Christmas with Jeff, Kim, Sara and Nick

Tonight we were able to have Christmas with most of our family. Michelle, we called to include you too! Please forgive the red eye.

Some of Cathy's Grandchildren

I've had requests to see pictures of Cathy's Grandkids. Here are some recent pics. Enjoy!

Pictures are as follows:

Baby Lucca (Anne's youngest son)

Emilee and Gracie (Aadam and Michele's daughter and Anne's daughter)

Gracie

Danny, Gracie, Mitchell and Lucca (Anne's children)

Alyssa (Andy's daughter)

Aaron and Baby Lucca (Aadam and Michele's son with Anne's son)

We miss our Grandkids!

As I was driving past the park today next to our house, there were kids sledding on the hill. If our grandkids were here, this would be them. We hope to see them in January!

Christmas Day

Uncle Rick and Shannon.

Grandma Anna, Obasan, Yoshiko and Chris.

We had a wonderful Christmas dinner at Fran and Shirley's. If you ever wonder how big a prime rib that will barely fit in a pan and Easily feed 16 people - that would be a 22 pounder! Wow - good thing they have a HELOC! (Home equity line of credit) And of course I'm only kidding.

Shannon, by the way, those Dave Ramsey discs will be in the mail tomorrow. You'll love listening to him!

Chris and Deanna

Family

Christmas Eve at Obasan's with a delicious Sukiyaki dinner.

Chris is going to be 22 on New Year's Eve! He was recently accepted into the Police Academy to begin in March.

Shannon and Steve - Christmas Eve

Fran and Shirley - I think we were still laughing at Shirley's comic golf swing.

Obasan (Mom) - very proud that she still had one of my diapers !

Dad

I also lost my Dad in January, this year will mark 14 years.

We went by the cemetary where his ashes were buried.

Then we had some free time so we stopped by our old house (today worth nearly a million) Hmmm if we could only see into the future.

And Shaws - of course.

Christmas in San Francisco

How do you decide which pictures to include? There are too many great ones, along with a great time. Our vist started by going to my brother Ray's grave -snuggled in the Santa Cruz mountain, just a few miles from where we were married. His ashes are buried in a location where he faces South (to San Jose where he lived), gets a view of the Bay on one side and the ocean on the other side. This January will mark 3 years since he left us. We miss him so much.

Just before we left, four deer came prancing by.

My Big Kid

If you'll look at Michelle's blog, she has some darling pictures of her children helping to make Christmas goodies for their friends and neighbors. I was inspired and thought I'd catch the Big Kid carrying on Rose's tradition of making scrumptious peanut brittle for family and friends.

Utah 35, Navy 32

Poinsettia Bowl: Utah rallies to win seventh straight postseason game!

Little Drummer Boy

Last weekend in church, they did an "unplugged" Christmas worship service. The Pastor over music introduced this song like I've never heard it before. With tears streaming down his face (and everyone else's) he sang this song with heartfelt love. It was really beautiful and profound. It use to be "just a song" but now means much more. May I suggest you put this song in your heart today.

Little Drummer Boy:
Come they told me, pa rum pum pum pum
A new born King to see, pa rum pum pum pum
Our finest gifts we bring, pa rum pum pum pum
To lay before the King, pa rum pum pum pum,
rum pum pum pum,
rum pum pum pum,

So to honor Him, pa rum pum pum pum,
When we come. Little Baby, pa rum pum pum pum
I am a poor boy too, pa rum pum pum pum
I have no gift to bring, pa rum pum pum pum
That's fit to give the King, pa rum pum pum pum,
rum pum pum pum,
rum pum pum pum,

Shall I play for you, pa rum pum pum pum,
On my drum? Mary nodded, pa rum pum pum pum
The ox and lamb kept time, pa rum pum pum pum
I played my drum for Him, pa rum pum pum pum
I played my best for Him, pa rum pum pum pum,
rum pum pum pum,
rum pum pum pum,

Then He smiled at me, pa rum pum pum pum
Me and my drum.

Now THAT's what Christmas is all about!

Excitement is Mounting!

If Christmas weren't enough, we're also in the middle of planning Sara and Nick's wedding for June. Last weekend, Sara got her wedding dress fitted and we picked up the Bride's Maid dresses and Taylore's Jr. Bridemaid dress and Hannah's flower girl dress. Hannah will be the perfect princess in her dress. I just have to show this off! I found the photo in a magazine so seeing Hannah in it will still be a surprise.

The site is beautiful too, snuggled :) into the mountains.

Recent Pics from this week

Here's my favorite picture of Jeff and Kim. She was visiting from Boston last week and they came by the house to visit.

Also, our neighbor Chris (from England) took this picture of our house. He said he was sitting in his living room and our house was completely dark. He knew we were not home. Then it was light magic. First the garage lights went on, then the yard lights and finally the house lights! Rick is a master of timers, among many things!

What a Gift !!!!

Wow, Michelle put this blog together for us so we can communicate to everyone what's going on in our lives. What a precious gift! And of course we'll have to add pictures of our snuggle bears too at a later time (5 boys).

Thank you Michelle!!!

Christmas 2007

Merry Christmas! May 2008 be a blessing as you join the blogging world! I love you. ~Michelle