C–is for Corn Flakes Candy, Cantata and Christmas

Mixed up some Corn Flakes Candy this afternoon.  So simple!

Combine 1 cup corn syrup and 1 cup brown sugar in a 3-quart saucepan.  Cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture bubbles.  Remove from heat.  Stir in 1 cup peanut butter and 6 cups corn flakes until well coated.  Drop by teaspoons on waxed paper.  Or, press into well-buttered 9 x 13 pan and cool until firm before cutting.

I usually make some for Christmas, but we had plenty of other sweets around, so didn't this time.

Christmas–that's my second favorite holiday (after Easter).

In a way, Christmas always begins in October for me, as that is when rehearsals for the community Christmas cantata begin.  I’ve missed a few years, maybe more than a few, but have usually sung in it over the past thirty-eight years!  I had an uncle who taught music here one year in the early 1960s, and apparently he was instrumental in getting the annual event started.  What a joy it is to sing about the birth of Jesus, the real meaning of Christmas!

Our traditional Christmas Eve soup and gifts with Benny’s side of the family was at his sister’s, just up the road.

Usually we go to a Christmas Eve candlelight service, but since Christmas was on Sunday, the Lutheran church (which we attended until a few years ago) had a Julotta (Christmas, just before dawn) candlelight service we went to instead.  Then we went to our Berean church's Christmas Day service.  Had a non-tradtional Christmas Day dinner here of crockpot BBQ pork ribs, followed by a relaxing day of nothing in particular.

Midweek my side of the family gathered for our WWW Christmas, always fun and filled with laughter, food, games (always Nerts), gifts, traditions and memories.

This would be our three (so far) grandkids!

Some of the immediate family was able to stay the entire week. Then we celebrated Christmas again with all the immediate family on New Year's Day!

Blessed, blessed, blessed!

Trunk or Treat

Have done trunk or treat at our church's fall fest for three years now.

2014

That's Brittany helping out.

2015
"It's a zoo in here! How many of the creatures God made can you find?"

There's a mirror at the back so they can count themselves as made by God too.

2016

"Don't be an Angry Bird"

Bible verses about anger and forgiveness.

Spring Hodge-Podge

It was fun to see these colorful train engines one day.

A pastor from Papua New Guinea visited our area. M, B, and our pastor showed him around. He enjoyed seeing a Kansas farm first-hand.

Pastor C takes a break!
This is taken at Alcove Springs, a stop along the Oregon Trail.
They also took him to the dairy where T used to work, checked out the calves, and helped with the milking!

Then it was back to our place for kite flying and our first picnic of the year!
Another Spring day in April the director of a day care in a nearby town asked M to come over and fly kites with the kids. Good thing B, B's sister K, and I went along to help. They've mostly gone back inside now, but there were bunches of kids who tried their hands at flying kites!

We celebrated Easter at K and A's, their first time hosting family for a holiday. They did a fine job!

A trunk back of the van full of Spring!

Sarah Circle handed out the pansies after church for May Day gifts.

Yes, though it took its sweet time getting here, Spring has sprung!

November Mystery Tour

Last Fall our pastor invited anyone who wanted, to go along on a "Mystery Trip". Only two of us took her up on it, and had a nice, relaxing day as she drove us to Omaha.

Our main destination turned out to be Lauritzen Gardens. Beautiful!
This miniature weeping fig is only 35 years old. They had a miniature lacebark elm that was closer to 75.
I absolutely loved this Mexican Bush Sage. It looks and feels like velvet!
(Easier to tell if you enlarge the photo.)
They had a model railroad track built through part of the area. Would have been fun to see it running.
One of many rose bushes.Purple Hyacinth Bean
An Armillary Sphere. Looks like it was almost 1:00.
Crabapple
More Mexican Bush Sage
All that walking made us hungry. Pastor C. took us to one of her favorite places to eat, Bob Monkey's Noodle Zoo.
Szechuan Noodles--"A spicy grill of chicken, carrots, snow peas, sweet pepper and onion served over Linguini with spinach and tomatoes." In other words... YUM!
After lunch, we spent time shopping/wandering around some fun shops in old downtown Omaha.
I'll close with some "Advice From a Squirrel," taken from a t-shirt made by Your True Nature.
-Look both ways when you cross the road
-Plan ahead
-Stay active
-Eat plenty of fiber
-Spend time in the woods
-Go out on a limb
-It’s OK to be a little nuts!

Summer Summary-August

Worlds of Fun

When we bought the tickets ahead of time, who knew it would be the most miserably hot day of the summer? But we still had fun from opening to closing!
Anyone recognize this full row of feet?

Relay For Life

Relay always includes some interesting games.

Mini Maker Faire

Inside a wooden submarine that had really been used!
My husband, oldest brother, and son
It's a marshmallow gun!It works!
Yummy chicken/spinach/walnut/strawberry salad
Niece L. and her family
This demonstration was for explaining the idea of a space elevator.
Don't ask me!
Free Meals
We also continued helping our church fix and serve two free meals each summer month. (once a month the rest of the year) One time we gave a "learn to make a pie" session beforehand, and somehow I was drafted as "master pie maker" and got to lead it. This pie is actually one I made in September. Oh, and when I entered one in a contest in September, it did Not win any prize!