Manor Family Christmas

Our family was fortunate to once again celebrate Christmas together at the Plaza in Eau Claire on Saturday, December 29th. Many of our Manor Family were able to join us, but we sure missed those who couldn't be there this year. We had our usual feast, followed by a nice "program" that was mc-ed and organized by Aunt Paula. It was nice to have Auntie Lou at the piano this year!

Here is a picture of most of the kids joining Grandma and Great-Grandma Lila up front in singing "Jesus Loves Me"

Aunt Paula, the MC

Brett sang a beautiful version of "Silent Night" for us!


Abby played two songs on the piano--"Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer" and "Silent Night"--of course, she sounded GREAT!! :-)



Damara sang a beautiful song from The Messiah, as well as a more lively song to follow--accompanied by the lovely Auntie Lou!




Grandma Lila shared a message with us about the "Text Message" in the Bible that God has sent us asking us to believe in Him so we can spend Eternal Life in Heaven.

Grandma and her six remaining children all sang together--we sure missed Sharon this Christmas...

Uncle Louis shared with all of us the struggles and rewards he and Auntie Lou faced this past year as he battled Mantle Cell Cancer. His testimony was very heart-felt and emotional, and he also reminded us all that for us to all be together again as a family in Eternity, we must put our trust in God and invite Him into our lives as our Savior.

Riahl closed off our program with his new talent--playing the BANJO! He sang about the "Sunny Side of Life"!

Little Abby was walking all over the place at our Christmas Celebration! She loved to hold your fingers and walk around. She can even let go and take a few steps all by herself! She was so cute in her little sweater dress and she was smacking kisses to everyone who walked by!

Christmas Kids listening to the program...

Brett, Andrew, and Austin--trouble????

Paige--I love this kid! (maybe because she reminds me of me with all those boy cousins around...)

Carter and his Silly Putty

Checking out Andrew's cell phone pictures--he has pictures of Sam and Dylan from Thanksgiving saved on his phone!

Andrew and Sam (A.K.A. "Johnny"--I don't know why they call Sam "Johnny"--I guess they think he looks like a "Johnny"!)

Abby, Auntie Lou, and Autumn--the girls were enjoying watching Auntie Lou play every Christmas Carol imaginable!

The big day was too much for little Jordyn--she fell asleep with mom looking on!

Of course, the day wouldn't have been complete without a trip to the pool!

Here are the boys trying to balance on one of the big snakes in the pool..

Austin, Brett, and Dane

Cute little Cruzie

CHICKEN FIGHTS!!!

Carter was on Moriah's shoulders, Brett on Dane's shoulders, and Abby on Woody's shoulders!

Two Brothers!

Carter and Bradley...

Bradley James venturing into the pool

Austin and Carter on the snake!

Abz and Uncle Woody--she was SO happy that he took her swimming!!!!!!

Woody and Moriah tossed Abby in the pool!

Carter's turn for a toss!

Moriah and Woody toss Carter, too! Looks like FUN!

Poor Jack and Sophie had to stay home in the kennel while we had fun at the Plaza....

Thank you, everyone, for a fun day at the Plaza! We are tentatively planning next year's Manor Family Christmas for Saturday, December 27th, so mark your calenders!

Also, please feel free to leave us comments by clicking on the "comments" icon below--we would love to hear from you and know you are visiting our blog! (hint, hint!)

:-)

Happy Anniversary, Mom and Dad!

Today is Mom and Dad's 33rd Anniversary!

Happy Anniversary, Mom and Dad!

Here they are posing on their 25th Anniversary in St. Felix Church in Wabasha, MN where they were married all those years ago...

Here Mom and Dad are saying goodbye to 2006 and bringing in the New Year of 2007 with some sparkling cider last year...
Happy Anniversary and many more, Mom and Dad!
We love you!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas from our house to yours!from the Klimek Family

Christmas Eve with the Klimeks...

Tonight was our Christmas here at home with the kids. We enjoyed a quiet day around home and opened our gifts this early evening. Here are some pictures of the kids with their favorite gifts--the ones off their Christmas Wish Lists...

Austin with his new snowboard and boots--he is just itching to hit the slopes!

Andrew with his new guitar for XBox 360 and Guitar Hero III--his quote for the evening, "I am in love with this game!!!"

Abby and her Dream Life Superstar game--she had asked Santa for this one, so she wrote him a note for this evening so he didn't bring her another one!


The dogs enjoyed their bones from Grandma Pat and Grandpa Denny...



Jack and Sophie snuggling during gift opening...
(picture by Andrew)

The Klimek Family had a very nice Christmas Eve this year with lots of nice gifts--the best gift of all, though, was the five of us (or seven, with the dogs!) being together.

Unfortunately, Christmas Eve started out not so well for Meme, as she has been having problems with her back and not feeling well. This morning, she was unable to get out of bed and had to be transported to the Whitehall hospital via ambulance.

This evening, Deb must have been feeling jealous of Meme's ambulance ride, because she ended up getting sick, too, with a terrible headache, dizziness, and extremely high blood pressure. She, too, had to have an ambulance ride to Whitehall hospital, and then on to LaCrosse for further testing. Jamie drove down to Chippewa Falls, picked up Aunt Bev, and then went to Whitehall tonight to be with his mom. Bev rode in the ambulance to LaCrosse with Deb, and Jamie drove Ken down to LaCrosse, with Nicole following in her own vehicle, where they will hopefully soon find some answers to what is making Deb ill.

Please remember both Deb and Meme (Romelle) in your prayers as they are struggling to feel better for Christmas...



****UPDATE 12-25-07: Deb is home from the hospital in LaCrosse--they brought her home around 4am this morning. They aren't sure what caused her "episode"--we are just hoping she is feeling better soon...

A Christmas Visitor...

Our family was fortunate to be together again this year at Meme and Grandpa Edward's house in Indee. We celebrated our Christmas together on Sunday with Meme, Grandpa Ed, Grandma Deb, Grandpa Ken, Chad, Nicole, Carter, Bradley, and our whole gang. We had a suprise visitor in the afternoon--he came to check in to see if we had been naughty or nice! Andrew replied truthfully when asked, and admitted that he is nice "most of the time"!

Here are some pics of the kids on Santa's lap for your enjoyment...

Santa and the Squirrel

Santa and Andrew

Santa and Austin--Eddie isn't too sure he should be sitting on old Santa's lap anymore! :-)

Santa, Nicole, and Bradley--little Bradley wasn't too sure what to think of Santa, so he went to sit on Santa's lap in the safe company of his mom! Even then, he didn't want to stay up by Santa for too long! :-)

Santa and Carter Mike

Carter and Abby helping Santa pass out some presents...

HO, HO, HO! Merry Christmas!!!

Santa and Grandma Deb

Happy Second Birthday, Bradley James!

We were in Durand on Saturday night to help Bradley celebrate his second birthday. It's hard to believe it has been two years since Chad and Nicole (and I in the backseat) made the trip from Barron/Rice Lake to Eau Claire in terrible, foggy weather the night of December 23rd into the early morning hours of the 24th for Bradley to be born at Sacred Heart Hospital! The Dorwin family--just Chad, Nicole, and Carter, at that time, had been at our house to celebrate Christmas with us and Grandma Deb and Grandpa Ken, when Bradley decided he was ready to greet the world a few days earlier than expected! What a great Christmas present for our family that year!

Here is Bradley showing off by blowing out his candles...

Tasting the frosting... YUM!

Happy to be TWO!!!


Big brother Carter showing Bradley the finer points of gift-opening!

The Kitchen Fairy Strikes Again...

There was more progress made today on our kitchen project. We now have all of our countertops and all of our lighting! We also have all of our WORKING APPLIANCES!!!!! Tonight, my family had a home-cooked meal for the first time in WEEKS! We ate at our new "penninsula" and toasted our kitchen with sparkling cider that Abby bought a month ago in anticipation of this day. There is still more work to be done, but we are excited that we are getting closer to the end!

Austin snapped a picture of Jack and Sophie eating their supper--they both share the bowl, because, heaven forbid, someone may get more then someone else if they each have their own bowls! Sophie is getting quite big already... :-(