Photo taken by Coen's new camera on Christmas nightWe had the norm: Christmas music, shopping, friends, parties, Christmas Eve services, sharing, laughing, worrying about money, baking, movies, candy making, gifts, sharing from our hearts. But one thing we saw repeatedly was the renewing and reconnecting of friendships as well as friends blessing friends.
The season started out with a huge weekend: Catering for 25 on Friday, party at Leah and Teddy Banda's house on Saturday, and then party at Jeff and Melissa Ellis' house on Sunday.
The catering involved many shifts for all. Bringing only part of the food at a time to set up for appetizers, going back for the Marinated Brisket and Chicken Imperiale, veggies, rolls (oh, Jeff, did we have rolls?), salads. Desserts followed with gelato, triple chocolate cake with ganache drizzlings, and pumpkin pie cake. We got to see the familiar faces of a crowd we served last year. Coen and Michael both helped.
The next morning, Saturday, was Bible Quizzing. Coen did well. As a coach of a younger team, I survived my day: I was quite tired from catering prep the week before.
Saturday night at the Banda's, we saw so many folks we had not seen in such a long time! The Halls, Fridleys, and more. I got to meet several of the Giggling Gourmet group that Vic is involved with. Vickie and I stood in the kitchen and giggled until we hurt as we listened to stories from Kathy MacFarlane, Kim Osborne, and Leah. Asthma prevailed all weekend for the two of us!
Leah Banda
Sunday, before the party at Jeff's, we cleaned from our re-org of the house; we put together the office. Coen went and visited a friend at Children's Mercy Hospital, after having her ruptured appendix out; then joined us with Amy Herman. The Crosbys, the Paxtons, the Ellises of course, us and Mindy and Jeff Davis were there with their daughter. Jeff's home was spectacular as always with his 25 foot tree as you enter his living room. Not quite as lively as the year before with all the Honkerbean's employees, but a very enjoyable evening. Amy, Carter and Lindsey all blessed us with piano performances on the Ellis' grand piano. What a treat for Lindsey to play on since she only has her small keyboard to practice on.
The second weekend was filled with the piano recital on Friday night and party at our house afterwards, candy making on Saturday at Vickie's with Leah and Karen Connell Smith, and Christmas celebration with Nana on Sunday evening.
The candy/cookie making involved the kids, Karen let them help her with the mixing of Martha Washington candy...and dunking them in the chocolate. Karen made puppy chow, Martha candy; Leah made Rocky Road fudge, peanut clusters, and snow peaked meringue candy that was left for Vickie to finish and ended up as poop covered mountains (she dipped them the wrong end!); I made messed up toffee which I 'll redo for Valentine's day for all, Bavarian mints, and peppermint cookies. Vickie made peanut butter balls, butterscotch mounds, and oreo truffles. YUMMY!
The funniest part of the day, and mind you, we did have lots of giggles, was when Leah realized her meringue cookies would take an hour to bake knocking my cookies out of the cooking / baking loop. So I froze them and sent in baggies for all to bake and eat warm. Then she realized, since she didn't read the directions thoroughly, that the meringue had to stay in the oven overnight to dry them out!
Girls making Martha Washington cookie batter
Matt and Karen 
The entire kitchen was utilized!The third weekend was shop til you drop at Independence Center with Jordan Vaughan, Will Crosby, and Amy Herman to traipse with Coen; and Vickie, Matt and Jenn, and Caylin with us to see Santa. While in line, we saw neighbors, Lindseys, and customer of Honkerbean's, John Collard and his children. Our day was finished with a meal and movie at our house; Amy joined us.
The Independence Center Info station: Info needed - WHERE's SANTA?
We found him!
Lindsey's request was for a $12 WebKins stuffed animal
because Santa's budget is tight this year.
Joining us: Amy Herman
Two days before Christmas, I made cinnamon rolls, 32 dozen of them! I had sent out an email and a facebook note for folks to pre-order them, and asked them to pick them up that day. It was an all day affair!
The best part of the day was everyone coming by to pick up their rolls and visiting with us! I got to see Jennifer Ramsey, Jama and Jeff Edlund, Josh Paxton, Michele Thompson, Craig Shore, Steve Mallory, David Sander, Tristan Dobnikar and Gerald Janssen.
Cinnamon Roll production: 32 dozen!
David Sander,
waiting for his Pumpkin Pie Cake to finish baking and visiting with Coen
while enjoying a fresh cinnamon roll.
I later was accused on facebook of always favoring David over Coen, since David worked with us with the catering business.
Christmas Eve, we gave Michael the extreme makeover to our living room. The Qualls family blessed with their living room furniture, and we blessed the Sommerkamps with our sleeper sofa. We surprised Michael with the makeover, getting to work immediately after he left for work! Becky had called it Operation Eggnog.
The finished room
The Operation Egg Nog Team:
Becky, Mike, Taylor and Tanner
Mike and Vickie
Rocky
Coen and Lindsey
Cinnamon rolls to those who helped! (Alex and Buck)
Michael's surprise:
What are all of you looking at me with those cheesy grins on your faces?
Finally it sinks in and he thinks he likes it.
He loves it now that he's had time to grasp it all.
That evening we went to the candlelight service at Metro Christian Fellowship. It was led by Greg and Maricia Beel; worship led by Michael Smith on guitar with a team of Nathaniel Worchester on guitar, Amy Herman on piano, and Cody Callow on violin. It was gorgeous music and message. Afterwards, Deb and Kim Callow invited us to their house for tea and cookies where we visited with them, Deb's mom, and Maria Herman.
Michael Smith, led worship
Cody, on violin
Nathaniel played the guitar
Jenn and Amy went to the Callows;
Amy played at the service
Ben, Jenn and Amy's brother, was at the Callows too
Jessica went for hot cocoa and cookies; our first time to meet
After the service, enjoying the new overstuffed, oversized chair!
Taken after the service
Christmas morning, I awoke early enough to make our family, the Crosbys and neighbors cinnamon rolls again! It was the most fun being able to bless my neighbors with sweet breakfast treats!
Lindsey woke earlier than her normal 9 am time for Christmas, getting up about 8. We went to the Crosbys for lunch/supper/the day about 11 a.m. and stayed til 11 p.m.
The gift excitement for Lindsey was a doll house from Santa, an American Girl doll from Nana, 2 sets of FOOD NETWORK cookie cutters from Mimi and Papa, Nintendo DS from Mama and Daddy and DS games from Crosbys and Coen.
For Coen, he got a camera from Mom and Dad, a flannel chocolate brown bedspread/comforter from Mom and Dad, soft "big butt" pants (sleeper pants) with bulldogs on them from Lindsey, super soft lime green blanket from Nana, and gift cards totalling $100 from Mimi and Papa and the Crosbys.
American Girl doll: Kirsten
She's beautiful, Nana! 
There it is!
It's so big, even Ginger fits in there! 
Mimi and Papa's Artic Cookie Cutters
Opening gifts together in the big chair
Tell me when you get to the dog treats.
On our way to the Crosby's, Sandie takes her queenly spot,
One of the iced lattes made by Vickie the day after Christmas
Opening gifts at Crosbys
Playing with the Wii 
And it is so much fun! 
Trip to Best Buy to figure how to spend gift cards
Though we were not together on Mimi and Papa's anniversary,
...and eating Mimi-stuffed burritos! 
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