Christmas Time in New York

I know that if you are reading this, you have also been reading the cowgirls blog, so I won't go into all the detail of the cancelled flight and the long hours waiting for that special reunion, only to say, Katie and Ken and I got in some great hours shopping in Buffalo. We found a wonderful mall that had just about every store that you would want, and fabulous "post-Christmas" deals, before Christmas. We also found a friendly little Presbyterian Church to attend on Christmas Sunday. A Kids Choir, Christmas Carols and a very good sermon.

Monday we woke up to a beautiful, very cold, December Morning. Took a taxi to the train station and rode the 55 minutes into Penn Station. Interesting that Penn Station is all underground. Anyway, we found our way up to the street and there we were! Almost our first sight was Macy's. That was one thing on our list, so off we went. We had an experience in the elevator with many other people going up to the 8th floor. I didn't count how many floors there were, but the 9th was the highest that we went. Each floor is a different department. Of course all the displays and decor are modern and up to date, but the building itself is old and quite ornate, right down to the wooden escalators. Even the sound was pretty amazing - wood on wood. It is hard to see in the picture, but here it is. Even the slats on the steps are wood. Someone was pretty ingenious!

What is a trip to New York with out buying

a hot dog from the street vender?

And of course, The Empire State Building.

We rode the subway from 34th street to 50th and Broadway.

Another fun experience that was on the list.

We walked the short distance to Rockefeller Center

and the Radio City music hall.

Inside the Theatre was very beautiful.

The show was very good. Amazing how the dancers can be so precise.

We enjoyed the whole show ending with the full on Nativity.

The story was read right from Luke's Gospel!

Anyway, Well worth the trip.

Following the show, we did some more sight seeing.

The Tree at Rockefeller Center was very impressive. Not as tall

as I was expecting, but so many lights and very beautiful.

Merry Christmas from the Morrishes!

Time Square was just the way it is always pictured. We

found Bubba Gumps and enjoyed a lovely dinner looking out

onto the lights and motion of that part of the city. It also gave us

a chance to get warm before we headed back to the Subway, to catch the

train, to get the taxi, back to the hotel.

A wonderful "Christmas time" experience.

Christmas in Canada, Eh

Our Living Room before.............

Still unpacking............

We bought our first Christmas Tree in 12 years. We had

always gone out back in the forest and cut one. I am not sure where they grow

the trees around here, but this one is beautiful! And the price was very reasonable.

Ken and Katie did the tree decorating this year. I was busy getting

food ready for our Staff Christmas Dinner Sunday evening. I could

never have done it without them.

I love our living room.

Ken painted the walls this lovely pale shade of green. Did you know

that Home Depot sells "mistake paint"? I picked this green up for less than

half price because someone changed their mind, or it was mixed up wrong.

The room still needs window treatment and some furniture, but that will come.

It is fun to start from nothing and slowly put it together.

Any suggestions for the window, Danielle?

After......

SNOW

We did get snow last week. Not piles and piles like I was expecting,

but enough to make it look like winter. It was very cold,

in the teens. It has warmed up this week (20's and 30's). We are

supposed to get another storm over the week end. Lisa comes into Buffalo

on Saturday and we are praying that the weather holds until she gets

here. A very exciting time for all of us

Operation Christmas Child

Ken and I had the opportunity to go with Katie's school to

Operation Christmas Child. It was a great experience and we are so

glad that we were able to see what all goes into a thing like this.

Of course, Samaritans Purse is very special to us because it is the

organization that Phillip is with in Africa. And of course, Katie had the most

amazing time when she went to work with him this last July.

Every box has to be gone through. Most of the time people follow the

directions for packing the box, but once in a while there will be some

food or liquid, or something glass or breakable.

They have quite a system and the three hours went by really fast.

It is amazing to think that there are other processing centers all over

North America that are doing the same thing.

Thousands and Thousands and Thousands of shoe boxes

are going out of this warehouse alone.

Who knows, maybe one of the boxes that Katie inspected will end up in the hands

of a child she played with in Yei Sudan.

If you ever have the opportunity to volunteer at one of these

processing centers, don't pass it up. It was a great experience.

We went with 11th graders, but individuals can just drop in too.

A great thing to do with younger children as well.

Still Waiting!

There has been a phrase that we have heard regularly since we arrived here and it is stated after someone hears that we are from

California. "Just Wait!" Wouldn't you know it, Guelph has not had a November with out snow in over 70 years. Now it is the 3rd day in December and still no snow. I am not complaining, mind you, but I am starting to get a little concerned about the white Christmas that I am anticipating.

I have never seen so much snow removal equipment and cold weather apparel in all of my life. It makes me wonder, are we ready for this? I guess we will just have to "wait" and see!

Life in Cancun, Si

Most of you who are reading this, probably shared in our experience in Cancun, and probably have some of the same pictures. It was so good to see family and share this special place with each other. From stepping off the bus and entering the lobby and being handed a glass of hibiscus tea, to the perfect temperature, to the aqua blue ocean and wonderful pools. To room service, and the fully stocked snack bar. To lunches at the pool or at the buffet where they don't let you carry your own plate back to your table. It all made for a very memorable time. A time that will not soon be forgotten or repeated.

This was our room. It was simply beautiful!! We ordered room service each morning and enjoyed it by the open glass door out the back.

Lisa and Katie were able to share a room. They have lots of pictures on their facebook if you want to see more.

I don't know where all the people were, but we felt like we had the place all to ourselves. A beautiful setting!

Now this is luxury! Being handed a bowl of chocolate ice cream

to eat while you are still in the pool!

We all enjoyed 6 week old Remington. He was so good.

I think that the tropics agreed with him.

The view from our balcony

The Wedding was beautiful. A very lovely spot on the beach

Daniel and Jenny

Cousins

and Sisters!

Lisa and some of the others had to leave on Sunday. The rest of us moved to a place in Cancun for the rest of the time. This place had the best beach and we enjoyed swimming in the ocean.

Ken looks a little over dressed with his shoes and socks on, Oh well, he had a great time too!

Some of the guys played golf on Friday and that was very nice. Thank you Daniel!

A couple of weeks ago I started noticing people wearing red flowers, poppies to be exact, on their lapel. Finally I asked someone. I got a great explanation and a copy of this poem written by John McCrae who, by the way, was from Guelph.

November 11th is "Remembrance Day" in Canada. The United States acknowledge "Veterans Day" on this same day. The flags were half mast and at 11:00am people took a couple of moments to "Remember". In Church Sunday, a clip was shown of Canadian Soldiers, past and present, serving their Country on the battlefield. It was very moving as many in the congregation had served in years gone by. It was interesting how the uniforms were different, but the experience was the same for these people, both those who were, [and are], gone to war and those who were, [and are], on the home front.

In Flanders Fields

In Flanders fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row,

That mark our place; and in the sky

The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

Loved, and were loved, and now we lie

In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands we throw

The torch; be yours to hold it high.

if ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

In Flanders fields.
— Lt.-Col. John McCrae (1872 - 1918)

Tim Who?

Tim Hortons is to Ontario what Starbucks is to California. Being Starbucks fans, it was an eye opener to find that Canadians haven't really gotten into the whole specialty coffee thing. Ken scoured the whole town and has found a small place called "The Second Cup" which will make his Large Iced Mocha with two shots of raspberry. And we do have two Starbucks in town but, like the Second Cup, the yummy beverages are very expensive. For this reason, our loyalties have shifted to Tim Hortons.

There are aproximatly 17 stores in Guelph alone. The Coffee shop was started in 1964 by National Hockey League player Tim Horton who was killed in a car accident in 1974. It is known for it's coffee (regular, plane old coffee) and doughnuts. They have a machine that makes something that they like to call espresso, but we all know that it really isn't. They make real good hot chocolate, Katie's choice, and their Mocha is just regular coffee and hot chocolate, with whip cream and chocolate sprinkles, of course. This is my drink of choice. Ken enjoys these as well but, the thing that he loves at Tim's is the "Canadian Maple" Doughnut (pictured). I have to say, it is wonderful. You have to come for a visit to find out what makes it different from the regular maple doughnut. This alone may make it worth the trip to Ontario!

A Room of My Own

I love "before and after" pictures. This is a room on the main floor that is really too small for a bed room so I claimed it! It was very "White".

I know, I know, now it appears to be very "pink". It is really a rosy mauve with burgundy red accents. In this room I have all my antiques and special nic nacs. The picnic basket was my Mom and Dads. I don't know how old it is, but it has been around as long as I can remember. The quilt was my Grandma Ewerts. I don't know the history behind it and it isn't hand made, but I have always liked it but had no place to put it because of the colors. It is just right here. When we went desk shopping I got very discouraged. IKEA had some nice desks but out of my price range. We needed a filing cabinet as well but couldn't find the right desk with a file drawer and the right color to match the armoire. We were on our way out of the store when we stumbled across this table in the dining section, of course. $59.00. A can of stain at Home Depot and a piece of glass for the top and the desk was created! I found an old filing cabinet in a storage room at camp, another trip to Home Depot and a can of black spray paint, completed the set. All for under $200.00.

The start of my "old" apron collection

I keep my linens in this armoire. I also have two of my Grandma Friesen's hats in the hat boxes.

I still have a few touches to make, but all in all it is a cozy room. I call it my room, but actually since the computer is there, we all use it. Guess who is in there the most?

If you have tried to leave a comment and had trouble, I'm sorry. Thanks to Alyson, the problem should be corrected. Go ahead and try it!

All "Aboot" Katie

Friday Katie and I took a trip to IKEA, which is only about an hour away, and found the finishing touches for her room. We had painted soon after we arrived, and got her comforter even before our things arrived. Katie has got all her things out of boxes and is now enjoying her new room.

We started her birthday train when she was One. Now there are 16 Precious Moments figures all lined up. I was happy she wanted to still put it out.

Ken has been hanging shelves

and mirrors and putting things

together for us. Katie bought the

chair at IKEA as well as the floor

lamp. She has a cozy little reading

corner. A world map hangs under

the window so she can dream of

where she will go next. Although,

I think that she has her heart set

on Africa again next summer!

Woodland Christian High School. (Sorry about the mirror in the picture). Here Katie spends her days. Cross Country ended last Thursday. Just in time, I would say. It is starting to get cold. She did run in the rain a couple of times, but all in all it was a real good experience for her.

Home Sweet Home

This is our house. We have been enjoying the fall colors all around us. In another week, they say, the leaves will all be off the trees. It has warmed up a little this week, but we got a little taste of "Real Cold" last week. I found a good second hand store here in town and have gotten some sweaters. We are not quite prepared for winter yet, but we are getting there. Right now we are just enjoying this beautiful Autumn.

Thanksgiving In Canada

The Canadian Thanksgiving was Monday. This was very strange for us. I asked someone what do they actually celebrate? We, as Americans, celebrate the Pilgrims and Plymouth Rock and all of that. I was told that it is more a celebration of harvest. It really isn't as big here as it is in the States, but they do close everything down and take the long weekend. We had a family group in, the last of our sponsored groups for the year. They all left early Monday afternoon, so we decided we needed to do something to commemorate our first official Holiday in Canada, so we decided to head for Niagara Falls. Ken and I were there when we were here in June, But Katie hadn't been there yet. It was a little rainy and very cold, but we jumped out to get a few photos.

Katie thought it would be neat to go to "New York" for Dinner, so we crossed over the border and found a little fish place, "Dug's Dive" in Buffalo. It turned out that it was the last night of the season, so our timing was good, and it was very good food! It was a nice evening, but took a while to get back across the border because, evidently, other Canadians had the same idea for Thanksgiving!