The Ice Cream Grandma

Sunday, December 14, 2008

Let's decorate - the church AND cookies!

Last night several of us showed up to decorate the church for Christmas. We don't have a Christmas tree, because in the move to our new property, someone (we aren't sure WHO!) broke it! So either it will get fixed for next year, or we'll do without! This year a bunch of us made poinsettias out of felt and we used whatever we could find in storage - and the church looks very festive! Then we decorated sugar cookies that Bethie had baked all Saturday morning. What a creative bunch these gals are! It was fun and a time of good Christian fellowship! And I have no idea why that was underlined! I've got a lot to learn in this blogging business!

If you're wondering why we have coats on, it's because it was COOOOOLD in the church!!

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

There oughta be a law!

Yeah, there oughta be a law against a 10 year old skunking his Mom and Grandma in the game of Split! Cameron made a record tonight, at least a record in our house. His score was 715 minus 140 ( we tried, we TRIED to bring him down to a reasonable score!), so total was 675. That's definitely a record! I won't tell you what Bethie and I got, but it WAS over 200! In spite of Cameron being so astute AND LUCKY!!!, we did have fun playing!

Happy Chicken

As my son in law, Alan says, I don't think this is a Pollo Feliz (Happy chicken!). After all, we're eating it! But it makes us happy! I snapped this picture "just for fun" while Cameron, Dayton and I waited in the car for

Monday Night CRAFT, NOT Monday Night FOOTBALL!

Last Monday night after our prayer time, Linda (on the right) showed us how to decorate tiles. These are sold everywhere here in Mexico and I never realized how much WORK they are to make! But it WAS fun!

Can you believe I made that?? Yep, that's me CRAFT LADY (not really!). I love DOING crafts as long as someone else is showing me how to do it! Gracias, Linda!

We appreciate you

Each year we missionaries in the Bajio (Central Mexico) invite our leaders and their families to a special dinner to say, We appreciate you. This year we traveled to Salamanca to a beautiful party hall that included a large garden area. We enjoyed a luscious meal prepared by one of the couples in Salamanca, our clown was a hit (and not just with the kids!!), and the children enjoyed the three piñatas. It is a lot of work for us, but we do it gladly, being thankful to each of these leaders and their families who have given up a lot to serve the Lord. And they're all doing such a good job!

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Mujeres Privilegiadas

There are a good number of privileged women in our church (that's women who are alone for whatever reason!), but only three of us got together last Friday and visited Vicky and her dad. Vicky and her dad Victor don't get out to church much because it's hard for Victor to get out at age 88, especially by bus, since they don't have a car. We made yarn angels, sang favorites and drank Vicky's delicious Christmas punch.

Ivonne, Vicky, Imelda and Victor

We exchanged gifts - which were all mugs. Vicky gave me a beautiful red flowered one. I gave one to Imelda that was filled with Snickers (my favorite!).

But that's not the END of the story! Saturday evening while Ivonne and I were at the appreciation dinner (that'll be my next blog!), she got a message on her cell saying four ladies were at the literature office waiting for us to go to Vicky's house! They just got the wrong day! Small detail We were in Salamanca (1 1/2 hours away), so couldn't do anything about it! I guess - I hope - these gals will listen more carefully next time a get together is announced!

Don't forget SNACK time!!

Conference wouldn't be conference without SNACK TIME! Our snack table was not only beautiful, it was luscious! As always, one or two persons (me this year!) are in charge of organizing it, and each family brings the goodies - cupcakes, salty snacks, soda pop, juice, fruit plates, veggie plates, cookies, doughnuts, and the all-time favorite CHEESEBALLS with crackers or just cheese of any kind! We also offered coffee, tea and hot chocolate. No one went hungry, that's for sure, and some probably went home with some added pounds!

Fun conference activities

Notice grandson Cameron - fourth from left. He was so excited to be part of the "bells".

Tara (above) and Kendra (below) Smith treated us to really cute poems, complete with a powerpoint! Those two girlies are adorable!

MK choir - again Cameron got in on it - he's there somewhere!

Gingerbread houses

The most unusual "gingerbread house" was done by two young men. It looked kind of like an upside down tent! Yes, very creative - they TOTALLY had fun!

The McManus BEEEUUUTIFUL house! After the picture was taken, Alan added a "Larryboy car" to the roof, which definitely was the finishing touch!

Uncle Art and Aunt Marita worked hard - I thought sure they'd win a prize (a lollipop!!), but instead they just had a ball working together! It was fun watching them!

Bethie and Dayton working hard. Cameron was off with friends building another house, so our house was an Alan-Beth-Beth-Dayton house. And NOOOOO, we did NOT bring it home with us!!

An outstanding fellowship conference

Conference this year was held in Fortin de las Flores, Veracruz and we all enjoyed it so much! Our activities included three messages that we all needed by Randy Pelton, pastor from Pennsylvania, SNACKS, wonderful meals in the hotel dining room, a fun craft where families got together and decorated a gingerbread (well, actually a cardboard!) house, A Cup of Christmas complete with hot chocolate, coffee, a Christmas tree and lots of talent. I'll include pictures of all the activities. But first, you get to SEE us! Everyone but the photographer is included in the picture. You'll find him below.

The Moody grads got together for a quick one. Several folks were on home assignment this year, so we seemed like a very small group. You Moody grads will recognize some of the faces!