Saturday, December 7, 2013

A Trip to Newberry

Newberry Main Street
We were surprised that almost all the stores were closed on Saturday afternoon at 4 PM.  We talked to one of  the shop-keepers who was open and he said that most everyone in town does their shopping between Tuesday and Friday, and the locals are the only ones who shop there - so they all just close up shop around noon on Saturday and take a three-day weekend.

The Newberry Opera House

Perfect view of the parade, I'd say.  :o)

There were a couple of marching bands.

And Herbie was there.  :o)

Friday, December 6, 2013

The First Annual Chapin/Irmo/Dutch Fork Nativity Festival

Six weeks ago, it was announced that there would be a Community Nativity Festival in our church building. We had been to one of these in Pleasant View.  It was wonderful, and we were looking forward to tonight with much anticipation.  We were not disappointed!


















They also had a children's room where the kids could play, hands-on, with the nativities - and even make their own nativities out of craft paper and Popsicle sticks.  They could also dress up as Mary, Joseph, shepherds, wise men and angels and stage their own, live nativities.

There were a ton of traditional nativities at the festival - some very simple and some very ornate.  I took pictures of the ones I saw that were different and appealed to me.  I may post more at a later date.  But aren't they wonderful?  I wish I had taken a picture of the cultural hall.  It was spectacular.  The chapel, too, was decorated with poinsettias and a Christmas tree.  Sister Barlow said it was extremely well done - especially for a first year.  She said that the Corvallis exhibit was pretty rocky for the first 10 years, and they almost cancelled it.  But now it is one of the longest running nativity displays anywhere in the country.

Jack just read this morning that Pleasant View's display has grown so much they moved it out of the Stake Center and into the County Fairgrounds Exhibit Hall.  That's wonderful!




Relief Society Christmas Dinner

Sister Barlow and I went to the Relief Society dinner last night at the Jacob's home.  There were probably 30 sisters from the branch who came.  They served a delicious dinner, had a spiritual message from Sister Bruno (she told President Eyring's story about the bottled cherries - love it!) and afterward there was a gift exchange.  Everyone was asked to bring five of one of their favorite things.  This is my FAVORITE gift!  It was so appreciated!  I almost cried when my name was drawn for this precious little...

Nativity!

Decorating the Office Tree

I put Elder Appleton to work decorating the office Christmas tree.
He's from Strathmore, in Alberta Canada.  

New Apartment


Sister Barlow and I got to go with Sister Fenton to check out a possible apartment for some missionaries. It's above the garage of a member's home.  It's very nice!  The kitchen still needs a little work and the wood floors need to be polished and a rug added - but it looks good!  These people live on a SEVEN acre lot!  I know some grand-kids who would think they'd died and gone to heaven if they got to live in a place like this!


The apartment


Land by apartment



Barnyard by apartment with Rhode Island Reds and a couple of noisy goats!



This is Rosey - one of the SWEETEST dogs I've ever met!!!
She'll be a neighbor to the missionaries when they move in.  :o)


Robby's Roadside Vegetable Stand
They're closed for the season, but are offering free mustard greens - "you pick"


I'd like to come back here next summer!

One of the Chapin's main streets.  
There's some serious shopping here for a little town.
We only stopped at one store - Material Things.  Lots of beautiful stuff, but I didn't buy a thing - as usual.

Anything We Can Do for You, Sister Arrington?

Elders Hutchinson and Lamb were by on Monday, their p-day,
and helped me alphabetize the mail.  Love these young missionaries!

Sunday, December 1, 2013

Hey Cuz???

Elder Brimhall went home and Elder Loos has a new companion.  He's Elder Wadsworth, from NV - north of Las Vegas.  I have Wadsworths on my family tree.  My Great-Grandma Patterson's mother was a Wadsworth.  Maybe we're related.  :o)
Elders Wadsworth and Loos