End of the Year Report

Today is Wednesday, December 30, 2009. It is dreary and cold outside and I am going to write my end of the year report. It will be very long but hopefully somewhat interesting. I plan to use it as my "late Christmas letter."
I will tell a little about each of our children and a bit about Glen and me. (Oh, shoot! I just remembered that some of our children do not want me to use their names in my blog. I will try to honor that.) I will tell about them in order of their age. (They love that, too, but it is good for keeping track of everyone. Like our roll call used to be when we got into the car.)
Our oldest son still lives in Escondido with his family. He was up here last week for some special training held in Old Sacramento. We were delighted to have him here for awhile. Wish it could have been the whole family - his wife, three sons and daughter - but we enjoyed the time we spent when he was not at his training. He is the Ward Mission Leader and everyone else has a calling, too. I can't remember them all. His wife is an aide at an elementary school and taking classes to be medical assistant. The twins are home from their missions, attending college. Next son is a football star and their daughter is an excellent artist. A talented family.
Next - Our daughter lives here in Sacto and has a job at a pre-school she loves. Her apartment is about 15 minutes away from us. She's having some health problems right now. She's hoping to have that corrected soon. Her Ward calling is Single Adult Rep. She keeps very busy with her work and her Kinder Musik classes. Plus all the other stuff she does.
Our third child lives in Paradise, California with her hubby, a little boy who is 8 and a girl who is 5. Both children love school. They have moved into their new house which was built lovingly by her hubby. When it is completely finished, it will be quite a show place. I wish I had all the space she has. She just got called as the Primary President and he is the Sunday School Supt. Both of the children love school.
Next daughter lives about 10 minutes away. She and another of our daughters are living in the home of our former Stake President. He is the Mission President in Slovenia. He and his wife asked them to rent their house while they were gone the three years. It is a beautiful place. The yard requires a lot of work for the two gals but they are working very hard to keep it up. And they do have to pay rent and utilities. It is a labor of love on their part. Number four child works for a Correctional Peace Officers foundation as their bookkeeper and travel specialist. Her Ward calling is Primary accompanist. And she also is on the Activities Committee.
Our second son lives in Arkansas with his family. He is the Branch President and his wife and 5 children keep very busy. He's teaching German in High School and they all help take care of the chicken farm (4 chicken sheds with 20,000 chickens each about every 10-12 weeks). Their oldest son just left for a mission to Guadalajara Mexico. Each of the other children keep very busy with school, sports, and Church. There are two girls at home (the oldest and the youngest) and two boys.
Next child is the one helping at the Stake President's house. She works at CPOF, also. She's our most fun entertainer at home. She's very clever and makes life fun for us all. Her Church calling is in Relief Society and she plays the piano for the Ward Choir. (Plus some other jobs.) She keeps very busy.
Our youngest son and his family live about 20 minutes away from us. He and his wife have four little children - 2 boys and 2 girls. Three are in school this year. His wife volunteers as an art docent at the schools. They are always on the go. He works as an adjustor for a car insurance company. His calling is a counselor Ward Bishopric. We like having them close enough to visit. Their children keep us young.
There are two girls left to tell about. One lives in Salem, Utah with her hubby and 4 children. She's busy in Church and with their Soccer Club. They all play soccer, coach soccer, ref, plus a bunch of other things. Her calling right now is Primary chorister. Her hubby is a school teacher. Their oldest boy is now going to seminary. Their daughter is raising a pig again this year with 4-H. She's done it before and likes it. Their "baby boy" is now 4.
For the youngest - She just got called as Primary President up in Lake Forest, Washington. They have two little boys - full of energy and mischief. But cute as they can be. They have been up in Washington about two years now. Moved from Burbank, California. Her husband works for Amazon.
As you can tell the family is scattered about. We are always glad to see them. As for Glen and me - we keep busy with Church work and home. Both of us serve in the Sacramento Temple - usually two days a week (about 5 to 6 hours each time). Glen is the Ward Newsletter Editor and teaches a Priesthood class once a month. I am the Ward Organist and Choir Director. We also volunteer down at the Old Sacramento Schoolhouse twice a month and at the Regional Family History Center. We are in charge of cataloging books, fiche, and film and keeping it all up to date on the computer.
We are getting older and slower but mostly in pretty good health. I've had both my knees replaced - should be good as new but not really, just don't have the awful pain, only stiffness - even though I try to keep up on my exercise. Glen takes good care of me. We don't go out much at night anymore. We do attend all the Church parties, though. You know! We are part of the team.
Last year we celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary and had most of the family here at that time. It was great! We've had 50 wonderful years together. And look forward to some more.
Well, I think that is all for today.

It's Nearly Christmas

Today is Saturday, December 12, 2009. It rained last night and it is cloudy this morning. Not as cold as the last two mornings but still feels pretty chilly to me.
I just read some blogs this morning ( I know I am very late reading, but ---) from family members talking about gratitude and Thanksgiving memories. I have to say thank you for the kind remarks about your "Mom." However, I can't take all the credit. Most things that happen around our place could not happen without the wonderful help and willingness of my wonderful husband, Glen. And all those things that used to go on when all of the nine children were young was due to their willingness to help with whatever project I got them involved in - like 5000 (that's right, 5000 !) Sierra Junior High Cookbooks and numerous Ward and Stake activities, PTA carnivals, and yes, feeding 30 to 40 people on Thankgiving. Add to that visiting and singing at rest homes, and a dozen other things. So, MY thanks to all of you. You are a wonderful part of my life. (There might be a tear drop or two on this page.)
I could write pages and pages about Thanksgiving and Christmas. I wonder where I will begin and where I will stop for this post. OK - the tree is up and looks beautiful. I love to have the lights turned on and just savor its beauty. No theme tree for me. I love touching each ornament and remembering where it came from and the flood of memories some bring to mind - the olive wood carvings we got when we were in Bethlehem and Jerusalem, the decorations hand made by children and freinds and even me, Mother's yarn dolls, the ornaments I bought on sale for a quarter, and the colored foil balls that came 10 for a dollar. Just to mention a few. Oh, I almost forgot - my grand piano. I don't remember for sure who gave that one to me. And the bead bells. That year we made hundreds of them - gave most of them away as gifts. Mostly to the Music Belles. Anyway, I don't intend to have a theme tree.
The mantle looks lovely with lighted decoration I bought a couple of years ago - pine boughs, gold pine cones, and lights. The piano has the large nativity set carved from olive wood. I've put out most of the other nativity sets which I am collecting now. One of my favorites is the one we bought in Athens when we were there on our mission.
I haven't gone into the "construction business" yet. The Christmas village is still upstairs in boxes. I need to get to it soon.
I am so grateful for the season which reminds us all of the birth of the Savior so long ago in Bethlehem. I love all the songs about it. Once again this year we have invited all our friends to come for Family Home Evening on December 21 for Christmas caroling. A wonderful gal made us new copies of the carols, all neat and clean and with nice pictures. (I will put the old, battered, well used ones in recycling.) We love that time with friends and it certainly is easier than getting in and out of the car. Besides, this way we get to sing for more people. The family keeps a few special songs that we perform for our guests. And we also get to use the resonator bells that Glen made for me so many years ago. It's a wonderful evening for me. I hope others enjoy it. We wish you all could come to be with us that night.
Just in case I don't post again before Christmas - Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!
That's all for today.