NEW YEAR'S EVE PARTY ANIMALS

This year we decided to celebrate New Year's Eve at home. We made a popcorn snack called "Poppycock Candy Corn" using the new Whirley Pop we received as a Christmas gift. Then we inserted a rented movie into our DVD player and spent the evening watching the movie and eating popcorn.

.

Debra, adorned in the new apron she received for Christmas, studies the Whirley Pop recipe book, selects Poppycock Candy Corn and sets out the required ingredients.

.

.

Five tablespoons of vegetable oil.

.

Popcorn, vegetable oil, sugar, and vanilla extract are placed in the Whirley Pop before placing it on the stove.

.

.

Cranking the handle prevents the Poppycock Candy Corn from burning and sticking to the bottom of the pan.

.

.
I pour the recently popped snack onto a baking sheet while Debra adds chopped walnuts to the mix.

.

Debra finishes sprinkling nuts over the snack.

.

.

The finished product.

.

Party animals partying on New Year's Eve.

.

CHRISTMAS MUSIC VIDEO

This Christmas we acknowledged our spread-all-around-the-world grandchildren in different ways.

Since we were going to be out of town on Christmas day, we exchanged gifts with Baylee, Rylie and Makiah at their house on the fifth day before Christmas.

Since Daisy, Ally and Neo live about 30 hours away, we sent them gifts in a big LBC box that Bethany routinely ships to the Philippines.

We got to see Silas, Devon and Naomi in person on Christmas day at their house.

Since we couldn't see Hunter on Christmas day, we sent him a personalized Christmas music video. To view it, click here.

.

.

CHRISTMAS FOR NINE

This year's Christmas crowd included (back row): Debra, Bethany, Ashley, Tim, Naomi, (front row): Silas, Lucille, Devon and me.

Devon, Naomi and Silas tear into their gifts.

Devon watches Silas open a gift.

Debra holds up a Dutch Brothers gift card and a Dutch Brothers window sticker from the Moffits.

Silas received a Toby Mac armband from Aunt Tracy, who recently saw Toby Mac in concert.

Silas laughs hysterically when Naomi opens a gift which was identical to one she had already received from someone else.

Tim receives an electric hammer with a 9-foot power cord.

Tim proudly shows off his brand new electric tool.

Tim closely examines his gift.

Debra receives a custom-made apron.

Debra shows her new apron to Lucille.

Naomi's opinion of her new Sit-and-Spin is reflected in the expression on her face.

THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS

We made the five-hour trip from the house on Hybiscus to Beaverton today and spent Christmas Eve with the Weathersbys and with Granny (Bethany's maternal grandmother).

Granny, Debra, Naomi and Ashley occupy the couch.

Tim takes a photo of the occupiers of the couch.

Ashley reads to Devon.

Smiles from the couch.

Nana and Naomi snuggle.

Bethany and Devon agreed to pose with silly faces, then Devon changed his mind at the last minute as a joke to his mom.

See no evil. Hear no evil. Speak no evil.

Nana plays Mancala with Silas while Devon drags out his toys.

Papa watches a movie, The Very First Noel, while rocking Devon and Naomi.

THE FIFTH DAY BEFORE CHRISTMAS

Since we won't be spending Christmas with the Vallos this year, we headed over to their house tonight to exchange gifts and to wish everyone a Merry Christmas.

Baylee opens an "American Girl" gift while Debra, Josie, Makiah and Rylie watch.

Rylie opens a Barbie kit while Gordon, Ashley, Makiah, Baylee and Josie watch.




Makiah gets ready to open her gift.

Baylee shows her American Girl journal to Nana.

Rylie checks out her Barbie kit.

Makiah gets her very own backpack.

Rylie and Baylee play with a dress-up-Barbie card game.

Rylie and Baylee include Nana in the card game.

Baylee, Nana and Rylie check out how Barbie is dressed by holding the transparent cards up to the light.

Rylie made a wall hanging for us.

Baylee wastes no time writing in her new American Girl journal.

Rylie continues to enjoy her gift.

Makiah proudly shows off her backpack.

Rylie smiles for the camera.

As does Makiah.

Makiah shares a new toy with Nana while Baylee and Ashley look on.

Josie and Ashley check out Rylie's Barbie cards.

Gordon suggests that Makiah give him her new backpack and that suggestion does not make Makiah smile.

CHRISTMAS PARTY WITH THE OLD FOLKS

Tonight Debra and I attended the annual Christmas party for some of the people within our church who are enjoying the second half of their first century of life: The over-50 crowd. Debra's mom, Dee, joined us for the event.

The twenty-seven of us attending started with a delicious potluck meal, including desserts. Once everyone's palates were happy and everyone's stomachs were adequately stretched beyond the comfort zone, Vi stepped to the keyboard and led us in singing some seasonal celebratory songs.

After the crowd finished singing, it was my turn to step up to the plate and lead in an intense and competitive game of "Name That Silent Night Tune". The elderly among us were required to reach way, way back into their memory banks and recall some tunes, mostly from the 1950's, which had been rewritten for this occasion using the lyrics to "Silent Night".

After I shared some thoughts, mostly from the Bible, about seven things I have been given, we all grabbed the Christmas gifts we brought with us, placed them all on the floor, circled them with chairs, and began our white elephant gift exchange. After we drew numbers, each of us stood up from our chairs in numerical order and chose either to take a new gift from the floor or to take a gift (steal a gift) from someone who had already selected one. The rule was that once a gift was stolen it then became frozen and could no longer be stolen by anyone else.

Finally, we folded all the tables and chairs, put them away, and went home.

Debra and Dee work their way through the potluck food line.

From the keyboard beside the Christmas tree, Vi leads us in some Christmas songs.

I explain the rules to "Name That Silent Night Tune".

And the game begins.

Debra and Dee draw numbers from Vi as the white elephant gifts on the floor wait to be snatched.

Dee draws the number "1" and opens a gift bag only to discover a pair of goggles in which the lenses are missing.

My contribution to the pile of gifts was a Chia Obama, a clay planter in the shape of Obama's head, including seeds which sprout into a green Afro hair style within ten days. Sean selected the gift and his wife, Gloria, was among the amused viewers.

Sharon selects a video "Jeopardy" game as her husband, Dick, and my wife, Debra, look on. As the evening progressed, I eventually stole Sharon's gift and took it home.

Sharon captures Debra's laughter on camera.