The Perfect Christmas Picture

I know it is not big, but this is the perfect Christmas picture. It should have been on a card! Don't you wish your grandbabies were this beautiful?

Gratefulness

So this year was start of the rest of my life. I put into action some things that I know but have not really had the ability to practice. Why can't I practice it you say? Well because so many times in my life I know something analytically... meaning I know it in my head, I know it is true and right, but I don't know it emotionally, meaning when push comes to shove I operate emotionally, not analytically. But anyway back to my learning.

I learned to be grateful.

This is a really hard thing to do. Being grateful is the key to a good attitude. Whenever I am feeling mean or spiteful or even downright disgusted I turn to gratefulness. In the past I would just be mean or spiteful or downright disgusted and it would be a downward spiral into being pissy or mad or ornery or just admit it, bitchiness. It could last for hours or sometimes the whole day. At this point in my life I always reset when I go to sleep, just like a computer. But being grateful is a whole new strategy. I started by just looking around me and finding those things in my immediate area that I am grateful for. For example, right now I am in my computer room. I am so grateful that I have a computer room, and a computer, and such an awesome computer. I am grateful for all my favorite music that I have playing right now on my computer. I love the skylight that I put in the computer room, oh and I am so grateful for the big printer machine we bought a few years ago, it will be our livelihood when we retire, I see the telescope I bought for Extremo this Christmas and am grateful for the wonderful year of work he had... you see how it works? It just snowballs and all of a sudden I am in a wonderful place full of wonderful things and wonderful people (if they were awake.)

I spend my drive to work every morning being grateful. By the time I get to work I am in a great mood. This gratefulness has had another unexpected result. I find myself appreciating all the things that I have never before noticed in my life, the little things that make a world: the trees, the streets, the lights, the trains, the hills, the clouds, the rain. I live in a wonderful world, with wonderful people and have a wonderful life.

I hope you all do, as well.

Christmas 2009

Christmas Morning 2009. What a nice, quiet, fun morning. Before Offspring #1 and the Night Beast arrived we talked with Offspring #2 and family. Grandson #1 loved his 2.5 ft rendition of the Millenium Falcon. Of course, his parents think I'm crazy but it is a Grandma's perogative.

Night Beast was not very interested in presents. He played with wrapping a little but mostly ignored everything... until... until.. until... the whiteboard! Don't ask me why but he was completely enamored of the white board, he licked it, loved it and humped it, over and over again. We laughed so hard we could barely catch the action in action!

Offspring #1 has been wanted a salad spinner for about a year but only ever talks about getting one. So her brother got her one for Christmas!

Extremo wrapped the present for Offspring #3, so he didn't know what he got! It had a phone taped to the box to throw him off the scent.

LC waited patiently for his presents. I made him wait till last before I gave him the biggie! An espresso maker!

Sis-in-law also waited quietly as she opened a present and then stealthily pirated it away in her room. She would come back and sit waiting for the next present!

Like I said, a nice quiet Christmas. Hope you and you family had the exact happy non-denominational holiday you wanted!

Christmas Eve 2009

We spent Christmas Evening at Offspring #1's house. It was a lovely dinner of Pork Roast, Green Beans, Steamed Rice and Cheesecake.

Of course, no evening is complete without the Night Beast, as he is affectionalely called, in attendance.

Also in attendance was Night Beast's older sister. We don't get to see her often so it was lovely indeed to spend Christmas Eve with her.

Night Beast did his usual theatrics on the slide: up, down, backward, forward, head first, butt first, anything first.

Offspring #3 with his Daddy, Extremo.

Big Bry and his Offspring #1 in her Christmas finery.

Yes, Night Beast knows how to work the Grandma. One love hug can last a lifetime.

Hope you all have a wonderful and happy non-denominational holiday!

The Cutest Baby in the Whole World!

The end of November brought a really pleasant surprise. Offspring #2 and his family came to visit his Grandma, my Mom. It was more than half-way to me so Extremo and I went to Nevada to see his little family.

Grandson #3 is just the cutest baby in the whole world. He smiles at the drop of a hat. He laughs and giggles and coos. He is also surprised easily!

Surprise!

Oh my gosh... What was that???

Oh... you surprised me!

"All they do is take pictures, they don't even put down the phone!"

He is the sweetest baby, gentle and happy.

His great grandma gets snuggle time.

All this cuteness is sure tiring.

Baby Rock Star

When our children are young we all have hopes and aspirations as to their eventual place in life. Now that my grown children are well on their paths, I have dreams for the grandkids. Dreams that include them being able to afford to take care of the grandparents. So here's hoping...

... and just in case the drumming thing don't work out, here is backup plan #2...

I feel my future is secure.

Halloween 2009 - Part Troix (I think?)

This year Offspring #1 did his own Halloween makeup. He learned from the best and did a right frightful job of it.

Here is a closeup of the nasty nails that turned him into a Zombie.

And who do you suppose is this lovely frightened zombie lass?

Halloween 2009 - Part Duex

This photo was taken on October 31, 2004. This is my beloved Grandson #1. He is the light of my life and I miss him dearly. The funny thing about this photo is coming up next...


No, this is not Grandson #1. It is Grandson #3! This photo was taken on October 31, 2009. I can't believe my eyes, the spitting image of his big brother.

This photo is of the most handsomest boy in the entire world, Grandson #1 today. He is the most beautiful child. Just look at this little angel face.

Grandson #1 is a Star Wars fan so we sent him a "Boba Fett" costume for Halloween. He is definately the most handsome Boba Fett on the planet.

He is pretty scary here.

I really enjoyed seeing photos of my Grandsons that live far away. I can just tell that Grandson #3 is just a little dress up doll for his mommy. Here he is in his big brothers Pumpkin Halloween costume.

Here he is as a ferocious tiger baby.

Here he would really scare you if only he could move.

One more installment to come of the Halloween 2009 and Offspring #1... spoooooooky.

Halloween 2009

It's Halloween and nothing is better than going to the Mall with a little monkey boy! He only got a short nap before the festivities and was a little apprehensive about all the commotion. He saw the camera and knew just what to do, this is familiar territory. Smile and wave, monkey boy!

Monkey boy is 15 months old and it is essentially his first Halloween. Last year didn't really count because he was only 3 months old and his Mom had him wrapped like a tootsie roll. He didn't even eat candy.

Here is another first Halloween. This is Grandson #1 in 2004. He was 5 months old and just as curious as to who that crazy clown man was that was carrying him through the mall.

This picture is for Grandson #1 who is crazy for Star Wars. Grandpa Extremo met a stormtrooper at the mall! Isn't that crazy!

This is monkey boy in his monkey wagon. Once he got a sucker it was all over. He didn't care what else was going on. That sucker was his entire universe.

And monkey boy was happy.

Summer Recap

It has been since July that I have written. It has been just that hectic this year. It started in March when my Aunt passed away. We went to Los Angeles for the service and funeral. She looked absolutely beautiful in her Hawaiian finery. She was buried with cans of coke in the casket. Just a family joke since she always had a can or two in her direct vicinity.

We met up with lots of family and did some catching up. Her repaste was held in the bowling alley which was the center of her social life. She was a really outgoing, happy and positive person. She had lots of friends and interests.

Our next stop was "Clowntown." We were in Los Angeles again and Extremo was in all his finery as well.

Extremo and his friends were the artists in a group show of the clowny persuasion.

Of course, in May we went to the Big Island. I wrote all about this in May. It was a blast and really kind of tiring. But that didn't matter, we still had lots to do!

This is just one of the wonderful things we did in Hawaii! Yum.

Next stop was Iowa in July for the birth of my newest grandson. Here he is less than one day old.

He is an absolutely georgeous baby and at one-month already gained 4 lbs! He is following in the Campbell-Nihoa tradition. We grow them big.

Here is the whole brood of grandboys.

The last hooray of summer was Grandson #2's baby luau. It was a blast... and lots and lots of work.

For a little guy he sure had lots of fun.

It's all about being the center of attention with a cake to call your very own.

We all had a great summer but it was really hectic. In August I went back to work hoping for a break from all the work but no such luck. I got back and we were getting ready to move our offices. We had been in that location for 7 years and there was a lot to do. Oh well, no rest for the weary. Hope I can get back on track now.