Christmas 2009 is now Christmas Past

We had a wonderful Christmas. As we celebrated the Saviour's birth we held that which is dearest to us close... our family and friends and lots of love. Here are some of my favorite images from the Christmas of 2009.

Tradition

As I have said before, tradition is important to me. My two very favorite family traditions are over now for another year. The first was last night when my siblings and their children came over to celebrate Christmas together. This tradition started before I was born when my mom and her siblings would go to my Grandma McColls on Christmas eve to celebrate together. Although we spent a lot of time at Grandma's this was the one time all of my aunts and uncles would be there at the same time. I remember eating my Uncle Bert's rice pudding and getting to drink egg nog out of special mugs. My grandma always had one of those silver Christmas trees that she only decorated in blue glass ornaments. Feeling nostalgic this year I tried buying one on ebay but I was outbid.

After my grandma died the Christmas eve party moved to my parents where we went each year until my mom's death. When our boys were small we would spend the night and be there for Christmas morning. We continued this tradition until my mom passed away.

And so the party moved to our house. But since our family has grown so large we now meet the Sunday before Christmas. This accommodates all of the new young couples who must divide their time between extended families. This year we closed the patio in so the party could spill out there. The boys are all so big and with little ones it just makes sense. I also changed the menu this year. Instead of cooking a big meal we had pizza. I don't know why we didn't do this years ago. Everyone enjoyed it and we had enough flavors for every palate. Of course I had to make my famous chili (don't ask for the recipe.... it's very top secret!). And there were lots of cookies and candy to satisfy the sweet tooth.

Tommy gets to play Santa (he took over the honor after my dad passed away) and he does his best to do the part. This year for my gift to everyone, I put together a cookbook of recipes from my mom's cookbooks ... things that she and my dad cooked often. I included pictures of all of us and I think everyone liked it.

My other favorite tradition was one I started when Matthew was a tiny baby. We deliver goodies to friends the Monday before Christmas. As the boys got older we started "caroling". All of our friends know we are not a musical bunch so the caroling usually is just singing "We Wish You A Merry Christmas." When the boys were small, I used to buy matching sweaters for all of us to wear. You know the term "ugly Christmas sweater"? Well we had several of them. Three boys in the back seat of a Toyota balancing trays of cookies usually went very quickly from angelic to a wrestling match and by the end of our two hour self imposed time limit there were few smiling faces. But it was an important tradition to me and the one that I look forward to more than any other each year.

The years that we had missionaries out the boys who were home had to pick up the slack and there was the one year when Carl had to go with us by himself.... a sad sight indeed.

This year we were just a quartet. We borrowed Andrew for the evening and together with Terry, Tommy and I we did pretty good - well we sounded as good as we ever did. Terry just got a new guitar and taught himself to "play" (a relative term) We Wish You A Merry Christmas. Andrew accompanied him with the tambourine. And Tommy good-naturedly goes along with the madness.
Thank goodness we have friends who love us and put up with this annual interruption to their family night (or the football game). Someday I'll get everyone to go again. Maybe we'll rent a limo so everyone fits in one car.

Anyway, Merry Christmas to you and yours and may all your favorite traditions carry you through the season.

It's begining to look a lot like Christmas!

Do you remember when you were a kid in school and the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas vacation seemed forever? That's how the last two weeks went for me and now here we are ... The Week Before Christmas Break!!! When did it sneak up on me? This last week of school brings all kinds of gifts. I love to decorate the library for the holidays. I use snowmen as my theme. They prove the perfect decor for so many reason. One is that I have a huge collection (over 100 of the cool guys) and they would take over my house if I put them out there. Second, they are non-denominational. That's important at a public school. There are some children who don't celebrate the birth of the Savior and I want them to feel comfortable coming to the library. But the biggest plus for me personally is that I can put them up on the first of December and they are good all the way through until Valentines Day. And there is just something wonderful in hearing a five year old walk in, look around and exclaim, "This looks amazing, Mrs. Seeno!"

One of my other library traditions is to make breakfast for the staff the last week before vacation. I always cook the same thing and they haven't complained that I lack originality. I make my "famous" overnight French toast with pecans. It's my way of thanking them for all their support of the library.

But one of my very favorite library traditions is to share Robert Sabuda (http://www.robertsabuda.com/pop-up ) pop-up books. Pop-up books are too fragile to be in the library collection but children love them. Sabuda is a genius with folded paper and I have been a fan for over a decade. My first book was Cookie Count: A Tasty Pop-Up. One of my favorite things about Sabuda is there is always a surprise at the end of his books. The one in this book is a gingerbread house that pops up on the last page. My other favorites to share are Twas The Night Before Christmas (There is a great reindeer that pops out of this one) and The Twelve Days of Christmas with it's music box with an actual twirling ballerina.

I know I have said it before, but I have the best job in the world. Along with all these wonderful experiences in the library, I get a two week break to spend with my family carrying out all of our family traditions. It's a Wonderful Life!

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving has never been my most favorite of holidays. I'm not that fond of turkey or football. And this year our family won't all be celebrating together. But I am a big fan of being grateful. And I have much to give thanks for.
When upon life's billows you are tempest tossed,
When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
Count your many blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.
To say that this past year has been a trying one for everyone is an understatement. I don't think there is anyone who's life wasn't touched by what happened with the economy. However, I am so thankful to be lucky enough to have a job I love. I get to do something that is meaningful surrounded by great people. Definately one of my blessings.
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your blessings, see what God hath done!
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your many blessings, see what God hath done!
Naming them one by one: Tommy, my children, children-in-law, grandchild, siblings. Family is first for me. They are truly the blessings in my life that top all others. There is no greater joy for me then being around them. I have been so fortunate to have been born into a family with wonderful aunts, uncles and cousins on both sides. That fortune broadened when I married into an equally wonderful family.
When you look at others with their lands and gold,
Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold;
Count your many blessings. Money cannot buy
Your reward in heaven, nor your home on high.
And then there are my dear friends who I consider family. There are those women who I love like sisters. We have helped raise each others children. I have laughed and cried with them, served them and been served by them.
Are you ever burdened with a load of care?
Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?
Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly,
And you will be singing as the days go by.
My list of blessings couldn't be complete without giving thanks for being an American. I am so glad to live in this country. I am thankful for those who preserve our freedoms, for those who penned them, and for those who protect them.
So, amid the conflict whether great or small,
Do not be discouraged, God is over all;
Count your many blessings, angels will attend,
Help and comfort give you to your journey's end.
Rounding out my list would be my gratitude for my belief in a Heavenly Father who loves me and who is there for me. There has never been a trial I have faced that I could not pray and find comfort from Him. I am thankful for the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on my behalf, for the lessons He taught, especially those of humility and service. I try to emulate those.
My list of blessings could go on and on. As I write each one, another comes to mind ... my health, my home, my heritage, sunsets, even Chinese food is a blessing to me! There is no end to list. So I will just end with Happy Thanksgiving to one and all.
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your many blessings, see what God hath done!

Count Your Blessings by Johnson Oatman, Jr.

Happy Birthday Sam

It's Samuel's birthday and time for his top ten list:
10. That if he ever got in trouble or did anything wrong in school... I didn't know about it
9. Sam has the most patience of anyone I know
8. His faith
7. His sarcastic sense of humor (family trait!)
6. His perserverance
5. He is so good with small children (that patience thing really helps here)
4. How easy he can speak in public ... the bigger the crowd the better
3. But then his shyness when talking one on one (inherited from his dad)
2. How thrifty he is (Sam is the only person I know who framed a $100.00 bill)
1. That he found the perfect woman to share his life with when he married Kelsey.

Andrew's birhtday party

Heather and Matt threw a great family birthday party for Andrew's second birthday. With a family as big as ours, even a family party is a lot of people.

The theme was cars and trucks and many of the gifts reflected the theme. Andrew wasn't that interested in opening them after opening the first one and finding a truck he was happy and it was up to Heather to do the honors.



Andrew did get a lot of cute (and warm) clothes. And we can't forget the basketball and hoop and the soccer net and ball. I know he is going to get a lot of use out of those.

Heather used toy trucks as serving pieces to carry out the theme. This truck carried the yummy flour tortilla chips.

Andrew

Andrew turns 2 years old tomorrow. I can't even begin to write how much joy he brings to our lives. He has taught us that being grandparents is the most rewarding thing ever. I love to have him come over and play at our house. He and Terry have such a great time playing together. One of Andrew's favorite things to do at Nana and Nanoo's house is to play outside in the back yard.
I took this video of him and Terry sitting in a chair together. I think at one point Andrew was doing 5 Little Monkeys teasing Mr. Crocodile. He also did Popcorn Popping on the Apricot Tree. We were sitting out all afternoon at Georgia's the day after Halloween. It was a beautiful day and the boys played outside for hours. He was really in a talkative mood.



Happy Birthday Andrew!

Happy Halloween

I love Halloween! It is my absolute favorite holiday. I love all of the traditions of all of the holidays and each one is special to me in its own way but Halloween is my favorite. I remember the excitement as a child of getting to dress up and go out after dark door to door with my my sisters and get candy. Then we would come home and pour it all out in a pile and trade for favorites!!!! My dad always did a great job decorating the outside of the house and my mom would decorate the inside. My mom would keep a tally of how many kids came by trick or treating.

That was back when your costume included one of those plastic masks with the rubber band holding it on your head. There would be two tiny slits to see through, holes so you could breath and this little bit opening in the mouth area. The costume came in a box and no one was worried about how safe it was.

When the big boys were little we would have to drive around to take them trick or treating. We don't live in a "neighborhood" so we would pile in the car and go to our friends. We would end up at Nana and Nanoo's house where Matthew would get a chance to hand out treats to the kids who trick or treated there.

I love decorating for Halloween and these days put most of my decorating efforts into the library. This year I had scary window coverings (a skeleton on one and a yellow eyed cat on the other). I built a castle wall with a big black crow, lighted cobweb and skeleton. There were eerie lights, scarecrows, jack-o-lanterns, skulls and bats throughout the library. And all of my leopards wore masks (the leopard is our school mascot and I have about 20 of them in the library). Scary music played in the background and I had the lights turned down. It was great!

Each year our staff tries to come up with a theme for our costumes as a surprise to the kids on Halloween. There is a school parade (imagine 710 students marching around the playground, through the district office next door and back) that parents all come to watch. This year we had the best theme ever. Someone suggested that we be candy. We had a whole bag of M&Ms (I was a yellow peanut M&Ms). There were also boxes of SweetHearts, Reeses Cups, a Kiss, several Tooth Fairies, a Pez Dispenser, Tootsie Roll, a Hershey Bar and Cotton Candy. Not everyone does the theme but everyone gets in the spirit. There were leopards, pirates, and even a "surfer dude". Our yard duty aides always come up with something unique. This year they dressed as Santa and his reindeer. It's a great day.

For the past few years we have celebrated Halloween night with Georgia & Robert. They do over the top decorations and we have a great time. Last year they designed the "Tunnel of Terror" on the walkway leading up to their door. All of our grown kids come and Laurie takes Terry out trick or treating in their neighborhood.

This year Terry has chosen to be a pirate. I think he makes the cutest pirate ever.

I hope your Halloween is Spooktacular and you get lots of treats!

Happy Birthday Matthew

Matthew turns 28 today. When did that happen? It seems like just a little while ago that Tommy and I were bringing him home to our little pink house by Oak Park. I remember that first night when we put him to bed and he slept straight through the night. The time in between that night and today were filled with ear infections, Little League, soccer, volleyball, mission, wedding and our first grandchild. He asked me if he was going to get a top ten list like the ones I did for our September birthdays so here it is:

10. A slightly wicked sense of humor

9. Passion for sports (pretty much any sport!)

8. Willingness to help others

7. His intelligence (Matt was always able to pass tests without even studying for them)

6. Hard worker and provider for his family.

5. Great Debater (It is so funny to watch my boys "discuss" their opinions... they get so into it)

4. That he did such a fantastic job finding the perfect wife!

3. How close he is to his extended family

2. The relationship he has with his dad (I love that he and Tommy have always had such a great relationship ... even through the terrible teen years)

1. Matthew is a fabulous dad. He loves his little boy so much and is a hands-on daddy (even changing dirty diapers!). I will never forget the night we were all at the cabin. Andrew was just a few months old. I heard him wake up in the middle of the night and I was going to get up and get him. But immediately I heard Matthew up and taking care of him, talking to him and comforting him. At that moment I think I was the most proud of him as I have ever been!

Happy birthday Matthew!

Disneyland Vacation 09

Halloween Time at Disneyland 2009

We took our annual trip to Disneyland and this year there was a new spin. We decided to go during the Halloween festivities. I could not believe the lengths they go to in celebrating and decorating. The park is truly transformed. We also had a much bigger group with Tommy coming along (hurray) and all of my sister's family. Carl and Terry were the only ones of our boys who could join us.
By the end of our three days we still hadn't done everything but we did so much and we were all pretty exhausted. I even rode Space Mountain which is something I don't usually attempt. But there was NO line at the time and I wanted to see the Halloween spin they put on that ride. It was pretty cool but also pretty scary to me. Ter on the other hand wanted to get right on again.
We also loved the fireworks (saw them two nights) and Fantasmic. They were both well worth the wait. Another great part was over in the farm area where they had a fabulous pumpkin carver. It was amazing what this artist did with pumpkins. Also in this same spot there was a place for children to color a Halloween picture. Woody (from Toy Story) was there and Ter Bear had a 15 minute uninterruped conversation with him (one sided no less!). There was also this magician that sat down with him and amazed him with card and coin tricks.
I have to say, though, my favorite was what Disney did with the Haunted Mansion. I knew they decorated it with the Nightmare Before Christmas theme but I thought that just meant a well placed Jack Skellington here or there and a few pumpkins scattered about. I was so wrong. It was completely transformed and no detail was not seen to. We went on it twice!
We usually vacation with my sister Georgia's family. I love that we all get along so well and even though our children are mostly adults now, they still like to be together (we really missed Sam and Matt's families!) and that they enjoy being around us "old" people. The absolute best part of this vacation was that Tommy was able to take time to go with us. He had to spend a lot of time on the phone dealing with work, but he was still able to enjoy it.
If you're planning a Disney celebration I have a couple of tips. I subscribed to a website that gave so many great tips. It's http://www.ridemax.com/ and it saved us time and stress along with giving us some great hints to make our stay even better. It was well worth the $14.95 I paid. I also read the Disney Parks Blog (it's listed in my Blog Roll on the left). Lots of just fun info.
So we've gone to Disneyland in March, May and October now. May was the best but we keep hearing that January is the time to go. We are planning now our next visit for January 2011. I think I can convince Tommy to go again by then!

#51

Happy Birthday Tommy!

These are some of my favorite pictures of Tommy. There are actually many, many more but they all include me or the boys. The one at the top is my favorite picture of his family. They were at his grandma's house. Then there is that really cute one of him with his Grandpa Lopes. I think the next one was taken the same day but I find it ironic that he is holding a softball in it. Who knew? There is a school picture (probably around 4th or 5th grade), his broken arm and the work picture before he started cutting his hair so short. But the next one is truly priceless. Believe it or not, we used to go to these 50s dances all the time and this was Tommy's "look". When he donned this outfit he turned into someone else ... not shy at all and the life of the party. Here he is doing his best Fonzie impression. Happy 51st birthday.

29 Years

Today is the our 29th wedding anniversary. I was looking at some pictures of our wedding day. It was really nice to have our families and friends there to share the day with us but when I think back on the day the thing that comes to mind is how much work it was getting ready for it and the stress of the day.
I do have fond memories of our wedding and the reception but it isn't really what I celebrate today. We have never made much of a hoopla of it. You might think I'm not a very sentimental person but these 29 years are not defined at all by that day. It was merely the start of a wonderful adventure.
What I choose to celebrate instead is the 10,584 days that have followed. Each day has been better then the one before.
I don't know if we even imagined the joys that would follow that day, almost three decades ago.... the children who would add to our love, their wives who would bring a new dimension to our family, and our grandson who lights up our lives.
Nor do I think could we have known then how important each other's families would be to us. They were always there for us and after all this time we don't even use the terms "in-law" because, quite frankly, it is meaningless. They are all just our family.
And our love for each other is without question. That new dewy-eyed love that you have on your wedding day has matured into a deep-set love, faith and friendship in each other. I can't remember one day in the past 29 years when Tommy has not said, "I love you" to me.
Here is to eternity. I love you too!

Grandparents' Day

This Sunday is the official celebration of Grandparents' Day. Before you roll your eyes and say to yourself that this is just another fabrication of card companies to turn a buck, think about the contribution your own grandparents made to your life. Foremost is the fact that they provided you with parents. Then, if you were lucky, they gave you a wealth of experiences and stories that have become your family folklore.

My memories of my grandparents are something I cherish. Unfortunately my grandparents had all passed away before I was out of grade school but that doesn't mean I didn't have wonderful times with them.

I had my Grandpa Baker, my dad's dad. His mother had passed away long before my parents met. Grandpa Baker was always full of surprises. He was a free spirit who didn't have an official address and I don't think he ever looked at a calendar. He travelled around in his truck and lived in the camper on the back. I remember walking home from school and seeing that truck parked in front of our house. I would race home knowing Grandpa would be waiting. He was always promising to send us horned toads from Texas. Much to my mom's relief, he never did. Ever the Texas rancher's son, he loved the outdoors. To me, he was bigger than life. He was always happy and had the best sense of humor.

My Grandma Georgia was my mom's mom. Like my dad, she had lost her other parent before they met. Grandma lived in a huge house in Stockton and I think we saw her almost everyday. We spent lots of time at her house. She was legally blind and my mom would pick her up to take her for errands. Every Friday morning we picked Grandma up to go grocery shopping, helping her push her basket and put things in it. She always bought us a treat. Usually it was a package of Ghiredelli Flicks chocolates. I loved to listen to her tell stories of the old days and her house was a treasure trove of mysteries. She was deeply patriotic and I never spend 4th of July without thoughts of her.

I also had my father's maternal grandparents, Grandma and Grandpa Stanger. Their gift to me was the deep sense of belonging to a family. They loved their extended family and established a sense of the importance of family that has been passed down through many generations. They also were my link to my religion. My great grandparents were devout LDS. I remember when they lived in a little apartment in Stockton. We would go to visit and they always had a dish of these hideous little candies called Horehound Candy and another dish with lemon drops in them. Of course I would always have to try both!

One summer, after Grandma died, I remember taking Grandpa to a family reunion in Idaho. He was pretty old at the time. The rest of the family thought the trip would be too tough for him, but my dad insisted and took him. Grandpa Stanger told us stories all the way to American Falls about growing up. I will always remember that trip. And except for my dad, Grandpa was the tallest person I knew.

No post about grandparents is complete with out talking about my children's grandparents. From each of them I have learned how to be a grandma. From Poppa to be spontaneous and teach my grandchildren to love the beauties of this world. From Grannie to teach them that there is nothing more important than family. From Nana to love unconditionally and to always be there for my grandchildren and from Nanoo to work hard.

So here I am a grandmother, well, actually a Nana. The lessons and examples I learned from these dear people who touched my life fuel my relationship with my beautiful grandson, Andrew. When I look at him he just makes my heart full. And I am amazed at how much he adds to my life. I take picture after picture of him, wanting to document each smile for posterity. I am looking forward watching him (and any future grandchildren) grow. I hope I can create wonderful memories for him just as my grandparents did for me.

Happy Grandparents' Day to all of my friends who have achieved this wonderful state. What a lovely time of life. I hope you all can celebrate with a hug from some precious little person you love more than life itself.

"What children need most are the essentials that grandparents provide in abundance. They give unconditional love, kindness, patience, humor, comfort, lessons in life. And, most importantly, cookies." ~Rudolph Giuliani

"Nobody can do for little children what grandparents do. Grandparents sort of sprinkle stardust over the lives of little children. " ~Alex Haley

"One of the most powerful handclasps is that of a new grandbaby around the finger of a grandfather." ~Joy Hargrove

"The history of our grandparents is remembered not with rose petals but in the laughter and tears of their children and their children's children. It is into us that the lives of grandparents have gone. It is in us that their history becomes a future. " ~Charles and Ann Morse