The Best Ever Christmas Pageant

We started the tradition of the Christmas Nativity Pageant being performed on Christmas Eve almost from the first Christmas that Troy could walk. It’s carried on year after year---even our teenagers participated in our make-shift costumes. Lisa and David blessed us with a grandchild in time to over-lap the last of our children still living at home. So the tradition continued each year without missing a beat. The grandchildren that live in Knoxville now total 13, so we have a most marvelous pageant. I even made some costumes and bought a couple of things to use as costumes, so it’s a more profession-looking cast than when our own children were little. Here’s a look back at pageants past and present.

1972 - Lisa, Julie, Troy

1975 - Troy, Julie, and Lisa

1977 - Troy, Julie, Brad as Baby Jesus, Joel, and Lisa

1987 - Lori & Brad; Russ, the donkey

1998 - Allie & Trey; Russ, the donkey


1999


2002

2003

2004

2004 - New Wisemen costumes were made - Ta Da!

2005 - Grammy narrates from "When Joy Came"

2006

2006 - Jared & Sydney as Jospeh & Mary

2006 ~Troy, Carter, Tanner ~ Wisemen

2007 ~ Angels Emma, Sydney & Claire

2007 ~ Angel Emma approaches the shepherds

2007 ~ Shepherds Conner, Josh, & Tanner

2008 ~ Angel Claire

2008 Angel Lydia

2009 ~ Claire is Mary and Connor is Jospeh (same ugly doll is Baby Jesus)

2009 ~ Allen is donkey for Claire (Mary) & Connor (Jospeh)

2009 - End of Pageant performance

2009 ~ The cast and Grammy & Grandpa

What 70 looks like.............

My sister turned 70, and my sister, Kathy and I are in our 60’s, but who cares, since we’re all about 25 at heart. Russ and I traveled across the country to Seattle, WA to surprise my sister, Tamara, for her 70th birthday. Kathy planned the surprise and coaxed us there. It was a wonderful week. I think “70” looks pretty good! Kathy’s daughter, Kammy, presented Tamara with a special book of tributes, and yes, there are 70 candles on that cake. Now we're home and sugarplums aren't dancing in our heads, but visions of the beautiful Northwest. We love you, Seattle. Happy 70th, Tamara!

Kathy, Tamara, Sharlene

Attending the Nutcracker Ballet in downtown Seattle

Tamara and Kammy's daughter, DeLaney

Book put together by Kammy for Tam's 70th b-day

First snow...........last snow?

I admit, Lori’s latest post inspired me to do this one. For those who have read my personal history, you know that I love, love, love SNOW. I grew up where snow was plentiful. Then we lived in snow-deprived California for 14 years. Finally, moving back to Tennessee meant we could enjoy snow again. But as of late, the snow that sweeps the rest of the country seems to skip right over Knoxville, TN. That’s why we were all beside ourselves when we actually got snow on December 5. Doesn’t matter that it melted by late afternoon. We saw it falling from the sky, we played in it, and some tiny snowmen still stand in the neighborhood. We're keeping our fingers crossed that the snow will come again before spring. Here’s a look back to the kind of snow we used to get in the good ole days here in good ole Knoxville:

Brad, Lori, and Joel -they built this snowfort in 1985

The winter of 1993

Notice in the above picture the car beside the van is totally covered with snow.

The above picture is of our deck.

January of 1996 - Snowmen built late one night by Sharlene, Russ, and Lori

Opps! This was in Alaska in June of 2001--Margerie Glacier

Our mighty "snow" of February 2006

This actually looks like more snow than it was: March, 2008

Ahh! Beatiful snow of December 5, 2009 ~ Welcome snow, welcome!