Tuesday, December 29, 2015

Christmas Dinner

The Busby's had the couples over for dinner Christmas Day.  They said they would do the meat and that we were to do the sides.  Shannon likes to "play in the kitchen" so we had an abundance of good food, good company and good spirits!

Shannon's Dr. Seuss Zucchini Christmas tree appetizer



Ryan made cinnamon, orange and cinnamon pecan rolls!!!  They were served warm and devoured before they could cool!


Ryan is taking the picture and Elder Hezseltine was home recuperating - I did take him a plate - actually 2!
L-R Elder and Sister Wollenzien, Sister and Elder Allen, Sister Hezseltine, Sister Busby
We are standing in front of the Busby Christmas tree which is a canoe (pronouuced key new) cut in half!
Ryan bought it off a fisherman!


Christmas Morning Walk

Elder Hezseltine was home sick but the rest of the couples all went for a long (2+ hour) walk on the beach.  We walked from 9th Street beach entrance to the Mission office.  It was beautiful and all the Sisters found lots of sea glass.  Tis the season!!!


                               Sister Allen, Sister Hezseltine, Sister Wollenzien

Sunday, December 27, 2015

Christmas Treats - Breakfast

I decided we needed some Christmas treats.  I splurged and bought us two oranges.  They are $7.50 USD a pound!  Ouch!!!! The Scottish shortbread is a tradition that I grew up with long before I met Elder Hezseltine.  It seems to be a "worldwide" tradition.  It was almost as good as my Great Grandmothers!!!



Our Christmas morning breakfast was a real treat - not our usual oatmeal with bananas. I had some left over coconut cream that I added to the scrambled eggs and veggies.  Oh my, they were the richest eggs I have ever tasted!  Yes, we had shortbread for breakfast.  It was Christmas!!!!!




Friday, December 25, 2015

Christmas Morning

About 6am this morning there was a big thud right outside our apartment.  We live on a corner and a car travelling too fast (with heavy speed - Liberian) went off the road.  It cut a coconut tree in half and up rooted it and dropped about 30 feet down an embankment.  From what we have heard there were four Lebanese in the vehicle.  They think they had been partying.  The 2 in the front died and the 2 in the back were taken to hospital.

A sad start to Chirstmas Day especially for those families.



Monday, December 21, 2015

Friday, December 18, 2015

Our Christmas Tree

Thank you Sista Berrett!!!

When we were in Liberia for the Christmas of 2013 Sister Berrett did this cute Christmas tree on the wall of their apartment.  It is so simple and festive.  We pray that all of you are enjoying this glorious season and are "remembering the reason for the season."  It seems easier to "remember" here where things are so simple.  I will be doing my "Christmas baking" on Saturday.  I am actually excited for it!  I will get it all done in one morning instead of the usual  3 weeks of holiday baking!!!!!!



The stocking was our gift from Sista Berrett in 2013.  We couldn't come and spend Christmas here without it!
Elder H watched a YouTube video to make the dimensional star and Ryan let us use his gold spray paint to paint it.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Monday, December 7, 2015

Harbel

We went to Harbel - the Firestone Plantation.  I love that place!  I wonder if it is all the trees neatly lined up.  Order is so calming!!!  Now I just need to get my life in order as well!

The Firestone Plantation has cattle that they graze between the trees to keep the vegetation down .  I was told that "the trees are very selfish" with the ground and the nutrients she gives.

In the picture if you look close you can see what looks like a small white crane.  I asked a local what the name of the white bird was that is always around the cattle.  He gave me a very puzzled looked and said "white bird."  They are also called cow birds because they are where the cows are.




When ever we go there the local boys come sit on the porch and watch what we are doing.  They love to help when they can and they squeal when we give them empty boxes to "own" and play with. 



This little boy had to "hide" his truck while he helped because he didn't want anyone to take it.  It is made of an empty motor oil container.  The wheels were made of caps off of other bottle or container.  Very simple, very fun, very low tech and all his.  Recycling at it's best!



Saturday, December 5, 2015

Our Friday Night Thanksgiving Movie Dinner

All the couples get together on Friday night for a movie.  We rotate the location and whoever hosts gets to choose the movie.  The Friday after Thanksgiving we decided to start with a Thanksgiving Feast.  It was not the normal Thanksgiving fare but it had the same feelings of thankfulness, friends that feel like family and the pain of overeating!



Shannon made a cornucopia  of cauliflower cheese bread and filled it with roasted vegetables!  Yummmmmm!!!!!!!!!!!!

















We did so much eating and visiting that we never got to the movie!!!

Friday, December 4, 2015

Beach Walk

While Sister Terry was here we took her on one of our beach walks. Because she always has her camera with her she was able to get some pictures of us so we can prove that we really do get to walk on a great beach!!!!!  The sea glass and sand flowers are making a come back - slowly.

I am always on the look out for sea glass, sea flowers and anything fun - that includes Elder H!













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Bananagrams

The Carlson's and Busby's have introduced us to "Bananagrams."  We play our own version most days.  We will start a game in the morning and finish it after dinner.  It has really helped me with my spelling that got zapped when I had my "brain freeze."  It is also helping me retrain my brain to vary it's processing. 

I came down to fix breakfast and found the game started and this message written in the tiles.  It melted my heart!

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