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  I have so much stuff, much of it meaningful that I don't have the heart to part with, but at the same time tacky, outdated and not my style.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 27

I am very grateful for all the hugs I got when leaving my sister's house today.  I LOVE hugs.  They exude warmth and love.  My daughters got up long enough to say goodbye, then they headed back to bed for a few more hours before going back to college.  I got a hug from each of them and an "I love you, Mom" from Sarah.  Then I got a hug from my sister, her husband and my two nephews.  I left this morning knowing and feeling that they were glad we/I was there for Thanksgiving and that they love me.  And I love that feeling.  Then after a long car ride, hugged my grandmother when we dropped her off at her place.  And another hug from my son as we dropped him off at his fraternity.  All in all, a very huggy day.  Yay!

What are you thankful for?

30 Days of Gratitude - Day 17

Today is my sisters birthday and I was grateful to be able to spend it with her.  She is 3 years and 4 months younger than me so I've known her all of her life.  She is an amazing person and my best friend.  Don't get all weird thinking, what about your husband?  He is a dear too but the sister/sister relationship is different from the husband/wife relationship.  I can tell her anything and she always seems to know just what to say or not say, she is wise, humble, gracious, loving, empathetic.  She is beautiful both inside and out.  She has a positive attitude and almost always has a smile on her face.  She is an awesome mother to two wonderful boys.  She is so nurturing and always makes me feel welcome and loved.  I adore her and sometimes I secretly wish I could be just like her - she is beautiful, funny, skilled at putting on makeup, classy...many of things I sometimes feel I am not.  She is family.  My blood.  Someone who has known me almost all my life. 

I am blessed to be her older sister.  We choose to spend a lot of time together, well, as much as we can with families and living 300 miles apart.  Our families spend time together and I love that the kids are close with their cousins.  We have gone on vacations together, we spend holidays together, we make time to be together as sisters and as families.

We got along as kids and only a few times do I remember distinct fights.  I remember friends having horrible fights with their siblings and I didn't get it.  Maybe we were lucky?  It was when I went to college that we became even closer.  Campus was about a 15 minute drive from home and she visited me often in the sorority.  She joined the same sorority I was in and that further strengthened our bond.  She was a senior in college when my twins were born and though she was about a month away from graduation, she drove three hours south four weekends in a row to visit and help.  My husband and I were busy and overwhelmed with twins and she was a godsend.  We moved to another state when the twins were five weeks old and of course being poor and foolish young we decided to do it ourselves.  I drove the car with the twins, my husband the behemoth (uhaul) and she drove the pickup truck with the cat.  We trekked 400 miles in one very long day.  She never complained even when the cat was screeching.

"A sister is a gift to the heart, a friend to the spirit, a golden thread to the meaning of life." ~ Isadora James

Here are some pictures that I like.  I have a lot more at home, but since I am at her house and not mine I am relying on facebook for these photos.  But from the smiles on our faces, I am sure you can see just how close we are and how special our sister bond is.

At a young age c. 1968

In Mexico

At a Mariners game

A fun night out

The beauty of our friendship is that we are there for each other. I truly believe we would be friends even if we weren't related. And that is a wonderful feeling.  We are friends by choice and I love her dearly.  I wish my sister a very happy birthday and all the best today and always.  I am so grateful to be her sister, her friend and glad we could spend the day celebrating HER!

What are you thankful for?

30 Days of Gratitude - Day 14

For the past two weeks I have been thinking a lot about gratitude.  I find things all throughout the day that I am grateful for.  Much of which I normally take for granted.  Blogging 30 Days of Gratitude has made me slow down and notice what's around me.  I feel more aware of things, like the fall leaves on the ground and how they crinkle and crunch when I step on them.  Or the courtesy clerks at the grocery store as they smile and ring up my purchases.  It's amazing how a smile can affect others.  When someone genuinely smiles you can't help but smile back.  I noticed a lot of smiles today.  In particular, Sarah's smiles.

I love her smiles.  She can light up a room with her infectious grin.  Her eyes even sparkle when she smiles and it melts my heart!  Tonight we were watching a movie and about 15 minutes into it, they started speaking German and there were no subtitles so it made it very hard to follow.  The movie was set in German so I wasn't surprised at the German language, but subtitles would have been quite appreciative, especially for a moving that relies on dialogue!  After a couple more minutes, she smiles real big and says "I think there are supposed to be subtitles" and then she chuckled.  We turned off the movie and talked about her afternoon and class.  And she smiled. She seemed happy tonight.  And that made me smile.  Oh how I love my Sarah and I am very grateful for her smiles and the happiness she exudes when she does smile.

Sarah age 5 (and ridiculously adorable)

Sarah (age 10) and Kristin (age 12) with their Beany Boppers

Senior Portrait

Sarah is such a love bug with the warmest smile!

What are you thankful for?

30 Days of Gratitude - Day 2

I am thankful for my husband.  He works very hard in a profession that he loves. And he takes good care of me.  And for that I'm forever grateful.  Our 25 years of marriage hasn't always been easy.  In fact, a few years back I was ready to throw in the towel.  But we persevered and things are better than before.

We recently went to Maui to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary.   I am grateful for his smile, his work ethic, his foot rubs and most of all his love.  He is a GREAT GUY!  xoxo

 

Cruising along the Kanaio Coastline on the southern coast of Maui

 Playing golf at the Wailea Emerald Course (Maui)

Looking north from Honolua Bay (Maui)

 A wonderful dinner at Mama's Fish House (Maui)

And he made me this pie for our 25th Anniversary.  It was delicious.  I've definitely got a keeper!

What are you thankful for?

♫ All you need is love ♫

Whenever I look at this note card I smile.  Sarah made it for me and though they are a mere 4 written words, they make my heart sing.  It's nice to love and be loved.  Not everyone needs to hear it and feel it, but I do.  The feeling that you matter to someone else is an important one for me.   I have had this note card by my computer for over a year now and read it often.   Today is one of those days where I could use a little extra love.  So thanks Sarah for reminding me that I am loved. ♥ ♥ ♥

You Capture - Comfort

Comfort = Family = Love

To see more “you capture” photos, head on over to Kelli's.

My heart sings

My heart is full today and it's a wonderful feeling.  I have so much love and pride for my family that sometimes I am reduced to tears of joy.  Crazy, huh?  As a new parent (many, many years ago) I was besotted with my children.  Jim was too.  We used to sit and watch them just breathe.  It was amazing to think that we created these beautiful human beings.  Watching them grow through years only intensified the feelings.  My, our, love for them never waned.  Yes, there are times when we didn't like them or the choices they made but our love for them is steadfast.

This morning Sarah gave me a huge hug and said "you are the best Mom ever and I love you so much."  And she hugged me, a big bear hug where she was the last to let go.  Wonder how full my heart can get without bursting with joy?  I am going to really miss her day to day presence when she goes to college this fall!

Today starts off Mom's Weekend at WSU and I finally get to take part.  I am so EXCITED!  I have lived in Pullman since 1990 and this annual event has seen Mom's come to town year after year and spend time with their college age children.  Now, it's my turn. Technically, I could have participated last year when Jake was a freshman but we were out of town on a trip planned long before I knew the dates.   Not sure of our exact plans today, but tomorrow we are going to breakfast and the craft fair in the morning and then dinner and Jay Leno in the evening!  His girlfriend Lauren, and her Mom, will be joining us in the evening.  Jay Leno is quite funny and has been to Pullman several times for this event.  We saw him back in the 90's and laughed the entire time.  Even though Jay will be enjoyable, the BEST part of the weekend will be spending time with my son.  I am so lucky to have him for a son as he calls periodically to just talk, he likes to hang out with us at home and be together as a family.  He's a great kid and I'm proud of him.

I don't have the quality time with Kristin as I'd like.  Mainly due to the fact that she is at college on the other side of the state and doesn't use email or skype with any regularity.  I miss her.

At the time I didn't realize it would be our last family vacation, just the 5 of us, for who knows how long.  But I hold the memories of our trip to Cabo last Christmas near and dear.  Usually we are all together at Hayden Lake, but this year Kristin will not be joining us.  She'll be back east with her government internship.  It will be the first time in 20 years she will NOT be at the lake for our annual summer vacation.

When they grow up, things change and I know this is just the beginning of their lives as adults and more changes lie ahead.  I am proud of all of them and I know they will do well as they make their mark in this world.

But for now, today, I smile and have a happy heart due in no small part to my wonderful children.  And I can't wait to spend the weekend with Jake!

My heart sings.

March 4 already?

Strange that it is already March 4, 2010.  The older I get the faster time seems to go.  January and February were like a whirlwind.  Seems like just yesterday we got back from Mexico and had a lovely New Years celebration at the Hawbakers.  Can hardly wrap my head around the fact that my life is half over or perhaps even more so.  I am trying hard to live each day for what it is (good, bad or otherwise) basically, to live in the moment.  It's hard though because so much of what I do, work wise, is to keep things in balance for the future.  Accounting is strange that way.  It's a financial balance of the past so you forge ahead in the future.  Sort of like laundry, you are never really caught up except for that exact moment in time.

I am so excited to forget accounting, work and taxes today.  Today, tomorrow and this weekend is about family.  I am having breakfast with Jake.  Then Sarah and I are heading to Seattle where she will have an official tour of UW.  Jim is back east at a conference in DC.  He is done this evening and will spend the rest of the weekend with Kristin.  Sarah and I will stay with Betsy and family.  Alex, Ryan, Philippe, Betsy....I wish we lived closer.  I love them dearly.  I'm so lucky to be part of such a great family. 

Road tripping with Sarah is always an adventure.  The music will be loud, funky, in appropriate at times, but we will talk, laugh and share.  She's a true delight.  So proud to be her mama!  I know the house will be in good hands with Jake while I'm gone.  He's a good son with a very good heart.  Things will be in good order when I get home, provided there is no pineapple vodka involved!  

Kristin being 3000 miles away has been an adjustment.  She is coming in home in 2 weeks though before heading back to UW in Seattle.  Wish I could freeze moments in time when all our family is together under one roof.  The older they get, the rarer it is. Glad Jim has the opportunity to visit with her and see her cute place.  Proud of her and her accomplishments, but I miss having her closer.


My family = love.  :)  And thinking of them makes me happy. 

You Capture - Colors

My husband has a thing for flowers, and 3 beautiful roses (I selected the prettiest for the photo above!) were waiting for me at the hotel at the start of our 24 hour get-a-way.  I love roses and I love my husband. :)   Check out The You Capture Challenge for yourself at I Should Be Folding Laundry.

We make a good team

I love my husband. He is a good father and a good man. We've had a lot of ups and downs but we've weathered them and become stronger through the process. We are a team in our marriage and in raising our children. We are team together through life. We haven't had magical sparks in a long time, but that's not what love is. We probably all define love differently but in a way that suits our particular needs. To me love is such a deep care and concern for the other persons well being. I can tell my husband anything. I probably share more with my sister than my husband, not out of disrespect but because my sister is another female and she 'gets me'. My husband loves me but he doesn't always 'get me'. I'm alright with that because I know he cares and it's the little things he does that shows his depth of love. He does a lot of big things too, like providing for the family, being encouraging and supportive of our kids' endeavors. But the little things, sweet and tender that make my heart melt. He rubs my feet and night, rubs my lower back when it aches, he makes me coffee (even though he doesn't drink it) in the morning, he makes me breakfast on the weekends... but best of all, he lets me be who I am and doesn't dictate my thoughts, beliefs and desires.

He is very politically minded, something which doesn't interest me. But it's something he enjoys and he is actively involved at various levels in our local community and his optometric profession. Love is letting the other person pursue his interests and dreams. We have different hobbies, different passions but we've made a choice to make it work. There is great satisfaction is making it work. His idea of humor (among many other things) is very different from mine, but I truly believe if we thought and acted the same it would be boring. Thankfully we are mature enough to know this and be supportive of each other...like the vows we made almost 22 years ago....I promise to love you through good times and bad....we were very young, but we stuck by each other and there is much comfort in that, much joy, respect and out of that is a deepening love each day for the other person.

We support each other through life and to me that's the best definition of love. Because actions speak louder than words. We make a good team and although the sparks and passion on a day to day basis are not always there, that's okay...there is a deep respect and care for each other that makes life all the better.