MeRrY ChRiStMaS!!

Santa has come!

 Breakfast

 A Christmas afternoon game of Risk.

 The ugly sweaters from Christmas!

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve morning we helped Jenn's Mom finish Christmas shopping.  That afternoon we wrapped presents, played board games, and had chili for dinner.  

Christmas Eve EVe

Today is the last day here at Grandma’s house before we head back to Missouri.  We enjoyed breakfast with her, before sitting around and catching up.

Grandma’s house as lots of Christmas trees decorated around.  Here are just a few of them.

 Brian’s parents highly recommended Cox Brothers BBQ in town.  The restaurant had a great atmosphere, and the food was really good.

 

Brian surprised me by taking me to a quilt store in town, All About Quilts.  It is an interesting store with a lot of different fabrics, machines, quilting things.  Literally next to the store, is a cabin with 6 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, full kitchen and living space, accommodating up to 12 people.  The store hosts different groups for the weekend.  A lady we spoke with mentioned that they have all but 3-weeks open for reservations in 2015.

The retreat house

On our way home, we took U.S. Highway 92.  Someone had decorated two stacked bales of hay like Minions.

On the way home, Brian and I stopped in Hamilton, MO, and went to Missouri Star Quilt Company.  It is a great quilt shop with a fantastic staff. The store is family own and operated since 2008.

We picked up dinner from La Gondola Spaghetti House on the way home.  For me, it was family favorite and tradition growing up.  The tradition was a  ½ a gal. of spaghetti, ½ a gal. of ravioli, a garlic bread and a cinnamon bread.  Tonight we shared a family salad, ½ a gal. of spaghetti and garlic bread with mom, Brian and I, with leftovers to spare.

Tuttle Creek Lake

While taking an afternoon nap, Brian took me to Tuttle Creek Lake and  the Dam.  Brian gave me a little history behind the dam, and the Great Flood of 1993.  In 1993, the water behind the dam were 63 ft above normal, causing officials to release water through the 18-flood gates.  After three weeks, the gates were closed, resulting in bedrock and terrain being washed away, causing the creation of a 20 ft-deep canyon, and fossils being unearthed and exposed.

An aerial picture of Tuttle Creek Lake and Dam

 

An aerial picture during the release

A picture on-line following the gate release

From an observation parking lot overlooking the lake.

This has relevance to me, growing up near the Mississippi River.  I remember the Great Flood of 1993.  Here in Quincy, the levee broke during the river flooding, resulting in nearby roadways and stores being under water.  My dad ended up staying at grandma’s house so he could continue to work in Quincy.

An aerial picture during the Great Flood in Quincy

Lunch at the Blue Cow

After a mid-day siesta, Brian took Grandma to one of her favorite restaurants in town, the blue cow (Sirloin Stockade).  Grandma enjoyed lunch with Brian

 Afterwards, Grandma worked off some of her lunch followed by….

…another nap

Christmas 4 Days Early

Grandma pulled rank, and wanted to open her Christmas gifts early. 

Have a little trouble opening the wrapping paper, but persistence solves everything

Grandma scores big.  Russell Stoves Red Velvet Chocolate, Godiva Dark Chocolate Truffles and Lindt Chocolate Brownie Bites

Grandma with a new shirt.

Brian having some socket puppet fun with Grandmas new slippers

Our Trip to the Little Apple

On Saturday night, we left moms house to drive to Kansas to visit Brians’ grandmother for a few days.

Driving through the night, we ended up eating breakfast at Vista Hamburgers. 

Biscuits and gravy & eggs, ham and toast from Vista Hamburgers.

Brian really wanted to take his grandmother to Sunday School and Church on Sunday, is the reason we left late Saturday night from Missouri.  We made it with time to spare. Everyone at church was excited to see Grandma.

(L to R) Minister Kevin Larson, Grandma and Brian posing for a picture after church

Brian sitting with Grandma at Vespers