Winter Soltice

Jack Frost decorated as only he can in preparation for this, the shortest day of the year.

The Shortest Day

“And so the Shortest Day came and the year died

And everywhere down the centuries of the snow-white world

Came people singing, dancing,

To drive the dark away.

They lighted candles in the winter trees;

They hung their homes with evergreen;

They burned beseeching fires all night long

To keep the year alive.

And when the new year's sunshine blazed awake

They shouted, revelling.

Through all the frosty ages you can hear them

Echoing behind us - listen!

All the long echoes, sing the same delight,

This Shortest Day,

As promise wakens in the sleeping land:

They carol, feast, give thanks,

And dearly love their friends,

And hope for peace.

And now so do we, here, now,

This year and every year.”

~Susan Cooper

We are in the midst of Christmas preparations.  

I just lit the Christmas tree,

 some candles, 

and I sit in anticipation of the arrival 

of my daughter and her children.

We plan to "drive the dark away" 

by eating pizza,

visiting the Broadmoor to ohh and ahh 

over the fancy decorations

and beautiful lights.

We'll drink a bit of hot chocolate, I'm sure.

Maybe, when we get home,

we'll make a few cookies.  

Tonight, 

 we will give thanks,

and hope for peace

as we celebrate this, the shortest day of the year.  

I hope all is well with you and yours as Christmas fast approaches.

A Season of Comfort and Joy

Christmas

A Season of Comfort and Joy

This year it seemed that the Christmas Season was truly one that brought me great

comfort 

and

JOY.

The preparation for Christmas seemed a bit overwhelming at first.  We had not even unpacked all our moving boxes when yet Thanksgiving was upon us.  My daughter Amy visited us on Thanksgiving for a few days.  I told her she could not go home until she put my tree up, and so she did, and there it stood, naked, without a thing on it, for nearly three weeks.  

One day, miraculously, it seemed, the Christmas boxes full of decorations that filled the dining room were emptied, places were found for all the beloved Christmas decorations, the tree was decorated, and the house was ready for whatever the season had to offer.  In fact, when the last Christmas decoration box was put away, I realized that for the first time since we had moved in on October 22, all boxes on the top level of the house had been unpacked!  For the first time since we moved in, I saw the dining room floor, better known as the unpacking place, without one box on it.  This was our first Christmas miracle that brought great joy.

A highlight of the season,

an event always sure to bring 

great JOY

and

 much comfort,

was

the East High School Girls of '63 Christmas Party.

The EHS Girls 2012

I love these women!

Sometimes I can't even believe that we are all still together after all these years.

We continue to laugh, and giggle, and make jokes whenever we are together and the years just melt away.

Iris and I, shown together below, comment often on how much this group means to us as the years go by.  Here we are joking about the size of our antlers.

Some of the girls went to grade school together.  I was blessed to meet them all when I was fifteen years old.  When I look into the faces of these beautiful women, I don't see us as older women who have known each other for over fifty years.   I  see my girlhood friends each of whom has the same sparkle in her eyes that was there when we were teenagers.  Some things never change.

High school  friendships that deepen, and grow over the years are priceless.

There are few greater gifts than these rich relationships.

Family time during the holidays also provides great JOY.

I didn't always have a camera with me to capture the wonderful time I've had with family.  Moving to Colorado Springs has meant that I am now back in the same town as my siblings and cousins.  For years, some of the cousins have not lived in Colorado.  In the past year, three of us have moved back to our dear hometown.  My cousin, Diana hosted a wonderful get together at her home just before Christmas.  Having just married her wonderful husband Steve in May, this couple, still honeymooners, were wonderful hosts.  Thanks, Steve for bringing Diana back home to Colorado!

Somehow, I didn't get photos of our first dinner guests in our home.

My brother and his wife came over to share some homemade Snow Chili, cornbread, and great conversation on the Saturday before Christmas.

On Sunday, my daughter and her two children arrived.

Mason is on his way to becoming a great gift wrapper.

I can't talk his mom into wrapping my gifts anymore, but Mason was willing to do so, and he did an awesome job!  

Boston basked in all the love and affection that he received from Hannah.

Hannah, who really, really wants a dog, (so does Mason) spoiled Boston rotten.

He received many hugs, belly rubs, and enjoyed cuddle time with his best girlfriend.

Christmas Eve:  A Time to Celebrate the True Meaning of Christmas

I love this nativity that we purchased a few years ago.
I love that it includes five sheep.
I place the little lamp next to Mary and think of Julie.
I think of her as spending Christmas sitting at the feet of Jesus.

Amy, Mason, and I went to church early on Christmas Eve where we were to meet my sister Carol.
Carol's great surprise and great joy was discovered when she exited her car in the parking lot.
Her son, his wife, and her granddaughter had driven in from California and surprised her in the church parking lot.  We were also so excited to see them home for Christmas.

Sister Carol surrounded by son Erik, and his wife Nancy and granddaughter Katie at our home on Christmas Eve

I don't know when I have been to a more deeply moving Christmas Eve service.
Many in the congregation lost homes in the fire this past year.
The service, a beautiful, inspirational candlelight service, reminded us that as was prophesied  in Isaiah

The people who walked in darkness
Have seen a great light 


Having walked through many a dark day throughout the last few years,
I felt great healing as I sat next to some of those I love most with tears running down my face rejoicing in the birth of the One who came to bring Joy to the World.

After church, our unexpected guests came to the house for dinner.  Thankfully, I had more than enough food.  I was a little worried I wouldn't have enough homemade rolls.  I rationed those until everyone got at least one.  Everyone was impressed that I can still bake good, homemade rolls.  (I was a bit surprised they actually turned out.)



As I told my nephew Erik, it is good to know that when one fixes too much food guests are provided to eat it all!

Christmas Eve in our new kitchen!

Sister Carol with her handsome son and beautiful granddaughter

Christmas Day

It was so much fun to have Amy and the children here for Christmas morning. 

Amy got a styling new hat!  Doesn't she look great?

The kids were so excited over their gifts.

Hannah got her longed for Uggs.  She looks so grown up in them!

After a brunch of more good food, the kids were off to spend the afternoon with their father.

I discoverd Boston in his bed shortly after they left.

Was he worn out, or was he sad to leave them leave?  I think it was a bit of both.

I took some time to practice using my new camera that my wonderful hubby surprised me with.

Isn't it just beautiful?

I love it.

It is my favorite color!

Then we welcomed the next round of guests who stopped by for a short visit.

Jim's daughter Trinette and her family Christmas 2012

They were followed by the next guests.

Jim's daughter Thia and her family Christmas 2012

And so, this is how we celebrated the first Christmas in our new home.

It was a white Christmas.

It was sunny and bright.

And it was filled with great JOY.

Christmas Cheer

Pre-Christmas Blessings

No need to dream of a white Christmas this year.

We had SNOW, lots of it!

We live in Colorado, but in the southern part of the state, we don't get a lot of snow.

This year we were blessed with the beautiful fluffy, white stuff a few days before Christmas.

This was a very good thing because we need the moisture.

Boston loves the snow.

Now if we can just train him to shovel the walks!

This is Boston's first Christmas.

The value of a private education is truly priceless.

After spending a few weeks at boarding school, Boston posed perfectly in front of the Christmas tree.

Christmas Eve

We had a houseful for Christmas Eve.

My husband's children, their spouses, their children, and his former wife and her husband all joined us for dinner at our house.  

An hour before dinner was to be served, I had a cooking disaster.
I foolishly began cooking Spanish rice on top of the stove in a glass casserole dish.
What was I thinking????
Just as the rice came to a boil, the dish exploded.
There was rice and glass everywhere.
Suffice it to say that it was not a pretty sight to see rice, glass, tomatoes, and red peppers covering the stove top and the floor.
Thankfully, neither Jim nor I were cut or injured.
Thankfully, the girls arrived just in time and came to my rescue by cleaning up the mess and making the chicken enchilada recipe while I made more Spanish rice.

Dinner was only 20 minutes late.
Jim's girls ate cookies while they waited for dinner to cook.

Trinette, Thia, and Trista Eat dessert first is a good motto!

The family gathered in the family room and got acquainted with Boston.

Finally, dinner was ready to be served.

It wouldn't be Christmas at our house with out the Christmas tamales.

My Christmas present from my husband was delivered earlier in the day.

It was this beautiful new table.

Jim's grandchildren always love being together.

Aren't they all beautiful?

The desserts included cookies, potica, another Pueblo tradition, pizzelles, and pumpkin pie.

I did no baking this year.  

In fact, after this year's cooking disaster, I may rethink choosing to cook for a large family gathering.

Catering always works well.  

After dinner, we gathered to open presents.

Jim's beautiful daughters pose for a photo.

We are blessed to be surrounded by family.

The girls love their SmartWool socks from their daddy.

Jim's former wife, and the mother of his girls, joined us with her husband.

My man all tied up in a pretty red bow.

No more excuses.  We now have a great new recipe book to help us with our new lifestyle of cooking healthy food.  (Christmas dinner was excluded from the healthy food choice list!)

Boston got an edible card from K & L's dogs.

He loved it!

Christmas Day

Christmas Day, Amy drove down from the Boulder area with her two children to celebrate.

The kids were super patient.  They had to wait until afternoon to open their presents.

My beautiful daughter, Amy...

Judging from the reaction, I think Hannah and Mason were thrilled with the new iPad they received.

Believe it our not, Amy bought me a new rice cooker before my cooking disaster.

I sure could have used it the night before!

After presents were opened and dinner was eaten, Hannah got on her warm winter coat and headed for the trampoline.  This girl loves to jump.

This was a whole new experience.  She loved it.

Christmas in A Modern Age

Christmas night Grandpa Jim taught the kids how to organize their icons on the iPad and set them up with for facetime.  It was pretty funny to watch the kids talk to Grandpa, who was sitting across the room from them, via facetime using the iPad.  Amy had to join in using her iPhone.  

Just as we did when I was a kid, the kids did play a new board game they received.

Then, Mason played on his iPad.

Hannah played on her Kindle Fire.

Grandpa Jim listened to his Audible books via his iPhone.

Amy texted on her iPhone.

Grandma Sally enjoyed looking at photos posted on facebook of the Christmas celebration held in Boston by son Jon and his family.

That evening, my 95 year old mother posted a Christmas greeting thanking everyone for the Christmas photos that had been posted on facebook.

All in all, Christmas of 2011 was wonderful.

We were surrounded by loved ones. 

With a little help from technology,

we also were able to feel connected to those loved ones who live far away.

Family, I'll take that as the best Christmas gift of all.

Moving On, Or Trying To Anyway

The holidays always bring a lot of stress and activity.  This year, it seems our household has really been hit with a lot of unscheduled events that have added to the holiday stress levels.

First, there was my husband's health scare.  Thankfully, my husband is progressing well from the procedure that saved his life.  He is still very tired.  He tries to walk each day, and he is doing well in changing his eating habits.  Nevertheless, we have been set back emotionally as we deal with this new health reality.

Then,  last week, my daughter closed on her house in Northern Colorado.   I was away from home for three days last week helping her move.  We got it done, but believe me, it was a huge task.  She had a girl friend and Jason help her one weekend, then it was up to just Amy, her two children, and me to get the rest done.  Since Amy had to work two of the three days, I did much of it alone with a little help from the guy we hired to haul off things we didn't have time to donate or take to the dump.

  I am so grateful that she is in a new town home not far from where she lived before.  Her new place is very homey.  She says it "just feels like home."  That it does.  She has a spectacular view of Long's Peak from her living room window.  The kids have a sledding hill right outside their back door.  They are within walking distance of the recreation center where they spend a lot of time.  Schools are also close by.   While it was sad to leave her home where she had lived for more than ten years, there were many unhappy memories there.  It is good to move on.  I think she will be very happy in her new place and the kids love their new home.  

The move was hard on me because I kept bumping into so many of Julie's things.  Julie and Amy shared clothes, and shoes so much that at times, I wasn't always sure who owned which article of clothing one or the other might be wearing.  That being said, Julie had many beautiful clothes, and her shoes were always just plain cool. 

During the move,  I did fine when I saw the dress Julie wore to her class reunion.  I didn't lose it when I saw the jacket that she had on one time when she came home from work and looked so stylish and hip.  I even handled running into the pair of heels that she wore to the night she, Amy, Hannah, Mason and I went to Denver to see the Nutcracker a few years ago.  I remembered watching her walk her confident, fast walk in those high, high heels that had straps that wrapped around her ankles.  The night was freezing cold.  But that didn't seem to faze Julie.  I remembered watching her feet as she drove us down and out of the parking the garage after the ballet was over.  I remember how I admired her style and confidence.  Yes, when I ran into those heels, I just put them in car and moved them over to Amy's.  I didn't breakdown.

Then, late one evening, I ran into a shirt she had worn to a get-together with her high school friends a few years ago.  She looked so cute in it.  It was neatly folded among some of Amy's shirts.  I pulled it out and held it to my nose hoping I could still smell Julie on it.  Hoping that smell that came from her hair product that everyone could always smell whenever they got close to her would still be clinging to the shirt.  I don't think Julie's distinct fragrance was clinging to that article of clothing, but I wanted to believe it was just faintly present.

Julie & Leana at high school girl friend gathering

Amy walked in about then and saw me crying.  "No tears tonight, Mama.  No tears.  We can't have any tears."  By then we were both crying.  We held each other for a while, and then we got back to work.  

In my heart, when the move was done, I told Julie that I had done what she asked me to do.  She asked me to make sure that Amy was safe and away from a situation that was harmful for her.  It has been a long, hard two years, but now Amy has a new beginning.  My heart is broken that Julie isn't there to share it with her.  

Tonight I cried for Julie again.  My husband just let me cry, and then he held me.  I thanked him for letting me cry and not thinking he had to fix it.  "No one can," he said.  He is right.  No one can. 

I am now moving more fully into the holiday spirit.  I recognize how difficult the holidays can be for those who grieve.  I give myself permission to hurt, to cry, to feel anger, to feel regret, to feel longing.  Grief is messy.  Grief brings up much anger at times.  It also brings up a hurt that seems will never heal.  

Julie didn't like Christmas.  She never did.  She hated the pressure.  She hated how lonely she felt during the holidays.  So, I guess it is somewhat ironic that I have put up a tree for her.  I purchased a small evergreen tree at the grocery store.  I wanted a live tree because it represents life everlasting.  The tree was called an 'elf' tree.  I thought that was somewhat appropriate since we used to call Julie our little pixie.  

None of us remember Julie ever putting up a tree, but she had a round Christmas hat box that I had given her for Christmas a few years back filled with a few ornaments she had collected over the years.  Some were from her childhood.  She really had very few ornaments, but she had carefully packed away the ones she had.  I hung what she had on the tree.  There is a mix of childhood angels and Santa ornaments combined with a few beautiful crystal ornaments that she had either purchased or received as gifts.  I lit the tree on December 11 at 7:00 p.m.  I also lit a candle for her at the same time.  Compassionate Friends, a grief support group for those who have lost children, always has a candle lighting ceremony worldwide on the second Sunday of December at 7:00 p.m. in memory of those children who have been lost to death.

Some may say that by now, I should be much more down the road of grief than I am.  Some may think that I need to just get on with life and stop all this business with grief.  Once a friend compassionately said she could not imagine what I was going through.   Rather coldly, I replied, "I hope you never have to find out."  The look of horror that she gave me said it all.  I should never have been so honest with my reply.  

I was recently greatly comforted with this quote from GriefShare: 

Society often concerns itself with keeping up appearances, maintaining the status quo, and covering up problems, as if pretense will somehow make things right! 

"We want everything to be glossed over," Rev. John Coulombe observes. "We want everything to be gilded with gold. We think it should be tidy and nice."

But life is not "tidy and nice" and pretending it is will hinder your healing process and make it even longer. 

Right now, everything is not real "tidy and nice" in my life, but I know that I am continuing to heal and to grow.  I am also grateful that we are able to move beyond the tragedies of life.  My journey in life, and in grief has not been rocky, and at times very rough.  I am able to move on because of my faith, my family, and my friends.

I recently reflected on Psalm 34:18, "The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart."

As we enter into these final days before Christmas, as my husband continues to heal from his heart procedure, as I continue to deal with my own heart issues of arrhythmia and tachycardia, and as a family, as we deal with the loss of our beloved Julie, a loss that broke our hearts, I am comforted to know that on Christmas we will celebrate the birth of the One who came to bind up our broken hearts, the One who came to bring us peace, and the One who brings both comfort and joy.   

May all of you have a very Merry Christmas.  

Another One for The Books

I decided I'd be keeping Christmas this year.  A little over a year ago, a friend related to me how after the death of her sister when the girl was in high school, her mother never put up another Christmas tree.  She said that her mother's refusal to really celebrate Christmas after the tragic death of her daughter just before the holidays had impacted those who remain.  She continued to tell of how she wished her mother could let go of whatever was not allowing her to move forward because those who were left were not able to fully enjoy either the holiday or the mom they once knew.

Her story came back to me right after Julie's death.  I promised myself that I would try to be fully there for the children I had left.  I wanted to make sure I didn't miss out on making new holiday memories with my children and grandchildren.  I resolved that I would keep Christmas.  And, so I did.  It was harder than I ever thought possible to put the pain and loss behind me, and I know it was hard for my children also.  We did the best we could to enjoy each other, and to be honest with you, that is easy.  My children are a lot of fun.  I love being with them.

Jonathan

On Christmas morning, my husband and I got up at 5:30 so we could be at daughter Amy's house by 7:00. The house looked dark when we drove up.  "Really now, are they all still sleeping?" I asked my husband.  Yes, they were!  We had to bang on the door to get Amy to answer.  Even the kids were all still asleep; I guess those new jammies must have been really warm.  Soon Jon, wearing his lungi, emerged, ready to greet the day and wake the children.

One by one, wrapped up in warm blankets,  the grandchildren gathered around the tree.  It proved more difficult to rouse the adults.

Ryan checking out his new Kindle while the kids dig into the pile of presents

Christmas morning chaos

Chaos almost seemed to take over at some point. Let's just say it was a typical Christmas morning around the tree.  There was a lot of paper, boxes, toys, and new treasures to be found.

The gifts that seemed to get the greatest approval, were those that Jon and Samantha brought with them from Bangladesh.  Each of the boys got at lungi! Soon, they were learning how to tie their new loungewear around the waist.

Mom and Ryan with new Kindles

Ryan and I gave each other Kindles.  That was a funny story.  I guess we were both on the same wave length this year.  I love my Kindle.  Thanks Ryan!

Mason and Bridger

There were many wonderful gifts under the tree, but the hits of the year were:  the lungi, the ukuleles, the brightly painted recorders from Bangladesh, and a harmonica.  Soon the house was filled with much music as all the kids tried to learn to play the new instruments.

D and Parker

 D, Jon's friend from high school years and beyond, took a break from his job as an attorney, traveled from another state, and joined our family celebration this year.  He was pretty good on the ukulele.   As he serenaded us with "Blue Eyes Crying in The Rain," Parker sat at D's side trying to pick up some pointers.  Hey D, did they teach you those fancy ukulele playing skills at NYU?

Parker entertains the troops

Fruit basket from Aunt Suz Thanks, again, Aunt Suzanne

As is our family tradition, we had brunch after opening the gifts.   Our wonderful breakfast feast included fresh pineapple from a gift basket from Aunt Suzanne, other fresh fruit, ham and a choice from several wonderful quiches prepared by son Ryan.  He traditionally serves up a great Christmas morning brunch each year in Utah.  We were happy that RyHop was in operation in Colorado this year.

Ryan prepares deviled eggs

Tasty and attractive dish

After brunch, he went to work on his Asian deviled eggs.  I can't tell you how he made them, but they were delicious.  He's a banker by day, but he also does a pretty awesome job of cooking up some pretty fancy dishes.  (Note how the eggs look so nice in dish that Amy hand painted.)

Amy's jello creation

It seemed we ate all day.  I can't even tell you what all was on the menu since I didn't have to do the cooking this year.  I know we had some yummy dishes.  One made by daughter-in-law Stephanie was a sweet potato and hot green chili dish that was really good.  Amy was quite proud of her green jello and insisted that I take a picture of her creation.

Hannah with new favorite blanket with Stephanie in the background

The day was filled with laughter, eating, much music, and game playing.  Hannah snuggled in her new blanket.

Bridger practices on his ukulele

Stylish Regan

Regan modeled her new clothes.  When asked how she got such style, she said it has taken her a while, but now she is learning how to put together her look.  At nearly 13, she is already a beauty.

At some point, Grandma and Grandpa went back to the hotel to shower and get dressed for the day.  When we got back to the house, it was time for a Christmas afternoon walk to the pond so Parker, my outdoor enthusiast, could try out his new duck call whistle.

Sister and Brother Amy and Ryan

Parker calling the ducks

Bridger and Atticus Taking a break from skimming rocks across the water

Jason and Bridger

Christmas evening, there was more game playing.  Monopoly was played until someone suggested poker.  It turned out that the kids didn't know how to play and I, who had learned to play poker as child when my father taught me and cousins how to play using pennies, decided to join the fun. By then, Jason, Julie's boyfriend, had joined the family frivolity.  Soon, he was winning at poker.  I was losing from the very beginning.  Jason's poker skills were no match for the novice player Bridger.

In the end, Bridger wiped all of us out.

  We missed Keicha and Gillian and wish they could have joined us.  It was hard to even think of celebrating Christmas without Julie.  We knew we wanted to be together, and I'm grateful that Santa answered Regan's letter and made sure that this happened.


The letter reads:
Dear Santa,
     I have never written one of these but I just wanted to say thank you!  Every year you have gotten me what I asked for.  It is so nice.  I am writing you this year because it is a very hard year for my whole family.  It is hard because my Aunt Julie is gone.  It will be the first year without her.  We are going to Colorado because my Aunt Amy is having a hard time too, but you know what goes on in everyone's life in the world.  Thank you again, and I don't mind if you can't get the aqua lap top.  No matter what, you are still the best man in the world.   Regan

As the family reflects on Christmas 2010, I hope we treasure the time we had together as a family.  I hope we've learned to hold on to each other tightly and not take any one of us for granted.  I hope that we remember that time spent together as a family cannot ever be wasted time.  I hope we remember how important relationships are, and that we continue to value the ones we have.  I hope each individual will continue to heal, and that all fractured relationships will also be healed.  In the end, we are family.  We are resilient.  We try to accept each other as imperfect human beings with frailties.  We try to be there for each other.  We love each other deeply.

Ryan and two of his children Parker and Regan

We included friends of Julie's and Jon's throughout the extended time of holiday celebration.   These friends have enriched our lives greatly and helped us shoulder the pain we have suffered over these past seven months.  Our celebrations were not the same without Julie.  We missed her laughter, her dancing to the music, and her unique personality.  We missed her competitive spirit in games.  We missed her caring nature.  She wasn't there to put her arm around my shoulder.  She wasn't there helping out in the kitchen.  She wasn't there cleaning up the Christmas mess and restoring order to our surroundings and lives.  She wasn't there playing games with the kids or building things with logos.  She wasn't there thriving in the middle of the family chaos.  She was there in our hearts, and there she will remain.  Christmas will always remind us of our loss, but it will also reminded us that she was a gift to us for 34 years.  We will continue to treasure her and each other as move forward into 2011 and the future.

Julie's First Christmas  1976

The Happy Moments of The Holidays 2010

Forgive me for just now posting some Christmas photos.  My daughter was asking that I share a few, so here are some of the memories from Christmas 2010 that I was able to capture.  As a side note, my husband just got a new camera, so he was in charge of photos this year.  Most of these are his, not mine.  Maybe by next year, I have a new camera that I will be practicing with.

Pre-Christmas Celebration at Our House

Jonathan and Samantha and Atticus were the only family visitors who actually made it to our house this year.  They came down from Colorado Springs where they were staying with Samantha's mother for a visit with Jim and me around the 21st of December.  I put Samantha to work making cookies while I made split pea soup.  Samantha loved making pizzelles, so guess what I went out and got her for Christmas?  A pizzelle maker found its way under the Christmas tree for her.

 My husband had to capture a picture of me cooking.  I do cook once in a while, but it seems I am learning how to cook all over again.  To everyone's disappointment, the split pea soup was not very good.  Jon wanted to know why since I used to make such good split pea soup.  Two reasons:  I am relearning to cook, and I didn't let it cook long enough because I knew everyone was hungry.

While we were cooking, Atticus made himself at home in the family room by watching t.v. and playing with a toy he had brought with him.  It was good to have Atticus in the house again after having him gone for a year and a half.  It was good to have all three of them back in the United States!

Jon and Sam decided they needed to a little advance planning for the upcoming holidays.  With a calendar, napkin, cell phone and pen in hand, they got busy planning the days they had in Colorado before they were to head back to Boston.  Bangladesh to Colorado to Boston:  that is a long trip to make.      The last part of the journey from Colorado to Boston was to made by car.

Sam is diligently planning and writing out her plans on a napkin.  As she said, "All great plans started out being developed on a napkin."

While they planned away, my husband caught me checking my ever present Blackberry.

Christmas Eve

Daughter Amy opened up her home for the Christmas holidays.  Her home in the northern part of the state was located closer to Utah and the airport at DIA, so it seemed to be a better choice for the family gathering.  She had a very full house of siblings, nieces and nephews and friends.  Grandma and Grandpa stayed at a nearby hotel.

Christmas Eve dinner of green chili and tamales was delicious.  Amy set a beautiful table for us.  Joni, Julie's and Amy's friend joined us in the celebration of Christmas Eve and Joni's birthday.  She even brought her own cake for us to have dessert.

After dinner, the children played a few games, and then it was time for them to open one gift each.  Each grandchild had a package under the tree from Grandma Sally.  Inside of the look alike boxes were new Christmas pajamas.  This little project, thought of just before Christmas turned out to be one that took some doing.  Have you ever tried to find four pairs of matching boys pajama bottoms in sizes 16 to 10?  Then, trying to find tops to match the bottoms was even more of a challenge.  

Mason with gift

The surprise of it all was worth the challenge.  I thought it would be so much fun to have all the grandkids in matching p.j.'s.  Who knows when they will all be together for Christmas again.  (Only six of seven grandchildren were there.  One daughter and her daughter were not able to come over from Utah.)

I found the boys' pajamas, matching fleece bottoms at Penney's.  I was afraid I'd never find matching tops, so I bought each boy new white t-shirts to wear just in case I could find tops.  They ended up liking the t-shirt best anyway.  I found the pajama's for the girls at The Children's Place.

Opening the gifts

Grandma cleaning up the boxes

Regan and Hannah in their new p.j.s

My beautiful girls Amy, Hannah and Regan

The good-looking boys Bridger, Parker, Atticus and Mason

 

Aunt Amy, Parker, Atticus, Hannah, Regan

An attempt to get a group shot of the grandchildren in their new Christmas pajamas proved to be unsuccessful.  There were just too many moving parts!

Checking Santa's whereabouts

After everyone under the age of 14 was ready for bed, it was time to remind them that the sooner they got to bed, the sooner Santa could come.  After a check on the computer to see where Santa was in his trip to Colorado, it was decided he was getting close.  After all, Atticus had just flown from the North Pole just about ten days before.  If Santa was in Nebraska, he was getting close.

The kids and the adults all agreed that Christmas morning gift opening would begin at 7:00 a.m.  Then, the kids were all off to bed.  The adults got out Trivia Pursuit, and Grandma Sally and Grandpa Jim went back to the hotel.

I will write more about Christmas in another post.

Go Often To The House of a Friend

About two weeks ago, my good friend Jeanie sent me a message on Facebook offering to come over and help me decorate my Christmas tree.  Jeanie and I met about 16 or 17 years ago in a syntax class.  We were both 'non-traditional' students who were going back to school to get a degree.  She was working on a degree in Spanish while I was working on a degree in English.  Syntax, a required course for both degrees, brought us together.  I think Jeanie was the one who reached out to me first, but soon, we were study buddies.  That was the beginning a very long standing and dear friendship.

When I first met Jeanie, she was not planning on teaching.  Then, after getting her degree,  she decided to go back to school to get endorsed to teach Spanish.  Once she was in the classroom teaching, I kept after her to get her ESL endorsement.  Now, she teaches ESL, has her masters in ESL and is working on a second masters in History.  I am very proud of Jeanie.  She has quite a story to tell about her life.  As a young child, she worked in the fields in California.  Now she is a teacher who is working on her second masters degree.  Jeanie is a great role model for me.

Jeanie and I have kept our friendship strong over the years by going to dinner on a regular basis or by getting together whenever there was a teaching conference we were both attending.  About four or five years ago, she came over and spent the day helping me decorate for Christmas just because she missed doing that for an old friend of hers who had passed away.

The day Jeanie came to decorate, my calendar had this quote, "Go often to the house of a friend.  For weeds soon cover the path."  Unfortunately, the path from her house to mine had become a bit overgrown.  It had been much longer since our last meeting than either of us would have liked.

After taking a while to catch up on news and other developments in our lives and in the lives of our children, we got down to business.  Since I have an artificial tree that needed some fluffing up, Jeanie suggested that we wear gardening gloves.  Great idea!

Once the tree was all fluffed out, we started hauling up boxes from the basement.  My goal was just to get the tree decorated.

Jeanie thought I should decorate the windows in the family room as well as the mantle.  So, once we got the tree done, she went to work on her next project.

After about three hours of chatting, decorating, laughing, and crying a bit, our job for the day was done.  My tree was up and decorated.  The family room had a garland over the window and a garland on the fireplace mantle.  I was famished, so once we had posed in front of the newly decorated tree for a photo to record our day together, we were off for pizza.

Holidays are rough when one has lost a loved one.  Jeanie lost her brother this year, and I lost my daughter.  Being with friends who care and understand, is very healing.  Decorating for the holidays can be a bit daunting after a loss of major significance.  Thanks Jeanie for being my friend, for helping me get started with decorating, and for being there for so many.