Quiet Christmas

Well Christmas is over and it was different this year. It really didn't feel like Christmas this year. I can't explain it but it never felt like Christmas. It was kind of weird. All of Dad's family came on Christmas day this year. We had our get-together at the church. There are to many of us to fit into Pappaw and Mammaw's house so we have to go to the church. All 6 of the children and all 14 of the garandkids were there as well as one boyfriend, one mother-in-law, and two dogs! Don't forget that all 6 of those "children" are married and their spouses were there as well. All-in-all we had around 35 people. This year everyone left as soon as the schedule was finished. Usually everyone goes back to Mammaw and Pappaw's house to play Rook and eat snacks and visit till really late. This year only Aunt Debbie, Aunt Darlene, and our family went back. Then they had to leave fairly early because some scroogish boss had people working the next day! Bah Humbug! It was nice to see all the cousins again. Some of them we hadn't seen for several years. So it didn't last very long and all the cousins are older. I'm the only one who is anywhere near their ages. It wasn't much fun for Beth and Micah. We have spent most of our time this year at home. It has been fairly quiet. We've even managed to get mom to sit down and watch a few Christmas movies with us. We were hoping to meet the Cox's while they were up this year but it didn't work out. Oh well, such is life. Ah yes, I suppose everyone is wondering what we got this year. I got a new study Bible, a missionary's biography, and the new Dee Henderson book. It was interesting. The only thing I'm going to say is that she leaves you hanging. We kids bought Daddy a popcorn popper. He loves popcorn and he loves his gift. Zach got the first 2 seasons of the Waltons and a book. Daniel got a new Bible, a Bible cover, and a book. Micah got soldiers, a glow in the dark football, and a book. Beth got some more dollhouse furniture, a movie, and a book. As a family gift mom ordered the financial freedom seminar from the Institute. As you can tell our whole family loves to read. In fact we've got more books than we have room to put them! Books teach you alot. Mom says that books are an investment in the future. Every time Mom and Dad give us a new book they feel like they are investing in our future. I have no problem with that. I love to read! We are having a watch night service on Sunday night it starts at 8 pm. You can't put an ending time on a watch night service because you never know what time they will end only that it will be after midnight! I'm sorry if this is rather boring and uninteresting but everything has been pretty quiet this week. Everyone have a safe and Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas!!!! Everyone travel safely and have a wonderful time with your family and friends.

Another Past-Due Post

Once again I find myself sitting in front of the computer aimlessly punching away at the keyboard. And once again I am way late! You really must excuse me. I have been very busy. Last Sunday wehad our banquet. We had a great time! Tim was there as our guest and Chelsey came with him to keep him awake. I was of course more than pleased with that arrangement. Then Amber came in. She had a guitar recital and wasn't sure if she was going to be able to come. I was happy she was there too. Amber and Chelsey know each other so that was no problem. We sang songs and read some scripture then we had dinner. The Sandys came in during dinner. I was glad they came but Tonya was really acting strange around Chelsey and Amber. She wouldn't talk or be herself. She was driving me insane! Why do some girls act that way? I guess she was nervous or something but I didn't know what to do with her. Anyway, Amber and I had to work on some songs for the play so we went in the sanctuary and I got on the piano and she pulled out her guitar. Then T.J. comes in and I sent him to get his mandolin. Then he started playing with us. Then Bro. Gene pulled out his guitar. Then Tonya comes in and starts singing with us. Then Tim comes in and chases me off the piano and takes my spot then he let me back on and chased Amber off her guitar and played for a while then he let her have it back. He kept saying,"I wish I'd brought my bass." We wished he had too. Anyway we had fun but I think Chelsey kinda felt left out. She doesn't play an instrument. I hate making people feel left out. I sat with Chelsey the rest of the time. We played games and Tim spoke a very few minutes. All in all we had a good time and I think all 3 of my friends felt included over all. Why do some girls act weird when they meet new girls? I really don't understand. This past week we have been pretty busy. We went shopping Tuesday and we've been cleaning and baking every other day besides that I was getting all the last minute things done for the play. We had practice Wednesday night, and I had my last piano lesson for this year on Friday! Yeah! This Sunday evening we had the play it turned out fairly well except one of my angels sat down in the middle of the play and Jenny had to tell her to stand up. Not a problem except for the fact that her mike was still on and we could hear her whispering,"stand up" over the speakers. Siane still wouldn't stand up. It was rather funny. Anyway that was pretty much the only mishap this year. Last year we had a real baby play Jesus and he pulled himself up and looked at the audience and waved at everyone! That was funny! Anyway I must say that I'm relieved that the play is over and there were no major mistakes. Today Dad, Pappaw, and Mom are going to Richmond for Dad's Cardiologist appointment. This Doctor is really frustrating because every time Dad goes to see this guy he's feeling fine. So the Doctor won't give dad his full disability because he doesn't think Dad's really sick anymore. Our family doctor sees dad all the time and knows that he is still sick. Anyway this doctor is really intimidating so pray for my Dad today. I probably need to go. I've got a huge mess to clean up in the kitchen from all the baking we've been doing. I've also got to study for VLB sevrice Wednseday night and do some other things too. Oh yeah we gave Mom her present early and she loves it! We got her a KitchenAid mixer. Our last mixer got broken. Beth was making cookies and dropped her spoon in the bowl so she reached her hands in there to get the spoon without turning the mixer off. To make a long story short, her fingers were badly bruised and the mixer was wrecked. She's learned a lot about mixers since then and she's getting better at making cookies. Anyway I need to go. G'bye

Hello Again

Someone informed me that it was time for a new post. As if anything I write could actually be interesting! I think I've had a pretty good excuse for not blogging but some people just don't see it that way! Ok, I've been on my back with my foot up in the air since Wednesday. Is that a good excuse or what? Why have I been laid up? Well it all started at lunch time Wednesday. Beth rushed past and knocked me over. I fell into a trash bag that was sitting on the floor. One of the boys had put the top of a can into the trash and it sliced into the top of my toe. Then I tripped and hit my toe against the wall. Ouch! The toe was badly hurt and the top of my foot was swollen up. I spent the rest of the week forced to inaction. I thought I was going to go insane! I remember telling one of my brothers,"this enforced inaction is driving me insane!" Anyway, we had one of our church ladies over for dinner last night. We had a good time. I taught Mama how to play Dutch Blitz and she loves it! You should have seen her go! We are getting ready for our church banquet. It is this Sunday night. In years past we have had Brother Smith and Brother Jerry Anders as our guests. This year that was impossible. Our new Regional and District overseers, Brother Jared and Brother Horton, both were to busy to come this year. So anyway Pappaw said, "why don't we invite that Cox guy you know that youth guy to come be our guest this year." So Pappaw called Tim up and he's coming. Pappaw never can remember Tim's name it's usually pretty funny. Last Sunday I came out of SS class to find some good friends of ours had come in! The Sandys have been good friends of ours for years. We all used to go to Kenbridge church before all the mess that happened over there. After that big split most of us came over and joined Farmville. Tha cogop overseer gave Bro. Sandy a church to pastor so he went to the coast. After what happened in the cogop assembly they resigned their church. Now they're "looking." I hope they come on over! They have two kids Tonya and T.J. Tonya is two weeks younger than me and T.J. is between Daniel and Micah in age. I think they might be coming to the banquet tomorrow. I hope they do! Next Sunday we are going to have our program and open gifts. The kids have been working really hard. They look so cute in their costumes! I can't wait till it's over though! Too much pressure! Anyway I heard from Pappaw who heard from Brother Jared that we might be using the cogop campground for camp this year! It would be really great if we could! The cogop camp has an indoor gym! Basketball here I come! Not for a while yet. :-) My EMT neighbor has strictly prohibited me from overdoing it! Oh well. :-( I'll be completely better soon! Then watch out guys your competition is back! I've actually not been playing very well lately but I'm going to practice as soon as I can. Oh wow can you believe it I'm rambling again. I guess that's the sign I need to stop! Wait a second there was something I threatened to post. Nahhhhh I'm not going to. (Scared you didn't I!) G'bye!

Nee How Ma!!!!

Hey everybody I'm on my blog on our computer! We are still having a little trouble with it but at least I can get caught up with everyone. Ok It's been quite a while so I guess this should be a long post. (You got it I am going into talk mode and if you know me you know that means I can talk for hours and hours to anyone including people I hardly know just as long as I feel like they really want to hear what I have to say but in writing I can talk for hours and hours whether anyone really wants to hear what I have to say or not!!!!) (How's that for a super long run-on sentence?) Ha! So anyway just to let you know "Nee How Ma" is mandarin Chinese for "Hello How are You." Ok first subject. Thanksgiving! Pull out the turkey and dressing don't forget the cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie; it's Thanksgiving!!! Or rather it's over a week past Thanksgiving. :-) We went to Aunt Darlene and Uncle Ted's house house for Thanksgiving this year. All of my Aunts on my Dad's side of the family were there. My Mammom and Pappaw decided not to come this year because it was really rainy and it's a two-and-a-half hour drive from here to there. I think they would have enjoyed it. Eleven of the fourteen grandkids were there. After dinner,you know the drill, we pulled out the Rook cards. Baldwin rule #1. Always, always, play Rook whenever the family gets together. It's not really a rule, it's actually more of a tradition. We played several hands of Rook, I was always on the losing team. I havn't figured out why yet. Hmmmmmmmm. Oh well, we all had a lot of fun. After we got tired of Rook we decided to play spoons. It was fun. We never actually finished that game because a couple of Brent's friends came over to meet his family. :-) They were nice kids. It was getting later by that time so we decided to head home. That weekend Micah's friend Arthur came over to visit. He likes coming to our church. I had to teach children's church that morning. I was also asked, at the last minute, to be in charge of the Christmas play this year. So we spent part of CC going over songs and assigning parts. We are just doing a little nativity this year. Next year maybe something bigger. Monday and Tuesday we did our regular school. Then Wednesday we did something different. The boys had been raking an older lady's yard for her and then Wednesday they did Mammom and Pappaw's yard. So Mom, Beth, and I went into house cleaning mode. Why not? The house really needed it. Then Thursday we tackled our yard and did more work on the house. I cleaned all the cupboards. (Why do they make cupboards with all those little creases and things? They make them really hard to clean!) Friday I went to Mammom's and helped her clean the house. Pappaw was trying to glue the head back on this little duck and he kept asking, "Why isn't this glue sticking?" So someone looks over and says, " No wonder it isn't sticking that's neosporine Brother Baldwin!" It was pretty funny Mammom and I just laughed and laughed. At about 2:15 or thereabouts Momma picked me up and took me to piano lessons. I got stars on every piece! Yeah! Then when Beth finished her lesson she picked us up and dropped me off at Mammom's before going home. When I got back it was time to help her decorate her yard. It was really warm and I couldn't help but think that last year we had been all bundled up and still were cold. This year I was wearing short sleeves and sweating! Weird wheather. It's usually pretty chilly by this time. It's so warm outside that I'm having a hard time realizing that it's already December! Anyway we finished most of the outside and started on the inside before I left to come home. Then I went back over this morning and couldn't believe my eyes. The carpets were a mess! Mammom had decided to make a new wreath and dropped things all over the floor. I had to do a lot of my "first works over again." Today I got upstairs and started cleaning up there. There really wasn't much I could do upstairs untill we finish decorating and put the boxes away but I did what I could. We also switched all of her rugs today. And started a little of the inside decorating. We quit early because Mammom and Pappaw had to go somewhere tonight. Anyway I'm pretty much caught up now and tired of typing! ( talking is much easier than typing!) Someday I think I'll have a VLB service relating cleaning house to the Christian life. Anyway that's it I'm done! Good night!