The Celebrating Continues

Our out-of-town children and their families have all returned to their homes, but luckily we still have Lisa, Curt, and Vanessa around! And so the celebrating continues.

Friday was Lisa's birthday, so we went to Texas Roadhouse for dinner.

 The lighting at our table was very odd; all my pictures turned out pink!

 The place was packed - luckily I had called ahead for seating, and that lessened our wait quite a bit.

 Vanessa helped Ian color and eat peanuts to pass the time while we waited for our food.

 Mila ate rolls and played with some toys - she is such a charmer!

After dinner we went home and Lisa asked if we could play Wizards, one of our favorite games. We had turtle cheesecake and played for two hours!

Happy Birthday, Lisa!

A Surprising Nomination

Yesterday I got a text from Kathy Nimmer with some very surprising content.

Certainly not something I ever expected to happen to me and very much a huge honor.

 I went to the YWCA web site to check it out, but I was already somewhat familiar with it.

You see, my mother was nominated and won it, too. (See upper right hand corner.)

While I honestly don't think I make a big enough footprint in the community to win, I am still honored to even be considered. And when I think of who nominated me, and the footprint she herself leaves on our community, I am even more so.

Bowling on Wednesday

Jessica and her family departed around 9:00 in the morning on Wednesday. With four of the littlest ones gone, our home was much quieter and not nearly as joyful. That makes me sad, but then I have to remember that I am grateful for the time our children take out of their busy lives to come and visit us. Plus, we still had Sarah and her crew, Curt and his, and Lisa in town! Many reasons to be grateful and happy!

The activity of the day was bowling. We went to Landmark Lanes, formerly Star Lanes, the place where my father bowled for years and years. All the adults bowled - even me!

Vanessa and Craig.

JC, Todd, and Sarah.

Curt, Mila, Trinity, and Ian.

Lisa and Ian.

When did this guy get so grown up??

Even Ian bowled, and at one point, he was beating Craig and me!

Curt wondered if, since my father had bowled so much, he might be listed on Landmark Lanes' Hall of Fame board.

He was! "Jack Martin - 1988."

I hadn't bowled in years due to my back, but this time I rolled two games and was fine!

Sarah.

Vanessa helps Ian roll his ball.

We rolled two games for only $6 each, including shoes!

JC rolls another.

Mila, Trinity, Todd, Sarah, and Craig (who is right in front of the giant plaque with my dad's name on it.)

Sarah.

Ian's bowling balls rolled REALLY slowly, but he scored well!

Everyone took turns keeping an eye on Mila and Ian so that Curt and Vanessa could take their turns.

Afterward we had a late lunch at Christos and then got home around 3:30. We played more games, had a hotdog bar for dinner courtesy of Lisa (so yummy!), and then watched the Purdue/Iowa game on TV. 

Our last night together as a family for the Christmas holiday.

Tuesday's Activities

Tuesday morning Cole and Emily began packing their car up for their trip back to Tennessee.

 Jessica and Titan were up early and smuggling on the couch. 

 We had as many as eight cars here during the holiday!

 Cole packing up his car.

 In addition to having the most guests' cars in the neighborhood, we also had the most trash and recycling out for the sanitation department to come and get, too.

After a tearful goodbye to Cole and his family, I took Trinity shopping as her Christmas present.

 We headed out to the mall and had fun walking around and taking photos of "possibilities" to send Trin's mama.

 None of our "possibilities" were real contenders; we were just having fun.

 But when we finally sent a photo of a real possibility, Sarah didn't believe us!

We didn't find anything at the mall, so we took a lunch break at Panera and then headed to Lane Bryant.

 There we both struck gold! We sent this mystery picture to Trin's parents before coming home.

After chilling the rest of the afternoon, we celebrated Lisa's birthday early (Todd's French silk pies are to die for!!) and then played games late into the evening. Watch Your Mouth meant putting a mouth guard into your mouth and then trying to pronounce a series of phrases. It was really hard! (And funny!)

 Lisa, Sarah, and Trinity, ready to go.

 "What did she just say???"

 Craig was not feeling well, and he NEVER is cold, so when he wrapped himself in a blanket, we took pictures!

The mouth guards were a little tricky to use as Todd found out.

 Lisa tries to show us how it's done.

The Day After Christmas

The day after Christmas is often very quiet even though we may have a lot of people visiting. This year we played games, ate (a lot), chatted, and had the annual female gingerbread house contest!

Lisa had bought an assortment of houses on sale earlier in the day along with a variety of candy to use as decorations.

Soon the decorating was in progress...

 ... and the houses were taking shape. 

The male members of the family are always the judges. 

 We set the houses out on the kitchen island and invited the guys in to check them out.

 They circled round and round the island...

 ... as they checked out the merits of each house. 

 Left to right are houses made by Emily, Trinity, me, Jessica, and Lisa.

 After much scrutiny, a vote was taken, and Trinity's house won!

Well deserved, Trin!

Christmas Day!

(Warning - picture intense!!)

Santa came! (Boy, did he ever!!) We had such a fun day together as a family.

 You can't see it in this picture, but there are toys set up over by the fireplace, too.

 Fifteen Isenbargers wait on the landing while four more down below make last minute preparations.

 And down we come! Cole's family came first.

 Then Curt's. And then I couldn't keep up with the action anymore.

 Ian and Mila look at their gifts with help from Daddy.

 Titan, Lisa, Trinity, Emily and Kate, Andrew, Todd, and Vanessa.

 I love the expression on Mila's face as she opens a gift from me.

 That's JC with his back to me - I wish I had moved around more while I took pictures.

 Titan looks a bit overwhelmed.

Todd is in the upper left holding Kate, Julie at his feet with Emily standing nearby and Sarah (in red) next to her. JC (back to camera) Ian, Vanessa, and Curt sitting on the floor.

 Jessie and Lisa.

 JC takes a break (foreground).

 Trinity watched Cole open the blanket for Kate.

 I love the expression on her face - the joy of gift giving!

 Things are getting messy...

 Cambria, Jessica, and Lisa.

 Kate tries out her new blanket and cuddles with Trinity.

 Trinity, Titan, and Todd.

Sarah made us a breakfast casserole while I made two butter braids and pulled out a coffee cake that Lisa Connolly had made for us. Then we began getting ready for Christmas dinner. (We had church from 11:30-12:30; I spoke on gifts.)

 The dining room all set up and ready for guests.

 We set up a table in the living room, too. We had twenty-four for dinner!

 Ian, Curt, Jessica, Andrew, Steve (bent over), and Cindie.

 Leslie (seated in green plaid), Cole, Emily, Julie, Cambria, and Trinity.

 Rick, Leslie, Cole, Emily, Julie, Cambria.

We had ham, turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, Christmas Jello, Olive Garden salad, cheesy cauliflower, broccoli, corn casserole, green bean casserole, sweet potato casserole, and hot rolls.

 JC, Trinity, Rick, Leslie, Curt, and Mila.

 Jessica, Lisa, Curt, Cindie, Julie, and Emily.

 Craig, Andrew, Cambria, Curt, Ian, Jessica, Lisa, Cindie.

After dinner, we played a rousing round of Dirty Santa.

 Rick, Andrew, Leslie, Sarah, Steve, Lisa.

 Leslie, Sarah, Steve, Cindie, and Lisa.

 Cole, Emily, Kate, Jessica, Rick, Andrew, Leslie, Sarah.

 JC's  legs, Todd, Julie, Cambria, Ian, Cole, Emily, Kate, Jessica, Rick.

 Curt, JC, Todd, Julie, and Cambria.

 Craig and I take a selfie.

Vanessa and me.