Holiday Recap (Mostly Pictures!)

I debated on posting this mass photo album of the past Christmas, but I can pretty much be sure that it would be so wonderful if in another year I can look back and see so much family and the fun we had!  So please allow me to post prolifically with photos (I avoided the word picture to avoid too much alliteration!).  I was able to go and watch one of my little nieces play an angel in "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever."  She was supported by several of her cousins in such a sweet manner!

We took a trip to Botanica to see all the lights.  It was a gorgeous evening and we enjoyed all the displays set to music.  We got into all the fun musical toys they had in the children's garden!  I loved it and wished we could have stayed longer!

 We spent many nights playing a new game, Quelf!  It was a hilarious game that had us smelling people's feet, shouting exclamations with every drink, and random charades to meaningless sentences!  We had lots of laughs!

 We had lots of food, and this was the only picture!  We ate splendidly for about 10 days solid.  It was not so good for the weight management, but I did manage to keep up with some of my exercises, so it wasn't too bad.  We had a dusting of snow around Christmas, but sadly, not during the time our family from California was here.  Little Makenna didn't get to see any snow, but I'm sure she will someday!  I on the other hand, didn't mind the lack of the white stuff!

 We all had fun times together, though Shep was certainly distressed over the lack of expediency at which Christmas dinner was served!  It was so sweet to watch the N&N's do this story of "What God Wants for Christmas."  It made me a little bit teary to sing with the kids that all God wanted for Christmas was me.  So precious.

 We had the sweet opportunity to spend several days with Pat's family, playing games, modeling for pictures, and having our hair done!  I have to admit, when Makenna started to play with my hair, it felt so nice that I didn't care that it went all soft and frizzy!  It was a bit overwhelming to have all 3 girls giving me that much attention, but I think little miss M may have a bright future!

Little Miss Kaylee was not to be outdone - she won her uncle's heart with her enthusiasm for the outdoors and even had a chance to learn to shoot her first cowboygirl rifle!

 I was able to go on a special outing to a super fun chocolate and Italian soda/gelato drink with Pat's sisters.  It was such a treat!

Pat had a chance to show off his hunting skills when we headed out west to Dad's. All the kids got to see the beauty of a pheasant up close and personal.  I think they all got a feather or two as well!  (I don't remember eating it...)

 It was a monumental event to get almost all of the Penner family together for a Penner Christmas!  68 of us met at Grandma and Grandpa's house.  We are sure that this will be the last time we gather together for this, so it was a little bittersweet.  We sang the Doxology together before we ate, and I tried to cherish the perfect moment it was.  The harmonies that I had come to take for granted were sung together and I was moved by the beauty of it all.  I even took the time to really savor the singing of our German Christmas Carol.  Yes, we sing it in German.  I will miss this more than I realized (and we even harmonized this song!).

 I think my grandparents are wonderful.  I wish I had taken more time to know them better.  I have in recent years discovered that they are very witty and often very funny people with great story-telling ability!  I also believe that they are a very handsome couple, even still!  While we celebrated their 90th birthdays (Grandma is actually 91 - like many of us in the Penner clan, we married younger men!), I was reflecting on the fact that they have been married closer to 70 years!  I think this is so special, especially as I see how much they care for each other today.  I love seeing them hold hands and how Grandpa helps Grandma.  I can pray that Pat and I will be as loving to each other.

 It was a lovely way to cap off a special time with family.  I am a very blessed person who has loving family on every side, up and down.  What a gift I was given this Christmas.

Christmas Card 2012

Merry Christmas!

We have gone through quite a bit this last year.  At the start of the year, Melissa started a new job with an oilfield inspection company.  Pat worked long hours outdoors welding at a natural gas storage site in Kenai.  Our house was beginning its 3^rd year for sale.  We had no idea what was in store for us.

In the spring, we connected with a man named Don who was looking for help to begin a manufacturing company in Ghana, Africa building a 3-wheeled vehicle with a full ton payload capacity.  After praying about this heavily for a short period of time, Pat met with him in Pella, Iowa and we decided that we would join this venture.  Just a few short days later, our house sold!  In short, we gathered our belongings, much scaled down, and moved in with Melissa’s mom in Wichita.  We haven’t been there much, however, as we spent time with our new Vytrak Team in Missouri for a fun meet-and-greet, and then several weeks in Pella to build a 3-wheeled Intermediate Transportation Vehicle.  So, we have been a little busy this year with plans we never dreamed a year ago!

We have very fluid plans from here on out.  We hope to go to Ghana in January to build another I.T.V.  When this is complete, we will return to the States until further business building is completed; a few months give or take.  We will move to Ghana once this is wrapped up and begin our adventures in Accra (uh-‘craw)!  We anticipate learning so much as God takes us out of our comfort zones and into His purposes for us.

Keep up with us via our blog; www.teakells.blogspot.com.  If you want to keep up with our company, Vytrak, check out their site www.vytrak.com.  

There's no place like...

 I have been thoroughly enjoying being in a snow-less land this winter!  There is such a beauty in the earth that I am so happy to witness that had been previously covered in feet of snow by this time of year in Alaska.  Being able to walk to a lovely park just across the river behind the house is a real treat (though don't think my walks are without my Alaska Bear Spray in hand - one just never knows what lurks behind those menacing cottonwood trunks!)

 I was able to take in some Christmas joys like Christmas Windows and lights recently with my "Beaches" friend.  To clarify if you haven't ever seen the epic friendship film, we connected many years ago and now see each other rarely (much less than we'd like), but I would do just about anything for her and we pick up like we haven't been apart at all!  Unlike "Beaches," we are not competitive, and neither of us has any life-threatening disease.  I'm waiting for her to begin her singing career though.

M has this neighbor who I think is just hilarious.  He is slowly decorating his car.  Notice the "YOLO" shout out.  The tree on the top of his car is not en-route to any further location.  It is for the car.  He has a Christmas Tree for his car.  I find this fascinating.

 I have finally decided to begin preparing Christmas cards.  I am about 2 weeks late.  I know. You may not even get one because in reality, just because I have purchased the cards does not mean I will get these out.  I don't believe the meaning of Christmas is to update all my friends and family of my goings-on.  I do want to share what we are doing, though, so I will try.  Plus, I like to get your cards!

 Speaking of the meaning of Christmas, I want to share one of my favorite things with you.  If you have been around me much during Christmas, you know I love the music of the Charlie Brown Christmas. (Charlie Brown music is pretty fabulous anyway.)  I love the jazzy low-key flow of the tunes in a total juxtaposition of the chaos that the commercial Christmas brings.  In fact, the true meaning of Christmas, that being the momentous miracle of the coming of the Savior of the world in human form, is the pivotal message in the classic tale of "A Charlie Brown Christmas."  The boldness, and consequent staying power of this Peanuts cartoon special are such a sweet surprise to me every year.

Christmas and Stuff!

 This is not a reflection on how our Christmas went!  Well, maybe it is.  If you think about the Charlie Brown Christmas story (my favorite cartoon) Linus reminds the gang what Christmas is all about when he quotes Luke 2.  I love that part.  It makes me tear up every time.  Charlie Brown then takes his spindly tree and decides it is indeed enough, because the tree isn't what Christmas is about anyway.  My tomato is celebrating that as well!  On Christmas Day, one of the only traditions we continued was the reading of Luke 2.  It was a low-key, special day with Mom and Pat!  (I only wish I had more pictures of all the things we did while she was here!)

 While Mom was here, we went "moose-hunting."  The shots we took were of the digital kind opposed to the ballistic variety, but we had lot's of fun with our game!

 We also took time to enjoy the scenery with shimmering mountains and blazing sunsets.

And finally, Pat has discovered the ultimate slipper-warmer.  He is so smart.

Christmas Catch up, pt.2

To continue, in no particular order, our trip to the "south" was filled with even more fun and memorable things!

In New Mexico, we were able to spend some precious moments with Aunt Bea and Great Aunt Mary.  Pat has some great memories of Aunt Mary.  We were further blessed to have them both lay hands on us and pray for us!

 It had been a while since we'd seen Granny, too!  We got to spend some time with her enjoy her famous beef and noodles!  I'll have to get that recipe and convert it to Gluten Free!

 Back in Kansas, Pat made his own "Wipe-out" Course for the kids, complete with a Clementine eating finish!  He also went with Mom to the shooting range and they worked over a mean-guy silhouette.

 We had some sweet moments!  Raegan made us some very special hats, and Pat helped Jackson build a new fort!

 Isaiah discovered his balancing abilities (again, thanks to Pat), and we got to see Sydney direct her cousin's and sister in a lovely musical production!

Because I am a goof ball, I will have to dedicate an entire post to one particular dream-fulfillment of mine! Yes, it has to do with a particular team sport...