Love makes ya silly!!!

SCROLL DOWN....I posted a couple topics today.

Yeah....that is the man I married...wearing my Spongebob pajamma bottoms!!! I dared him to do it a couple weeks ago...and the goober did it!! I woke up earlier than he did...and he came downstairs later wearing them and said he was gonna put his boots on and get my Sunday paper. Even the cat seems concerned!! I wonder how long until we are kicked out of housing!!

But, it cracked me up....I love this goof of a man!!

Christmas Morning...

SANTA CAME!!! Gone are the days with little ones squeals that Santa came...but that did not stop one almost 17 year old from waking us up at 5:30am. Actually, the boys did not start waking up at the crack of dawn until they were older...we usually woke them up early on Christmas morning, because we were so excited!!

Elliott made out this year...."Santa" shopped months ago....and was able to find some great deals. He asked for a desktop (computer) with an old Windows operating system (XP)...thankfully Elliott's Christmas lists come with internet links...so I can help Santa find stuff. Because the operating system is obsolete...it was pretty cheap. Elliott was thrilled...he makes videos for gamers, that show how he made it through levels, and this computer will help a lot. I could not wait to call Mason and Arrielle.....I had told Mason the night before to open the gift from Santa first so he could take pictures of them opening their gifts......duh, I had just told them Santa got them a camera!! It was a really nice day...we were homesick, and missed Mace a lot...but we did just fine.

In the afternoon we headed to Susan's.....for Christmas dinner. I made lasagna, like every year. She made prime rib, smashed potatoes, salad and rolls....it was wonderful!! We had fun laughing and then watching 'Four Christmases'. It is always nice to go over there.

We hope Santa was good to you too!!

Christmas Eve......

On Christmas Eve, I always take a picture of the tree after Santa comes. This year I took a few pictures of some ornaments that I really like. Here are two, that are my favorites...and it is how I keep them with us for the holiday. They are small frames that hold pictures of my mom and Lee's dad. We also have pictures of Lee's grandmother and mine. They are usually the last ornaments to go on the tree...

GOT CHRISTMAS????

Do you have a little Christmas in your heart???? I can admit to my Christmas spirit wavering this week....it was down low!! I am usually so full of it too...(Christmas spirit and bullshit...haha). I did not even wear my 25 days of Christmas socks this year, did not buy a bag of Starbucks blend...and did not wear the silly Christmas sweater yet. Then something happened...I got a surprise package in the mail. A package from my girls at the bank. I am so blessed with awesome friends. This package from "my girls" was loaded with love...I spent countless lunches and days full of silliness with these girls and you become a little family. They must have paid attention to everything in the world that I love...from my dearest Deana, a journal to write my thoughts in and a Christmas novel, from my love Karl (aka- Kari) socks and that bag of Starbucks Christmas blend, from lovely Linda, a gift card for Bath and Body Works, for girl stuff, from sexy Shawna, more socks...Santa toe socks, and from my jolly Jessica...a "Diva" wineglass...complete with boobs! It may seem kind of silly, but this package touched my soul, when you move a lot...you know you will take some friends with you on your journey...and this group has been a part of that journey. They were there when my my mom passed away, and stood in for Lee when he was away....these girls (and a couple more... Christine, Susan, Leanne, Beth, Judy) are my posse. These girls make me smile with just a thought. Thanks to all of my friends, just for putting up with me and sending extra love my way when you know I need it.


The pictures....we went to the lighted tractor parade in Ferndale last Sunday. We started the evening with dinner at Susan's...mmmm chili verde...gosh it is so good!! We stood in the rain for the parade, even in the rain it is nice. There is a picture of me, Lee and Elliott. A picture of the lighted Christmas tree at the end of Main street. The night before we went to the parade, we saw a holiday special on HGTV (a special dedicated to holiday lights) that had a piece on the parade...that was awesome.


I hoping to get on in the next couple of days for another post....but in case I do not....

HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL OF YOU IN MY LIFE....I LOVE YOU

Lighted Truckers Parade....

Our tree, with its blue lights...that make me laugh.








It is beginning to feel like Christmas!!! We, as a family have made a lot of our own traditions. With Mason away this Christmas, I was feeling like we would not be able to follow them this year. Yet, we have...just in a new way. It pleases me even more that Mason has taken some Temple traditions along with him in his life with Arrielle. It is kind of hard not to get in the mood for the holidays here. Every weekend, we have had something to do since the beginning of December. We had the Christmas tree lighting and hospitality night in Ferndale...nice time spent with the McCulloch's. Last weekend we had the lighted truckers parade here in Eureka, so we invited our Ferndale friends to join us in the new house. The parade route is really close to housing, so they came here for chili and goodies and then we went to see the parade. Cars get mixed up in this parade, since they do not shut down the streets. We saw a long line of regular cars...and thought the parade was over and started walking home....halfway home, we hear horns and glance over our shoulders...sure enough the parade is still going! It was a nice evening, and I was so happy to show my friends our home.


The week was spent still unpacking....something I think I never fully complete. The house is pretty much functional, and very liveable. As soon as we put up the pictures, it really began to feel like home. We ended up at a couple Coast Guard functions....the holiday party and a social at a local brewery. I cannot say I love Coast Guard functions, but I did enjoy getting to hang out with Lee and meet the people he works with. We were able to see one of our friend Emily's basketball games last night. She plays for Ferndale high, and last night they played against Elliott's high school, Eureka high. It is a rough sport, and pretty interesting...it was fun to watch. This weekend, we plan to hit the movies for our annual Christmas movie...we are seeing The Christmas Carol...we have held this tradition since the kids were pretty small. Tomorrow, is the lighted tractor parade in Ferndale....I am loading up the camera with new batteries, so I do not miss any pictures!


Remember, keep those traditions alive...yeah sometimes you need to tweak them here and there...but the best part of the tradition is the memories of it!!!

Three years ago today....

Three years ago today, at very close to this exact time of day....I had my last conversation with my Mom.


When my mom was put on Hospice care, I spent every day I could there with her and Dad....I spent December 13th, 2006 with her. She sat quietly on her bed, eyes glassy from the medications she was getting...I sat on the couch, filling out Christmas cards, just letting her know I was there. Funny thing...my mom taught me to watch soaps, and we were watching General Hospital that afternoon. It was uncomfortable for her to lay down, so she sat up...and I went to her. I sat down on the loveseat we had placed next to her bed. I grabbed her hand and asked her "Do you know how much I love you??"...she smiled a little smile and told me "I know, and I love you too." My mom was trying to hold on...she did not want to mess up Christmas for her grandkids, and I knew it. Ever since I was a teenager, my mom and I talked about the right to die with your dignity intact. I then told her, with tears in my eyes..."You do not have to hold on...I will do everything I can to get you where you need to go"...she was quiet and told me again, that she knew. I told her "You are Christmas to this family, and you will always be our Christmas angel". It was getting a little deep and I could tell she was a little uncomfortable. Then, in true Jeanine and Nita fashion (you see....we tried to laugh in the face of death...we even got shushed at a chemo appointment..apparently you are supposed to be quiet for that...who knew!)...I looked at the tv, at a scene on General Hospital and told my mom "If my college professors looked like that I would have stayed in college" and giggled, mom did too and replied with a smile "me too!". My mom was napping when I left that evening...I hope she heard again how much I loved her. Mike stopped by that evening too...and told her how much he loved her too.


The next morning, my beautiful mom passed away....sitting in her favorite spot on the couch. I was just an exit away, on my way to her.... when Brett called me.

What a week.........

Ok...so I should be unpacking.....but I thought I would sneak on to the computer and give a quick update. What a week....I am feeling like it was worth the wait. Lee was in Seattle all week...hence the awesome picture of Mason and Arrielle at the park next to the Bremerton ferry terminal. I checked into the house at 9am on Tuesday morning....and unloaded some of the things in the truck that had been in there since we left Port Orchard. By 7 that evening, we (Elliott and I) had allof our things from the temp house over here. The next morning, Wednesday, at a little after 9...the truck carrying all our stuff pulled up. I let Elliott stay home from school, to help me direct traffic as the boxes came in. They had everythiing in the house by 4. The first thing I did was make my bed, I have thought about our bed since we moved. My bed is set up like a "Heavenly Bed", that was in a hotel we stayed at. It is like a big fluffy white cloud, with a feather bed and 2 down comforters...I love it. I slept like a log that night! Thursday, I checked out of the temp house and set to unpack some boxes. We have more room than we have ever had, so there is a new place for everything...I feel like I walk a mile a day without ever leaving the house. Friday, I unpacked the kitchen as much as I could and waited for the cable guy to come...to install cable tv and internet. Saturday, I unpacked enough that there is a wall of boxes filled with paper in the hallway to the garage. We still have a long way to go, with the unpacking. We have not had much casualties yet, except for my entertainment center top, and the clock on my beloved Capresso coffee maker. Yet, having the top off the entertainment center makes the tv look bigger, and my coffee maker still makes great coffee. I can hear AC/DC playing in the garage, as Lee configures his man cave...cave is the perfect word too...it is freezing out there. Elliott is in his room...the first to be completely unpacked, working on homework. I think I will head downstairs to my own personal coffee bar (where my Keurig and Capresso coffee makers hold court) for another cup of coffee...we are headed to Ferndale tonight for the annual Christmas tree lighting.