Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Memories of 2010



Im sitting here thinking about the past year and I realized how much sadness my family has gone through.  My husband and I along with my son-in-law have lost a parent.  Each one of us has had to deal with our sorrow and pain in our own way, but we had each other to lean on too.  Losing my mom was the worst imaginable painful thing that has ever happened to me.  I miss her everyday and going thru the holidays without her was terrible.  I couldn't get into the mood of all the jolly hoopla and shopping for gifts and as a result I didn't buy anything. 
I cried alot on Thanksgiving Day even tho I was among family it was hard for me because mom wasn't and never will be.  The worst part of the holidays to get through was Christmas when I found myself buying a small tree to put on her grave.  I cried a lot on that day because its just so hard to believe that she's really gone!  My husband and I went to Los Angeles to be with with his sisters the day after Christmas to reminisce about their mother and be together like the past years.  It was very different there too.  Mom-in-luv wasn't there.
My son-in-law also had a hard time going to his mothers house on Christmas Eve,  I can imagine how he must have felt knowing his dad wasn't there like all the other years.
 
We have all had our fair amount of sickness and Dino (son-in-law) has really been through the mill.  Having a lot of pain and might still need surgery on his neck.  He is leaving that up to the Lord to help him make a decision about that.

Financial, job issues and trials that  we all had to overcome would not have been accomplished had God not been there to hold our hands or literally carry us when we thought we couldn't do it on our own.  We all want answers right now and don't like to wait, but God knows whats best for us and moves just when we think we're at the end of our rope. 


A  baby boy born to my ex daughter-in-law was beautiful and complete except that he was a down syndrome baby.  To date he is beautiful, cute and so alert except for the few significant signs he looks so normal and we all love him.


All of my grandchildren have grown so much and ALL have become teenagers.  My word where did all the years go?  My granddaughters are beautiful young ladies and my grandsons are so handsome, they range in age from 13 thru 25.  I will be a great grandmother soon and it will be a little girl.  Should I be excited or thrilled about all this, I really don't know.  Each and everyone of my grandchildren is special and I love them to pieces.


Lord willing the new year will be a good one and if not I know that He will see me through whatever may pop up.  As long as we as a family love one another and respect each other we should be ok.

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Rain & Snow In Sunny California

What a wonderful Christmas we're having this year despite the weather outside being 'frightful' for many Californians.  It has been raining at a steady down pour for almost a week and snowing in the mountain areas.  It will continue this way through the week including Christmas Day.  It hasn't rained this much or this hard for a couple of years and there are  warnings of floods throughout the southland.   Many roads are closed in the mountains and bridges are over flowing.  Many are having to evacuate their homes because they are in danger of mud slides. 

*EVERYBODY DRIVE SAFELY*


I love this time of year and love the rain, lights, crowds and all the hoopla.  Right now Im happy to be at home chilling with my hubby.   After I finish writing on this blog I will crochet  some projects for gifts while my hub is reading a book. 






Christmas is a time for families to be together and I believe that kids should be made aware that  'Jesus is the reason for the season'.... and we give presents because we love each other not because we have to.   This year we're excited because  Danelle and Monica my two granddaughters will be here.  They will be coming on Wednesday and spending the rest of the week.  They were in Arizona last year visiting their other grandparents.  Our doors are open to anyone else that would like to come and visit.
 
On Christmas Day we will be at my daughters house early opening presents and spending the day eating and just hanging out.   Tamales are the main course every year.  While I dislike making them because they are so messy and so much trouble I do love eating them, so I helped my daughter make 15 dozen today.  My granddaughter Daisy helped for about 30 mins hahaha.   We'll also be having rice & beans to go with the tamales and menudo with all the trimmings.  There will be lots of baked goodies which my grandkids will be baking. 

Merry Christmas Everybody!  

Sunday, December 19, 2010

A Year Of Many Surprises

 I really try to post on this blog whenever I get a chance but sometimes between doing a jigsaw puzzle on the inner net or crocheting on a project time just flies by.  This year is coming to an end so fast that as I sit here and try to remember all that has transpired through the months I am laughing and crying at the same time.  

I just got home after eating brunch with my daughter & her family at their house.   I decided to make 'Pork Chop Picado' my own dish.   I just steam cooked some chops with diced potatoes, bell peppers, onions and some spices.  Since my family cannot eat any food without it being spicy I added Pace picante with a lil flour so it would be a little thick.   My daughter made spanish rice and opened a can of pinto beans, needless to say we had a feast.

I am also trying to finish a crochet project which is a 'Booklet Scarf'.  It is turning out to be very pretty and kind of interesting, since you crochet panels in different colors together as you would for a leaflet.  So far I have taken it apart so many times after running out of yarn and having to start over.  The dilema is that I have so much scrap yarn that isn't enough for a single project.  Im also trying to use up a lot of the many different colors of yarn which I have by using them for different projects.  Just when I think Im  about to finish I find that I don't have enough!!!    I think I have found enough of the right colors to complete this scarf.   I made a really pretty pink scarf for Sophia one of Daisy's friends and she simply could not stop telling me thank you because she loved it.   I would like to start the new year with less clutter by getting rid of most of this  scrap material & use up more of this yarn which I have in different bins and boxes.

It  has been raining all day long it started yesterday thru the night and looks as if it will continue tonight too.  I love this kind of weather and would like to walk outside in the rain like I used too when I was younger, but my bones will not permit it.  I guess your age does make a difference when you get older,  because everything hurts me now lol.

As I get ready for church I can hear the rain, its pouring out there.  I must go tonight because Daisy will be playing the saxphone.  I cannot believe that this is already the last Sunday before Christmas.




Daisy is so cute, she and her best friend Sophia went to a Youth Christmas Party at the church on Friday.  They were told to dress festive for this party and apparently were the only ones who did.  They decided to dress up in tissue paper & bows wearing the traditional red & green colors.  They looked really cute and won the prize....a $5 gift certificate to Star Bucks each.




                                                     Merry Christmas Everybody




Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Happy Birthday Prince Dino

Dino Craig Martin II
The day has finally arrived for my grandson Dino, he will be thirteen years old on Dec. 11, 2010 and will technically be a teenager.  This is very hard on me because Dino is the youngest of my grandchildren and he will no longer be baby Dino.  Ha! Thats what he thinks.  He will always be my baby boy.
 
After much ado going back and forth on whether to have or not he finally agreed to a party with lots of boy games.  There will be a wrestling/boxing ring for the boys to knock each other out (heaven forbid), skate boarding with ramps to see who can do the highest jump or most impressive moves.  There will be a couple of pinatas full of candies to swing at or maybe just good ole candy bags............who knows, this party changes daily so I'll just wait and see what happens.  I really feel kind of sorry for the girls coming to the party, they will either have to sit and watch or join in and take their chances on not getting beat up :p).  I know my granddaughter Destinee will be the first one in that ring just to make the day more exciting.  She is also someone who you don't dare her to not do something because that is exactly what she will do.  Hopefully my daughter has plenty of tape & gauze for all the bruises and cuts these kids might get hahaha.


There will be plenty of food and of course Dino had a say about this too and requested sandwiches or hot dogs.  The menu will be; pulled pork sandwiches with potato salad, chips and dip.  The adults will have salsa with their chips, it seems that a lot of the young people that are coming love hot salsa too.  The whole family on both sides are a bunch of chile chokers :o).  Lemons from our trees on the plantation will be used to make plenty of lemonade and there will also be tea.  The finale will be the birthday cake and that rounds up the menu for the Boy Party  


After a day of shopping with my daughter and buying items to decorate tables without really making it look as if we decorated because as Dino will tell you thats stuff for girls only.   This child is all boy with a mind of his own and will let you know what he likes or doesn't.  He has voiced his opinion on how a boy party should be and that means NO frilly or foofoo stuff. 




While my grandson has grown so much he still likes to be babied by all of us and yes we are all guilty of doing just that.  He loves to play around with his grandpa and loves to tease him knowing he will get scolded and lectured.  He'll  come over to sit and wait for grandpa to wake up or get ready so they can go outside to work out in grandpa's 'gym'.  I can hear them laughing their heads off or arguing with each other and of course he will make sure that grandpa hears what he has to say while grandpa makes sure he knows he's wrong!  They go round & round its too funny because it doesn't seem to faze Dino.  They both have a love for Oldies music which I find so amazing and cute.  










Happy Birthday Baby Dino I love you mucho mucho mas muuaahh ♥