Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to family and friends from Team Henderson!

We enjoyed a meaningful and worshipful Christmas Eve service at Highway followed by a wonderful time enjoying gift giving and fellowship at home and with our good friends and neighbors Team Logan and Team Logan 2.

One of Hannah's favorite Christmas traditions is Cinnamon rolls in the morning. Julie did a great job with these homemade delights! They were so yummy.















Gift giving was next. And Hannah truly got excited about a special gift that Julie made her.















The gift was a 2010 Calendar featuring none other than Indy! Here's Hannah showing off the camera to her dog!















Joel and Carissa celebrated Christmas in Oregon this year. We missed them but know they had a great time. Here's Julie opening her gift from the kids. As you can see.. Indy was quite interested in it too.















Here's Hannah enjoying her bender ball gift and getting in a few crunches before the big meal.















After opening gifts at home it was on to the Logans for more gift giving and then pictures! Here's the kids. Note the matching PJs that are a regular at Christmastime.















Here's more of the kids outside. I did a mediocre job at best with the outdoor photography this year. The shoot was at a difficult time for lighting and I just didn't set the camera up to well. Bums.















Jumping pictures are an essential element of Christmas :) Loved Hannah's hair in this one!















Here's Hannah and I shooting Julie ;)















Here's more of the kids having fun.














A more subdued picture of Team Logan.















Girls rule!





























Finally, here's the awesome gift that Rachel made for me! Cheese bread hot out of the oven! What an unbelievable treat.















We hope all of you enjoyed Christmas and are looking forward to a joyous New Year!

Oh, Christmas Tree

Between visiting Hannah and Maggie for lunch during 'the walk' and trying to kill myself in the garage - Julie and I picked up this year's Christmas tree.

Our friends, the Logans, go out each year and cut down a tree. The Buckners do the same thing - as well as other of our friends. Here's Julie out in the forest looking for our tree.



















Oops. Okay - truth time. We got our tree at Costco.



















Joel, at least you'd be pleased to hear that the trees come from the great state of Oregon. Over the years we've taken the kids with us and there is inevitably a 'discussion' about who gets to pick the tree and just what tree we are going to get. When you get a tree at Costco you don't have to worry about those petty concerns.

It turns out you go to the back of a truck where the trees are all tied up. Then, you tell the guy how tall of a tree you want (8') and he grabs one for you.















You do have the option to open the tree up and take a look; but this isn't like a tree lot where you go and wander through the aisles.

As it turns out - the tree was full and looks great in the house. And, Hannah - it's REAL!

As I type this Julie is 'putzing' as she decorates the tree. It's going to be beautiful!

Jumping Pictures and More!

Here they are people! The Christmas jumping pictures. Clearly, one of our most bizarre, entertaining, and just plain fun Christmas traditions. Enjoy!

For your starter course.. I give you the group photo! Note the matching Mountain Dew PJs this year.














We start you out on the jumping pictures with the oldies but goodies!












Next I give you the young and and the fabulous people - doing a pre-jump Jon lift. He seems to be enjoying himself!












Here's one of their efforts after the warmup! Note the aggressive approach of our newly engaged couple ;) I also think Hannah's hair is excellent.












Here's a sweet Guitar Hero jump by Hannah and Karen!












And here's the same two performing their Indian prayer jump.



















Now I present the lovely women of Team HenderLogan. I can't exactly say what is going on with this pose. All I know is that apparently, Grandma G is having none of it ;)

Any guesses?












And here's an exclusive photo - only available here - of Team Logan getting extreme air. I especially like how Rosie is pretty much oblivious to the world around her!

This Really Happened!

I know there has recently been some reason to believe that not everything that is posted on this blog is true. So, I want to say right off that the events described in this post really did occur. I haven't even changed the names to protect the innocent.

One of our traditions on Christmas Eve is to have chili at the Logan's. Grandma G. (GG) makes it every year and it is a total hit. This year was no different. It was totally yummy!



















After dinner we played a game of prediction (a card game). I think I mentioned that Grandma Elsie (GE) made it into town this afternoon and started with a bang at Safeway (see previous post). Well GE stepped up her game - leaving quite the impression during the card game tonight by dropping the 'L' word!













Yes, during the game Rachel and Hannah were at one of the table sitting next to each other. They were having a great time talking and laughing with each other.














When, all of a sudden, with absolutely no warning... GE turns to the two girls and says 'Lesbians'!



















According to GE "it just slipped out!". Apparently, when they were laughing they had their two heads close together and that's the word that popped into her head! Hmmm....

Immediately - Jon Logan pushed his chair back and started laughing! Rachel and Hannah were dumbfounded at first and then started laughing so hard. And GE didn't know what to do so she joined in the raucous laughter. It took several minutes of belly laughs and worries that certain individuals would wet their pants before things calmed down and we were able to finish the game.

Too funny. And she's only been here 7 hours!

You'll be glad to hear that there were no hard feelings between GE and Hannah afterwards. How cute!

Christmas Cheer

Did Julie do a good job .. or what?

I hope you all are enjoying a great start to your Christmas week!

Enjoy your week as we all remember the child who was the perfect start of our joy and hope.

Bethlehem

Welcome to Bethlehem! Situated on the grounds of Santa Clara Baptist Church - Bethlehem is an impressive outreach to the Silicon Valley. It's just right down the street ... but it takes you back to the time of Jesus to tell the Good News.















We get excited every November when they start 'assembling' Bethlehem. It takes an army of volunteers to create and perform. There is even a family just down the street from us that participates every year. In fact, this year their daughter is Mary!

The story starts as you enter the gates to the city amid the centurions and others that are present to participate in the census. The city teams with people - visitors and actors. It's fun because all the actors stay in character throughout. They yell at you to 'move away' and to 'make way' and especially to 'pay your taxes'! It's very authentic.















Here's a picture of one part of the city.. over by the Inns before things really start to happen. The next one is of the ruler of the centurions screaming at the citizens from the top of the city wall.















Then, Mary and Joseph make their way into the city with Mary riding on a donkey. Slowly they make their way through the city and to one of the Inns.



















At this first Inn there is no room and they move on through the city in hopes of finding a place to stay. As you know - eventually they find the only space available.. in the stable of an inn.



















As they settle in.. the shepherds are keeping watch in their fields outside the city walls when all of a sudden.. the Angle of the Lord appears wishing them tidings and telling them of the birth of the Savior! It's impressive how high in the air the angel (who is a live human who speaks and sings a song up there) appears! It's a very spectacular moment.



















Then the scene shifts back to the manger where Mary and Joseph welcome the Savior of the World to their humble setting.















Next come the shepherds and Magi to visit the babe in the manger. The Kings arrive in spendor. One of them on the back of a Camel - in regal robes! It's pretty spectacular and the baby camel that is also present at the show is so cute!



















Finally, all have arrived and they worship Jesus singing my absolute favorite Christmas hymn.. O Holy Night (the same woman sings it every year and I love her voice!).















It is an impressive presentation of the gospel and a great way to remember the meaning of this glorious season. I am thankful to the church for the huge effort they undertake to help us all enjoy the joy of Christmas!

Christmas Tree 2008

I thought it would be so fun to cut our Christmas tree this year. Sunday afternoon I set out to a tree farm with a friend. Tod was gone to Holland and I thought it would be a great surprise to have the house decorated for Christmas.
Lets just say I do not have the ability to judge tree heights. I should have known there was a problem when I could carry the tree myself.
So this year we have a mini tree. Cute but mini!! The only good thing is the Michigan ball will still be on the bottom branch.

Christmas in Michigan... if you can get there!

Hello from White Michigan... I mean West Michigan!

We would have greeted you earlier.. but we've been holding up in Casnovia - which hasn't quite yet found the highway to the internet. Perhaps some day!

Michigan put all it's natural beauty and wonder on display as we arrived. We literally blew into Grand Rapids airport after a few hours delay in Chicago and a windy (55 mph), bumpy ride in a blizzard across Lake Michigan. To put it into perspective... when I called my brother in law as we taxied into the tarmac.. he questioned me incredulously.. "they let you land in this weather? don't they know there's a BLIZZARD?" He was certain we were being delayed!

As a matter of fact - we landed in such intense weather.. that it took out most of the electricity - including the radar and radio communications with the tower... a fact the pilots let us know AFTER we landed. That was right before he also mentioned that power was out at the terminal and that we could not use the jet-way to enter the building. Instead, they parked in the middle of the tarmac, rolled some stairs up to our plane.. and Welcome to Michigan! 15 degrees.... 50 mph winds... just your run of the mill blizzard! Oh... so how do you get your bags when the baggage claim carousels are all out of power? They had to hand walk in each bag from the plane.

We were really excited to be treated to such different weather! What a welcome. It couldn't have been any better. We laughed all the way to the terminal (with Hannah in her flip-flops) ... and all the way driving back to grandma and grandpa's house with visibility measured by feet.

The week has been a ball. We've enjoyed lots of family time - tons of card playing - two PHASE 10 extravaganzas, lots and lots of wonderful food and some great after Christmas shopping.

And.. we spent time yesterday getting a long-awaited family picture. It was a kick as 15 of us went in for various individual, family, and group pictures. You will be so proud of us. We SET THE RECORD for most pictures ordered at this studio! The previous record was a very sissy 62 sheets. We went for 79 sheets between all the families! SCORE!

So.. now we are in Plainwell, Michigan; at my sister's place. And ahhhhhhhh - connected to a high speed wireless network. For now I have officially quit picking on my sister in honor of her internet connection.

Hello to all our friends in California. We miss you and hope you are well and enjoying a great break! We look forward to returning to sunny California (heard it was getting all the rain out of it's system while we are gone) in the near future to enjoy New Years.

We love you all.

Cold Team Henderson