Friday, December 25, 2009

Christmas Present



The Feast



The Pageantry


The Christmas Story








The Jammies






The Zoo

Christmas 2009


And that's a wrap...

Thursday, December 24, 2009

Christmas Greetings


This was 1996. I had the awesome idea that we would have a photgrapher friend of ours come over and take some family photos that we could use for our Christmas card that year.

It would have been great except for one little thing.
Do you see what it is?

Scott's awesome floral headdress.
Every single proof had that floral arrangement sprouting out of his head.
Photo shop wasn't invented yet. Too bad.

Do You See What I See?

The Annual Christmas Pageant is a tradition in our home on Christmas Eve:

Scott as Joseph

No costumes this year for some reason. Baby Seth crawled over and picked up the Baby Jesus.
He wanted to give him a hug.

The Shepherds: Spencer & Shane


Shayla & Sam as Mary & Joseph

Siara, Shanna and Sam: The Very Happy Wiseman

Seth in the very dramatic role of Shepherd: "And he was sore afraid"
Shayla was the angel that year.


Sometimes the Shepherds got into boxing matches

Shane the Ninja Shepherd
 This particular year the youngsters made the point that the angel was a guy,
so in the interest of authenticity, Spencer took on  the role of Angel.

I like to think (hope) that somewhere amongst all the chaos going on those Christmas Eves, our children were learning the story of the Savior's humble beginnings, and getting the idea of what Christmas is really about.

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

A Snoopy Christmas

I'm not big on surprises. Oh, I love to surprise my loved ones for Birthdays or Christmas and sometimes other holidays. I love to keep them guessing and I love to consider the options and choose the perfect gift for someone. And see their delight on Christmas morning.  We've had our share of surprise parties--some that came off as planned, some that didn't. But for myself--I don't like the unknown. I have a need to know. In my younger days I was a little ruthless in my need to know. If I suspected Andy was up to something for my birthday or Christmas, I became a regular Sherlock Holmes. Keeping an eye out for clues. Pressing for details. Searching for evidence. Back then it was "Elementary" because the youngsters were easily persuaded to spill the beans. I could get them to sing like a canary with the gentlest prodding. I found out early on that he kept gifts in the trunk of his car until he had a chance to get one of the kids to wrap them for him. (This reminds me of a little exchange years ago, between my guy and our daughter Siara:
                                Andy: Will you wrap this for me--it's for Mom."
                                Siara: So you want it done nicely?
                                Andy: Well, yeah
                                Siara: That will cost you. Otherwise you will have to do it yourself--you know, the 'Crap Wrap.')

Yes, our children had the Spirit of Christmas giving--but they are also very enterprising. They get that from their father.

So, back to my sleuthing. I usually knew pretty much everything I was getting by Christmas with Andy none the wiser. But, eventually I came to realize it wasn't that fun. I decided I would rather wait for the surprise. I matured a little I guess. So I gave up my wiley ways. From time to time, Andy really outdid himself. One year he bought me a viola. I had played in elementary school and jr. high but never had my own instrument. I had talked about it from time to time and he decided to get one for me. He knew a guy he worked with played the violin so he asked him to go with him to pick out the viola. Then he found out this guy played with a local Chamber Symphony and that they needed viola players. He printed up a nice certificate offering babysitting (I know: they're his own kids--it's not babysitting--but you get the idea) services once a week so I could join this group and get back into music. I was out of the house when he wrapped the viola in a giant box. I didn't ask, but Scott (who was about 4 years old) was eager to tell me: "Mom, I saw Dad wrapping your present. It's a 'broof' case!" (brief case) Scott didn't realize I had turned over a new leaf and would not be pressing them for information any more. But I was intrigued as to why Andy thought I needed a brief case. Maybe he thought it would make a great diaper bag?

So, that was a very nice surprise. I was totally overwhelmed and cried and carried on. And it was sincere and spontaneous because I really didn't know what it was ahead of time. And maybe I was a little relieved it wasn't a 'broof case'.

That brings me to this year. Last Saturday Andy went out to 'run some errands'. When he got back I was out by the trash cans and caught the interchange he had with Shane. Shane was to carry something upstairs and wrap it. Andy handed him money, which he stuffed in his pocket. And then scampered off.
I decided to reign in my need to know, ignored the whole thing and went back to cleaning.

Well, yesterday when Andy got home from work he told me he needed my car to go pick up some things from Home Depot. He wasn't working on any projects that I knew of so I got a little suspicious. When he got home, curiosity overcame my resolve of many years not to be nosy, and I went out to take a peek. There were two big boxes in the garage.
Two toilets.
I really hope that's not a Christmas surprise for me.

Friday, December 18, 2009

My Workout

Back in my Northwest days, I subscribed to the local newspaper: The Oregonian. Each week there was an article featuring a regular, everyday person and their methods/ways/habits of exercising. They could range from the mundane ("I walk around the block every morning--rain or shine") to the inspirational ("I walk around the block every morning--rain or shine even though I have a terrible disease that makes it painful and I can't eat anything with eggs, wheat, milk, nuts, or food in it"). I would often read the paper while I was running/jogging/walking/gasping on the treadmill in the basement of our house and later the garage of the cabin. I was like a little hamster on its wheel: running, running, running and going nowhere. But, unlike the hamster, I could read so I picked up some great workout tips and ideas and was duly inspired to keep going and not give up and sit on the couch and eat potato chips--which is what I really wanted to do.

From time to time, I would imagine what workout tips I could share, what if the Oregonian came to my house and photgraphed me toiling away on my treadmill? I couldn't really think of anything mundane or inspirational. I'm an old, crazy, Mormon Mother of Many--what do I know?

But, since moving to sunny, southern California, I have picked up the pace a little. All this nice weather makes you feel like a slacker if you aren't out in it doing something. Also, I left the treadmill at the cabin so I have to run/jog/walk/gasp up and down the steep hills around my neighborhood. And as luck would have it, the other day I discovered a great tip to share. I'll call it
GET LOST
Here's how it works:

Take off from home for a nice long run. Then just for the sake of variety, take a different route. This works best if you are new to an area and don't know where the heck you are going. Then, I like to get caught up in my thoughts and sort of zone out. I plan out my day, my week, each child's life and before you know it, I've covered a lot of territory. Just let your mind wander in whatever way you like. Then, wait for a horn to honk or a dog to bark. This will bring you out of the reverie and hopefully, you'll find yourself totally lost.

This workout plan is so great because now, you have to find your way home--and not only have you gone miles out of your way, but you have no choice but to cover many extra miles to find your way back home! It's a WIN/WIN! The extra bonus in this workout plan is the adrenalin rush you get from the panic attack--your thundering heart and gasping lungs are burning up all kinds of calories! You'll be amazed at how motivated you are when you are in survival mode. To really make it matter, have a child or two away at some activity so that you have get back to pick them up--now you're working it girl!

Feel free to use my inspirational workout plan. I might even call the Oregonian.

Next week's Workout: Running From Coyotes

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Hoisted By My Own Pitard

A Recent Discussion:
Me: This kitchen is a mess. I'm glad you are all self-sufficient in cooking. Now you need to learn to be self-         sufficient in cleaning up!
General Murmuring: It wasn't me! I didn't do it! I cleaned up my mess.
                               
                      Most of the youngsters disappeared while I turned to survey the pile of dirty dishes in the sink.
                     When I turned around, only Shane was standing there.

Me: Start gathering up the dishes on the island and load them in the dishwasher.

Shane: None of those are mine. I put mine away already.

Me: Well, just do it anyway...

Shane: HEY! I thought "Men should be punished for their own sins and not for 'others' transgressions!"

What was I thinking --teaching them the Articles of Faith--who knew they would one day be turned against me?

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

A Glimpse of Christmas Past

The older five: Shanna, Siara, Scott, Seth and Spencer. It's the Christmas Eve Pajama tradition--only Scott didn't want pjs so he got some awesome elastic cuff jeans.

Christmas 1992
Spencer all decked out for the Holidays
thanks to the decorating skills of his older sisters.

Sunday, December 6, 2009

Here We Come a'Caroling!

I heard this story in the car on the way home from church:
Sam: Shane knocked on my door last night and when I opened it, he was all wrapped in his blue blanket like it was a robe. He started singing, "Silent Night"
Shane: Yeah, I was caroling.
Sam: But he didn't know all the words so I tackled him and threw him down and started choking him.
Shane: So I was gagging and he was saying "Some caroler you are! You don't even know the words." I just wanted some figgy pudding.
So the Christmas spririt comes to the Gale home.

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Addendum


Totally forgot the traditional Gingerbread House activity! Seth is sprinkling the coconut "snow"--that's as close as we get to snow here in SoCal. Do you think Shanna is enjoying the pretend snow?

Happy Birthday Scott!

 It has been awhile since I updated this little family scrapbook on the internet. I like to pop over here from time to time and look at our ...