Family Time!

Yes, I'm back!  I have taken a little hiatus from bloggy world.  Things got so busy and there were times that I was confused and not sure what was going on.  I'm still there a little, but I miss my documentation.  Strange that I want it to be online, but honestly, I can't think of a better way to share pictures and save this for posterity.  I have thought of starting a new blog, but that seems a bit drastic.  Someday I'll actually get my old Alaska stuff put into a book, and then it will be worth it.  

So, back to the title; Family Time!  I have been so thrilled to be able to spend time with family this year.  Just this weekend we had our family over for a Shop Party, and I just sat back and enjoyed having almost everyone over.  The yard was filled with the sounds of boys wrestling and girls bossing each other through other activities!  My heart was happy.  Instead of posting a ton of pictures and posts about it, I'll try to recap the reasons that I am happy to be back in Kansas!

 Baseball games with nephews and T-ball with neices!

 Boys night! (Uncle is a verb, you know!)

 Playtime in the water! (I think Aunt is a verb, too!)

 Drive-in Movies!

Baptisms!

 General silliness and fun!

 And of course, the Shop Party!

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.

Thankful

Since we have been spending much time in Iowa, it was so providential that God would place family nearby, just for me.  Sometimes I am just in awe of what He does for me.  O.K., perhaps there was more to it, but nonetheless, I have been extremely thankful for the opportunity to spend Thanksgiving with family whom I have not seen in years!  I took the time to enjoy being with them as opposed to taking many pictures, but I was able to capture the festive mood the Barr family showed to the neighborhood!

 Once again, I was able to go along with Paul and Shannon and crew to an Iowa State Game.  This time I took Pat!  It seemed that I brought along with me the Alaska air, as both games I attended were bitterly cold.  Yes, it is cold in other places besides Alaska - and I would know.  This particular game began around the 36 degree range, but with the winds at 27 miles per hour, it felt like 16.  I checked the temperature in Nikiski and it read a similar 17, with no wind.  Honestly, that sounded much better.  This particular day in Ames was sunny, though, and even though the crowd was less dense than regular, it was an excellent day for football!  ISU played West Virginia, ranked 12th in the nation, and played a strong game despite the fumble at the end that really cost them the game.

 It was right after this game that we made our Iowa exit and "moved" back to Kansas.  No more living in the RV.  (Not exactly roughing it, mind you.)  I was able to make it back for my sister-in-law's baby shower!  These are things that I know I will miss out on in the future, so I was thankful to get to participate.  I also have been thankful to get to see my eldest niece play her first basketball game of 7th grade!  She did great and scored 8 of the 40 points that day!

Then, finally, we have been thankful for this time of bonding with my mom!  Pat has gotten a computer now and rather begrudgingly joined the 21st century.  Don't worry, though, he is firmly keeping his distance from smartphones or other touchscreen technology.