Baby christmas

I don't have any pictures of the treasure hunt but what each individual found was a drawstring bag that I sewed, each with a different design. All of them had a carmel inside and some had trinkets inside too. Suzenn I think enjoyed her's the best! It was a gold colored locket that said I Love You. Her eyes just glowed! And Karron got the cutest gift. A Christmas gown that I found difficult to sew in secret with so many walking by!

CHRISTmas eve!!!!

What a good day! On Mom's blog she tells about our devotions. It sure was fun acting it out and everyone agreed that Karron fit baby Jesus' position. Some played shepherds and Vonn put Mag high on his shoulder so she could be an angel. SuZenn played Mary while riding on Rolaun the donkey. Today for Christmas everyone gathered in Mom's room (we still fit! it was iffy last year and 5 more pankratz' live here now!) and opened our stocking shirts.

After 5 garbage bags full of toy paper garbage (no wrapping paper), full stomaches, and toy boxes full, everyone started on a treasure hunt. There was one starting clue for everyone besides Levin and Ran (they had it together) and the 3 younger ones had it together. They best part is the end, seeming their beaming faces! Explaining where they went, what happened, and how something got there. What fun!

For the afternoon, Dad took the children besides Reuben ,baby, and I, sledding.  FUN!! It was the first time Seleen, Brandon, Rolaun, and Ran could EVER say that they went sledding for Christmas. Later after a special dinner personal gifts were passed out. It was a precious time!

Dec-23

Tomorrow is Christmas eve? Already?

Wow, I can't believe it!

After coming home from church we enjoyed oranges, a treat at this house. Quentin has a funny face because some orange juice squirted in his eye, everything gets in his eye like a magnet! He even got glass in there one time.

In the evening the big boys played dutch blitz. They really like that game, it has lasted over a year as our favorite.

Dec.21.07

As I am blogging this out, my Dad is in the basement cutting out cars out of blocks of wood that the children stenciled out.

So the aroma of fresh cut wood is filling the house and the sweet sound of the fire detector is going off too.

The cars are from Awana, every year they have a race track set up and an Awana grand prix is set in action. Different car shapes are designed every year, in our family it has gone to pick-ups and pencils to big vans and larry mobiles. I wonder what will come up this year.

The buzz of Christmas is aslo come! Many gifts have arrived under the tree wrapped in love with red, purple, and brown contruction paper. Some have even made thier way IN the tree!

Our Christmas plan is to open gifts on Christmas eve and then open our stocking shirts the next morning. We used to have stockings but nothing can fit in them. So starting last year, the children have button up men's shirts sewn up on the bottom and sleeve ends and initials sewn on the pockets of whose it is.

3rd day

Today for Karron's third day in the big world , Mom, baby, and I went to the chiropactor and to show of our pride and joy. We also had neighbors and friends come over, they also brought a meal for us!

It was so wonderful to have that break from being in the kitchen and enjoy a different meal.  Karron has also been smiling at us! We thought at first, she is to little, just gas. But it is not! She really is smiling at us!

Mom is already feeling SO much better, but don't worry she is staying in bed!

Some of us were joking around, since our commander of the house (mom) has been worn out for the last 9-10 months, everyone is going slooooow and not to quick thinking.

Mom is going to one day jump up and run do a project while we will be left in her dust with a dumbstruck expression on our faces. How did she do that? What do we do now??

Well, I laugh at it.

baby1stday

OOHHH, isn't she cute?

Right now Karron is having her hair washed, she cried some after a while. The boys were watching and look at the concerned faces! We are all thrilled to have a little girl, EVERYONE here wanted a girl even the boys wanted a girl more than a boy.

She is so attentive on watching everyone at only a day old!

The Newest Pankratz is a...........................................

The newest Pankratz

is a

Girl!!!!!!!!!!

 

Van and Beth, and their children,

JoyAnn, Vonn, Seleen, Brandon, Quentin, Tristan,

Rolaun, Ran, Levin, Benjamin, Magdalyn, Aaron

SuZenn and Reuben

would like to introduce...

 

Karron Hannah Pankratz

(means pure grace )

born at home

In the water

On December 17, 2007

at 1:17am

weighing only 10 lbs & 6 oz

 23 inches long

 

We will be adding more photos both at our family blog www.PanClanInMN.blogspot.com

and JoyAnn's blog

www.Oldestof15.blogspot.com

 

 

Bingo and Sledding Pictures

Here is some sledding and Bingo pictures from Tracey.. Thanks Tracey

Pictures go with Joy's post below.

Just another day

Hello everyone!

Just an update, pictures are events of our school days. Right now is reading time, 20-40 minutes for everyone, depending on what kind of day it is.

Today was a special day our little town Lancaster. Starting off at the city hall with bingo. Since our little family IS quite large, it would be strange if one day none of us got bingo. The business's in town are the ones we have to thank for their kind generosity, in donations of the prizes. This year the prize was sleds, something the children in our family use soo much. For the bingo: Quentin, SuZenn, Seleen, Tristan, and Benjamin each won a sled. They were so excited!!!

I am glad Seleen received a sled, something special for her to remember.

Afterward, we went out and sled on the big snow pile next door( for the flat landers, it's a big deal). Soup was for dinner for a fundraiser in town and then a parade of lights. After ooohing and aaahing all cold bodys piled in the van and went home. The end.

Girls

Here's one for you girls! Enjoy!

(written, interestingly enough, by a non-christian): Girls ------------- are like apples----------- on trees. The best ones-------- are at the top of the tree.------- The boys don't want to reach for the good ones because they're afraid of falling and getting hurt.---- Instead, they get the rotten apples from the ground that aren't as good,-- but easy. So, the apples up top think something is wrong w/ them, when in- reality, they're amazing. They just have to wait for the right boy to--- come along, the one who's----- brave enough to---------- climb all------------ the way----------- to the top---------- IIIIIIIIIOIIIIOIII OOIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Hot Potato

During one of our afternoons after playing out in the snow all of the children gathered together in the game room and played hot potato! It turned out to be a cold uncooked potato in place of our pretend hot one. Someone was not very excited about playing so they were put in music on and off duty, which cheered them up! Eventually they joined in the fun.  The picture of Aaron laughing is a comedy moment. I was in the ring along with everyone else that was left. Right as I was going to take a picture the potato landed in my free hand. Before being able to attempt to pass the potato, the music stops. Some how it was really funny and got a great picture!

 

Right now our life consists of waiting, waiting, and waiting. When is that baby coming??

Also another adventure is the temperature. COLD, average is 20 below zero warming up to 10 below and 0. It has been hard trying to convince Rolaun (one of or Texas children ) that it is COLD(!) but he must not of believed us and had to go out unprepared properly. Then yesterday he took off his mitten to throw snowballs, let's just say, he dresses better!

Snow!

Snow!
Alright, we did have snow before, but just enough to cover the ground, and it did not stay more than two days.
Now snow is before our eyes and not a splotch of bare ground is visible.
Last Saturday, was our Sunday school Christmas program practice, and did it snow!
On the start of our journey, inches of snow had to be wiped off the van windshield. On our way home more snow had to be wiped away. During the night, it snowed more! All together it was around six inches that fell. The Texas children (keep in mind this is the first snowy winter) seemed in awe when the snow piles in the middle of the street was showed to them. Snow piles in the middle of the road? Vonn joked, "Even us small towns get divided highways"!
Brandon is 12 now and our home is the first place he has ever seen (maybe heard) a snowmobile. And he DROVE one!
Oh I wish you could have seen his face! His eyes just glowed and face was just beaming! when Brandon ran in to tell me that he drove the snowmobile!
And most assuredly NOT the last!