Wow, I really love that group picture where each of the families is standing separately but yet it’s still a great photo of the whole family. I love that it looks like your trip was great and I’m sure your kids loved it.

I’m so happy to see that although you and Alvin are no longer Mennonite that your families all still accept each other and can celebrate together ❤ What a beautiful time it looks like you all had, you must be exhausted ! I’m thankful for good weather and safe travels for you all. A savior is born ✨ Happy New Year 🎊

@sheliaheverin8822

5 ай бұрын

Yes. I believe the Amish shun the ones that leave. Glad to know Mennonite still accepts their family members.

@patarmstrong9949

4 ай бұрын

Thank you for sharing your family gatherings with us! Love learning how to make Caramel popcorn, thank you!! I’ve learned a great deal from you and I’m 72 !

@sccg2424

3 ай бұрын

How gracious of your families to allow us a little peek into their beautiful lives, I know that they are very private communities. Please send my heartfelt thanks to them.

@kathleendavis2008

3 ай бұрын

Heartfelt thank you to all family members for giving us KZreadrs a peek! 💞💘💖💯

@alisonspencer924

29 күн бұрын

Yes, please thank your family so much for the little sneak peek into your holidays. What fun it will be to meet them all when we get to heaven🙌🏻🙌🏻

What a rich, beautiful heritage you've been a part of! Thank you for sharing it with us. Happy New Year and God bless you all! ❤🎉

Thank you Ruth Ann for taking us along for the ride. The food on those tables looks delicious. The handmade quilts are beautiful such a nice wedding gift.

Thanks Ruthann! Heartwarming 😊 Could have watched a whole hour!

Thank you RuthAnn for sharing your family Christmas with us. It’s a special time for to share with loved ones that you haven’t seen in a while. Have a blessed weekend everyone!

How wonderful that your families are able to be so inclusive of each others beliefs. Your children are lucky to see the companionship.

I'm so, so happy you were able to have time with your families!! So good for the children to get a real sense of how you grew up. I loved seeing all this video, the lantern service was especially touching! Stacey will have a gift to treasure from the Aunts. Thank you for this sweet Ruth Ann!

Really enjoyed this!! I've never seen that large of a buggy shed as the one at Elvins childhood church. Such beautiful countryside!

@asmith8973

5 ай бұрын

and all the hitching post on the other side.

How wonderful to be able to get together with your families. My family sibling relationships fell apart after my parents both died in a 7 week span. So many hurtful things were said in grief and several siblings have struggled with bitterness and unforgiving spirits all their life. I pray that as time passes the relationship will heal to the point that we can get together again. My husband’s brother has never had a good relationship with him. The parents set them against each other from childhood on. I don’t think they realized they were doing it. Now at 64 and 69 I am not sure that it can change. My husband and I tried for 30 years without any success. We now have moved away to be closer to our grandchildren so there are fewer opportunities to get together. The sad thing is their mom is still alive but she does nothing to foster a healthy family relationship. In fact she continues to divide. We were both raised Mennonite. My background is more conservative than my husband’s. I’m praying for a miracle.

@dianajschroedl3099

3 күн бұрын

I'm praying for you, too!!

What a wonderful trip. Although the Anabaptist side of my family came directly to WI when they arrived from Switzerland, I had many ancestors who lived in PA prior to the Civil War. When I read about their lives, I always wonder what they saw out their windows every day. So when folks take me with on their trips, I get a glimpse of the terrain. Because Jesus is the love of my life, I enjoyed the singing too.

My father came from a large family (18 kids) Grandparents were married on the 4th of July and every year on the 4th we had a family reunion. Seeing you and your family brought back such happy memories, we still have family reunions but nothing like back in the day when grandma and grandpa were alive. My grandma also made quilts and all her children and grandchildren received one. I remember picking out my quilt. Glad you all had a wonderful time with family. Hope you have a Blessed New Year.

Oh what a beautiful video! Just blessed me so much this morning! Beautiful families and lovely places. My favorite was the singing as the lanterns were released. I need to learn about those lanterns!! I grew up in a conservative acapella southern church, and I recognized the song you were singing! We live in Ohio now and have a daughter who lives in Pennsylvania...so I kind of felt like you were visiting us, with your lovely video. Blessings to you and your in the coming year, Marie

@sandijammes7761

5 ай бұрын

Wow HUGE family gathering! What a good time that must be!❤ I noticed the green foamy looking jello molds on the table. Could you share what that was and maybe a recipe if you have it? It looks like something my grandmother used to make. Nothing I've tried comes close. Thank you in advance. I hope your family had a blessed Christmas & that you all have a happy, healthy & prosperous 2024! 🙏🙏🙏🙏

@OMizMia

5 ай бұрын

They're called Wish Lanterns 💙Love them! Not only beautiful but also they're better for the environment & wildlife vs helium balloons sent up, deflate, fall to earth, then get eaten. No, no 🤔😪xo - Mia

It was so nice to see your heritage! It is great to see that you can still visit and interact with them.

Oh, my gosh!!!!! Such large gatherings with each of your families!!!!! I have one sister which I am very thankful for, but I always longed for a large family. Thank you so much for sharing your trip with us!!!!! The amount of food was...WOW!!!!!!!

Absolutely beautiful country. What a great meal and family. I love this, especially hearing everyone coming together singing Christmas songs.

That was such a blessing, to be able to share part of your Christmas holidays. Thank you so much, for taking us along with you. It looks like a blessed time was had by all.

I live in eastern Ohio. If you can edit while driving in the PA mountains without getting car sick kudos . I would have to pull over after about 15 minutes if I edited while riding those mountains. What a wonderful gift for your daughter for her wedding. I hope you had a wonderful Holiday!

Dear RuthAnn. It was a privilege and an honor to have seen pictures of your family. Oh what I would have given to eat some of that delicious food and the endless cookies! To hear the singing watch the beautiful lanterns and see the children was a joy. You did a great job exciting to seven minutes and you gave us a gift of this lovely video. God is good. God Bless You and your Family in the New Year. ♥️

WOW!!!! What BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY!!! And the food looks INCREDIBLE!!!! I think I gained 5 pounds just looking at ALL OF THE DESERTS!!!! I'm glad you all had a nice visit!!!!

Thank you so much. How the tears welled up! The kind of family I would have loved to have. Such a blessing!!! Thank you for sharing such LOVE!

Thank you for your hard work and the glimpse into your family’s heritage! Continued blessings in the Lord for this upcoming year. Happy New Year. Lloyd and Peggy Taylor

What a beautiful Christmas! The singing together was touching! What was the significance of releasing the ballon-type things? Hadassah with her cousins ❤! Elvin’s childhood church looked spacious. Water pump outside for the horses? His mother is a skilled seamstress (wow 🤩) The Whoopi pies looked homemade, but were the cookies from SAMs club? 😂 they were perfectly shaped. Just kidding! I prayed for you all several times this week that God would bless your family time! God is good! (All the time).

Thank you Ruth Ann. It is very interesting to see this kind of family community.

Wow how wonderful for you all to have been able to meet up with so much of your families….its made me feel quite nostalgic about my childhood and the Mennonite/Amish influences I experienced. Although I am a non religious person, other than the religious part of Mennonite/Amish culture, I could quite easily revert back to most of the ways I learned from my mother and her family. i am sure we have American Mennonite relatives in both Pennsylvania and Ohio (I am Canadian by birth but live in Scotland). Thank you for sharing this very special time in your lives. Xxx

Ruth Ann. I just found your channel and I want to be part of your family!! Lol!! How wonderful to have famiky that is so close. It’s obvious you had a wonderful time! I’m not even gonna ask about those cookies because I know all the ladies participated in baking them. They were beautiful! I’ve researched the Mennonites and they’re a tight community. Something this country needs. To help each other. God bless you and yours

What a beautiful place with beautiful people. I would love to hear how you and Elvin met sometime and also how you ended up in Ohio outside of your childhood community. I remember in one video you mentioned you got saved and then left. I would love to hear that story, but I understand if it's not something you want to share.

@patevans3709

5 ай бұрын

They live in Iowa now.

So wonderful to see how others live in this beautiful country USA 🇺🇸 Thank you for this video. My goodness. There has only been 3 of us at Christmas for years. Lol Can’t imagine having such a large family. It looks fun, but how do you remember everyone? Lol

So blessed you could spend Christmas with family! We were born and raised Lancaster County PA, moved to MO 5 years ago. My grandmother was old order mennonite and her maiden name was Zimmerman. 😁 learned a lot from her, wish I could have learned more! Be blessed in the new year!

I fought tears of joy and remembrance watching this. We come from a rich heritage of traveling preachers and those who love the Lord. What precious memories and what a blessing. I absolutely loved this❤

That's a lot of lovely families! Thanks for sharing. I love the Amish countryside. It's so beautiful.

Thank you for sharing! I would be interested in hearing how you and Elvin met and what/who was instrumental in leading you to leave the mennonite culture. I so enjoy your videos. Happy New Year to the Zimmerman's.

Beautiful holiday for your family, such a blessing. I will forever miss my great grandpa's chicken and noodles at the big family gathering and the endless mashed potatoes to go with them. My pony cart always got a trip to the gatherings. Such wonderful memories. Thank you for the happy films

How fun to all be together for Christmas,! My dad's side of the family is that large also, it is so fun when we all get together ❤️. Thank you for sharing your beautiful family with us ❤

Merry Christmas and Happy 2024! Your family feels like part of our family! Gods blessings to you!

Wonderful that you were able to spend time with your families! God Bless and Happy New Year!

Did I see different kinds of Whoopie pies? Delicious! How did Your daughter choose the quilt, did she fall in love with them all? The ones you showed are beautiful! I would have needed a week to pray about it first. 🤣 I just kept saying, “Praise the Lord” as I watched this. Thank you for sharing.

Oh yes RuthAnn God is Good. Y’all are so Blessed. Oh what beautiful Quilt Tops! No better wedding gift imho! Look at that food! Awesome and cookies and pies and just oh my so much love into all of it! Safe travels back home. What memories you will bring back with you and the children too!

“Where the Roses Never Fade”!!! One of my favorite songs. My mom used to sing it at Sunday morning service ♥️♥️♥️

Hi Ruthann, and thanks for sharing this glimpse into your family holiday. I could have watched an hour long video of this. Your traditions of church, quilts, food, visiting family are precious and heart-warming. Even the cows are sweet. Every blessing to you and your family in 2024. Happy New Year!

What a wonderful Christmas! Thank you for sharing. We love the central PA area and I especially love the quilts.

Thank you Ruthann. Be blessed this season. You are loved.

I'm in northwest PA. We live in Amish territory, and we have some Mennonite community members. Wonderful people!

That was beautiful, thank you for going to the trouble to film and share it.

Oh Ruthann and Elvin, thank you for the glimpse inside your beautiful families. What an honor and treat. Such wholeness and joy. I’ve also been enamored with the Pennsylvania Amish when I’d visit my family in Ohio.

What a beautiful part of the country. What a blessing to get together with family. Have a happy and blessed New Year RuthAnn.

Thank you for sharing your Christmas. Blessings to you and the family in 2024🎉

I have an affinity for the Mennonites because they have been my seamstresses over the years since my priest told me to stop wearing trousers 19+ years ago. The first time I ordered a dress for myself from a Mennonite company was before my oldest daughter was born. She's 18 years old now. I haven't looked back. I dress like I am a Mennonite, but I don't care. They are comfortable dresses. I have come to respect them and find that we share the same values even though we don't have the same beliefs about baptism, etc. I am glad that you had a good Christmas holiday with your extended family. I would like to see my parents again, but financially it's never feasible. I am a half a country away from them because I live in Minnesota and they live in Oregon.

Sharing time with family is one of the greatest gifts we can receive. Your trip was such a blessing for your family. Thank you for sharing it with us.

Such a nice video ! I live in eastern/ central PA and often see horse & buggies when we go to Montour Preserve near Millville & Danville PA. There is a store called Crest Haven that had previously been owned by local Mennonite families. I get all of my bulk baking ingredients there.

Thank you for sharing your Christmas with us. I came from a big Norwegian family. We used to have get-togethers like this but once my grandparents, dad, and some of my aunts and uncles past away, no one wants to get together anymore. Keep your traditions alive. I miss ours!

What a wonderful look at a beautiful family and gorgeous countryside! I loved the shot of the older girl helping the new little one walk. I dont know if youve ever told the story of hiw you and Elvin met and moved to Iowa, but I, for one, would love to hear that!

I loved the huge family picture! That’s awesome! I think I’d like to try that with our family sometime!

Beautiful scenery! I miss going to my grandmothers house and to my Aunt Pauline's house for family Christmas, gatherings during the summer months etc...what wonderful memories your children will have.

So glad y’all got to visit both sides of the family! Looks like you had a wonderful time!😊Regina

Omg The country is absolutely beautiful and the food 😮I have never seen so much food and those quilts and are so beautiful.. thank you for sharing and it looks like you all had a wonderful time. 🥰 🇦🇺

@riverduck3

5 ай бұрын

*Almighty God

🌺What a sweet video thank you for sharing this wonderful family time you had, special memories were made, so happy for you!

I noticed that on the blackboard in the schoolhouse, they had a banner saying "Happy Holidays". So many Christians are offended by this greeting. But the word "holidays" is a derivative of "Holy Days". This greeting is just as respectful and meaningful as "Merry Christmas".

Awwww Ruthann so precious❤❤❤I feel truly grateful u shared your families with us.

I lived in S Central PA for a number of years. It’s a beautiful state. It is such a blessing to have such a large, wonderful family! Have a blessed New Year, Ruthann and family!

Merry Christmas Zimmerman's and both of your extended families!! We absolutely LOVED this video share for more than one reason. It brought us a little bit of home closer to us and it was so good to see, so bless you for sharing that. We grew up in the Wayne County are of Ohio and were in the Holmes County area often. What a blessing to live in such beautiful country but we are partial, lol. PA is always so pretty and the family farm is too. What a glorious time for your family. May the new year continue to bless your home and loved ones. Mr. Scott & Mrs Robin "Robby it's a nickname given to me by my siblings and I can't help it, I love them and it!" 🥰

I have always been intrigued with their ways. I enjoy seeing the beautiful barns and countryside. Thanks for sharing with us!

What a beautiful family legacy. Jesus Christ is EVERYTHING! Your families are beautiful and I love the song “Where the Roses Never Die” it is just one of the old timey favorite of all of us in the south. You’re right GOD IS GOOD! Leslie in Alabama

Thank you for taking the time to put this together. Fun video and oh my goodness the food!! Looked delicious.

What a beautifully large family! So nice to see you all making the time and effort to get together, I’m sure it blessed your parents so much!!

It's so great to see your family getting to visit with your kin in Ohio and Pennsylvania! I was so worried about your travels because of the dense fog we've been having, so I prayed for you. Love love love seeing this video, and will watch again in case I missed anything. So great that Elvin's mother and aunts will put together a quilt for your daughter's wedding gift! 💙

Thank you so much for filming on your holiday trip. It was a short video, but I could have watched a lot longer, it was so fun! I’m so happy for you to get to spend time with your families and happy they are still willing to have contact. I’m thankful you have found freedom in Jesus!

Thank you Ruth for sharing. It was nice that your family allowed you to video them. It gives alot of people more positive insight as to how they dress and live. The food did look amazing. So much home cooking.

What a BEAUTIFUL Christmas reunion ❤😊

RuthAnn, What a blessing you have been given through your life. Thank you for sharing this wonderful life and day ❤️

Beautiful video! Thanks for sharing your christmas with your beautiful family. The song was beautiful but brought tears to my eyes. My husband's parents used to sing that song at church. They sang part of it in German. We lost my mother-in-law in March and my father-in-law 2 years ago. I would love to hear them sing that song again.

The PA scenery looks so familiar. My grandparents lived in central PA and I had cousins who went to school with the Old Order Mennonites.

I was told by the Amish went to different homes every other week for church services in their district. Now mind you this is in Tennessee.

Thanks for sharing your wonderful Christmas with your families! It looked like a beautiful experience. Happy New Year blessings to everyone 🤗💕🇨🇦

Thank you for sharing your holidays with us. Have a happy new year.

There's a group of Mennonites that lives 18 miles from us. They have a supper every year for the windows. They are such nice people.

How rich your family heritage! It was surely a wonderful Christmas to all be together. I wasn't able to be with all my family this year but we were in touch. Thanks for sharing sharing with us. Be blessed!

You truly are blessed with both of your beautiful families. Where and how you grew up speaks to the talented, caring, unselfish and beautiful woman you are! May God continue to bless you and yours in the upcoming year!🎉❤.

I really appreciate you sharing this video Ruth Ann. I do think the way of life ( not everything of course ) that these people ( Mennonite) have is a wonderful thing. I see it in your personal life that you share here on KZread. I see a lot of love. You truly care about each other. I hope you all have a great New year. Your fellow Iowan 🎉🙏😊

A wonderful peep into your family life. Thank you for sharing. What a privilege to see this. Bless you all

Thank you for sharing. May you and your family have a blessed 2024! 🙏

I started out watching your videos when I wanted to learn about canning. Now I look forward to watching your videos weekly. Thank you for sharing with us. You and your family inspire me as well as others I know, more so because we know and could see that you love Jesus.

Looks like the Christmas festivities were a success all the way around! Loved watching and appreciate the glimpse into your families.

Thank you for giving us a glimpse into your family celebration. Looks like a wonderful reunion. And the FOOD! Wowza! TFS

Thank you for sharing your beautiful family gatherings with us. What a blessing!

LOL, You're like me, "honey where are we?"

OOOH!! I wish I had known you were coming to Holmes County! I would have loved to have met you!! Looks like you had a wonderful holiday!

My wonderful grandmother has told me we have root in Pennsylvania Dutch but obviously haven’t had any luck finding anyone on Ancestry DNA

How fun to see such a large family Christmas. I kept wondering how your animals at home were being taken care of? Maybe you could do a video on how best to take care of the homestead on vacation?

Wow, what a big, beautiful family!! It's like looking at a photo of a gathering at my church seeing you all around all those tables together! How nice that you could all get together this year 😊

Wow! What huge families you both have. You are blessed. Amazing scenery too. Thank you for sharing Ruth Ann.

I love the modernization that the Mennonites do. I love the open arms of your family's. When you have stated you are not part of the culture. Most, I love you still follow the ways and pass down to your famil. Last, I so enjoy what you share. Thank you and God Bless you and your family.

What a fun trip and a Merry Christmas! I must say those whoopie pies looked amazing! We have a Mennonite store thirty miles away and the first Saturday of the month is homemade donut day, so we definitely make the trip. I also always get a whoopie pie (usually chocolate) and they never disappoint. Happy New Year to you and your family.

Wow! 20 siblings in total. That's amazing! How wonderful for you to be able to travel there abs celebrate together. Love watching your channel. Thank you for all that you do!

So nice of you to share this!

Loved this!

Water from a hand pump beats tap, filtered or bottled water hands down. I also love all the clips of large family gatherings, it brings back wonderful memories.

Absolutely LOVED this video! Thank you for sharing it!!

Thank you for an honest, wholesome channel. I was wondering what towns you& Elvin were from? I am from Lancaster Co. My mom was raised Piker Mennonite. I a!so remember petting my grandpa's buggy horse. Anyway I really enjoy every moment watching you & your family. Happy New Year!

Am thoroughly enjoying the Zimmerman videos and way of life and am now a subscriber. The children are focused and not overly sugarized. What a treat. Although, the music could drive you nuts in short order. LOL