Well Guys...we are still in Pleasanton,CA...Mike is still working and we are VERY happy...We get "hitch-itch" occasionally but we settle down really fast realizing just how blessed we are to have a Job in California in these days and times...We have met some great new folks and even had a visit from GREAT friends "Shirley & Reb"...on their way south for the winter...We are so thankful that they were here and and able to be "Back On The Road Again"...

We just live from day to day now...finally I have learned that I can make all the plans that I want and all the reservations in the world...BUT... "LIFE happens, on the way to the fair" (so-to-speak)...so now I have contingency plans...Plans "A", "B " & even "C" sometimes...

Our daughter Harmony will be getting married on April 18, 2009...I can't wait...I have my plans set and now I am just gonna watch and see which plan works...We AREe going...just not sure what plan will work...But one thing I AM sure of...One of them will...

After my littleChristmas thingy you will see new pictures of our WONDERFUL grand kids...

A little Christmas "Ditty" and new pics of the grand kids...

Now, I hope this come across as I have intended it to...

This is not a "tongue-in-cheek" piece...but at the same time I really don't think this is all that serious either...so after this "disclaimer" please get from this writing what you will...

I had an epiphany yesterday evening while driving home from having Christmas Eve with Grampy (Mike's Dad), Aunt Mimi (Mike's older sister), Uncle Ralph (Mimi's Husband), Aunt Patti (Mike's younger sister), Marilee, Dan and Isabelle...all of our other kids are either not here or otherwise engaged in other activities with others of their families...

Now mind you we just had "Kid's Christmas " Last Saturday with our daughters Marilee & Dan, Jennifer & Jerritt and Suzanne & Luis and their families... Isabelle (4), Autumn (3), Jackson (2), Seth (5), Niko (6) and Bebe (4)...

Oh wait, let's back up even a little more...The Sunday after Thanksgiving, I went to Astoria Oregon to be with our son Tom, our daughter-in-law Suzanne and our Granddaughter Kaley (13), as she is in the Nutcracker Ballet every year, the first weekend in December every year...Mike came up on the Thursday before...then our Nephew Tim and his Family; Tracy, Kelsey (12) and Kaleb (10) came over from Portland, to enjoy the ballet and spend a little family time too...

We have had a great time...This is the time in you life when you reflect on "Times Past"...
This starts Christmas for us each and every year, The Nutcracker in Astoria!

Today I went back to my memories as a child...climbing into bed trying to sleep, but just too excited, waiting for "Santa" to arrive and wake up early the next morning to see what he had left...what a joy to always wake up to the things you dream of...Having my "Momo" (Mom's Mom) there each and every Christmas...sometimes even having my Grandma (Dad's Mom) too...sometimes we were even able to spend Christmas at my Dad's Mom and Dad's house in Oklahoma...(Daddy being in the Air Force) we didn't make that happen to often...but it was magical when we could...our cousins were there....what fun...The feelings in the tummy of anticipation and the the thrill of the recognition of the things that you hoped for...Then that night climbing into bed with all that you could get in bed with you...dolls cars, stuffed animals and whatever...it was a story right outta "Saturday Evening Post"...

Oh yes...the Christmas Programs at School and at Church....they are so real...they are so much a part of the whole "Christmas" thing...we start then beginning to understand that there is another reason to be celebrating the season...Yep...the baby Jesus is Born...And all because of that , we make it a real priority to see our Moms and Dads, our kids, our grand kids, our brothers and sisters and for some of us we have the privilege to even see our cousins and other extended family and, not to be missed, our wonderful friends too...

Then you get a little older...I think it happens at about 12 or 13 years old...no matter whether you are a girl or a boy...it starts...The "magic" starts to seep out...you start feeling all the stressors that accompany any event of this magnitude...after all the whole world celebrates this holiday no matter where they live or what they believe or don't believe about Christmas and just why it is celebrated at all...

By then we kinda know that the "magic" is gonna be what "you " make it....Then you have to start moving that "magic" and shakin' that "magic" yourself...and I think that comes...or at least for me, it is how it worked....it became about making the "magic" happen for others...first it was for my Mom and Dad and little brother...and my "Momo"...then I had lots of friends and I had a great Church family from the time I was old enough to go to church so when I became a teenager, that was quite a big part of my Christmas "magic" from then on...

Then comes marriage and the baby-carriages...Oh My...

Everything takes a big change then....now you are the one creating the "magic" for everyone...Your Parents, Grand Parents, Aunts and Uncles, your and the ones of the children that you are blessed with...then there is still the school stuff and the Church stuff...OH MY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And WORK...I almost forgot work...and all that entails with the holiday...

This season can easily take on a very hectic and stressful edge to it... What with all the decorating, the presents to be purchased and wrapped, the pictures to be taken, the food and goodies to be cooked, the people to see, the cards to write...and oh my gosh...the house to clean!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The party's at our house...Oh yes, don't forget the School and Church Programs, the dance recitals (The Nutcracker) and all...Parties, parties, parties..............

Well, I think you get the picture...I was musing over all this yesterday as we were coming home from Auburn, on Christmas Day...looking for somewhere to have dinner...We had stopped and visited friends on the way home...Awesome visits...and it kinda showed me something...When you take away all the "hustle and Bustle" of the experience of preparing for the "DAY"...sometimes we forget the "Reason for the Season"...sure it is the "Santa" thing for the kids...and I love that and wouldn’t change that for anything. Seeing them open presents and be so excited with all of their new things...it is awesome...seeing your kids take the mantle of making those things happen for their kids...the school programs, Church programs, and whatever they are into that has a "doins" in this time of year...but it's our relationships...our families and our friends...they are the real presents when you get to be my age...

I have heard that all my life and thought it just something that people said...but guess what...Once you start losing people in your family and in your lives...your "magic" changes...now it is watching the others have the "magic"...watch the "magic" happen for them as it did for you....enjoy those times and your friends and love the "MAGIC" that is ours in our older years...I know that I am not really old yet but I am old enough to start realizing this is the real deal...the real "MAGIC"...seeing old friends....watching our grandchildren and children...our nieces and nephews and grand nieces and nephews...this is the "MAGIC"...and all because of a little baby that was born in a manger so many years ago...Thank you Jesus...

Oh by the way...we had "Christmas Dinner" at the "49er Truck Stop" in West Sacramento...not bad...but it was amazing to see what people have to go through that don't have a place to go on Christmas...Oh, we had places to go...lovely family had invited us many places but with Mike’s work we needed to get home...so we had dinner on Christmas Eve as I said earlier with Mike's Family and our daughter Marilee and her family...But the truck stop was magical...I saw something new...and by "accident" our friend Marty called while we were eating...the “magic “in that is that Marty is a trucker, he was home for the holiday...but there were lots of people in that restaurant that were not...I am so thankful for my family, and my friends...I love you all so...that's my "MAGIC"

So as the song that I heard this Christmas was wondering “ if I changed or Christmas Changed”…well I have the answer…Christmas is always the same… the “Magic” is just seen and manipulated through the eyes of our ever changing “ages” of life…

I will start with the top Left then continue on the last on the right with names and ages...

Autumn (3), Seth (5), Bebe (4), Niko (6), Isabelle (4), Kaley (13), The Florida Kids Luke (2), Alia (11?), Nikki (10?),and last but certainally not least Jackson (2)...We still have the "most wonderful, bright & beautiful"grandkids in the whole world...and I thank their mommies and daddys for all their hard work in raising them...

Happy New Year to you all......