Road Trip

We've road tripped to Sapphire NC to enjoy some time in the mountains. Several of us are feeling a little poorly, but we'd rather be sick in the mountains than sick at home. Enjoying our cabin time this week. 

 

Christmas Day 2025

We spent Christmas in Seffner with family. We had breakfast and then did pictures and opened presents. Later we had a big lunch and hung out together. It turned out to be a really nice day. 

The six Allen grandkids. 

Six grandkids plus two extras: Micah's girlfriend Mikki and Kayla's boyfriend Ab. 

Our family and our three boys 

Daniel and Dawn and their kids. 

Daryl and Daniel and Joyce 

The whole big crew. 

 

Merry Christmas Eve!

All five of us were present for the 5pm Christmas Eve service at Grace UMC in Venice. They had a huge crowd and it was a wonderful worship service. 

The obligatory family picture. 

 

Sunset Beach Walk

Parker and I hit the beach for a sunset walk on Sunday night. There was a huge crowd gathered for the Siesta Key Drum Circle. It was a beautiful evening for a walk. 

 

More Christmas At Disney

Parker, Wesley and I took a quick trip to Disney on Saturday afternoon to Epcot. 

We started with the giant Gingerbread Spaceship Earth in Communicore Hall - it has a light show! 

Then we went to get in the standby line for the Candlelight Processional. We waited in line for two hours to see Brendan Fraser as the narrator. And it was worth it. We made it into the theater seats and he did a fabulous job! 

We closed out the night with a ride - Living With the Land Boat Ride - which has been renamed Glimmering Greenhouses for Christmas with their new light overlay. 

Finally got a picture of Wesley in silhouette on the way out.  

 

The Week Before Christmas in the District

I got in a few labyrinth walks along the way. 

I had a lovely chat with one of our district pastors over tea at the Green Zebra. 

I spent Wednesday for my annual Planning Day at Lighthouse UMC on Boca Grande. At lunch I took a walk to visit the labyrinth at the Episcopal church and then walked down to the lighthouse (it was still being repaired from last fall's hurricanes). 

On Thursday we had our District Staff Lunch Party. Instead of gifts, we each made a donation to Zoe Empowers. Grateful to do this work alongside Lynn and Sandy. 

And I got sent these pictures of the Bradenton/Palmetto Cluster Blue Christmas services - 5 churches together for an evening service. And 6 churches representing at a daytime service.