bread and sold the loaves to Church Members to raise their funds...and they wound up with $60 to spend on each child...

...so they each grabbed a cart and shopped...

...then we all met at Subway (there's one right in the Stuff-Mart)...for a quick supper...

...then it was back to the Church for the wrapping party...

...it was a lot of fun...

...everyone was smiling...obviously pleased with their purchases for another child...

...and there were lots of helping hands too...

...some presents were...ummmm...difficult to wrap...can you guess what this is...(hint...it's kinda retro...round and squishy and you sit on it)...

...when they were done wrapping they labeled the presents just with the child's first name...put everything into a big black bag and stuck the receipt on the outside so that the parents can come by the church and pick them up...

...we all had a lot of fun with this meaningful and generous ministry...

~Have a lovely day!

...Christmas Parade...

...of course the band marched in the Christmas Parade...

...in N.D. there was never a Christmas Parade as it was always way too cold by then...so it's been 7 years since we've been to a Christmas Parade...

...it was threatening to rain as the band lined up...

...for some unknown (to me anyway) reason the band director allows the kids to wear a 'crazy hat' for the parade...Scout chose a fedora...

...the police started the parade...just as it began to sprinkle rain...followed by the Mayor...

...and then our band...in position #3...

...this band does a parade really well...

...with their perfectly straight columns...and rows...

...I just thought this photo with me video taping in the corner was funny...

...in no time...the band had passed...

...and it was on to all of the traditional parade items...fire trucks...

...and Girl Scouts...I thought these scouts decorated with tree skirts and ornaments was adorable...

...there was even a Santa train...

...it was fun being downtown with the tall buildings watching a parade...I think Scout was 6 the las time we did that...

...has your town had it's Christmas Parade yet?...did you go?

~Have a lovely day!