Happy Birthday, Lisa!

Happy, happy birthday to my beautiful daughter, Lisa! As a double bonus, she is in town this week, so we get to celebrate with her IN PERSON. Making lemon meringue pie for dinner!

I love you, Lisa!

Wedding Fun

Some of the rites of passage when a daughter is getting married are engagement photos and wedding dress shopping. 

 Vanessa took these pictures of Jessica's ring. I LOVE the perspective Vanessa has as an artist! This is a picture on the railroad tracks in Battleground. Love the frost on the tracks and how the ring looks frosty, too!

 The engagement ring on a spike on the 130 year old wrought iron fence.

Trying on a wedding dress. She found two wedding dresses here in Indiana but also tried on dresses in Utah. 

She will be such a beautiful bride!

Jessica's Bridal Shower

Jenny suggested earlier in December that we have a bridal shower for Jessica while the family was in town, and so that's just what we did!

Jenny was the organizer and got the decorations and paper products, Lisa was in charge of games, and the rest of us worked on food. Can I just say that Isenbarger women 1) know how to cook, and 2) know how to put on a party?

 Some of the food, ready to go.

 Grandma made the Christmas tree in the center of the table years ago and gave it to Lisa for Christmas. Since Jessica's colors are black, white, and Tiffany blue, it made the perfect centerpiece!

 Jenny found these flower garlands to hang. Every flower had to be individually opened and the petals fluffed. It took three of us about a half an hour to do, but the result was worth it!

A close-up of one of the flowers.

 Won tons, cherry cheesecake, chocolate fondue, cheeseballs and crackers, chips and salsa, vegetable pizza...

 For one of the games, we broke into three groups and made brides' dresses out of toilet paper.

 Ashley models the pregnant bride, Lisa the flirty bride, and Trinity the Hawaiian bride complete with coconut bra and ukelele. The bride picked Trinity as the winner - just couldn't resist that connection to Andrew's Hawaiian ancestry!

 Opening gifts.

 A laugh over the use of a box from Motherhood Maternity and a baby card for a bridal shower!

With Pam Green's help, Trinity made her aunt a hat using bows, ribbon, and tissue paper from the gifts.

Merry Christmas - Isenbarger Style!

Imagine, if you will, all seventeen Isenbargers under one roof. 

Noisy? Yes.

 Crowded? A bit. 

Fun?? ABSOLUTELY!!

 Christmas morning - the tree and presents.

 Trinity and her mama peep over the railing, trying to catch a glimpse of the goodies.

 The wait is getting long.

 Aunts and uncles watch the waiting nieces and nephews.

 Oh, and Aunt Sarah, Aunt Jessie, and Uncle Andrew, too!

But not just the seventeen Isenbargers were in attendance - later in the day we added Granny Slash, Pooma, Steve, Cindie, Leslie, Rick, Jenny, Holly, Brad, and Eric. Twenty seven of us!

 For the first time in years, all of my mother's "posterity" was together for Christmas. 

The grandchildren: Kyle, Lisa, Eric, Sarah, Jessica, Holly, Cole, and Curt.

Grandchildren and their spouses.

Standing: Kyle, Ashley, Todd, Sarah, Jessica, Andrew, Holly, and Brad.

Kneeling: Curt, Vanessa, Eric, Lisa, Emily, and Cole.

My camera died at this point - hopefully, I will be able to add more pictures later.

Merry Christmas!!

Naughty Children Don't Get Coal...

... on Christmas Eve, they get put into a paddywagon! At least in Indiana!

Tim Gibb restores old carriages and wagons, and he is currently working on this genuine jail wagon.

 The jailers, proud of their handiwork.

 Hmmm.... maybe a few of the outside folks should be on the inside? Just wondering...

 Finally got a photo of Tim who was quite camera shy.

Fortunately for the children's sake, the jailers made a goodwill gesture of releasing all prisoners, leaving the final judgment of who had been naughty or nice up to Santa Claus himself.

Horses on Christmas Eve

Almost every girl wishes for a horse for Christmas, at least once in her life. I was lucky enough to actually have that wish fulfilled several times over, although I am horseless now. So, imagine my excitement when Tim Gibb invited our family out to his barn for a Christmas Eve Day ride! As he later told his wife Loni, "Lynn emailed me back right away, so I think she's excited." Got that right!

 Emily, Jessica, Andrew, Todd, and Lisa line up for their turn. (Sarah's just off-camera, taking pictures.)

 Addie sure looks like she takes after her grandmama when it come to lovin' horses!

 Trinity and JC get the first rides.

 JC rocked the cowboy hat Tim loaned him.

 Yep, looks like Braden has the horse-lovin' gene, too!

 Addie's turn!

 Jessica took her turn...

 ... along with Andrew, who now sports the cowboy hat.

 Braden gets another turn, this time riding double with Aunt Jessica.

 Kyle picks up the pace. (Note that the cowboy hat is present again.)

 Lisa, who took riding lessons for several years, quickly regained her seat - it was as though she'd been riding all her life!

 Kyle watches as Lisa rides circles around him.

 And she canters by yet again - look at her smile!

 Emily's turn at last. But wait, what's that I spy?

Yep, she's now sporting that cowboy hat!

With two new knees and a replaced hip, I did not take a turn - this time. Maybe next time (and you can be sure I will ask for that cowboy hat!) It was happiness itself to just groom and tack up the horses and then watch my mostly non-horsey family members enjoy being around the horses.

Happy New Year, Mr. Scrooge!

One of my FAVORITE class projects - our Happy New Year, Mr. Scrooge! party celebrating the reformed Mr. Scrooge!

 This year, Kyle played Ebenezer Scrooge and Emily came along to help with the festivities.

 My room parents helped with the decorations, all of which were in keeping with the mid-1800s English banquet theme.

 Each student received a printed guest list of party goers at their seats.

 The banquet table, groaning with Christmas cake, gingerbread, punch, fudge, hot chocolate, peppermints, and a genuine Christmas pudding!

 Governess Isenbarger gives a few last minute instructions prior to the grand procession into the ballroom as Mr. Scrooge looks on.

 Let the festivities begin!

 Mr. Scrooge escorts family friend, Governess Isenbarger, at the head of the procession.

 We make a circuit of the dining hall where the party is to be held.

 The gentlemen seat their ladies, standing until all the women are settled into their chairs.

 A blind man (KO) shares his story with Mr. Scrooge, who asks for forgiveness for past unkindnesses.

 An Irish street musician (CB) plays a jig while his "brother" (WW) dances to the music.

 Midway through the sharing of stories, the party-goers take some refreshment.

 Ebenezer and Governess Isenbarger consult for a moment as the guests enjoy the food.

 Such good manners! (We practiced several times.)

 Singing Christmas carols for Mr. Scrooge. (SA and AD)

An artist (HS)shows her most recent masterpiece.

The Most Reverend Albert Moss, Archbishop of Canterbury, even attended! (AQ)

Such a lovely afternoon. There's not much I enjoy more than celebrating a good book with children, and A Christmas Carol is one of my favorites. Most definitely, this was a December to remember!