Christmas 2009 ~ Celebrating with the Kids!

There is nothing like family, celebrating Christmas or any holiday is not the same without the fun and laughter of kids. Here are a few pictures of my favorite people. William could be found chasing the cats, eating chips or taking it easy on the couch sucking his thumb. We opened gifts, baked sugar cookies (of course using Grandma Goldie's yellow bowl)and ate homemade chicken and noodles... Ben played the harmonica while Samuel and I danced the jig. I almost forgot, we made chocolate covered peanut butter balls and Samuel brought me a tomato with a bow on it, he laughed.

It's Christmas Morning!

It's Christmas morning, a day to remember and celebrate the birth of Christ.
My brother Brad sent me this email last night and I thought it was insightful.

Christmas is a time of celebration. Bright packages and ropes of pine, starched red bows and ribbons, eggnog and plum pudding, all promising we’ll be touched by something extraordinary.

But Christmas is a time of memory as much as celebration. For some it is memory of loss, intensified because, for all our lives, we’ve seen it as the season of promise. So much promised by friends and family, so little given in the rush. Christmas is and can be lonely. A loneliness that crowds us like no other as we turn inward, farther from reality than at any other season.

Just once we ought to set about preparing for the downhill run that nearly always accompanies the tinsel. The only way to do so is to get outside us and think about the infant in the manger long ago. Not just remembering His birthday, but remembering the trials and truth that marked His life and, down these many years, also mark ours. We are better because He was the best. Throughout His life He carried the passkeys to His father’s house, then threw them to us from the cross. Whatever went before, life only started when His life began.

God may have been the architect, but He sent Christ, His only son, to be the builder of bridges, people to people. He showed us in a thousand ways that none of us need fear again, that worry is worth nothing, loneliness is self - indulgence, and death is only a passport to everlasting life.

This year, as Christmas makes it’s round again, resolve to smile inside and out. Carry kindness to its farthest edge, compassion still beyond. In the process you may even come to know yourself and like what you find. Then, reaching just a little farther through the mists and myths, maybe even grasp the outstretched hand of God.



What an incredible thought; We need not fear, for we have hope in Christ and can share it with those around us.
That baby in the manger is our Savior, our Redeemer. So in the hustle and bustle of life we should slow down enough to see those around us, and ask ourselves, what can I do or say to bring hope to a world that does not know the Sacrifice that was made?

I think I'll get dressed and go out today to see where I can shine the love of Christ. After all, the kids won't be here until tomorrow so that means I have all day to be a blessing to those around me. In return I think I will be the one who is blessed.

On a different note, before I read this email on was sitting on the couch with my cup of coffee reminiscing of days gone by;
It's funny the things we miss as our kids grow up.
Like the sound of pajamas pitter pattering on the floor.
Stepping on a Lego that almost killed us.
Reading the same book over and over....

I woke up early to a quiet house with Manny sleeping in and the cats curled up under the tree.
As I sat there in the quiet I thought of the days when Zechariah would wake up early with anticipation of Christmas morning.
Recalling how my Mom would decorate the fireplace with plastic poinsettias,and fill our stockings with oranges, and give the kids pajamas that took them 2 years to grow into. :)
Remembering my first bike hidden in the garage.

Memories are good, and for those that have gone before us, Christ gives us the hope we will celebrate together again someday.

For us, we need to love one another and spread that hope that only comes from Christ.
I am thankful that my brother reminded me of what this day is all about.

Enjoying the day in Pasadena!

We have been enjoying having April and David with us for a couple of days. Yesterday we drove through the snow flurries to go to Pasadena. It was cold and wet! First we hiked through the rain and had lunch at a cute little restaurant, then we spent the rest of the afternoon at the Norton Simon Museum. After we finished there we came back to a Pizza dinner and killer game of dominoes! I am so glad to have my girl here with me, she is such a incredible young woman. Her Mom would be proud of the person she has become.

Holiday Gathering

April, David, Zack, Bonnie and the kids joined us for a fun afternoon. We ate way too much and enjoyed visiting. The boys were well behaved as usual, and William found a way of turning a table into a train and climbed into the kitchen cabinet. Choo Choo, All Aboard!

Gracie and Rascal Love The Nativity Scene

Well, the fake tree is still standing. The Nativity is not. The house looks like it was decorated by a crazy person. But that doesn't matter around here, because everyone is happy! April and David will be arriving soon, and Zack, Bonnie and the kids will join us for lunch. Yummy! We are going to have a feast!

The Fake Tree

Last year I had the boys help me decorate the "fake" tree. Manny,Bonnie,Zack and I could not figure out how to put the top on the tree. Samuel looked over and said "it's upside down", we all laughed, it took a 4 year old to help the adults figure out how to assemble a tree! This year I put it together myself with a little help from the cats. Manny just shook his head as though I was asking for trouble. We came home from work and Rascal was in the tree, and a few ornaments were on the floor. As we walked into the house I said "It's not so bad". As I went into each room and saw another Christmas decoration on the floor I repeated myself it's not so bad"....:) It could be worse, the tree is still standing! Which is more than I can say for the Nativity Scene! LOL

Gracie Likes Vogue

Gracie likes Vogue and Country Music, you can find her sitting in front of the T.V. or browsing through the latest Vogue Magazine! Of course Rascal doesn't have time for that, she just wants to play....

Great Job Tiling!

During the summer Bill came out to help us work on our kitchen. It was an experience, one we will never forget! LOL

A Weekend With the Boys!

Zack and Bonnie enjoyed a much needed weekend away from the kids. While they were at the Marine Ball we enjoyed our boys. We ate junk food, watched way too many cartoons, slept under the tent and showed artistic talent on the sidewalk. :)(these pictures were taken in November, but I'm finally getting around to posting them)

William's Day With Grandma and Manny

Grandma Loves Her Pirates and Pumpkin

The boys, dressed in their October best!

William in Wrightwood

Grandma's boy! This is the sweetest boy! This picture just makes me want to give him a big hug!

Proud Mom of a United States Marine

This picture makes me want to cry. I am so proud of my son and the man he has become. When he was little he was the little boy who couldn't sit still, as a young child he scored extremely high on his SAT's. But to me he will always be my "Zechar". I am so proud and my heart rejoices when I look at this picture of "my son". One of the biggest accomplishments of my life will be that I am known as Zack's Mom. Semper Fi

Funny Girl

I just finished talking to my niece April on the phone. She is still "underway" just outside of Boston. She said she will be transferred back to California next year. Unfortunately, David may transfer earlier than she will but they both are excited about being on the West Coast closer to friends and family. She is such an amazing young woman, I know my Mom would be extremely proud of her and the direction her life has gone. After we talked I found this picture of her in Boulder City at David's parents house.We met during a weekend and celebrated her birthday. The other picture is of her helping to hide my double chin. LOL!

Labor Day Weekend

Zack, Bonnie and the kids came up for Labor Day Weekend. We ate way more than we should have.... but it was worth it. I made a homemade carrot cake and lots of food "not" in the healthy cookbook. LOL (that's what holidays are for)
We had a pleasant day visiting and the boys played in the little pool. I gave William a hair cut, he is such a beautiful baby. Have I said that before? Hmmm... :)
Manny is so cute with William, when he talks to him his voice changes to "kutchy kutchy gooo"... Why is it a baby can make a grown man make such funny noises? It really is endearing. As I have said before, I love my family and I am so grateful they love me too.
After posting this I checked my email and this was from my precious son:

hi mom,

thanks for a great time yesterday. Hope you and Manny are enjoying your Labor Day. Just finished some bbq'd carne asada...yum. Now its time for a nap.

love ya,

Zack

...What more could a Mom ask for? I am blessed!

Funny Boys

Emails between me and the boys.


Dear Benjamin and Samuel,
How are you doing?
I just talked to your Dad and he said you might come to my house for Labor day weekend.
I miss all of you!
Have you started working on your Mystery Map?
I am going to work on one that will lead you to a treasure!

Love you both,
Grandma Sue

P. S. Give William a hug for me.


(Ben)
Dear Grandma Sue,

We miss you a lot too.We haven't started the mystery map yet, but I was thinking that we could make a mystery map of the Wash. A couple of days ago I jumped a fence in the Wash. I was kind of scared. Maybe when we take our mystery map we could take my dad with us. That's all I got.

Ben

(Sam)
It's my turn. Uhhh, Grandma, go to bed!

Dear Grandma,

I miss you. I got new toys. Toys with blocks.I got a new toy table with toy stuff on it. And, I miss you.

Sam

Going to Pasadena!

We had a fun adventure today with Benjamin, Samuel and William. We put the boys in the car and said we are searching for a Great Grandma and Great Grandpa that lives in a yellow house in Pasadena. We stopped at the See's Candy store first for some chocolate.
We found the house and had a wonderful day visiting Manny's parents. Samuel ate his first Cuban meal, Ben ate the rice, and William ate everything. William especially enjoyed the plantains. :) It was a fun day out with our favorite boys! Ben thinks we need to work on a mystery map for the next trip. On the way home Samuel said "next time you go to visit them pick me up." Cute. Ben was a little quiet in the back seat, I asked him if he was okay. Yeah, I was just having feelings about your Mom. I miss her. I guess seeing Great Grandparents reminded him of our travels to Madera. He said that it was okay because she lived with God now. How insightful. To cheer him up I gave him some money to get some nachos! He was happy to know he was getting some food he liked. He said maybe I'll share with my Mom, she loves nachos!

Happy 1st Birthday William!

Our miracle baby turns one.
He looked so adorable covered in his birthday cake.
What a precious boy!

Potty Training Marathon...I Think I Can...:)

Well, we made a date and today's the day. Samuel is coming for the weekend to complete his potty training adventure...hopefully. It's July 25, 2009 and I am picking him up at Grandma Jeans house. He gets in the car and says "okay Grandma let's have a adventure!" First stop, Walmart. We shop for new underwear and preschool clothes and few things for Ben. All I can say is this boy knows how to spend money! Then we head home singing silly songs and cracking jokes. We drive thru McDonald's for a happy meal. Samuel informs me that they have chocolate milk and white ice cream...LOL. We arrive at the house and have lunch and change clothes and of course get rid of the pull ups.He spends the next several hours going potty and putting stickers on his potty chart. The reward is a new car he picked out at Walmart. He kept saying let's play with my car, I said as soon as you poop in the toilet. He DID! Hoorah! He has changed into a couple of his new underwear just because he likes them. The first pair he put on were backwards because he wanted to see the picture. That was pretty funny, but he is doing an awesome job! Mission accomplished... at least for today. Of course, we had to make a trip to the store for fruit snacks and drinks. :)
It's 10:00 p.m. I tell Samuel it's time for bed and he can wear a pull up during the night. No way, he refuses. He loves his big boy underwear and he doesn't need pull ups. He falls asleep a happy boy wearing his new Thomas the Train pajamas. (He would have wore his new Thomas the Train shoes to bed but I told him we don't sleep with our shoes on. :) As we said good night I told Samuel to go to sleep and I would take him home tomorrow. He said, "no Grandma I'm not going home, I'm staying 4 more days."
Sweet dreams....