Christmas Surprises

I love it when I actually manage to surprise people with the gift they recieve, especially my kids.  This year the hubby and I managed to surprise each of them with something they were convinced that they wouldn't be recieving because of the cost. Stitch was so stunned he even cried. That's right, my 13 year old boy cried for happiness and shock.  I have pictures to prove it!! (but I promised not to make them public :))  The trash pile was smaller this year than some in the past (we went for quality rather than quantity), but that didn't matter. It was a wonderful day!

Here are my adorable children in their Christmas pjs.

(They're such hams in front of the camera - always have been!)

(Number One, me, father-in-law, hubby, mother-in-law,

sister-in-law, The Girlie, Stitch, Shasta)

The mess after opening.

Picture's not the greatest because of the sun coming through a high window, but man it was fun to watch my hubby push the button on the camera and then run down the stairs (several times) and jump over the trash pile to get in the picture.

Me and my brother David.

We don't always get to see him at Christmas...and for awhile we weren't sure it would happen this year. I am very grateful to my wonderful mother-in-law and sister-in-law who gave him a ride over with them so that he could be here.

Mom and David.

He is always so happy to be with her.

The Greatest Gift

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

~ Isaiah 9:6

How grateful I am for the priceless gift given to the world on that first Christmas so many centuries ago. For the lessons taught and example set  by the man that the blessed child grew to be. And how much more grateful I am for the gift He gave each of us with His suffering in Gethsemane, and His death on Calvary. For though His birth and life were miraculous and holy, it is His death that saved us all, and gave us the power to return again to that home from which we came, to dwell with Him and our Father, if we accept and take advantage of His tremendous gift of the atonement.  I know that He lives. That He came. That He loves me.  And I know that if I strive to live as He taught, I will have the blessing one day to thank Him in person.

May we all remember the gift we recieved on that first Christmas, not just today, but everyday that we live.

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Eve

It's Christmas Eve! Soon my husband and his sister will leave for their annual last minute shopping day. (I suspect they purposely leave a few things unpurchased just so they have the excuse to take off and spend the day together.)  And soon my mother-in-law and I will begin preparing all the food for tomorrow. Several years ago we decided that the traditional Christmas dinner wasn't working for us. We were tired of spending the day cooking while everyone else enjoyed their new presents and sat around relaxing.  So we changed the tradition.  All the foods we have now can be prepared the day before, and the only cooking done on Christmas is done by the men.

Tomorrow after presents we will enjoy a brunch of omelets prepared by Brian and his dad. Then we will snack away the afternoon eating spinach dip & sourdough, cheeseball and crackers, chips, ranch dip and salsa, and a variety of baked goods and candies. For dinner we'll have tri-tip kabobs that have been soaked for at least 24 hours in the most delicious marinade ever, as well as lebanese tabouleh & pita bread, and rice pilaf. Again, the men barbeque so Mom and I only have to make the pilaf.  It's a very yummy and relaxing day....last year I spent the whole day in my pajamas. 

So yesterday, which was filled with baking and last minute gift making, and today that will be filled with wrapping and food prep, are rather hectic, but it's all worth it on Christmas day, when I can just enjoy being with my family and eating good food.

Happy Christmas Eve everyone!

I Can See.....from a different viewpoint.

I got my first pair of glasses when I was a sophomore in high school. My Aunt Martha (better known to her nieces & nephews as Aunty Mousey....long story I won't get into now) was in town for a visit and went with Mom and I to pick them up. I didn't realize how out of focus things were until I put those glasses on. I was so excited about everything that I could suddenly see, at much further distances than I could before, that I read every sign and billboard I could on the way home. My aunty has told me several times over the ensuing years that that is one of her favorite memories of me.....seeing my excitement at being able to see clearly, and listening to me happily read signs all the way home. I always thought it was kinda funny that she got so much enjoyment out of that.




Tonight however, I got to have the same experience from her point of view. I went with my mom and nephew to pick up his new glasses. None of us realized until quite recently just how bad his vision has been. Well, when he put those new glasses on his face absolutely lit up. He looked around with this huge smile and said, "I can see again".....and then he proceeded to read every sign in the store, and every sign on the 10 mile drive home. I couldn't help but sit and grin at the excitement in his voice as he read the name of every store, restaurant, gas station and church that we passed. And I suddenly understood why Aunty Mousey enjoyed that memory so much. It's a joy to see someone you love so happy and filled with wonder. It is an experience I will always remember and a memory I will always enjoy.

Can I have a day?

I want a day.......a day to just do what I WANT to do, not what I should do, or need to do.

It feels like every moment these days is filled with the shoulds and need to's....lesson plans, grocery shopping, shuttling kids, figuring out what the heck to have for dinner and when I'm gonna have time to cook it, fulfilling church callings, and my all time favorites...laundry and cleaning. With a mom who works full time at a job that can't always be left at the office, a dad working hard to stay afloat in a job threatening to be sunk by a bad economy, and three kids who insist on having extracurricular activities 4-5 nights a week, the house is rarely truly clean anymore. When it is we try to motivate everyone to clean as we go to keep it that way, but it never works out that way for long. So moments where I don't feel compelled to do a should or need to task are rare. And I seriously want one.

A day to sew....... the apron I cut out two weeks ago, or the bag that I'm going to make with the beautiful toile nativity fabric remnant I found, or the tote a friend at work asked for. A day to pull out my beads, or photos and scrapbook supplies, and see what inspires me. A day to spend on the computer researching family history and finding lost ancestors. A day to pull out the camera and go outside and experiment with it, taking pictures of whatever sparks my interest. Or a day to just get lost in book. Can I have one? Just one day to do that?

I may have to give myself one or two for Christmas.....Throw out the to do list, or at least "lose it" for a few days, and just do a thing or two, or three or four, that I really want. Ofcourse I've said that before. So here's hoping I find the nerve to really do it this time.......because all those need to's and shoulds will certainly still be there even if I ignore them for a couple days.

Happy Veteran's Day

This picture is from April 15 of this year, at a Tax Day Tea Party that I went to at the state capital with my dad.

I was born a Navy brat. And though I officially remained one for only the first 19 years of my life, I will always be a Navy brat at heart.....and proud of it!! My father served his country for twenty years, including time in Viet Nam. Our family sacrificed so that he could serve. But I learned a love of country that I think is deeper because of that sacrifice.

No one serves in the military because they dream it will make them rich. And no one marries someone in the service because they dream of a life of ease. Military service demands sacrifice, from those enlisted and the people who love them. And to willingly make those sacrifices you have to love your country. I think that is a harder task these days. You have to be willing to lay down your life for principles that are under attack by our own government, and that fewer and fewer citizens seem to understand and truly believe in. Our military personnel and the job they are doing are too often misrepresented in the media, and they are too ill cared for when they get home.......if they get home.

Any man or woman who ever has or ever will put on the uniform of this country, to proudly serve and represent each of us and the flag worn on their sleeve, deserves the utmost respect, support, love and gratitiude that we can possibly give.

I am proud to be the daughter of a veteran.

I am proud to be a ctizen of this country.

And I am forever grateful to the men and women of our armed forces, as well as their families, for the sacrifices they make daily, so that my family can enjoy the freedoms that we do.

Happy Veteran's Day!!! May God bless and protect each of you!!

No more candid camera

I love candid shots of my kids. Some of the best photos I have ever gotten of them are ones that were taken when they didn't know it......When someone managed to catch a priceless expression, or simply beautiful moment.

HOWEVER, I am hereby declaring that NO candid shots of ME are ever allowed again!!! EVER!!!! As I scrolled through another batch of digital photos to be downloaded from the camera tonight, I came across yet ANOTHER horrible picture of myself. My sweet husband seems to have a knack for catching me with my mouth open and some ridiculous expression on my face. And the angles he seems to shoot at make me look terrible. I mean I thought the camera was only supposed to add 10 pounds, not 20 or 30! UGH!! I am starting to understand why my mother always hid whenever a camera was in the room. SOOOOO.......unless I recieve warning that a picture is about to be taken, and am given time to at least TRY to pose in a more flattering manner, HEADS WILL ROLL!!! (Do you hear me Honey!!) I'd like for my grandchildren to have at least a few decent photos of their grandma to look at, so they don't think I was just some large, freakish, slug!

(And NO.....I'm not posting any examples for anyone to look at!!)