Christmas is Here!

Well it has been a long while since I blogged, no excuses, no inspiration. I had a good time putting up the Christmas decoration this year, Bruce was busy with all the pre-Christmas band things and I just took my time doing what I wanted each day, a little here a little there. I think the trees came out very nicely. Bruce did help with the putting together of the big tree and the getting down of some of the stuff, (credit where credit is due).

What moved me to blog was that we had the missionaries over for dinner on Sunday, I decided to make Viva la Chicken. Now, many of my children will remember Viva la Chicken which was a big favorite UNTIL I made it for Bruce's birthday one year and used HOT chili peppers instead of mild. Now of course I didn't do this on purpose. We have all gone shopping and had to check over the many choices we have, trying to make sure we have the one we want, only to come home with the very one we DIDN'T want. That is what happened to me only I didn't notice because I was SO sure I had picked the mild chilies, I made the delicious casserole up and served it for my husbands pleasure..... Well, as we recall it was so incredibly hot that fire actually came out of Bruce's nose and ears and his tears were the only thing that put it out. I was so traumatized that I had never made it again, for all these years, but I decided to forge on and overcome my fears. I found some mild green chili taco sauce and used that instead of the actual chilies and it came out better than ever. I compiled it a day ahead which was what the directions said which I don't think I ever did before, it was great and it was all gone by the end of dinner, I served it with a little salad and some crescent rolls with brownies and chocolate no sugar pudding. I so restored my confidence in my ability to cook and made me feel happy. So for all those in my family who may also have a deep abiding fear of Viva la Chicken, do not despair, push forward and try it again. PS it is so much easier now cause you can buy the boneless, skinless chicken breast and just boil them up (I know it). Happy Holidays and a Merry Christmas and Bon Appetite

Christmas is Coming

Christmas is coming...our annual opportunity to share in this special time of year when hearts are a little softened and the chance to offer love and good will increases. The challenge is to not to get too wrapped up in the "material world" or at least not to let it rule and ruin the joy of Christmas. Giving love and thoughtfulness is always much appriciated. Gifts that can be afforded, used and loved are the gifts that are appriciated. Creating memories is not costly except in our time. Cookie baking, carol singing, fun time together, homemade decorations,, these are what last. May this Christmas season bring us not only closer to our loved ones but more importantly closer to our Savior whose birth we are celebrating.

On the wild hike

The big girls

The feast

More feast

Still feasting

The Wild Things

Thanksgiving 2009 was the most perfect day. The weather was so beautiful no wind and perfect temperature. We had a wonderful meal and and everyone was happy. Strangely after the sun went down a wind came up and brought much cooler temperatures, the next morning was overcast and though the sun eventually came out it never got warm, but we took the kids to San Lorenzo Park or our adventure hike. The kids had fun and were all good sports. They have a wonderful time together and the grown ups who went had lots of fun too.

The Effects of the Fall

Waxing and Waning

Blooming and Fading

Each has a Season

A purpose and Reason

Effects of the Fall

Papa Got Brand New Shoes or We are All Kids At Heart

I guess he chose his

favorite title.

They are magic shoes

see how they glow!

Ok, all of this post is absolutely true. As you can see from the picture dad got new running shoes. They were kind of his reward for swimming in the triathlon. These are special shoes, he designed them himself which you can do on the Nike site. He labored long and hard over the exact right shoe, the right color the right size. We drove down to Pismo Outlets to the Nike store where he tried on many shoes but non were what he wanted but he did find the right size for him in a Nike shoe. We went to Sports Authority nothing was just what he was looking for. So home we came and he went online and placed his order. He chose all the colors you see in this shoe, and he chose the name he wanted on the shoe. Then he waiting, did he wait silently almost forgetting about the shoes? NO, he tracked the shoes, as soon as he got a email from Nike that his shoes were sent. I would get a daily report about where they were, kind of like where in the world is Carman Sandiago, it was were in the world are Bruce's shoes. They started off in Korea, then down to India, over to Alaska, then all the way to Tennesse, then to Oakland, and today just as he was going off to teach at the gallery.... knock knock they were here in King City!!, but he had to go to the gallery. As soon as he got home on they went and a happy grandpa ready to try them out on the treadmill but wait...knock knock a piano lesson, oh man, dude... but he will get to try them out and he will love them and they are magic cause they glow, I wonder what happens if he clicks the heals together.

New Grandson in Chico

We had a wonderful trip to Chico this week. We left King City on Tuesday after school arriving in Chico around 10:30 p.m. Chico is dressed up for fall, the trees look lovely and the air is crisp. We got to spend all day with the Grahams, whether they wanted to or not. Some great time with the new and adorable Rocky. He is cute and cuddly and unbelievably well behaved for being one week old!! He does have a mean frown though, but not all the time, just when he is trying to figure out who you are. After some nice long visit with Rocky and Zane (grandpa had a ball playing with Zane and his rock army men). Maybe his is so interested in rocks is because he is waiting for Rocky to get old enough to play? Ian, Zane and Grandpa and Grandma decided to get out and go bowling. What a ball that was, we got the bumpers put up and it is a good thing we did cause SOME people used them a lot (grandpa), it was like he invented a new way to bowl, called rickoshay bowling. He did pretty good at it but couldn't catch Ian who bowled in the traditional way. I did good so I was happy. We went to lunch and then back to checkout Rocky and Heather. Thursday Zane had to go to school, bummer, Rocky had to go to the doctors, so g and g hung out in Chico until lunch, when school was out we went and got Zane and then he had to go get his flu shot which he didn't know about so he was a little sad but when it came time for the shot he was fine and seemed to forget all about it by the time we got home. Then off to gymnastics and wow Zane really does know how to jump, tumble and swing. That was fun fun fun, then we went to dinner with everyone, Rocky was so good slept the whole time. The grahams have their cute apartment all homey and settled in. Our trip home was long but was fun cause we brought Robert down to King City to work on his movie script which he hopes will get he and Rod into the Sundance script writing workshop which they were ASKED to apply for. Looking forward to Thanksgiving so we can see ALL our brilliant grandkids.

Maybe it helps with the BRAIN

Just a note on my last blog. I was able to figure out how to do pictures correctly on my blog, I remembered without looking at instructions how to get a picture off the internet, I figured out how to easily put it in my iphoto and how to load it into my blog in a matter of like a minute. I did rebound this morning so maybe it is working on the brain too. Yippee!