Gifts were exchanged, pictures were taken and a big dinner with all the trimmings were served at Bonnie Phipps’ house on Christmas. Bonnie said when they started taking pictures they put her in a chair and they all gathered around her then some would get out of the picture and others would get in it. Those present were Roy and Linda Freeman, Michael and Wendee Freeman, Cody, Matthew, Madison, Sydnee and Alexis, Ken and Debbie Cederlind, Chris and Courtnie Vigessa and Wylie, Moe and Kaylynn Todd, Cecilia Edwards and Bonnie Phipps.
Well, I think I told you last week that I was a great-grandma again on the 20th that makes her a week old now. Her name is Alexia Mae Blakey and she was named after her great grandmother Perryman (Alexis) and her great grandmother, Mary Alice Emerson and they took the first letter of her name to make Mae, but they didn’t realize that her great-great grandmother, Cleffie Mae Blakey’s middle name was Mae.
Jo Stephens came by last Monday and picked up some things that she had left down at the church last Sunday then that night I went over to the lodge hall where we had our O.E.S. meeting and it was our Christmas night too. We didn’t exchange gifts, we gave money and then we gave it to the Masons and they matched it with their money and then they gave it to the school for shoes for the children.
Jewell Elliott and Jo Stephens came by last Tuesday and then I went over to the nursing home and ate dinner with Pauline Schauffler and her daughter and son-in-law, Evelyn and Don Bryan. The food was good and I got to visit with Roxie while I was there and took her a get-well card and a Christmas card.
Joel and Monica came up Wednesday night and got my car and took it down and Vernal and Ellen had new tires put on it for my Christmas present and I told them that it would be for my birthday too.
I put my Christmas tree up Thursday and Jo Stephens dropped off my turkey that she had in her deep freeze for me. Friday I put my light up in the window and I will leave them up until after New Years since I got them up late.
I got one-tenths of an inch of rain in my gage by 4 p.m. Friday evening. Sunday I went out and got my rain gage and melted what was in it and it was almost another one-tenths of an inch.
Christmas at my house was wonderful because I had all my children, grandchildren and great grandchildren except Chase. Gifts were exchanged then we ate dinner where we had turkey and ham with all the trimmings and lots of dessert.
When my new great granddaughter got here I got to hold her and she sure is a beautiful baby and that was the first time I had seen her in person.
There were 24 here – Joel and Monica Reemes, Mark and Sherry Blakey, Kelsey and Mark Weston, Chad and Laura Blakey, Vernal and Ellen Blakey and two dogs, Drango and Peppie, Ellis and Marsha Blakey, Johnathan and Annie and daughter, Alexia, James and Kristie Blakey, Lakota, Kendra Dering, Justin and Brittany Kutz, Justin and Tara Coonce and me, Hellen Blakey.
I received a big television from Mark and family earlier and it is nice and I got other things from the other kids, which I can use.
There are lots of sick folks out there in the hospital and at home so keep those prayers coming.
My prayer and sympathy goes out to the Mark Degase family and all the others who have lost a loved one.
Keep our nation and our leaders and the men and women in the service and their families and the ones in training in your prayers.
Happy New Year every one and I hope you had a good Christmas.
