GREETINGS TO ALL

Merry Christmas to All!

I am now saying my greetings

and goodbyes. I will be taking a three week

break from blogging for a trip to summer.

Now you may wonder

where summer is and I will tell you – its not where I am

right now.

I also wanted to say

thank you

to

my significant other/soul mate/BFF/spouse/husband Kent

 for a wonderful Christmas gift.

You see he started a scholarship in my name at the St. Charles Community College.

What a wonderful legacy to leave our family.

So this evening our family will have our annual Christmas Eve dinner.

Each person will bring their favorite food.

Once again we will read a

Christmas Story written by Thomas S. Monson,
a tradition started some 10 years ago by our oldest son.

English Christmas Crackers will be popped.

Christmas morning we will sleep late

and then have our traditional Christmas breakfast.

I will make a roast dinner that afternoon followed by a

trip to the airport

to help our children get to their destination.

We will end our holiday by going to a movie.

 I hope your Christmas is as pleasant as ours.

NOT SO CHRISTMASSY

I have enjoyed blogging but like all bloggers there comes a time when there isn’t a lot to blog about. We’ve had ice storms and bone chilling temperatures for the past week but you could read about that in the news. My month continues with more get togethers with friends, a grandchild’s first dance recital, art projects, baking traditional breads, friends visiting, visiting friends, etc. Sunday, many members of our congregation performed a program that took enormous amounts of time to perfect. Pure delight! So far I have been experiencing all the usual activities that mean a lot to me but not so much to you the reader.

I guess what is on my mind today is in the torrential rain in Central America. So often I read about things occurring in distant parts of our globe and don’t feel anything. I’m sure it’s because we experience so much war and suffering daily via the media that it becomes necessary to block our feelings to keep from having sensory overload. Once I have visited a country and spent time with the people that all changes. I can see the faces of the people and know how their lives have changed because of the alteration inflicted upon them.  In January we will be going to visit Panama and go through the canal. This is something Kent has wanted to do and I love locks so it is a win win vacation. The only problem is the rain. There have been mudslides that have and continue to annihilate villages and wipe out homes. One of the two major bridges that connect North and South America has been destroyed because of the rain. The people of Central America are suffering.

Last evening our family checked the weather to see what the long range forecast would be for Panama. They are still having rain and more predicted. I don’t worry about rain ruining my vacation. I am concerned about my visiting a country that is suffering. I can’t be an Ugly American that is arrogant and uncaring. How do I help the people while I visit their beautiful country? This is a thought for me to contemplate during this holiday season.

TRADITIONS

Presents are all wrapped and under the tree or taken to the Post Office. Christmas cards have been written and mailed. All the decorations are up and parties have been planed and executed. There are still a couple of dinners to be held then the holiday will be over. Most of what is left comes under the banner of family traditions. I am looking forward to all the activities of the next 7 days. I think of all the holidays Christmas is my favorite. Every year we try to incorporate a new tradition. Some of the traditions seem new but really are old ones that we haven’t done for years and others are totally new to our family. This year we have added the Advent to our holiday. This was introduced this year to us by a good friend. Susan loves this part of Christmas and anytime you love something you want to share it. I’m glad she decided to share her tradition with us. This Sunday we will have the St. Lucinda Bread during the third day of Advent. I didn’t realize that this was part of the Catholic celebration of Advent. We have celebrated the Scandinavian part of the holiday by having our youngest (and only) daughter dressed in white with a green wreath on her head waking each family member on Christmas morning and bringing them to breakfast where the St. Lucinda Bread was eaten. (My 34 year old daughter refuses to wear a white dress and have a crown or wreath on her head anymore.) Maybe if we are having a Danish celebration we will have to make Aebleskivers for our family brunch. What fun it is to share traditions and incorporate new ones.

IT'S STILL MEMORIABLE

I started blogging about all the wonderful amazing things I was doing to make this Christmas memorable. It looks like I gave up but I didn’t. I just stopped blogging about everything because it sounded like I was bragging about how wonderful my life was. I do have a wonderful life. I also have an amazing list of problems but none of them are hard as yours so we won’t compare. I just want everyone to know that my season is good and I love all of you who respond to the spontaneous dinners, parties and activities I have put together. Also, thank you to friends who have planned activites. This week I will spend 5 out of the 7 days with dear friends and families. So far I have been invited to learn about the celebration of Advent from a friend who has celebrated this tradition since she was young child attending Catholic schools. I have visited with a friend from Kent and my early years of marriage. We have attended church, listened to inspiring messages and music. We convinced a group of friends to drop everything and go with us to our favorite restaurant about an hours drive from here. Our group mushroomed to about 25 friends that evening. We have survived the blizzard that hit the Midwest. We have thought of ways we could help others less fortunate than us. I’m so glad that I still have 12 more days until Christmas. After that I am leaving town for a warmer location for 3 weeks. Until then I hope everyone finds ways to make their season memoriable.

IT'S CHRISTMAS TIME

Christmas is the time for friends getting together. Last night we had a spontaneous get together. Kent and I went to a special Saturday night church meeting. We were concerned that the meeting wouldn’t take place because of the snow. After the meeting we decided we were going to Pueblo for dinner. Pueblo is a little Mexican restaurant that we have been going to since the 1970’s when it opened. We know the owner and everyone who works there and it is our favorite place to eat. Word spread of our destination and 30 minutes later our friends started arriving at the restaurant. The final count was 25 people. What fun we had, eating good food and visiting with friends.

When we got to Pueblo the restaurant was empty. The owner said they had a large group call ahead for reservations but because of the snow didn’t show up. So much food had been prepped so they were thrilled with our arrival. It was a win win night for everyone. And best of all the snow didn’t come until we were safely home.

MY GIFT TO ME

It’s time again for my annual physical and mammogram. I really like my doctor and I especially like that she is younger than me so she will be around for a long time. I have had my share of doctors who are suffering from burnout and the last thing they want to do is listen to you and your problems. Dr. Scale is different. She is cheerful, compassionate and treats you like you are the most important patient she has. Best of all she listens to what you say.

I am surprised at how childlike I am around Dr. Scale. Because I feel she cares I am from willing to take all those tests I dislike, such as bone density tests, mammograms, etc. Even though I know they are important I can put them off but don’t because I know Dr. Scale will be checking her records to see the results.

I guess you could say I am giving myself a Christmas Present by having a good doctor who makes me take better care of myself. What could be better?

TIME FOR FRIENDS

Today I had a friend phone to say hello. I answered an email, not the computer generated kind, but a real email from a real person. While out walking in this wintry weather I visited with one of my neighbors. Now I am waiting for a friend to drop by for lunch. I have found that when I am busy I eliminate time with friends first. During this stressful holiday season it is stopping to enjoy people that actually diminishes stress. Stress clouds our brains and makes us forgetful, making us more stressed and robbing us of the little time we have. Probably the most memorable thing I did this month was finish everything on my list. It was only for one day but I don't think I have ever finished a list. This day I got a good night sleep, exercised, and then took one thing as a time until my list was complete. How sweet!

LAST YEAR

Last year we had an life interruption. A call from my sister required a trip to a small town at the end of the world (Southern Utah) for the funeral of my brother-in-law Glen. Glen was a Vietnam Vet who loved old cars and motorcycles. He drove his old cars in just about every parade in the west from the Days of 47, Fourth of July, or a small town celebration. Glen's cars were the ones transporting the Grand marshal.

Glen's funeral was on a cold snowy day. The road that led from the church to the cemetery wasn't paved and people worried about getting stuck in the mud, but this didn't stop the Patriot Guard Riders from coming. They are at funerals throughout the country giving honor to those who served. They also give comfort to their families. Every time I see a group of riders giving of their time to honor a service man I feel respect and a renewed feeling that there is a lot of good people who are out there.

WHO DO I REMIND YOU OF?

This is the time for Kindness and Good will towards men but I need to share what really bothers me so –

• I just hate it when there is a driver in front of me who is going the speed limit.
• I hate all the emails that are sent to me about one day only sales that are too good to pass up. Now Grandpa has more toys to pass out than Santa.
• Parties with fatting food that I feel obligated to eat. Why can’t people serve healthy food?
• Promise of snow flurries and none appear. I can only imagine what school children are feeling. 

Well that is my list. I feel better now. In the spirit of the season I hope your list isn’t longer than mine.

Kent tells me that people might think I'm serious which makes this not so funny. Disclaimer: In no way has Kent encouraged my writing of a list of complaints and I want to assure you that I assume full responsibility for the content of this blog.

HONOR

We always hear that we should Honor our Parents but what does it means to honor parents. It began centuries ago with the Ten Commandments. When people talk about honoring parents I am amazed at all the opinions. Most of the thoughts are fine but some of them can actually be damaging. One day while trying to reconcile myself with honoring parents I came across a quote by David O. McKay. To paraphrase this great man: honoring our parents means we take the best of what they are and reject everything else.

I have thought about this quote and laughed. How many times do we parents say we don’t want our children to have any of our bad habits? When they do imitate our failings it’s so irritating. Those very habits that we have spent years trying to overcome they embrace. No, that is not how they should honor me. I want them to love the things that I love and want to do that I value.

I value:

Kindness

Civility

Creativity
Family
Children
Friends
Education
Service
Laughter
Trust
Forgiveness
Fun
Good books
Not Judging
but mostly I value my relationship with my Savior, Jesus Christ

You will notice I have not listed my faults. I know there are those out there who will be happy to remind me of them should I ever forget.

DAYS 23 AND 24

This month is passing quickly. In the holiday spirit or making everything memorable this month I took a holiday cooking class yesterday. I love spending time with friends and this class got me wanting to do something special with them this month. I’m sure having a February holiday party would be so much more practical since everyone is so busy but it wouldn’t be the same.

Today is a little slower with spending quality time with granddaughters, the youngest one in the afternoon and the oldest one in the evening. I have thought about being a grandmother. My desire is to be a wonderful memory in my grandchildren’s lives. When my oldest granddaughter was born I thought how wonderful it would be to bake cookies and what ever grandmothers are suppose to do. I quickly found that she didn’t like to cook. So our time is spent doing what ever she wants. She loves that I don’t ask a lot of questions and I just listen to what ever she talks about. She loves to play store, office, teacher, and other pretend activities. The best time together is when we do art. She is becoming a budding artist. How wonderful to know that I have instilled my love of art in my granddaughter.

My two grandchildren in Pasadena are very much like the first. They don’t care what you are doing as long as they are the center of your world and you smile a lot. It is fun to hear their voices on the phone or see their faces on Skype. They get so excited when they talk, as do I. They remember me and always have something to say. I am looking forward to seeing them at the end of the month. I love the time we have together and always feel that it isn’t often enough. I am getting so that this grandma has her special activities with each child.

                                                                                                        
The baby is getting so she recognizes me. At 2 months she is a little young to value time with grandma. It is usually when mom needs to go somewhere and I am there when she would prefer mom. She will have to be a little older to think that coming to grandmas is a treat.

So for today the memorable time will be with grandchildren creating lasing memories of a holiday in 2010.

26 DAYS

Today is the last day of November. Black Friday is past as is Cyber Monday. We are now of the count down to Christmas. For those who have Advent calendars today is the day they need to be out, ready for tomorrows count down. As holiday music plays and wrapping paper, tissue, bows and bags litter my office I am trying to finish up my last Christmas gift. The last day of November is eventful in the fact that it is a day to recover and plan ahead all in one day.

My Christmas season is marked with parties, lunches, dinners and other get togethers with friends. I am just about finished with the decorations around the house. I still need to write and mail Christmas cards, wrap a few presents and then I am done with the preparations for the holidays.

Traditions need to be followed when having a holiday. It is what makes it memorable. Then again new experiences can be memorable too. In the spirit of mixing old and new I have decided to do one thing memorable for each of the days before Christmas. 26 DAYS! That can be a lot of work but then it’s what we put our effort into that pays off the biggest dividend. Today my goal is to talk to 2 friends that I haven’t seen for some time. They are friends that live across the Missouri River Bridge. For some reason the bridge has become a barrier to friendships. But not today.

I NEED TO BE FIRST ONCE IN A WHILE

This thanksgiving made me reflect on ME instead of WE. Family is the central aspect of Thanksgiving and everything we do is to strengthen or create lasting bonds within the family. This is how it should be; however, sometimes it needs to be a time to think about individual joy. As a woman I haven’t considered myself as important as my children, home, service or marriage. The problem with not building on your own needs is you end up snapping or become an empty-nester with no passion for life or those you are living with.

This past week I have spent time with some incredibly exciting people (my husband being included in the list). I want to be happier, better, more alive because of this time with these people. I want to always be important to my children but I don’t want my children to feel that they need to make me happy. I have discovered that there are some exciting things I still want to do with my life. Even more important is I realize that I can start right now planning and doing these exciting things. The best is yet to come!

p.s. thank you Stephanie for being so incredible! (see I read nie nie on side bar).

SUCH A HOLIDAY

The thanksgiving holiday can mean so much too so many. Most appetites will not be satisfied until too much rich food and deserts have been consumed. I have to laugh at all the in-law stories I have heard in the past couple of days. I’m sure there have been times when I am the main character in the in-law story being told. Weather is always a factor in the holidays and this year the winter storms messed up many travelers plans. Couch potatoes played flag football or basketball only to have dinner interrupted by an unplanned trip to the emergency room. Some families spent time going to the movies, watching football, or just visiting. Christmas trees and yard decorations are put up in many homes. The weekend wouldn’t be complete without a black Friday shopping trip. As family members spend the night out standing in line at the malls to snatch up the best deal others are snuggled in their beds sleeping off too much dinner. Friday is also the day of the year that most Americans eat out. Out of towners want to see the sights of our home town. Yes we Americans have the strangest holiday in the world. (I want you to know I'm describing my long weekend.)

Oh yes! I decided to not boor anyone with a long list of what I am thankful for. In stead I will just say I am happy, full of joy, and looking forward to the next decade of my life. That is best anyone could hope for.

SO I MADE MY OWN LIST

Do you have a Bucket List. A bucket list is a list of things you want to do before you die. Sometimes we die spiritually or mentally long before our physical death. Just as we morn the death of a young person who dies before their time we should also mourn for our own untimely demise. In order to keep us from sleep walking through life we need to find ourselves looking forward to something new and exciting to accomplish. Hence, the bucket list.

Recently I reviewed a list I had created ten years earlier. I have crossed of a few things on my list but I also realized that I wrote letting the opinions of those I love or wanted to impress dictate what I thought I wanted to do with my life. I think that is why my list goes untouched with no prospect of ever being accomplished. My husband on the other hand needs to start adding to his list because there are only one or two items left to accomplish.

So what do I need to do to create a true bucket list? Getting to know myself better is a priority. Being able to feel fear and not letting it stop me. Realistically evaluating what I really am capable of and I guess most important wanting to do what is on my list. So to begin my list the first thing I will write is doing a 10 K run/walk. Second create art that someone (not related to me) would buy. I have a good support network that will help me and encourage me. Ultimately it's all up to me. I can't wait!

So what’s on your list?

THE NEXT PERSON ON MY LIST

Getting back to interesting people I remember, there was Gertrude. She had lived a very interesting life in a lot of American cities. Gertrude blew into town one day looking for new scenery and new potential husbands (this was before internet dating). She didn’t count years married with one man but total years married because you see she had a way of outliving her husbands. Gertrude was on a mission and was currently looking for the next in line.

One day I saw Gertrude at the grocery store. As always she was almost dancing as she walked up and down the isles. Smiling and greeting everyone she met looking the picture of health except for one problem. Gertrude was wearing a neck brace. As I greeted her I was very concerned about what misfortune had befallen my new friend. She reassured me that nothing was wrong with her. She has just been to visit an acquaintance that had been in a car accident. The friend was in terrible pain and the only relief she got was from medication and a neck brace. Gertrude decided that pain would thwart her finding a husband so she decided to start wearing a neck brace. She argued that the brace would prevent whiplash in the event of an accident and it was only a small inconvenience right now. The plus side was she was now able to use handicap parking.

I saw her in the parking lot flirting with the older man who was helping her out with her groceries. He was trying to explain to her that she needed a special tag to park in handicap parking. Gertrude just said “now who would give a lady with a neck brace a ticket?”

Gertrude called one day excited to tell me she was moving to Montana. Not long after her move she communicated with all her friends throughout the country that she had found the perfect next husband and they had married. Now I don’t know what kind of wife Gertrude was but I know she fits into my list of people who make my memories come alive.

NOT SO ORDINARY

I think it's interesting that the normal, ordinary people in our lives are often forgotten and those we are most shocked by are the very people who make our memories come alive. One such person was Virginia. She was a lady about my age. She lived in a trailer court with her 5 cats 2 kittens, one very large dog and lots of mice she was always trying to get rid of. A fox pelt hung on a wall as well as assorted faded pictures. Couches, crowed into the room were covered with numerous throws and sheets. The room had the original paneling and carpet. Nothing had changed in the trailer since it was built some 45 years earlier. Virginia considered herself lucky to have a home.

Virginia was very tall, smoked cigars and spoke with a rather deep, raspy voice. She had worked as a tattoo artist. She showed me some of her tattoo, all drawn by her.

Virginia was a religious person. She would attend church taking the sacrament or communion whenever she went. One day a pious individual told her she was not to take communion since she wasn’t a member of their church. Virginia told him he would probably kick Jesus out too since he wasn’t a member of their church either. She then proceeded to take communion.

Virginia belonged to my church even though she hadn’t been to church since she was a teenager. I visited Virginia and tried to be a concerned individual. She said didn’t trust me. I was just there to show everyone how righteous I was. I told her that I would not report to my church that I was visiting her. True to my word I didn't. That helped. Then she said if I really wanted to show her that I was serious about caring for her I had to do something hard. She chose eating sushi. That was hard. I swore I would never eat sushi, but I did for Virginia.

Now if you don’t believe in prayer I want you to know I do. I prayed harder than I had ever prayed. The day we were to meet arrived and I drove us to a sushi place. Virginia ordered some things for us I had never heard of. I ate everything she ordered and loved it. Angels were looking after me that day.

Virginia is no longer alive. I miss her. She was an individual that changed my life. I know we were great friends. Christmas Eve will be here soon and as my family sits down to eat we will all sample the sushi dish in honor of Virginia. I sure do miss that friend of mine.

HONESTY

Recently I heard a mother punish her child for lying. She said what you did was not that bad but to lie about it was terrible. We need to be able to have a basic trust that people won’t lie to us. But what is a lie? I read recently that any communication given with the objective to deceive is a lie.

We live in an age where people live by lying. They defraud, cheat, con, swindle and mislead. By saying nothing or a nod of the head others lie. A person can destroy another by one lie. We see individuals sent to prison or loose a life savings by a simple lie. Reputations are destroyed, marriages left in shambles, friendships ended over a betrayal.

Being honorable is not just good it is a necessity if we are to have relationships with others. Honesty gives us a feeling of self worth. I am grateful that I have people in my life that I can trust. People I know won’t lie to me or about me. I know my name and reputation are safe with them. I have a special love for these individuals.

ALL GOOD THINGS MUST COME TO AN END

Wow is it quiet tonight. Kent is in bed and I’m looking at thousands of photo’s that have been shot these past 3 weeks. I miss the commotion. From about 6:30 am when the grandchildren awoke until long after we were asleep the sounds continued as the Parents played games or visited. Everyone will be back to work or school tomorrow. Children will be home playing with their familiar toys and moms will have piles of laundry to catch up on. Thank you family for the wonderful time.

THE DEBATE

Today my 4 week old granddaughter got her flu shot. Throughout the country there is a debate as to the value or wisdom in giving children shots. There are also stories of children dying from preventable illnesses. My sister didn’t get her children some inoculations because she felt they were harming her children. She could have been right. I had my children suffer through the terror of someone shoving a foreign object into their flesh with a liquid that would change how they reacted to illnesses. So many questions and no real answers just lots of opinions. All I know is life is fragile and needs to be cared for

THE BEST OF TIMES

Disney Princess, cowboys, artists, train conductors, mommies, and the lists go on and on. I have my home full of characters of the best kind. It is always so exciting to watch the imagination of children. They are fun and naturally kind. They laugh with a pure laugh. Tears are when they are hurt, hungry or tired. They say things that make you chuckle and want to remember. There are times when there aren’t enough grandmas and grandpas to go around. There are other times when only a mom or dad will do. Yes, these are the best of times.

FAMILY

My mother had a great

deal of trouble with me,

but I think she enjoyed it!

- Mark Twain

I think this could have been written by one of my children. How I love those 3 children who are now all grown up. And I love that they have wonderful spouses and one puppy and 4 of the cutest, smartest, best behaved children in the world. Best of all soon, very soon, all these people will be in my house at once.

THE WEEPING CHERRY TREE

I love weeping Cherry Trees. The trees have delicate branches that hang almost to the ground with beautiful green leaves. Every spring the woody vines are filled with beautiful pink cherry blossoms and the fragrance stops you in your tracks. Although these grafted hybrid trees that would never grow randomly along a roadside or in a forest glade I still wanted one in my yard.

A couple of years ago we purchased one of these man made trees. This year we noticed that the delicate vines have taken on the properties of the tree it was grafted onto. The branches have become thick and are trying to grow upward. They never quite make it so they grow up and then down and then up, resembling a road winding up a mountainside. A branch from the original tree has broken free of the graft and threatens to overtake the delicate tree. In an effort to save the tree we have taken ropes and tied the branches down so they will stop their sporadic upward growth pattern. Next we cut out the branch from the original tree. This was all in vain. The branches will not be tamed and are becoming very thick. There are now 3 branches from the original tree that have broken free. There are cherry leaves on some branches and larger leaves from the grafted tree on the other branches. Now we have a very funny looking tree.

I guess there are some lessons to be learned here. Maybe forcing a tree to be what it isn’t doesn’t work. What about people? Can we change them by sheer will? I know it doesn’t work with teenagers and I hate when someone wants to tell me how to change. No matter, I have given up on my tree and as I see it have two options. The first is to let it be what ever it wants and the other is to turn it into something useful – firewood. Then I will be free to find a tree that wants to be what I want it to be.

1948

Communists seize power in Czechoslovakia

State of Israel created; admits over 200,000 European war refugees

Soviet Union seals off land routes to Berlin

President Harry S Truman re-elected in upset over Thomas E. Dewey

"Big bang" theory of the universe’s origin postulated

"Citation" wins Preakness, Belmont and Kentucky Derby

Long-playing (33-1/3 RPM) record invented

Swiss outdoorsman George de Mestral invents Velcro

Noted food critic Duncan Hines founds a company to make prepackaged cake mixes

"Scrabble" introduced

Mahatma Gandhi assassinated in India

NASCAR is incorporated

Popcorn sold on a mass scale for the first time

Warner Brothers shows the first color newsreel

And I was born!

AN ARTIST TODAY

I need to be an artist today. I went to Michael’s for inspiration. That place sells projects not inspiration. They were having a sale on their colored pencils and pastels. At 40% off that was good but I like the ones at my favorite art store in the village. So I came home empty handed and decided to look for inspiration around me. Glancing around I see a box of photographs on the floor, family pictures, computer, printers, the usual things surrounding me. Then I looked down at my mostly clean desk. A crumpled paper torn from a catalogue had been hidden for quite a long time. I didn’t intend on buying the snail with a pixie on its back but I love how it looked so I saved it. This has me thinking about a woodland scene. Now I’m inspired. Out comes my sketching book and …

A VERY GOOD DAY

What can I say! This is an exciting day.

First my husbands lost luggage was found. And second his lost pictures were found.

About the luggage, it started with my husband picking up the wrong luggage and bringing it home. 

Where were the colorful luggage handles I have? 

Once inside the house he realized the black roller bag wasn’t his. The well traveled owner had a name and phone number on the outside of his luggage so my husband called to let him know his suit case was safe and on the way back to the airport. Then came the trip back to the airport. Since I had gone 3 days without a meaningful conservation with Kent I decided to ride shotgun. We came home empty handed with my bff wondering how he would ever replace some cherished items.

I had confidence that those items would be recovered even if we had to resort to searching Craig’s list and eBay.

Today the lost luggage was located and will be in my husbands hands my noon.

The pictures are another story. As an avid photographer my husband saves every picture he took. We have shelves holding boxes of duplicate prints and negatives from the old days of film photography.

That makes us sound so old.

We also have stored safely on our computer and the internet volumes of pictures.

But there are about 3 years of pictures we haven’t been able to locate until now. As I cleaned yet another shelf of my now former office I located some disks that had been stored there. These were the pictures from a former working Dell that our computer savvy children saved.

The pictures are now safely loaded into the internet safe forever where wind, floods, fire and deceased computers can’t destroy.

Yes, what can I say! This is a good day.