Merry Christmas!

Seek and find clues to the Hackbart-Morlock-Wright adventures of 2006
A minivan: We drove cross-country in January from New York to Minnesota
Knight in a Wheelchair: Peter loves his new call as Chaplain at two nursing homes, parts of the Cerenity Senior Care system. He works at Dellwood Place and Humbolt.
Bear at a table: Kris started a new call as Pastor at Zion Lutheran in Chisago City, MN. She's working part-time mostly in Education. It's a medium sized congregation in the exurbs of St. Paul. Looks Rural, but is really a bedroom community. Great people and wonderful old church.
Castle: We moved into a new house in Lino Lakes, MN. It's not that big, but it is our castle now.
Tractor: The kids had a great time visiting the “Hackbart Ranch” this spring and summer. The kids planted potatoes on St. Patrick's day, which Granpa watered and weeded. Then they boys dug up the potatoes in July and took them to the county fair where they won blue and purple ribbons. Noah got to compete in the tractor pull, and Jonah and Miriam discovered cotton candy!
White Bear: Miriam was baptized at Easter with lots of family in attendance. The Chapel at The Hackbart Ranch was utilized for this happy occasion. It was built a few years ago for a memorial service for all the grandparents, so it was fun to gather around the theme of new birth.
Three kids in summer clothes: Everyone enjoyed the Morlock Cabins this summer. We did lots of swimming at Crosby, MN and watched the Fourth of July Parade. We were able to spend a weekend up there with Peter's cousins Paul and Carl who were great buddies. Uncle John taught Noah how to fish. We also traveled to Hayward WI for a quieter time at the other cabin. Grandma and Grandpa Hackbart went to see too, and enjoyed the forest and friends.
2 Baby Jesus’ in a Manger: Noah started Second Grade and turned 7 on September 23. He's doing really well in school in New York and spent the entire summer with us. Noah's good at Karate, all his school work and singing. He had a big solo in the Christmas Musical again this year. He'll be home for Chistmas.
3 Wise Men: Jonah turned Three on May 5th and started pre-school this fall. He's becoming quite the artist and tells stories all the time. Like his brother he sings almost non-stop, when he's not talking about how he painted the lines on the road.
1 Pink Hat: Miriam turned one on September 20th. She's going to be large and in charge, and her brothers better watch out! Miriam is already joining the choir, and adds her Hey! in the right place in "Jingle bells".

Otherwise, things are putting along! The Hackbart Ranch is a day's drive away, so we've seen Kris' folks quite a bit this year. Peter's parents live in St. Paul and Grandma Lynda tries to kidnap the kids about once every other week or so.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Gingerbread Christmas

This year I was able to help the students at Zion's Kindervillage create Christmas Pagaent centerpieces.
In case you are wondering, this is what I did with the kids.

I made the stables ahead of time using Grahm Crackers and Royal Icing. They dried at least overnight. I used scraps of cracker to prop the roof up a little, it helps with the next step.

Then I gathered the pieces for the inside: Elf Cookies, Animal Crackers, Shredded Mini-Wheats, Pretzl Stars, candy canes and gummy bears.

Use what you can find, I was lucky on the pretzel stars. I used the candy canes for Joseph's staff, and thought about wrapping Mary in a piece of blue fruit roll-up.

I helped each pair of students by squirting more royal icing on the cardboard, as I told the story of Mary and Joseph going to Bethlehem, and laying Baby Jesus in the Manger. They placed the figures in the frosting; animals in the stable, Joseph and Mary, the Manger and the Baby, and finally the star on top of the Stable.

This young man laid everyone down, but they all stand up very nicely in the icing!