Open House

2nd grade tradition: book float for a book report.

How Hannah describes herself.

Snow!

We had more snow this winter than all the previous winters my kids can remember.  Hannah had her first real snow day as a 4th grader!  Then we had 7 more over the winter!

 Our new sledding hill at Meadowbrook

Random Winter Pics

Olive's missing front tooth.  My wish came true and the other one came out before Christmas.

Hannah junior scout meeting

A warm day in December

Olive's classroom holiday party

Christmas cookies

Gingerbread house

Checking out new equipment at Lea McKeighan Park 

A January visit to Great-grandma Alice to give her our new family calendar.  It is our Christmas present every year...this year I was a little late.  We had fun showing her all the pictures and telling stories.

She moved into the nursing home side and now has this cool bird wall in her hallway.  Real birds!

Speaking of real birds: Science Night at school!  I was the chairperson this year so I didn't get to walk around with the girls.  Other moms sent me pictures.

And finally, a fall on the ice result in a cast for a week.  Luckily, no fracture!

Christmas

Since we saw all of Steve's family at Velma's funeral, we didn't make another trip back to Chillicothe for Kerr Christmas.  My family came to our house on Christmas Day.  So for the first time ever, we didn't go to Chillicothe for any family Christmases.

notice it is still dark outside

new camera!

Olive complained that "all we got were a bunch of games" this year.  Santa has some trouble when you never give him a list.  But less gifts than normal meant less mess, too.  That was good because we had to clean it all up because we had company coming.

Wade the elf arrives.

The girls got a balloon animal kit for Christmas and Wade was very pleased with all the creations.

More presents!

Happy there are more presents other than games.

A Christmas magic show.

The girls also got this puzzle for Christmas, but everyone worked throughout the day to put it together.

What would Christmas be without playing new (old) games?  Santa brought one of my childhood favorites: Skip-bo.

 Time for the 2nd annual saran-wrap ball!

More games and shenanigans.

And a Christmas photo shoot to showcase two missing front teeth.  You can't beat that smile!

 

Velma Rose Kerr

Great-grandma Velma passed away on December 20 at the age of 91.  Even though she was Steve's grandma, I loved and admired her like she was my own.  Velma was cheerful, kind, smart, honest, generous, and super hardworking. She had a heart for service and helping. Most of all she loved Jesus and her family.  We named our Hannah Rose after Velma Rose, and as Hannah grows I see a lot of Velma in her. I am so grateful that my daughters are old enough to have memories of their amazing great-grandmother. Velma will be greatly missed. 

Velma Rose Ackerman Kerr was born January 19, 1927, in Morton, Illinois. She departed this life December 20, 2019, at Indian Hills – A Stonebridge Community, at the age of 91 years, 11 months, and 1 day.

Velma was the daughter of Christian and Rosa Jacobs Ackerman. She was a graduate of Morton, IL High School and Bradley University in Peoria, IL, with a degree in Social Studies. She returned to college and earned a degree in Education from the University of Missouri. On June 17, 1950, she was united in marriage to Fred W. Kerr at her family home. To this union, 6 children were born. Together Fred and Velma farmed for many years in the Chula Community. He preceded her in death on November 5, 2011.

Velma was a math teacher for 19 years, a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, volunteer, gardener, and friend to many. She was a member of the Chillicothe United Methodist Church, but faithfully attended Pleasant Grove United Methodist Church with her son and family. She was a member of the Gideon Auxiliary and the Retired Teachers of Livingston County. She was a past board member of the House of Prayer, where she spent many years volunteering her services. She was awarded the Volunteer of the Year by the RSVP in 1998, Unsung Community Hero in 2001, and Distinguished Teacher Retiree Award in 2015.

Survivors include her son, Thomas and wife Marsha of Chula, MO; daughter, Judith Irene and husband Christopher of St. Louis, MO; son, John of Humble, TX; and son, David and wife Brenda of Chillicothe, MO. She is also survived by grandchildren, Steven Kerr and wife Megan, Susan Ditch and husband Morgan, Charles Kerr and wife Katie, Rebecca Steinhoff and husband Trent, Aaron Kerr, John Phillips, Mark Phillips and wife Afroditi, Johanna Otte and husband Gabriel, Jacob Kerr, Mathew Kerr; great-grandchildren, Ainslyn and Gwendolyn Ditch, Hannah and Olive Kerr, Clara Kerr, Walter Steinhoff, and Vasilla and Pantelimon Kyriacou. She was also preceded in death by her parents, and 2 children, Frank and Linda in 1963.