Christmas Eve and Christmas Day

Andy, Stephanie, Michael, Kyleigh, and Gabriella went with us to Candlelight Service on Christmas Eve at Cornerstone Bible Fellowship in Winfield, KS. It was a nice service and the church was packed. Afterwards we ate chicken and noodles over mashed potatoes -- good comfort food on a cold night!

Christmas morning we discovered Santa had come and left gifts for the children. They must have been good after all!

Michael, Kyleigh and Gabriella

A big family breakfast followed with Grandparents Rick and Leann Schwilling, and Ella's Aunt Amy and Uncle Rich and all the cousins. What a feast!

More gift giving....

Kyleigh, Michael and Grandpa

Ella, Andy and Steph trying to assemble Ella's new train

Rick admiring his new Royals cap, with Stephanie and Andy

Rachel loves her new coat

Haley has a new bracelet making kit

Kyleigh got a jogging outfit

Lord, we are so blessed!

The Christmas day feast was so delicious! Stephanie made her famous spareribs, Amy made meatballs, Andy made beer butt chicken on the grill,  and then all the sides like potato casserole, green beans sauteed, and green bean casserole, rice, and hot rolls. The rest of the day we just rested and enjoyed the games and company.

Day 5 & 6: Are we going to dash through the snow?

Wichita area got about 3 inches of snow last night, on top of the ice that was already on the ground. Some areas got as much as 13 inches to the west of us. High today is 25, so not much melting until tomorrow. The main roads will be plowed and salt/sanded, so very passable by midday; the side roads will be the issue getting to the interstates and main highways.

Stephanie's Rav4 we are borrowing, sitting in Michelle's driveway

 After testing out the roads, we decide to head to Winfield and pick up Gabriella so she can come back and spend the night with us at Michelle's.

Sunday afternoon is Jarric's birthday party at his parents house. Ronita fixed taco soup and we all gathered to celebrate.

Sitting around the kitchen table: Jeff Presnell, Johnnie and Jenny with two of Jarric's younger brothers

Jathan and Gabriella building a house

Monday morning is the portrait session with us and Ronnie and Gabriella. We were hoping to get a good photo with the two grandchildren and grandparents but Ronnie was not having any of it. He yelled and wouldn't let anyone hold him except his mom (Michelle).  We got some cute photos of us with Gabriella, and finally took one pic of Ronnie with Michelle holding him, and another with Ronnie crying. That one we will save until his 18th birthday to give him!

Monday night Michelle let Ronnie open one of his packages. He loves it!

Ronnie's new electric four wheeler

Day 4: It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Sleeping in, waking up slowly, sipping our coffee sitting around in our jammies .... life is good!

We are still on west coast time, but quickly adjusting to central time. The plan for the day is a bit of Christmas shopping and then a party tonight.

Johnnie headed off in one direction to take the oldest grandchildren to Cabelas for shopping -- where else?

Michelle and I head off to the Weight Watchers weigh-in (no gain -- yea!), then to get a bite to eat, and to Target. Found some presents and consider it a day of good shopping. Ronnie is tired and whining, and its time to head home for a nap. Uh oh, it is starting to sleet and the windshield is freezing up.....

Getting home we realize the promised storm is on the way. All the family is supposed to gather at Connie's house tonight and it is looking like bad weather. Talking with Stephanie who lives south in Winfield and works in Ponca City, Oklahoma, she drove on icey roads to work this morning. It took her two hours to get there. My daughter is so dedicated to her job!

Beginnings of the storm

As the day progresses, it is rapidly getting worse. Sleet and frozen rain, turning to snow. Unfortunately we have to cancel the party tonight because it is not safe to have our family on the road. (-:

Pink roads are ice packed roads

Connie sent a basket of Christmas goodies to enjoy. So we are staying in tonight, and staying warm. Hopefully, we can reschedule the family party to next weekend, and if the roads get plowed and salted tomorrow, we'll make the drive south to see Stephanie and family.

Day 3: Valley Center, Old Town and surrounds

A relaxing sleep, after a grueling 36 hrs. of travel, we are glad to be here! Spent a relaxing day shopping with my daughter and going out to lunch at the Old Mill Tasty Shop.

This is a venue that was the original malt shop in downtown that was reopened several years ago. They make awesome shakes and malts, and a to-die-for Green Chili Soup.

After lunch we did a little shopping and I bought some new clothes. Coldwater Creek has everything 50% off and it was calling my name.

Then, the best part of the day, massages! I needed a massage after all the weird sleeping on the airplanes. The shop is called Serenity and it was excellent.

 

 

 

This is me, looking happy and relaxed!

http://www.serenitymindbody.com/pages/healing-massage

To finish out a fine day we headed home and ate a delicious bowl of ham and bean soup, cornbread and brussel sprouts. My daughter is a good cook!

Ronnie Wayne slept in my arms last night. He is such a sweet boy. Nona is a happy grandma!

And you thought the Griswold's had a crazy Christmas vacation....

And we are off! Suitcases stuffed to brimming, boarding passes ready, shuttle on the way! This is the beginning of our 2013 Christmas. All of our family Christmases have their stories and adventures, so we are sure this one will as well.

Our flight plan takes us from Seattle to Denver, change planes in a mad 50 min. dash from one gate to another, and then the final flight to Wichita.

We plan to spend most of our time in the Wichita area with our family spread throughout Wichita proper and the surrounding smaller communities of Valley Center, Maize, Haysville, and Winfield. If time permits we'll look up some friends in Rose Hill, Peck and Mulvane.

The Day 1 and 2 reality check

Got to SEATAC in plenty of time Wed. afternoon, breezed through Security and got to the gate. Plane loaded and then we sat, and sat, and sat. A problem with a light on the flight control deck having to do with the landing gear. Pretty important piece! So we finally pulled away from the gate and started to taxi and the light came on again. Back to the gate. Another hour of waiting and they finally declared it a cancelled flight. Mad dash to the ticket counter to rebook, only I was in a wheel chair and no one came to get me. Johnnie finally pushed me himself. Wait in line an hour; we were the LAST people to get rebooked.

Hotel overnight (at United's expense) then a 7am flight Thursday morning
Delayed for that flight as well with another computer problem but at last we made it!

Denver airport hanging out

The next available flight to Wichita is at 1:08pm and it is full; we are on standby for it but confirmed for the 5:55p flight.  Lo and behold some no-shows for the 1pm flight, so we are on! Well, maybe not. At the last minute we got pulled off because the no-shows showed up. Sigh!

Now we are sitting it out in the Mexican cantina trying to keep up our spirits

Denver Mexican Cantina Concourse B

 And the rest of the story....made the 5:55pm flight, arrived Wichita 8:15pm. Our daughter picked us up and we are happily and cozily tucked in at her house.

Praise the Lord!


Footnote: For many years, whenever our family gets together around Christmas, we always have to watch the movie National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989). It reminds us of so many of our own adventures from the past.  If you haven't seen this movie, it's a good laugh!

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation trailer