Extended Christmas

     In September Kevin had called Richard to ask if he would join him for a safety convention in San Diego.  Kevin paid for Richard's plane ticket - but Richard had to drive to the Portland airport. They both collected trinkets from the show and brought them home to share.  

    Richard had brought socks and tee shirts (the tees he had purchased in San Diego) and a stuffed whale for Jaime.  I remember taking pictures of the shirts and socks and asking Jai which she preferred.  I placed all items in a bag and added earbuds and a deck of cards to the mix.  I don't know why we missed giving it to her then - but somehow the entire bag of goodies got misplaced and was not retrieved until yesterday.

    For Christmas she had asked for a letterman's jacket featuring "Five Nights at Freddy's".  It had been the only thing she had asked for.  There was a delay on shipment however and we were told that it would not arrive until after Christmas. Richard purchased another coat for her to wear.  I wrapped it without box and she thought it was a stuffed toy.  Thus we went out and purchased a squishmallow as I thought she would be disappointed by the coat (which by the way is warm and does fit her personality).  There were more than two gifts under the tree for her as Ryan had sent gifts from the family.  No FNAT coat.

    Jaime had spent the last 8 hours of 2023 with friends.  Both Richard and I were in bed when 2024 arrived.  And she returned home shortly after midnight.

    Angela and Sam came over on New Years Day and we played games with them for three hours.  I believe all five of us really enjoyed ourselves.  I know for a fact that the girls did.  We continued to play a few games after they left.

    Yesterday we found the San Diego treats when we were looking for something else. We presented Jaime her tote bag of goodies. She opened more gifts yesterday than she had on Christmas.  Her final gift was opened just after 5:00 when Richard went out to check on the mail. She also clobbered us in Spades.  I think it was a really great day for her.

 

Playing Cards

                     Jai has collected playing cards over the years. 

                    She keeps at least one deck in her backpack or

                    whatever else she might tote around.  She has

                    several decks that include vintage, Harley Quinn,

                    round cards, Batman, 3D dinosaurs, big foot, and

                    Friends to name a few.  This year three more decks

                    were added to her collection.  Uno with a twist and

                    Santa Clause – both of which we have played with. 

 

It’s been so great having her home.

Birthday WOW (that's MOM spelled upside down)

           I know I make worse of situations inside of my head than how they really are – especially if I haven’t gotten a proper amount of sleep.  I know I shouldn’t be uptight and I know I shouldn’t dwell on what I can’t change – like missing dishes that have made their way out of the kitchen and haven’t been returned.  My imagination runs away with me and I get carried away – which reminds me this skit of Ernie returning a vacuum cleaner. 

        Often when I allow things to get out of hand the real life situation will have the opposite results and I find I have worked myself up for nothing.  Yesterday I had gone to the temple though Satan had done his best to keep me away.

 After the session had ended Richard and I continued to Ashland to collect Jaime to bring her home for the next four days.  She presented me with a cup that has an owl on the side.  She said it was for my birthday (which is today).  After lunch we hit a vintage store where Richard purchased a pin and a cute bag for me as well as a pig bank for himself. 

Before we pulled up to the house Richard stopped by the mailbox.  Inside was a card from Tony and his family.  That was cool.  Receiving the card right before my birthday.

When we arrived at the house the other three were in the room and were waiting for us.  Ally greeted me with “Happy Birthday, Grandma.”

            How did she even know it was my birthday?  Claire had baked brownies which she spread with a peanut butter frosting.  Ally had wanted one but Claire made her wait until we got home.  I hadn’t even noticed the banner hanging over the door.  

As soon as all of us were gathered in the room they presented me with a bag which I had assumed was from all of them, but the card in the bag was from Richard.  I pulled this gift out first and anxiously pulled out more in hopes of finding the other two wise men. 

I found a box of chocolates and a big foot paw (more chocolate) but no more kings.  

I don’t recall ever having received a Christmas ornament on my birthday before.  Before I was able to remove the ornament Richard told me that the other two kings were on each side.  Oh, wow!  What a cool idea.  I love it! 

  

spoiler alert: Christmas card this year has same pic

Claire told me my card and gift were in the kitchen.  Heavy brownies in the form of cupcakes.  Yum.

 Turned out to be a really great day which was totally opposite of what had been running through my head the day prior.  And I'm grateful that I was mistaken with my worked up thoughts.

Today I was presented with more gifts from one of my ministering sisters.  Garden stones, dishtowels. Another surprise.  Wow.  

In addition I have heard from all three of my sibs.  I received Shelly's card earlier this week.  We have emailed back and forth and she left a birthday wish on facebook (along with 25 others) and Steven texted a birthday wish.  Keith and Nat sang to me in voicemail and Tony just called with his troop and sang to me.  Life is good. 

    Our dinner for tonight will be along a Thanksgiving theme. What an awesome birthday 2023!

 

Christmas 2021

               We had signed up to feed the missionaries at 4:00.  We watched “An American Christmas Carol” and Jenna and I took Bonnie for a walk.  I think we talked with all three boys before Roland started dinner.

          Jenna says it’s tradition that we always have a breakfast meal for our Christmas Eve dinner.  So guess what the elders got? It wasn’t the traditional breakfast that we normally have.  Roland started cooking the meal just after 3:00.  Our meal consisted of steak, eggs, cornbread and hash browns with bacon.

Three elders arrived shortly before 4:00.  We put Bonnie in my room and fed the elders in the back room where we have the tree. Jenna does not like steak and could have made a meal out of corn bread alone. I think she had at least four pieces.

After the elders left we watched “Encanto” – well, Jenna did.  Roland and I watched part of it and fell asleep during most of it.  Shortly after 5:00 Jenna announced that she’d be going in her room.  Still tired, I asked Roland if he thought it was too soon for me to fill stockings and place the rest of the gifts under the tree. 

Jenna knocked on our door at 5:00 a.m. the next morning and told us that Christmas had officially started as she believes our waking up at 5:00 is also family tradition.  I guess it is, but then so is going back to bed after all gifts have been open – at least for the older folks.  But only Roland went back to bed and I fixed a light breakfast as I didn’t want only candy.

Jenna and I had learned to play a new game which Roland had received from Tony and Rochelle’s family.  It was fun.  We took Bonnie for a walk.  We each wore Santa caps and I wore a new outfit that I had received for Christmas and she was dressed as an elf. Jenna pointed out the snow capped hills behind the clouds that surrounded their base.  The rain has washed it out since our walk. 

At 4:00 Roland started getting hungry and we had our simple dinner of sausage and cheese.  Another tradition as of Christmas 2018 (see here).

Christmas 2020

         Last week I had taken Jenna to the church with me in order to wrap gifts for some members in the ward.  Another sister had dropped by the church to donate some games – which Jenna volunteered to take home.  I’m not really certain how that came about but we did end up with them.

        Thursday night Jenna’s Sunday School teacher dropped off a candy filled sock.  Jenna added the small sock to our fireplace; she said it would be for Bonnie.

 

        It turned out to be a really nice Christmas.  Each of us had three gifts beneath the tree plus the two games we dubbed from Santa Clause. Traditionally we will first open our socks.  Jenna passed them out one at a time.  I noticed my sock was bulkier than it had been before I had gone to bed.  Gloves, toffee, a chocolate orange and a notebook had been added to what I had already put in. 

 

        We each ended up with chocolate oranges – though Roland’s was dark while Jenna and I both received milk.  Roland also had sugar free chocolates and a McDonald’s card.  Jenna and I both received peppermint bark which Roland doesn’t seem to care for all that much. 

Jenna also received some Christmas cubes in her stocking.  She said it was meant for me but had to put it in her sock as there was no room in mine.      

me doing an elf jig while singing a Christmas carol

  

Bonnie's stocking

        After the gifts were open we watched Light the World here.  I like watching the virtual recording as opposed to seeing it in person – which I think I’ve only done once.  Watching so many faces (and not just doll-sized figures on the stage) from the comfort of my couch was so much better than going downtown Salt Lake. While I listened to the music, I filled out this Christmas themed paper.

 

 Afterward we played Mormon-opoly (one of the two games from Santa) It seems like a good theme for the transition from Book of Mormon, Christmas, and the Come Follow Me program which starts the Doctrine and Covenants.  The properties start at the New Testament (Bethlehem, Gathsemane), Book of Mormon (Zarahemla, Jeruselem) and church history (three places in New York, Nauvoo, Illinois and Kirkland Ohio and the progression of the church) also included are four newspapers instead of four railroads, “faith” and “bishop’s storehouse” instead of “chance” and “community chest”, and “spiritual darkeness” instead of “jail”.

        I like reading the information on the properties for example “Fayetteville Township, New York” says

 

·        The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was organized here on April 6, 1830.

·        The first conference was held here on June 9, 1830.

·        Where the Book of Mormon translation was completed.

 

Temple Square:

 

·        The Temple Square Mission began in 1875.

·        Home of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, which held its first broadcast on July 15, 1929.

 

Some of them offer scriptures to read while the game is being played.  Bishop’s Storehouse and Faith cards also include scriptures at the end of each direction.  For example I had to pick a property to donate to charity and then I was sent to spiritual darkness the next round.  Jenna had passed go five times before I would make it around the board once.  And they made me the banker and all of the money and cards stuck together which added more time to the game.  When I landed on Roland’s properties for the umpteenth time I forfeited the game and so Jenna declared Roland the winner. 

 

        Jenna took Bonnie for a walk while Roland and I ate an early lunch.  She had returned after only a few minutes as it had started raining and Bonnie doesn’t like the rain. It was raining for most of the day and into the night.  It is still raining.

         Throughout the day Jenna and Roland played the Book of Mormon chess set while I took a few pictures and started this post for my blog.  I was unable to finish all of my thoughts until this morning.  My post would have probably included more detail if I had not been interrupted.  I suppose it already appears too long.  Oh, well.

how our tree looked Christmas morning

shirt received on Christmas - the only unwrapped gift beneath the tree
pictured: a chicken with the caption keeping it rural.  Also got matching
socks with roosters with the caption: rise and shine (pictured below)

Roland sent this doll to his mom and we got to watch her open it

This was taken later in the night; played our last game - not a new one

A Chocolate Birthday

         Tossing and turning because I was hot.  It isn’t right for the weather to be so warm on my birthday – especially when you consider the start of the month was always overcast – sometimes raining. 

            The wind has been blowing – even though it’s been warm.  The winds have been cool – but not cool enough to keep us from turning on the A/C.

            I finally left the room at 3:45.  Jenna said “Happy Birthday, mommy!”  quite loudly. 

I’d forgotten it was my birthday – even though I had been reminded of it last night when I called the RS pres. 

My stomach was growling.  I had a glazed doughnut as Roland had brought them home and we have to eat them before they go stale – right?

Jenna bopped into the living room about 15 minutes later bearing gifts wrapped in Christmas paper.  I was not allowed to open any of them until Roland joined us – which wasn’t until four hours later. Meanwhile she played an array of music beginning with “Celebration” by Kool and the Gang.  Jenna never seems to love her own birthday as her enthusiasm increases for others’ birthdays.  She seemed particularly excited for my birthday yesterday.

Before I opened the gifts, Roland, Jenna and Alexa sang “Happy Birthday” to me. We didn’t take any pictures of me opening the gifts.  The first one Jenna handed me was a bag (which was a birthday bag) that contained two puzzles – one which I was certain I could finish in just one day and another hard looking one that I’m not as anxious to start to be honest. 

We still have another puzzle that is too long for our table.  I would like to put that one together. 

After I opened the puzzles, Jenna handed me a large box which contained wireless keyboard and mouse.  I now have three keyboards, though the oldest I will be throwing away as it is temperamental about if it wants to work or not depending on what position I have it in.  I cannot deal with it and have been using a smaller keyboard that I kept around for the laptop (as I prefer a raised keyboard to the built-in flat that frustrates me whenever I accidentally touch something that wipes out my screen) though number 7 has been sticking for quite some time and now the letter C seems to be having a mild attitude also. 

the paper she had used for the keyboard didn't quite make it
all around the box, so she taped this piece onto it to patch it up

The last gift was a game Jenna had picked out – one that we decided to play right away.  

 Of course she skunked me.

 I signed in to facebook to comment on a message my brother had left me.  While there I also said a thank you to those who had sent birthday greetings.  

I heard Jenna unloading the dishwasher, singing, and baking a cake.  Well, I didn’t actually hear her making it.  I heard her set the timer for it.  And then she started a conversation with Alexa and eventually triggered the 'echo' in my room to join in.  Thus I returned to the kitchen.

I don’t know if Melanie stopped by before or after the cake.  She brought me some flowers and four candy bars with the message:

You bring a mountain of joy wherever you go.  I really scored 100 grand when I got you as a RS counselor.

Randy, my youngest son, had called to wish me happy birthday and after I hung up with him, Roland said I had to come and get some cake.  They put three candles on the cake and sang “Happy Birthday” for a second time (but without Alexa) and we had cake at 9:00 a.m.

German chocolate cake with German chocolate frosting

But do not fret thinking I ate so poorly on my birthday.  Before we ended the “Meme” game, Jenna and I both had bowls of Cheerios and after cake we had scrambled eggs and sausage links.

 Jenna and I put the Mickey Mouse puzzle together in just a couple of hours.  It was a challenge using three different size puzzle pieces.  Though Minnie, Mickey and Donald seemed to work up rather quickly, Goofy and Pluto did not. (What am I talking about?  Jenna really did the majority of the puzzle)

My eldest son, Biff called to wish me happy birthday while we were putting the puzzle together.  Meanwhile I really enjoyed Jenna's enthusiasm as we listened to music and swayed and danced to a wide assortment of songs.

After Roland got off work we went to the big city of Roseburg where the majority of personal were wearing masks but the majority of clients were not.  No such thing (or room) for social distancing at some places.  Though some businesses have started to open in phase one most summer activities have been cancelled. No summer fairs, outdoor movies (which I would think would be safer than the indoor cinema if that should open) and music in the park. 

We stopped off at Arby's on the way home.  After we returned we played another game of "What Do You Meme" this time with Roland.  My other son, Tony, was the last of my boys to call with his birthday wish.

What an odd year.

Christmas Morning 2019

Each year that we’ve been here we have mailed four packages to Salt Lake -  one for each of my boys and one for my sister and her family.  This year we mailed only one package.  We sent out gift cards to each of my sons and presents to the children of my middle son – not to play favorites among grandchildren, but I knew we’d be receiving a package from them and so wanted to make a gift exchange to the only son that it seems to matter. 

The first gift under our tree was one from some ward members we had had over for Thanksgiving a couple of years ago.  The gift was moved when the carpet was cleaned and we forgot to return it.  We had three small gifts under our tree, presents from my sister and her family.  Jenna guessed what they were – but did not know all of the details that awaited on the inside.  Randy’s gift to Jenna arrived unwrapped, but I took it out of the box and put it in a decorative Christmas tin and put a tag to Jenna from Randy, Carrie and Devin.  Gradually other gifts appeared.  This is how it looked on Christmas Eve before Roland and I finally went to bed:

Roland creates cards and sends them out each year.  He sends cards out the last three months of the year focusing on Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.  Each year it seems we receive more Christmas cards than we did the year before.  This is what our two doors looked like last night before we went to bed:

And here is the way the fireplace looked last night before Jenna went to bed:

I had purchased some stocking stuffers for Jenna when Roland and I had gone to Eugene (here)

We ended up purchasing another sock to fit all of Jenna’s loot.  So this is what she woke up to on Christmas morning:

Our tradition is to open our stockings first.  This year we opened our socks one at a time – starting with Jenna. I thought she would be more excited over the silicone straws than she appeared to be.  She did express pleasure for the flamingo and pineapple ice cubes.  Her favorite item that she retrieved was a plastic dinosaur that Roland had bought for her.

In Roland’s socks were the first two “stress” super heroes:  Batman and Superman.

I was surprised by the amount of items that my stocking contained – including two pairs of socks.  I selected the warmer of the two and put them on my feet.

My sister’s gift from her family to ours was a pair of socks for each of us.  Minons for Jenna, an almost “cat-in-the-hat ‘thing’” socks for me, and superman socks with capes attached for Roland:

Roland and Jenna put their socks on right away. Jenna continued passing out gifts and we continued opening them up one at a time. 

We had each recived a hat for Christmas – all “wrapped” the same way.  Each in a tin can.  Roland’s to Jenna, Jenna’s from Randy and although Jenna had picked out the hat I was wearing, it had been marked from Santa.

Though Jenna wasn’t wearing her hat until the final few pictures. The last two gifts beneath the tree were for her.  Tony has always managed to sent give Jenna her absolute favorite gift of the season.  Last year it was a lap blanket featuring a tiger. 

The year before it was the first six seasons of Psych (see here) 

She opened the gift from Tony first.  She screamed in delight at discovering the game “Encore” which she has asked for each year since we have lived in Tri City. 

The last gift was from her brother, Randy and his family.  It was a Pokémon hat.  So now she has a Pokémon to wear in summer and one for winter:

 Jenna's top three gifts this Christmas: