Christmas 2015

Christmas 2015 was awesome.  On Christmas Eve, Ron worked until noon, and then we headed to Overland Park for a couple of days.  We dropped off our gifts at the Todds (they were in Lexington at Chad's family's Christmas) and then went to Cinetopia for a movie, The Big Short, and dining while watching the movie - a Christmas gift from the kids from 2014.  Our food was delicious, and it was fun combining eating and the movie.

Shortly after we returned to the Todds after the movie, they arrived back home.  After a little visiting, the kids put out the cookies and milk for Santa and the reindeer food on the lawn out front before putting on their Christmas jambes and having Daddy read them Twas the Night Before Christmas.

Peyton woke up very early, 4:50 a.m., but she was encouraged to watch TV from Mommy and Daddy's bed until Garrison woke up around 6:15 a.m. - then the excitement began.  It was such a blessing to be there when the kids found their Santa gifts and opened all their presents.

Amanda and Garrison had made us cherry coffee cake for breakfast which was yummy.  We spent the morning playing with their new toys with them, etc. and then had a delicious lunch that Amanda made for us - using one of Grandma Mintun's bowls along with the fancy china and crystal on the table - everything was beautiful and delicious.

Shortly after lunch, the kids were ready for a nap, so we came back to Clinton.  We stopped by the cemetery and then rested for a bit.

We were so grateful to have Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with Amanda, Chad, Peyton, Garrison and Apollo in Overland Park.  We are so very blessed.   Making family memories is special.

Merry Christmas Mom and Daddy - Hope you Enjoy Christmas in Heaven Together this year - 2015

As usual, Christmastime is filled with joy and happiness - as it should be as we celebrate the birth of Jesus, our Savior.

But this Christmas, my heart is sad as well - it is the first Christmas without Mom here with us.  She joined Daddy in Heaven on March 29, 2015 - she had missed him so much.

I have so many wonderful memories of Christmases past.  When Mark and I were kids, we would be so anxious to see what Santa Claus had brought, we could hardly sleep and always woke up very, very early!  We had fun opening our gifts first thing - I remember the smiles on Mom and Daddy's faces as well.  Our early years, we would go to Grandma and Grandpa Whitchurch's house for Christmas lunch - sometimes with uncles, aunts and cousins, sometimes just us.

After Mark and I were both married, we would all be at home for Christmas Eve to spend the night and for Christmas Day.  Mark and Mary always lived out of town but made it home - sometimes in several inches of snow and ice!  We would make egg nog - string popcorn and cranberries for the tree - open gifts - have great food - party mix and fudge - and enjoy being together.

After Amanda was born, everyone came to our house for Christmas morning - usually Mark and Mary spent the night with us, and then Grandpa and Grandma would come over as soon as Amanda woke up (not soon enough for Grandpa).  Sometimes Mark and Mary would come in very late after being at Mary's family's celebrate or just getting to town late, and one time they woke us up when they arrived at our house and scared me to death - almost literally!  I screamed and screamed - and then they were scared too!  We would always open our gifts and then have a tasty Christmas breakfast of egg casserole, breads, etc.  Then we would go to Mom and Daddy's for the rest of the day of Christmas - fun, fun.

Once Joe and Tom came along, we had the same routine - they spent the night with us sometimes along with their parents, then the grandparents came over as soon as the kids were up and ready for gift opening.  We always had a birthday cake for Jesus and peanut butter balls - a "kid" favorite.

Mark and Mary were so good to get here every year - even though they lived several years in Iowa which was 5 hours away in good weather, and they had to travel in snow and ice many years.  Mom and Daddy were so happy they always came for Christmas (and many other times throughout the year too).

After Amanda and Chad were married, he was welcomed into the family and our Christmas traditions as well.  We loved having him here too!  Then came Peyton and Garrison - Daddy was still alive to have Christmas with Peyton two years but was in Heaven already when Garrison came along.  Mom enjoyed Christmas with both of them through 2014.

My head tells me that I should be happy that Mom and Daddy are in their eternal home where there is no pain, and that they are together and with Jesus this year.  My heart tells me I miss them terribly.  I feel so blessed to have had my parents for so many years - I was almost 60 when Mom was called home.  Some people are not so fortunate.  I am thankful for the wonderful memories I have and for all that my parents taught me.  They taught me there is nothing more important than God and family - I learned from the best Mom and Grandma ever how to love my family.

Thanks Mom for teaching me to ride a bike - how to drive - how to jump rope - how to cook - how to sew - how to make noodles - how to save - how to have a good work ethic.  Thanks for insisting I learn to play the piano, even when I didn't want to - at all!  Thanks for being the best Mom ever.  Thanks for being the best Grandma ever,  Thanks for helping us so much with Amanda - for picking her up at school - for taking her to piano lessons - for staying with her while she was sick - for teaching her to skate - for waiting for her after ball practice numerous times, etc.  Thanks for being the best cheerleader and supporter for ALL of us.  You were the best great-grandmother ever - Peyton and Garrison have so many fond memories of "Grammaw" and talk about you - a lot - every time we are with them.  Peyton loves talking about her Grammaw memories.  I am so grateful that you had some time with them - playing with them - going to the zoo with them - taking them to McDonald's - going to Peyton's pre-school graduation - it was so much fun watching you love them and them love you.

I've shed more than a few tears over the past few months without you Mom.  There is a big hole in my life - I miss you so very much every single day.  I pick up the phone to call and tell you something.  When I get to Amanda's, I grab my cell phone to call to tell you I arrived safely.  I just want to talk to you.  I smiled when Derek Hough won Dancing with the Stars again - you would have loved it - I enjoyed so much our Monday night sleepovers for 4 years watching Dancing with the Stars.  It's hard to fix dinner for just Ron and me - we loved having dinner with you every night for 4 years at your house.

I have so many cherished memories - thank you for being the best Mom ever.  Thank you for holding on until we returned from our vacation so we could have your last 8 days here on earth together.  I know you did that for me - I'm forever grateful.

Amanda and Chad have invited us to spend Christmas with them and the kids this year - making new memories and starting new traditions - we are hopeful it will lessen the hurt of not having you with us Mom - to do something different.  It won't make us miss you any less, but maybe it will be helpful to be in new surroundings.  You'll always be a part of our Christmases and our every days.

There is so much more I could say, but mostly, I want you to know Mom and Daddy, I love you now as much as I ever loved you - so very much.  I miss you both.

Love,

Peggy

Mintun/Arthur/Todd Thanksmas - Annual Christmas Outing with Amanda - Kids Visit

Since my last post, we've been busy!  Amanda and I spent the day together for our annual Christmas lunch/shopping outing.  We had lunch at Houlihans - delicious soup and sandwich and had fun shopping.

On Friday evening, Amanda/family arrived found that Santa had come early to 1009 Trevino and left stockings full of surprises!  We also let the kids open one present under the tree from Grammy and Grandpa.  Saturday morning, the kids had a couple more packages under the tree along with a package or two for the parents (the remainder will travel to Overland Park on Christmas Day).  Peyton received a bubble gum making kit - she and her momma had a good time making tasty bubblegum!  Garrison enjoyed his toys and boots - Peyton liked her boots too.  Peyton played us some Christmas carols on the piano which warmed my heart.

Before the rest of the family arrived for Mintun/Arthur/Todd Thanksmas (a combination of Thanksgiving and Christmas), Peyton and Garrison enjoyed fixing place cards for the table, decorating them with stamps and stickers.  Peyton chose where everyone would sit and put them around.  Peyton also was very helpful fixing the summer sausage and cheese tray.

The kids and I also baked and decorated Jesus' birthday cake - a tradition begun by Grandma Mintun many years ago.

Mark and Mary, Joe and Tom arrived around noon to begin our fun day.  The table was a mixture of Thanksgiving and Christmas with the Thanksgiving family tablecloth with signatures embroidered on it from several years past - so thankful to have Mom and Daddy's signatures on the tablecloth - Mary has always done a lovely job doing the embroidery every year!  We chowed down on prime rib, honeymoon potatoes (making them for 37 years now), Joe's strawberry pretzel salad, Amanda's and Mary's ramen noodle broccoli slaw, green beans and homemade rolls along with homemade ice cream and toppings and Jesus' birthday cake (which was very much like baby Mark's favorite chocolate sheet cake).  We had fun visiting and then playing a game of unwrapping the ball of gifts with Nicole being the big winner, then a couple of trivia games involving Christmas questions.  Joe and the little people had a nap.  I guess they were the 3 youngest - not sure if Nicole is a few months younger or older than Joe?????  Before everyone but the little people went home, we enjoyed some snack type foods of cheese ball, spinach dip, summer sausage and cheese, sweets, etc.  All-in-all, a very enjoyable, fun day.  We missed Mom terribly, but she had taught us that family is so important, and we love her for that and more.  She is celebrating in Heaven this year and watching over us from there.  We had her traditional peanut butter balls and fudge (not quite as good as hers).  Love you Mom!

We were lucky enough to have Peyton and Garrison stay for a couple more days/nights!  They had fun taking a bath with the jets on in the tub.  On Sunday morning, we went to church for red sweater Sunday.  The church was decorated beautifully, and most had on "red" which made it even more beautiful.  The youth had a bake sale before church, and the kids enjoyed choosing items to "buy"(free will offering).  We had leftovers from Saturday for lunch before Garrison took a nap and Peyton and Grandpa played cards.  Then we all went to the movie theatre to see Alvin and the Chipmunks:  Road Chip.  I'll be honest - we were going for the kids to enjoy, however, we ended up liking it as well - funny and a good story.  After the movie, we ran by McDonald's for the kids to get a bite to eat while we rode around and looked at lights.  Peyton informed us it was the 4th time they had been to see lights!  ha ha  We watched Frosty the Snowman on TV when we got home and then to bed.

On Monday, it was craft day!  Peyton and Garrison loved making a gift to take to their parents - picture frames with cotton balls and fun pom pons glued on them  and a ribbon to hang it by with their pictures in them.  Then we made our annual rice krispy treat  wreath for them to take home to Mommy and Daddy.  They wanted octopus hotdogs for lunch, so that is what we had!  Peyton helped cut their legs and put them in the boiling water.  After lunch, we attempted a nap for Garrison, which didn't work out, and Peyton and Grandpa played some more cards while I rocked him.  We rented a movie from Redbox (Barbie something).  We took the movie back as we were leaving town to return them to OP.  I wanted a sweet tea from McDonald's, so suddenly, they were hungry again!  ha ha  They both got french fries - and they ate over half of them!  I guess they were hungry.  They had both eaten a good lunch.  On the ride home, Peyton played with the iPad and Garrison played with my phone.  Then Peyton had the phone and was talking to Sirey about this and that.  It was cute and funny.

They were happy to see their Mommy when we got to Overland Park - and Mommy was happy to see them!  The elves on the shelf (Tinkerbell and Cookie) were on the kitchen counter with "4 More Days" spelled out with Christmas M&M's - they were tickled.

We headed home with a stop at Burger King for fine dining.  The house is so quiet now - anxious for them to return over New Years.

A very busy and fulfilling week - love of family and love of Jesus - the Christ Child.  We are certainly blessed.