Christmas in Lancaster, PA

I am finding out that it is a difficult thing to buy for your parents. Think about it. My sister and I are out of the house. Our schooling is paid for. All of the extra things that go along with raising kids is now absent. Whenever they need something, they get it. If dad needs a shirt, he buys one. If mom needs new pots and pans, she buys them, even if Christmas is just two months away. So that leaves us kids in a dilemma. Now that they have what they need what do we buy? So, Vonnie, my sister Laura, and I came up with a solution. We would send them to Lancaster, PA. So we made up puzzles for them to unwrap on Christmas. As they opened them they had to solve them. When it was all said and done, we all got up Monday morning after Christmas and was on our way to Lancaster. We took them to Sight and Sound to see "The Miracle of Christmas". Afterwards, we all stayed at The Country Inn & Suites. The next day found us at Shady Maple Restaraunt for lunch before we traveled back to Allenwood, PA. The conclusion...They loved it and so do we. It was an exciting time together. Now the only question is, what next year? Oh, well. We have a whole year to decide that.

I'm Back

It seems to be the general conclusion that Christmas time is not a good time for bloggers. At least that is the excuse that I have found listed on various blog sites. If it works for them, I guess it can for me, too. Whether you count it as an excuse or not, the Christmas season was extremely busy for the Ellison family. My parents came up from West Virginia the Friday before Christmas. Saturday night, Christmas eve, things began to unravel. Justin got sick. We called our Dr. around 8:30 am Saturday morning. The doc on call was to return our call but never did. At 11:00 pm, we had to take him to the ER. The diagnosis was a severe virus that needed steriods to help cure. We found ourselves returning home 2:00 am Christmas morning. That was just the beginning. Of course when you have more than one kid, one by one they all get it. So to make a long story short Kayla got and still has it. Oh joy. None the less, we had a good time with my parents and family. I got just about all I was hoping for for Christmas (more on this later), except my Fat Boy Harley Davidson. Maybe next year.

Goofy Gift Award

This year at our Christmas Dinner, we inserted something new. It was the first annual Goofy Gift Award. We asked people to submit what they thought was the most embarassing or stupid thing that they did last year. A comittee voted on all of the entries and came up with three top enteries. We then presented them to the crowd at the dinner and they voted for a winner. This years top three enteries were:
1) Bro. Kohler, a volenteer fireman, arrived at a fire call and jumped out of the fire truck only to find out that
he could not walk. He took off his fire outfit to find he had forgotten to wear a belt and his pants had
fell down.

2) The Steen family have a garbage business. Leland Steen, the dad, was lifting a trash can one day and the
handle broke. This resulted in him hitting himself in the nose, thus breaking it. Another time he was lifting
a bag and it ripped. This resulted in him hitting himself in the eye, thus blacking it. His son, Justin, was
walking around the corner of the trash track when Leland was in the process of throwing in a bag af trash.
It caught Justin square in the chin resulting in him and the bag both in the truck.

3) Sis. Connie Forney one Sunday morning came up from teaching Sunday School a little late. We were
already in the congregational singing. With out paying much attention, she sat down next to Paul Miller
and didn't realize it. Her reaction when she realized it is priceless.

The Steen family won. They won a trophy to proudly display for years to come. Congratulations Steen family.

Church Christms Dinner

Last Friday evening was our church Chistmas dinner. There were 107 people in attendance, up 20 from last year. Things went well, except for a couple minor glitches. Things were a little diferent from previous years. Our young people served the people. It was exciting and we are looking forward to doing it again next year.

Ski for Sale

Last Thursday evening Andy and Kara Plank, Sarah Miller and Katie Brinkmann came to help Vonnie and I decorate the Allenwood Fire Hall for our Christmas Dinner that was to be on Friday evening. Andy and I had to make a 11:00 pm run to Walmart. On our way we saw a ski boot along the road. We turned around to investigate. We found that the boot was wet and soggy, but it was attached to a snow ski. We left the boot and took the ski for some dumb reason. If you know any one legged people who are looking for one ski in decent shape, send them my way, it can be aquired at a very good price.

Flood Season

As fall has come upon us, the dreaded flood season in Allenwood has arrived. We had our first scare this past week. It rain nonstop basically for two days. When we returned home for being out we came home to this exciting find. THE CREEK WAS RISING!! It stopped short for which we were thankful. These pics show where creek should be and where its not.

Song Evangelist

If anyone is looking for song evagelist for their church revival, I highly recommend this team...Justin and Kayla. Here they are during their first practice session.

You'd better take a picture.

This was Justin's comment to me when he asked if he could hold Kayla.

Anyone for Apple Pie?

One of Valerie's specialties is her crumb apple pie. Everyone always goes crazy over it. Of course she fixed one for Thaanksgiving. As the ladies were getting the deserts out after our Thanksgiving meal, I decided to stick one of Ronnie's paint balls into the apple pie. I doctored it all up and nobody was the wiser. But as my luck goes, this practical joke was about to be a dud. Wouldn't you know it, nobody wanted apple pie. All day long I asked people, "do you want apple pie?" The response was always negative. Finally, someone answered yes. My victim, Don Hallenbeck. As he was eating, he started making ugly faces and finally he discovered it. He didn't enjoy it as much as I did, but hey, that is how goes sometimes.

All Gone!

Today is a day of rejoicing around the Ellison household (except for Justin). We got rid of our last pup. She went to a lady in Mifflinburg, PA. I have decided to retire from the dog business. So until the next get rich scheme comes along, so long.

Thanksgiving 2005

Thanksgiving this year was with the Hallenbeck side. Donny, Becky and the kids came in Wednesday evening from New York. My mom and dad came to Laura's for Thanksgiving, so on Thanksgiving Day we all, including my parents and Laura, got together at Don and Val's. It was a fun day. We played King's Court, Ping Pong, and darts nearly all day. Then around 2:00 we stuffed ourselves silly. It definetly was great to be with everybody.

Nursing Home Ministry

Our church has services once a month at the Heritage House, in Lewisburg. This past Sunday it took on a new meaning. Wanting to try and get our youth involved we are having all who participate in the service over for dinner. Yesterday we had 13 people for dinner. It was quite an experience, but it was a lot of fun. We are looking forward to next time already, but then again, I'm not the cook:)

Justin's Orchestra Debute

Sunday evening, Nov. 13, 2005, Justin brought his guitar to play in the New Columbia orchestra. He took his place next to Keith Forney. He played approx. 3/4 of one song before making his departure. When we got home I asked him if he was going to play again, his reply, "No, all those people were just looking at me."

"Heroes"

This is the title of the new CD by the Issacs that I purchased with the last of my birthday money. If you do not enjoy a dobroe, mandilin, banjo, guitar and up-right bass you will not appriciate such a purchase. But, if you like this kind of music and good professional nasal singing then you would greatly appriciate it. The Issacs are one of my favorite Southern Gospel groups and this is the first CD I have bought of theirs, but as much as I like it, I am sure there will be more in my collection later.

Hay Ride 2005

Friday evening was the annual hayride for our church. This was the first year I was able to attend. What a blast. My wife and I along with Justin and Kayla and 50 other members of the New Columbia congregation met at the Zimmerman's farm and had an old fashioned hoe down. Can't wait til next year. Justin loved it. We drove through Neal Zimmerman's dad's cow barn. Of course that just thrilled him (and am I glad, you know he could get thrilled over Barbie). Yep, it looks like he is boy through and through.

PEEEUUUUUEEEE!

This was our response last night when we returned home from an evening out. The smell, well we thought at first maybe we had forgotten to taken out the "stinky" diapers. But no, wrong answer. We finally gave up the search and went to bed. This evening, the same thing. I went on a more diligent search. I wound up following the smell to beneath the dishwasher. With just a little effort we found the culprit...the momma rat of the 5 little ones previously taken. Ole' De-con had done its thing. It measured a mere 15 inches long. But thank heavens it's gone. I wanted to post a pic but was advised against it (mainly because my wife would not hold it up for me).

The Decision is Final!

After much debate I have finally purchased some new cologne. For the past while I have been living on samples that I have aquired from Boscov's, Kaufmann's and various other stores. You know, you act interested in a certain cologne and the lady behind the counter gives you samples. I know it sounds lame, but I wanted to be sure that I liked what I bought. My final three choices were Reaction by Kenneth Cole, Delicious by DKNY and POLO Black by Ralph Lauren. My final choice....POLO Black and yes I like it!!

Youth Challenge Update

Youth Challenge is always an exciting time for several reasons. As we so often do in our holiness churches, whether it be adult or youth occasions, we give updates to the rest of the congregation that could not or did not go. Last evening in youth service, those who attended Youth Challenge spoke of the highlights. One of our young people said that they really enjoyed the music. Now remember, this presentation is given to alot of "older people" in our church who really do not understand what Youth Challenge is really like. With this thought in mind, this young person went on to say that the part that they enjoy most of the music was "when they had that lady up there dancing around on the piano bench." and they left it at that. As pastor I thought I would have a long line awaiting me at my office door after church wondering what kind of night club our young people were going to. Come to find out that this lady "dancing around on the piano bench" was none other than Kimberly
Collingswoth. If you have seen her play, she doesn't necessarily mimic a statue. She puts herself into her music. You do not know the sense of relief that I felt upon hearing this explination!!!

MAAAAATT!

This was the name that I heard coming from downstairs as Vonnie saw one of these creature running around in our basement. Of course this posed a slight problem. Our washer and dryer is down there. I was beginning to be a laundry boy for the Ellison's in the evening hours. Most mice are gentle greatures but my Vonnie would hear nothing of it. Something had to be done before I came to familiar with the laundry process. Someone suggested buying the glue traps. I now highly recommend them also. As you can see they work qite well. These dudes and dudettes were caught "in house". (By the way, the little seed looking things on the trap is bait. Just thought I would clear that up in case anyone was wondering!)

NO! She looks like a Chinese.

Due to the fact that Don Hallenbeck drove a bus to Youth Challenge, Valerie was left at home alone. So she took her week off and came to the Ellison's. She was accompanied by Stephanie Slavens, a cute little PNG girl, who she was babysitting while the Slaven's were away. Stehpanie and Justin played all weekend long. A bond was formed between the two. However, it did not seem to go so well between Stephanie and Kayla. When Vonnie asked her if she wanted to hold Kayla, she replied, "NO! She looks like a Chinese girl!" She did however warm up to her by the end of the weekend. She even fed her once.

Matt, you won't believe this!

The response from my mother when she called this morning to report the first snow fall of the year in Beckley, WV.

Walking in the light...

This past week we have been privileged to have Rev. Mike Wetherald in our home. He has been holding our church revival for us. He has done an excellent job. He has given us truth at church each evening, but also at home throughout the day. For instance, we recognized that coffee took forever to make at our house (he is an avid coffee drinker). We joked about this as he gave us more truth, "Real coffee drinkers use BUNN coffee machines". After mush discussion, we found ourselves in Boscov's looking and finding a Bunn coffee machine. Needless to say, I walked in the light and I am now the proud owner of a new BUNN coffee machine. Now, in less than 3 minutes we are enjoying a fresh, hot cup of coffee.

Hasn't he heard?...

"I preserve my constitutional rights as the president of Iraq." Oops! I'm soory Mr. Saddam. Maybe you haven't heard. You are no longer president! I would have thought that his "new" office space would have given him at least a small clue to this fact. Saddam's trial is soon starting (after small delay). I sure hope the justice system in Iraq is a little tougher than ours. If found guilty, Saddam could receive the death penalty, BY HANGING!!!!

About 30 seconds...

The amount of thime it took to raise nearly $2,000.00 to buy new hymnals for our church. Oct. 16 was the first Sunday to use our new Sing Unto the Lord hymnals.

One pup to go...

As many may know, I started a new adventure about a year and a half ago. I started in the bulldog business.
Well, the only business that I have seen in it is what I have cleaned up for a year and a half from 5 dogs. It all started off with this grand idea of getting rich quick. I would find one of the most expensive dogs I could find, buy one, and then breed it and sell the pups. Simple enough. I missed Sky's, the mother, first heat. Now another six months must pass. Then it happened. July 14, 2005, four pups were brought into the Ellison's home.
That night the mother dies. A couple weeks later a pup dies of pneumonia. A blood transfusion is required for
yet another pup. My profit continues to dwindle. The breeder takes a pup fpr the breeding fee. This leaves me with two pups to get rich on. One goes to pay off Sky. This leaves me one pup to get rich on. This pup goes to pay off vet bills. This leaves me as poor as before and determined to leave the bulldog "business" alone. What an adventure.

So this is how it feels?!

I now how the "bragging rights" that so many of you have had for so long now. I have a blog and I'm on the web. Wow! I feel so much more important. I am sure that when I tell my church board, they will be so impressed that I have reached such a level, that next week I will be driving a Lexus. From here on out you will receive up-to-date news and updates from the world of the Ellison's from New Columbia on the newly revealed, "Newkie News." Stay tuned.