Christmas 1976 and 2011

Just the three of us, Mike, Evan and I were home for Christmas this year.  The last time we had only three home for Christmas was 1976.   The year 1976 was filled with life changing events.  We had our first little one, David who was born in August. I ended my nursing career to become a stay-at-home mom. The end of September Mike was discharged from the Navy after serving for six years in the nuclear power program.  He was ready now to start his career. It took a few months to secure a job.  Finally, he found a job with PG&E at the Humboldt Bay Power Plant.   When Christmas came along that year, we had just moved from Vallejo, California to Eureka, California a few days before Christmas.  We rented a tiny little house, bought a tree on Christmas Eve and learned that for little ones Christmas is all about brightly colored wrapping paper and boxes.  Who needs toys??

Let me at the wrapping paper!

David loved the tree! 

Thirty-five years, 6 children and 8 grandchildren later found us home again for Christmas with just three people.  This time it was Evan at home. We enjoy his child-like innocence.  Of course, he had to get something Star Wars for Christmas!!  No wrapping paper or boxes for Evan. 

We started the season by decorating our home.  Mike loves to put up the Christmas lights and decorations.   This year we decided to hang the big ornaments that usually go on the trees on the house.  I loved it!  It came out beautiful. 

Night-time view

We went to Mesa, Arizona for a few days to celebrate with Rachel the completion of her Master's of Education degree.  It was in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in English as a Second Language.  (Say that three times fast!)   We had a Christmas devotional with Rachel and Joey before heading home.  As always we enjoyed visiting and loved the winter desert weather.  

 Rachel and Joey have two pups, Sasha and Lily.  Lily became Evan's friend!  Sasha wasn't so sure about the wheelchair. 

I love the hoods on the Master graduates! 

 Rachel was smiling pretty big during the ceremony. 

 It takes support from a loving husband to earn a Masters degree while working.  Rachel and Joey celebrating together. 

 We had fun celebrating Rachel's graduation too!!  

Now we are home getting ready for a New Year that I am sure will bring more life changing experiences.  Mike will officially be retired on January 1st. 

Baby Blessing

I am in serious catch up mode on my blog. That is what happens when you leave town for two and a half weeks. 

The end of June we drove down south to attend little Joshua's Baby Blessing (like a christening).  I wanted to share some of the pictures we took.  Enjoy.

Joshua Raymond Anderson.  Faces just don't get cuter than this!! 

Auntie Rachel and Joshua

Uncle Joey and Joshua

Great Grandma Viola with her newest grandchild.

Uncle Evan is a magnet for his little nephews and Aiden is no exception!

John, Amy and Aiden

Katie, Brad and their sweet little boys, Kyle and Joshua.

Last week my son-in-law Joey was at scout camp.  Perfect time,  I thought to invite Rachel to come for a visit.  When April heard she decided to come too and brought her two little ones. (Rachel hadn't met Corbin yet.)  What a fun week we had being together.  We went to the lake, the beach, walked the pier, and played together.  I love my family!!  

Enjoy these videos and pictures from our week. 

Evan loves squirt bottles and Star Wars.  But, he hates the movie "The Princess Bride". Everyone else in the family loves it.  The first thing Rachel did was to give Evan some squirt bottles.   On her last visit she gave Evan squirt bottles with Star Wars stickers.   This time was different,  they had stickers from The Princess Bride movie.  He was none to happy, as you can tell in this video.  But, it's all just fun family teasing.  (Katie is on Skype in the background with her little ones.)

 Thomas and Corbin sure do love their mommy.  Corbin especially is a mama's boy, but Thomas had his moments too when only mama would do.  

 Thomas enjoying the slide at Lopez Lake....

and the climbing structure. 

 Corbin tried to climb but didn't get to far. 

 Evan and Rachel are having fun being together.  Can you tell??

Actually they really did have fun together. 

The whole gang that went to Lopez Lake.

 Swinging with grandpa is always fun.  Mike was able to get a couple of days off while family was here, so that was great. 

 We found this great log to walk on at Biddle Park.

What is it about tire swings that make them so fun?

It was fun just to stroll the pier on a beautiful day.

Sword fighting with Thomas.  Am I a cool grandma or what??

We did some yard work together and had little helpers.  Looks like Thomas is directing the action...

and Corbin just loved wearing the glove.  I love this smile!

Corbin was comforted by stuffed animals whenever his mama walked out of the room.  He especially liked our Winnie the Pooh dressed as a bee.

Speaking of costumes, we had fun getting out the costume box. 

Looks like Thomas had something important to say.  He looks like he is acting.

Not sure what to call Thomas a cowboyclownpirate??  Whatever he is dangerous, he'll hook you, tie you up and make you laugh to death!!  What a way to die!!

Thomas got a kick out of looking at himself in the mirror!!

The week just flew by way to fast.  Now the house is quiet again.  Boo Hoo!!  But good news over the summer we will get to see everyone!! 

Happy Heart Attacks

  This week's Slice of Life is Happy Heart Attacks.  Have you ever given some one a happy heart attack??  It's fun to do, you make paper hearts and stick them all over someone's door with a note to say thank you for what they do.  

This week we are to tell about a time when someone said thank you to us.  I have a drawer full of thank yous from my children.  Parenting is hard work.  It is nice to know you are appreciated and it can lift a parents heart.  Here are a few that I found. (click on the letter to make it larger, if you can't read it)

Even though David was compelled by a Sunday School teacher to write this thank you, it was very heart felt and appreciated and touched my heart.

 

This is a thank you that April sent to her Daddy.  Mike would tell our children stories at night, the name "Daddy Long Stories"  stuck when we were camping and he would tell these long long stories until the everyone would fall asleep.  I know it touches his heart to know his children enjoyed the stories.

Naming children can be really hard.  I'm so happy that Katie Rose loves her name!!  Katie was our most prolific letter writer.  I would find little notes from her all over the place.  I loved it!!

By the way, I had her fooled, I was no where as near magnificent as Katie thought.  Yet, those little notes would give my heart strength. And now she is a magnificent mother in her own right.

I love all the little tips Rachel would write to me.  This letter was written when she first went off to BYU!  It is interesting how children appreciate parents more when they leave the house.

Sometimes, we get thank yous from other people too.  I found this one thank you, that touched my heart.

It's from my dear friend Diane who passed away earlier this year.  I really miss her.  I'm so glad I saved this card as a little reminder of her. She was a great example of writing people little notes to say thank you. Or calling them and singing "I Just Called to Say I Love You".  I still have one of her messages on my answering machine.  Hopefully, it will never get erased.

One of our families fun Christmas traditions was being a "Secret Elf" to a family.  We would do a 12 Days of Christmas and drop off little treats and goodies along with a piece from a nativity set for the 12 Days before Christmas.  It was very hard not to get caubeght.  We did this anonymously and worked really hard to be sneaky.  Usually, we never heard if our efforts were appreciated or not.  One year however on Christmas morning early, when dropping off our last little gift, we found this note and picture on the front porch.

It was great to know that we brought joy to this wonderful family's Christmas.  If you are reading this blog and know this family, please, please don't tell them it was us.  It's been many years and I don't think they know and we like it that way. 

Sometimes we are thanked when we are trying to thank others.  That happened to Mike and I one year.  We were volunteering at a wheelchair camp at the University of California Santa Barbara that Evan had attended for several years.  We were just trying to give back and help those who make this camp such a success.   We were surprised with the Charlotte Colton Volunteer of the Year award. This almost gave me a heart attack!  So many people work hard to make this camp successful.  It was amazing they were recognizing us.

All these thank yous and many more really do touch my heart. It's the good kind of Heart Attack!! 

You can join Slice of Life by clicking here.  By the way, a big THANK YOU to Texasblu for starting Slice of Life. 

Costumes

I am behind a week on a Slice of Life.  Last week it was Costumes. I'm sure my children will remember the clown costume.  John is wearing it in this picture. 

 And Katie is wearing it in this picture. 

This costume would definitely win an award for best use of fabric.  The fabric in this costume started out as different projects I made when sewing as a youth.  I learned to sew in middle school and made several of my own outfits.  At one point I took those fabric scraps and made myself a patchwork skirt.   I wish I had a picture, but couldn't find one.  One Halloween I decided to make a clown costume and that slightly worn out patchwork skirt just yelled out to me, "Use me!! Use me!! I would make a great clown costume!!"  I'm not even sure who I made it for first, or how many of our children wore that silly costume.  It's still sitting in my costume box.  Who knows what will happen to it next??

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The Harvest

The Harvest is this week's Slice of Life.  We have had gardens here and there.  The best vegetable garden we had was when we lived in Santa Maria.  We grew, peas, tomatoes, green beans, and yummy beets among other things!!  In our current house veggies don't grow so well because there is too much shade.  I can't say I really have a whole lot of experience with harvest or harvesting fruits and vegetables.  Do you want to know what I have loved growing and nurturing the best??  

FAMILY

We started with this!
  Just the two of us.

  Through the years we added lots of love, understanding, sharing, fun, laughter, worship, prayer and togetherness. One by one we started to grow. Until now from the two of us we have gathered in our harvest twenty wonderful family members and we are still growing.  I can't imagine life without anyone of them.


Isn't this a great crop??

David, Sariah, Spencer, Andrew and Leah

 April, Matteo with Thomas and Corbin

John, Amy and Aiden

Katie and Brad with Kyle

Rachel and Joey, with one of their doggies, Sasha

And last but of course not least, Evan!


I remember when David graduated.  I think I cried every day the week of the graduation.  I knew he would be leaving, going on a mission, and our family would never be the same again. . I was right.  Our family has change A LOT since our oldest grew up and became an adult.  The best thing was that our family grew and grew and is still growing, and it's better and better all the time. We are continually reaping the rewards of our careful sowing. You plant a little love and what a wonderful harvest!!  Amazing!