MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL !!

CHRISTMAS DAY has begun! However, it is very quiet here in the park.
We got up early thinking that we would hear from the boys and family in Ohio, but they changed there timing until 11: am. So we will wait to hear from them. Their Christmas Eve service was at 11: pm so I am sure they are sleeping in.
We've just been watching Christmas on TV for our entertainment. But I wanted to share our pictures from yesterday.
We were just going out the door for church last evening when a parade of golf carts came down the street wishing everyone Merry Christmas. We had forgotten that they do this.

Santa's everywhere!

This was by far the best!!

When driving through the park a couple days earlier, I had to taken a few pictures as I had mentioned that there was only one nativity that we had seen.       So a few more have been added.

Maybe we will get out to drive around again this evening.  After the parade last evening, we just got out in time to get to church for the service. It was good, but we are always uncomfortable taking pictures in a church service.

Family originally from Akron Ohio

The children always take the show!!

 You all have a wonderful day and week ahead!!! I am sure you are too busy to check in here now. Love you all!!

A CHRISTMAS OPEN HOUSE WE ATTENDED

Saturday, December 23rd, we were out to go to the Pastor Swope's home for an Open House gathering of church people last evening. We expected to find traffic to be terrible. However, it was not. We were confronted with firetrucks which appeared to be going to a home about a half block off the main street we were traveling. Hopefully, it was not a fire!!
I did start right in taking pictures when we arrived and enjoyed doing so very much because of the small children of theirs. I will share those with you.

Their oldest two children.
And notice if you can the GREEN out the patio door!!
That green yard is very unusual in Arizona!!
I imagine that they are thankful for it since they herald from Iowa.

The next younger son and a young friend/relative from Iowa.

Pastor David Swope

Aly Swope and the youngest child, visiting with friends
of family from Iowa.

The couple on the right are originally from Akron, Ohio

Pastor's wife, Aly, greeting Pastor Bauder and his wife,
Delores. Tom was our first teacher at this church in 2015.
And Delores has an interest in genealogy research, in
common with Gary.

Little Autumn fell on the patio and was not a happy
little one. But daddy had a good touch and a brother
took a second out of his football to give her a kiss.
Such good little kids!!!

Gary shared one of his stuffed rats with the boys, which they named Willis.  Pastor says that they have had to learn to take turns playing with it. But Autumn has had a tougher time adjusting to that concept!! I am sure as the only girl as well as being the youngest, it will take a little longer to learn.
And the snacks were delicious.
Ben, the young college kids visiting were not aware of Baptist Bible College in Scranton/Wilkes Barre. They go to a Baptist College in Wisconsin and another one in Pensacola, Florida. It was fun talking with them.
On the way back into our park I did take a couple pictures of Nativities that have been put out since we drove through after dark taking all of the pictures on Thanksgiving weekend. We might do that again tonight after the Christmas Eve service at church.  It should be dark by then. It is finally a warmer day here. It's been jacket weather here for a week or more!!
Victor has been texting - - to find my pans, then to find Christmas wrap and scotch tape. And where to take his trash, even though he passes the dumpster each morning when going to work. I'm sure he will figure it all out by time he is ready to buy and move into a place of his own. I think that he was surprised but thankful to sell his house so quickly.  We were glad to be able to help him by offering the condo for the interim. He still has to close on the deal.
We are looking forward to talking with the family tomorrow morning. I know that it is always a busy day for Richard's, especially with Lynn's family also. They are a much larger family in the area than ours.
MERRY, MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!!!

MORE OF DECEMBER IN MESA, ARIZONA

Gary keeps busy with his colored pencil drawings!!

 






Keeps him out of trouble!!  Not sure if he is bored or not.  He has a couple classic vehicles to begin soon, as well.

Another drawing from the group - -

"Spring Awakens", Drawing by Rosemary Roach

I have run out of things to do in scrapbooking, so guess we need to get out there to take more pictures!!
We did have a Mesa Regal Christmas Dinner and program by the Mesa Area Children Arts Center Tuesday evening, December 19th. Our table of new acquaintances was great. All very friendly and a delicious meal.  I will still fix a ham dinner for our Christmas Day, but will be small, just for us.  We will be on the phone with family back in Ohio, and that will be the highlight of our day. 

As people arrived, the youth were waiting to seat everyone,
and then later did the serving and clean-up.
They were awesome!!

Our dinner musicians!!

Our after dinner show with a great variety of music!!
The little fellow on the right could not stand still when
playing his music. And the group played all from memory!!

The clean-up crew looked to be having a great time!!

Our Pastor and family have invited the church for openhouse on Saturday. So we are very much looking forward to that.  They have four children. And I think that they are all nine and under. I will be sure and get good pictures there.  I promise!!

We went to Goodwill across the street from our resort yesterday.  It was Gary's idea, but I was the only one who benefited. He did not like their prices for jeans or books. So he waited in the car reading while I shopped.  I lucked out with the color of the week tags on my items, so my jeans were $1. each!!! And I found a couple Christmas decorations cheap.  So it made my day and I went to the laundry today and got them all washed up. I can always find something to do.

Gary's pet!!

New decor!!
Homemade craft!!

Our little tree!!

Janet;s gift to us many years ago.
It matches my new decor
quite well!!

Bill and Esther we were out near one of your haunts when we went to Barleen's dinner show a couple weeks ago. So thought I would share those pictures with you - -

Apache Junction ELKS

RV's staying at the ELKS

I think that I have caught you up to date with the exception of my scrapbook friends. So I will wait until I have all of their pictures and introduce you all at one time.
If I don't talk with you again before,  have a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

CHRISTMAS SEASON IN ARIZONA !

 Now that the pins and needles are gone, we have settled back to enjoy the Christmas Season!! Gary had a health issue when he had the doctor check his acid reflux. So we were on edge until testing was finished, with the results "all is okay but check back in a year". Now we have put it out of mind except to watch his diet to avoid the acid reflex. It is a challenge as we usually use plenty of foods that have tomatoes and onions in them as well as the fat. So I am trying to think of new foods to serve!! I'm awful slow on the uptake for this though. He is not to have much more coffee, chocolate, pop and the list goes on.
In the mean time here at Mesa Regal, we got to attend the East Valley Chorale Concert at our ballroom and it sure was a full house.  Lovely music and very enjoyable. The Hall was so full of people that they were even sitting around the choir director!! It's too bad that the stage was not large enough for them!! Or at least the choir, with the orchestra on the main floor in front of the stage. But they didn't ask us!!
These pictures only show part of their group at a time!! I don't have wide angel lens and would have too much extra in the pictures.

That was a Sunday evening program.  Then on Wednesday, December 13th, we met our Salem friends,

Bill and Jane, with other

Snowbird friends of theirs from El Mirage RV Resort west of Phoenix for a Dinner and Christmas Show at Barleens.
Barleen's, known as the Arizona Opry has been located out at Apache Junction east of Mesa for many years. This is out near Superstition Mountains.

We were impressed with the dinner as well as the entertainment and hope to go back again!!

The father, Lloyd Barleen, who started the business many years ago, died in 2014 from Alzheimer's, and the twin daughter's and their families have kept it going.   One of the musicians paid tribute to him by telling of his failing mind when they would visit him in his last days. They said he might not remember their names, but when they put his musical instruments in his hands he could still remember the songs and play!!

Lloyd Barleen and his instruments.

His twin daughters:

Pictures of some other musicians:

Note the hair-do on the fellow in the center!!
Must have taken a can of gel!!! He was funny too.

One of the last specials, was the steel drum player.

This fellow was an awesome singer of the religious songs
of the season, and he also played other characters early in
the program, such as Barney Fife!

Scene on screen.

Like I said we will try this again!!
We also had a Street Potluck this week and got better acquainted with people along our street. We enjoy these and also enjoyed the game that we played, naming the Christmas songs. I am ready to share this with our Sunday School Class back in Ohio!!
We are still keeping busy with our hobbies as usual, and shopping patio sales and thrift shops.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL OF YOU!!!