Happy New Year...

Hope you had a great day and 2009 will be beautiful in every way.  Steve and Catherine joined us today for a spaghetti dinner and liverpool rummy game which was fun.   

 The weather has been lovely today and we have enjoyed the sunshine even though it is in the 20 degrees.  Benny has been working on the horse water tanks and so now they will be happier, ha!

Again, HAPPY NEW YEAR...MAY GOD CONTINUE TO BLESS YOU DAILY IS OUR PRAYER.

Christmas Week Fun and Family

Christmas Eve Benny and I attended Second Baptist's Candlelight Service.  It was packed with people and the music included bell choirs, and a large choir plus narration.  The service ended with the congregation all lighting a candle proclaiming Jesus is the Light of the World.  

Christmas Day Benjie and Steve's families came out for a fun day.  This included:  Benjie, Kathy, Julie, Jessie, Mikey, Steve, Catherine, Betty Jo (her mom), Spencer and his girlfriend, Toni.

Oh yes, Abe Lincoln, (Steve's dog) came too.  

Dinner consisted of ham, cheesie potatoes, corn pudding, green bean casserole, fruit salad, and yummie rolls, and other goodies.  Cherry-cheese dessert (Benjie's choice) topped it off.  Oh yes, appetizers, eggnog and punch helped us not starve until we were ready to eat.

 

Sad news of Ted's (Stephanie and Courtney's grandpa) passing the night before made us keep them in our thoughts.    It was so nice that the girls were with him when God called him home.

Following dinner we all gathered in the living room for singing of Christmas songs, Luke 2 read by Benjie and then packages.  It was a delightful time as we heard the ooh's and awws as packages were opened.   

Benjie's family stayed over night so we ended the evening with a movie for all.  It was almost 2:00 A. M. when we finally hit the hay - a good Christmas for sure and now we're ready to see wht 2009 will bring.  

We did miss our Alaska and Washington families, hopefully we'll all be able to be together soon.    

Merry Christmas From the Ranch

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

WINTER IS HERE!

Winter weather has arrived in Seymour!  The trees are covered with sparklie ice and as the sun shines on them they look like a fairyland.  Yesterday we went to the road thinking we would go into Springfield and slid a bit  so turned around and came home...smart parents, huh?  The weatherman says it is going to be in the teens again tonight.  Funny how they have predicted right lately, amazing!   Benny says if we have very much more of this weather he will be moving south, ha! 

Happy birthday Catherine.  Hope it has been a good day.  It will be fun celebrating on the weekend.

We went to Springfield, did errands, including shopping, and even shared an omlette at Village Inn. Came home and finished the Holiday letter and now at 11:30 we are trying to find our YTB business cards...they have vanished. This type of activity does not promote sleep sooo here we are wide awake and bushy tailed on a search.  Pray for us...

Merry Christmas Benny and Elaine

Our gift to each other was dinner and seeing the Andy Williams Christmas show in Branson.  Music was  outstanding, the auditorium packed with 2,000 people, and decorations on everything made the place look like a real fairyland.  What a happy spirit in Branson...always makes me enjoy going there.  There were lots of people visiting the area so we're happy gas prices are lower so all can enjoy the holiday spirit there.

Keep our family in your prayers...so many needs.  Lyle, Kathy's Dad, will have surgery Monday or Tuesday.  Ted, Stephanie and Courtney's Grandpa, is in ICU, and we need direction for jobs.  So happy we can share and pray for one another.  

Have a great Sunday as we remember the reason for the season.  Much love ...  

 

Eureka Springs, Arkansas

Saturday we headed south to attend Shannon and Rosie's wedding.  At 4:00 we went to the rehearsal dinner at Ermilio Italian Restaurant.  We had an elaborate three course meal with 40 present.  Our choice, (of three) for the main course was fettuccini with alfredo sauce (for Debbie and Benny). We were the only Boling family there so Rosie has lots of family.  

Sunday we left our Best Western motel and  went to Thorncrown Chapel  hearing a delightful Christmas Service.  It is a magnificent wooden structure with 425 windows and over 6,000 square feet of glass.  It sits on over 100 tons of native stone - a beautiful woodland sanctuary looking over a glorious valley. Then off to the wedding held at the historic (built in 1886) Crescent Hotel.  It was held in a gazebo attached to the hotel overlooking gardens that were decorated for the holidays.  The three attendants had black strapless dresses and the fellows had black and white striped ties to match their dark suits.  The reception was held in a glassed in area that gave a view in every direction you looked.   After  pictures, chatting with family, and sampling interesting reception goodies we left for Seymour arriving about 9:00.   Weather was great for the happy couple who stayed on the 7th floor in the honeymoon suite..  

SURPRISE, SURPRISE, SURPRISE...

What a morning!  We hurried to get going to the Area Clergy Christmas Luncheon, at 11:00, held in Hermitage...miles away.  Got in the car and drove to the cemetery (two miles down the road) where we discovered Dad had left his wallet at home.  Turned around and headed home, stopped by a huge train, (over 100 cars), found the wallet and started all over again...  We arrived at a service station in Rogersville, for Dad, and when he came back to the car we decided to go home instead of the luncheon.  We were all dressed for Christmas like, as Nana would say, Billy's mother, so needed to do something festive.  So we stopped at the Tea Room for a delicious peaceful lunch  and here we are back on the ranch.  Hope the clergy had fun, probably not as much as we tho, ha!  Wonder what the rest of the day will offer?  

This evening we have a YTB meeting in Springfield.  It is a pot-luck and will be on cruises.  Sounds good to me since we still have snow today.  (It is really pretty...and the birds like my tidbits)

Love you....enjoy the season!