Reflections of the Holidays

Reflections of the holiday season in no particular order or importance:

1. Thanksgiving weekend we built a barn for the cows in three and half days.

2. We had an ice storm that kept me home for 7 days. The school missed five days of classes. I watched  numerous Christmas movies, piddled around the house, and did mini-projects. I did ride the tractor to the farm, and Rick did go get Mindi and the kids on the tractor so that they could come here to sled behind the mule on the ice.

3. Rickie had a medical procedure that kept him in home for two days. Rick F. fell on the ice and broke a couple of ribs in his back.

4. My boys did not come home during the holidays. This was a revelation to me on how God feels when we do not make time for Him. (Greg and Lisa went to Singapore to be with Chad and Tara.)

5. We did not buy presents for each other to exchange Christmas eve. This is major. We each bought two gift cards for prizes for the different games or activities throughout the night. A favorite was "Deal or No Deal."At one point, I thought this was a little sad not picking out the gift for that special person. However, it really turned out great. We had many laughs playing the games. Also, we did do a white elephant exchange.

6. Because of the ice storm, Santa was running behind. This is the first year since Justin was a toddler, that Santa did not come in the house with presents and for us to take pictures with him. This year he dropped the presents off, rang the doorbell, and left a note.

7. I got two nice lumps of coal for Christmas.

8. I went with Rick to his daughters' Christmas. We watched the grandchildren as they opened their presents. The excitement of children at Christmas warms my heart. The girls gave Rick and I retro lawn chairs that each of our families had while we were young growing up.

9. Because of my retirement, I had more time at home day and night, to enjoy my Christmas decorations.

10. I played with my DSLR camera and am trying to learn the different settings and lens.

11. Merry Joelle, our shelf on the elf, came for a visit during the holidays.

12. The birth of Christ, the reason for the season, was magnified more this Christmas than years past to me through our church services, no presents, and Diana and my visits to different people. Rick and I went to the Christmas Eve service, which was powerful. Bro. Jerry Scott portrayed a shepherd and told the story from the birth to the resurrection of Jesus.

Joelle, Joelle, Joelle

Everyday was a new adventure with JOELLE.These are a few more of her days in the Streetman house.

Rick had to go to Chicago for a business trip. 

She thought we needed to make some sugar  cookies.

Christmas Eve - She wanted to hear the story of why we celebrate  the season.

Merry Christmas 2013

Rickie,  Marilyn, Abby and Merry Joelle

Joelle Meets Jesus

Joelle met baby Jesus, so she could experience the true Magic of Christmas.

Merry JOELLE

Two weeks ago on our way to Sunday lunch, Cali told me that she called and left her Christmas list with Santa Claus. Then she told me about "Sparky", her elf on the shelf, that brought Christmas magic to her house. WOW! I wanted to be included in this Christmas magic. So Mindi dialed Santa for me, and I got to leave my Christmas wish on his voicemail. I told Santa that I really would like an elf so that I could experience this magic.
Thursday night I got my Christmas wish - our elf just appeared while we were feeding cows. What a great surprise!

The first thing you have to do is name your elf. I wanted Rick to have some input, but I did not like his suggestion for a name - Manis. The end of both our names - Streetman and Davis. It wasn't girlie or cute enough for this special elf. So I did the normal thing. I started googling elf names. There were many cute names, but none that Rick and I could agree on. He was pretty closed-minded, since I did not like Manis. However, soon as I saw Noel, I knew I had the name -Joelle. Rick's middle name is Joel, so Joelle was perfect; and Rick even liked the idea. I did read that an elf is supposed to have two names. That is where Merry came in (Merry for Marilyn).
I can't wait to see what mischief Joelle will be getting in during this holiday season. She has already taken a ride on the Christmas Musical train.

Left Santa - Scoggins Santa /Right Sanat - Streetman Santa

Snow Days - Four Great days (Make that Six)

Every teacher and student lives to hear the words "snow day". First is the anticipation of whether the bad weather is really going to happen; and then if the roads are going to bad enough to close schools. Thursday, the sleet did come through and the message came that Gunter schools would close on Friday. YEA!!!! Wait a minute. I DON'T WORK.  It doesn't matter.  Well it really did; I was stuck at home. So it was  "snow days" for me.

I love my Christmas Decorations.

Day one - I cooked cherry cheese braid, cinnamon rolls, and cherry crisps. I watched 10 hours of movies - "The Sound of Music" with Carrie Underwood, two Hallmark Christmas chick flicks, and "Thelma and Louise". This is the most tv I have ever watched in one day.

The Bobcat

Day two - I cooked an apple cake with a Carmel frosting. Rick was home so I rode the tractor with him out to the farm to crack ice. The highlight was a rabbit, a bobcat, and her kittens. We watched another movie, "The Bucket List"; and I had a lot of iPad time with Candy Crush and Spider.
Day three - I make two batches of Jalapeno Jelly and sugar cookies. Rick went and got Mindi, Cali, and Cade on the tractor. He pulled them in the pasture on a sled behind the mule. I watched a Hallmark Christmas movie; and then we watched football.

Sledding fun

Day four - Rick went to work. I cleaned all the sock drawers, and threw away at least 50 single socks that the dryer ate the match. The rest of the day I watched Christmas movies, read, and played with my camera.

 I loved my "snow days", even though every day can be a snow day for me. It was special with the white covering and so very Christmasy. Thank you, God, for this Christmas gift. ( I did have to edit this that it ended up being 6 days being iced in.)

My unused toy - Thanksgiving Day

I am still a "wanta-be" photographer. So Thanksgiving Day, I got out my nifty-fifty lens that I have had, but have not used. Abby was my first model. Then we went to Di's for our Thanksgiving meal. Here I found my next models - Justin, Keelie, Jenna, Glory, and Jonah. Even Ferg cooperated and was a good sport while I played with my camera. About fifty percent were good, the others were blurry. Later, I found the focus ring on my new lens.

Abby Rose

Jenna, Jonah, and Glory

Ferg's beautiful family!

Beauty starts with the parents in this family.

Music - The Beat Goes ON

We have been to some great concerts since my March blog about the concerts that we have attended. Rick is concerned that we will not remember all the concerts that we have attended - with good reason. So here is our list:

• Ronnie Milsap
• Merle Haggard
• Kenny Rogers - Sounded better than ever!
• Jersey Boys - Every bit as good as the first time we saw this show.
• Alabama
• John Fogerty - We were up close and personal - right in front of a speaker. 

Thanksgiving 2013 - The Cow Barn

Streetman and Co. decided to use this holiday weekend to build a cow barn out at the farm. Streetman and Co. forgets that I am not as strong as he would like for me to be. So the third day we called in the reserves for Streetman and Co. - Mindi, Cade, and Cali.

Day 1 - The Beginning

Streetman and Co. - CEO and BOSS

Almost Finished

The Reserves - Mindi, Cade, and Cali