Cabo for Christmas

We just got home from a marvelous week in Cabo San Lucas.  Here are a few of my favorite pictures.  Happy New Year to all!

Christmas cheer

It has been a fun couple of weeks since my last post.  I decorated the house and the tree and I must say, I am quite pleased.  This year I was very frugal in what I put out.  I have so much stuff, much of it meaningful that I don't have the heart to part with, but at the same time tacky, outdated and not my style.  The stuff I do like is on display and fills the house with Christmas cheer and it all evokes special feelings of family and love.

I cherish our stockings.  My grandmother made mine when I was a child and my mother-in-law (MIL) made my husbands when he was a small child.  I find it neat that they are essentially the same pattern.  (Mine is the dark green one second from right next to small red velvet stocking - which is my grandmother's.) Our first Christmas as a married couple my MIL made me a stocking, not knowing I already had one.  I hang both up every year!  My MIL made stockings for all her 13 grandchildren when they were infants.  I love that we have all the same stockings!

                                                                                                  This wooden snowman sits proudly on our front porch.  My sister and I got matching ones at a craft fair probably 15 years ago.    He is about 4  feet tall and made out of wood.  We  had to lug these heavy snowmen to our car .  We still talk about and smile over the memory of this purchase.     My favorite part about this snowman is his  face.  I love the rosy checks and the lopsided smile.  I proudly put him on my porch each year! 

This ceramic Christmas candy dish used to be my grandmothers.  I have filled it with treasures that I have purchased on my travels to Italy and Prague.  I have always loved the glass candies that look real enough to eat (think root beer barrels from childhood).  We took a wonderful family trip to Italy in 2008 and in Venice we saw beautiful Murano glass items.  Everything from large (and expensive) decorative bowls and vases to these small candies.  This past spring my son did a study abroad program in Prague.  My mother and I went to visit and were delighted to find beautiful things made with Czech glass.  When I found small candies I just had to get some to add to my collection.  I got to hand pick out each one displayed in the dish, and though I don't know which are from Italy and which are from Prague now that they are co-mingled I just love the memories they invoke.

My oldest daughter got me this cheery singing snowman duo several years ago for Christmas.  I have it set on a table in our entryway and almost every time I walk by I press the little button on the hand and it plays "we wish you a merry Christmas" while they dance. It makes me stop and smile for the 30 seconds of entertainment.  It's a reminder to me of family and love.







I have lots of snowman and Santa Claus pieces.  But the snowman in the picture below is an all time favorite. My youngest daughter made it for me when she was 12.  It's made out of muslin, stuffed with batting and adorned with buttons and a piece of gingham fabric for a scarf.  Every time I look at it I think of her and smile.

These ornaments are some of my favorites.  Mr. & Mrs. Claus used to adorn the tree when I was a child.  When my parents moved and changed their Christmas ornament theme, they gave many of their treasured ornaments to my sister and I.  I proudly hang Mr. & Mrs. Claus on my tree every year and it brings back wonderful memories of my childhood.  The raccoon ornament on the right is so much fun.  He is a little thief trying to steal an ornament and it makes me giggle.  It was a gift years ago, unfortunately I do not remember from who, but I love it.  It's whimsical and fun.

This is the most recent ornament to adorn our tree.  Last Saturday we went to a dinner party with an ornament exchange.  Most ornaments were the lovely store bought type with the exception of a few handmade ones. I was lucky enough to select this gem out of the pile of brown paper wrapped ornaments.  I found out afterwards that my friend Mark was the crafty maker of this one of a kind snowflake.  The rules were to either get creative and make an ornament or buy something unique/unusual.  He didn't know what to do so he went out to his shop (he is a farmer) and found some old keys, welded them together and then spray painted them.  He kept his project secret from his wife so he wouldn't be laughed at.  Turns out it was the hit of the party and I love it!

And speaking of snowflakes.  This collection of paper snowflakes is another of my favorites.  My oldest daughter is a math whiz and several years ago while home on Christmas break from college decided to make  some snowflakes using her nifty math skills.  I had no idea making an intricate snowflake was so complicated.  Each snow flake is large - probably 8" in diameter and just like in nature, no two are alike.  We have a vaulted ceiling in our family room so I hang this on the edge of our kitchen are that leads into the family room.  They add a festive touch to my holiday decor and like all the decorations I display, it has meaning.  And to me, that's what Christmas is all about.

Hope you are all enjoying the joyful Christmas season!  I know I sure am.  

30 Days of Gratitude - Day 28

I am so grateful that I had the time to get the house decorated for Christmas including the tree today.  I love the stockings hanging on the mantle, the tree and all my snowmen and Santa Claus decorations.  It's very festive.  I really pared down and was selective in what I put out this year.  And I am pleased.  I think this is the first time I have ever got it all together before December!

What are you thankful for?

winding down to the end of the year

Just 2 more days of 2009.  It's like any other day for me though.  Laundry, work/payroll, bills, grocery store, cooking.  My desk gets piled up with paperwork on a daily basis that I can hardly keep up.  It's awful.  Really wish I had a personal assistant.  Oh well, I hope to get through my tasks and on to making cinnamon rolls this afternoon.  We missed them this year on Christmas.  It's our tradition, we make cinnamon rolls to enjoy on Christmas morning.  We spent Christmas in Cabo this year and we ate and drank well, just didn't have a cinnamon roll.  Hope the chill in the air doesn't alter the rising dough too much.  It's cold here.  Snowed last night and it's very icy.  Flights have been canceled in/and out of Pullman.  They were canceled yesterday too, which I think is odd, because yesterday was just cold.  No snow.

Kristin and I are leaving on Friday morning on the 10:35 am flight.  We need to make it to Seattle for a 2 pm flight to DC.  Sadly, the flights in and out of Pullman are far and few between and flights out of Spokane are already booked.  But they have their own strange weather issues (lots of FOG) on a regular basis.  Surprisingly Lewiston (the pass through for many flights between Pullman and Seattle) has had cancellations as well.  WTH?  We may be up bright and early and driving to Seattle to make that 2 pm flight on  New Years Day. 

Here's a few wonderful pictures of our Christmas Vacation in Cabo San Lucas.

 

a bundle of thoughts

I didn't sleep well last night, mainly because I am in a hotel. It's a great hotel, The Davenport, but strange sounds and a different bed prevent the deep slumber I am used to. We came up last night because of the weather. This morning the girls have doctor appointments and with the snow and ice we thought it was safer to arrive yesterday. And looking out the window right now, I think we made a good decision. It is snowing...Again.

Last night we rented a movie on the TV, Mama Mia, and all enjoyed it. But I cried, couldn't stop crying. When the daughter asked her mom to walk help her get ready on her wedding day and then walk her down the aisle it got me thinking - about everything. I was trying to hide my tears during the movie so the girls wouldn't see. I guess I felt silly crying, but then I wondered, why do I care if they see me cry? Sarah, the keen, observant one noticed. She hugged me and told me she loved me. It's weird though because I am wondering why I got so emotional over a movie, and a movie that was supposed to be a comedy.

I think it's because I want that kind of relationship with my own daughters and afraid it won't be that way. Things have definitely improved over the past year with all my children and for that I'm grateful. I am prayerful that things will continue even more.

Now that Jake and Kristin are in college, things are different - in a good way. I talk to Kristin on average once a week and Jake about the same, maybe a bit more. I am thoroughly enjoying time with Sarah. She has never had Jim or I one-on-one before and it's nice for all of us. Kristin says she spoiled because of it....I'm not sure that's the right word. But as parents we are somewhat more lax with Sarah, I think because we are stronger in our beliefs as to what matters and what doesn't and what rules we want to enforce. With Jake and Kristin - things were very much trial and error...typical of many parents when parenting their eldest. Also, they are different individual people and to be the best parent I can be things may be different from one child to another. I don't think that's bad at all, I think it's positive because they are each different, with different needs and challenges as they mature.

Even though Mama Mia made me cry and think for a long time about the relationship I have with my kids, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Although Pierce Brosnan CAN NOT sing, he was awful! But so awful it was entertaining!

I like movies that make me cry because they make me think and reflect about my life. And how I can be an even better parent. I feel I am a great parent and I will not let anyone tell me otherwise. Although no one has told me I'm not so I'm not worrying. Quite the contrary, I have had several friends all comment as to how good a job Jim and I have done. It's a nice compliment because I take my parenting seriously. I am lucky that Jim has a good job that allows me to stay home - that was something VERY important to both of us, that ONE of us stay home and raise the kids. I did start working part time (during tax season) when Sarah was in 1st grade. I was home when they come home from school and only worked 4 months a year. It was a great situation. I don't take all the credit for their upbringing. Jim was my partner and then relatives played a very important roll as well. Jim's parents, my parents, my sister and her family and my grandparents and the many close friends we have. It truly does take a village.

I am proud to say that they are doing well so far at the ages of 18, 18 and 16. They all have different personalities, different learning styles, different aspirations and goals - and I wouldn't want it any other way! I know that much of their temperament is innate, but I know that Jim and I have done a good job showing them and being role models for things that are important to us. We both volunteer and spend a great deal of time helping others, whether it be for the school, church or state organizations. We are only a small piece of the big puzzle, the world is such a greater place and I want the them to know that.

This year for Christmas we really scaled back and it was wonderful! We selected a family from Pullman Child Welfare and purchased gifts for them. We did not know the family or even if all the recipients we had were from the same family. We went shopping for the gifts as a family and had a lot of fun. Kristin had a 5 year old girl - and purchased some nice clothes at Old Navy. Sarah selected some pretty tops at Pac Sun for her 16 year old girl. Jake had a 12 year old boy who wanted a sweat outfit and shirts, Jake found success at Old Navy. The parents we had wanted a gas gift card and a pancake griddle. We supplemented it with a mixing bowl, whisk, spatula, pancake mix and syrup! It feels so good to give, especially to those who need it! We then went out to lunch and stomped around a Christmas tree farm to select a tree for our family. This past Saturday Jim helped distribute the gifts at the Whelan Grange. So many appreciative families!!! The original intent was for our entire family to distribute gifts but Kristin and Jake were recuperating from surgeries (Jake - shoulder repair, Kristin - bone spur removal on foot) and I was home taking care of them. Sarah was sleeping, feigning exhaustion from all her activities of being a high school junior. Jim wasn't thrilled with being the only one to go, but he went and as I said previously, so many families were appreciative of his help!

Our family gets their needs met and that's ample. I am grateful we had clothes, food and shelter. It's an eye opener how many people don't have these things. This was the start of a new tradition for us, we are already thinking of other ways we can help next year. Christmas is about Jesus birth and to celebrate his birth I do not need to receive gifts to acknowledge it. Jesus died for us and because of him we have salvation. That is what is to be celebrated. Helping others is how I want to celebrate Jesus Christ! Christmas is a blessed time of year and I am truly humbled to be part of a great family and a Christian.