Saturday, December 31, 2011

reflecting

2011 has come to an end....

It was a great 2011!!
I'm so proud of my Bam, Fifi, Sweetheart, and Cookie for all the accomplishments they've achieved this year.
The future is very promising for them.
I'm happy to have started this mommy blog. 
We started the blog in the summer of 2011 with just a few words.
Now my children and I enjoy taking photos, documenting, archiving and editing.
(hopefully in 2012 we will be more timely in posting)
We look forward to sharing more this coming year.
Happy New Year NEW MEXICO (ABQ, Vanderwagen)
Happy New Year NEW YORK CITY, (Dobbs Ferry) USA


Happy New Year WORLD.......

PEACE, GOOD WILL, PROSPERITY and LOVE for ALL


Happy New Year RUSSIA


Happy New Year GERMANY


Happy New Year LATVIA


Happy New Year UNITED KINGDOM


Happy New Year MALAYSIA


Happy New Year AUSTRALIA


Happy New Year FRANCE


Happy New Year GREECE


Happy New Year CHINA


Happy New Year FINLAND


Happy New Year SOUTH AFRICA

REMEMBER....
Happy 2012

Friday, December 30, 2011

we're sure going to miss you......

The time has come.
Time to take down the Christmas decorations.
It's not really a day we look forward to, but realize it must be done.
If only we could keep the decoration up year 'round.
Now that's a grand thought!
If only.......

Bye Santa.........(sniff sniff)

Thursday, December 29, 2011

angry birds in the attic

What's that noise?!

chirp!

chirp!

chirp!

It's an angry bird stuck in the attic!!!
........or we need to change the battery in the smoke detector.

We headed to the local Home Depot where we'll find just about anything to fix just about everything.
(and if all else fails they sell hammers)


After coming in for batteries, we leave with light bulbs and a lamp replacement kit.
The upcoming new year brings a new start for all.
The lamp that has been sitting around broken for a few months will be fixed today.
It's a good day for home improvement..............and less angry birds!

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Hágoónee'

After a few days at Cheii's and Nana's house.
 And after hours of laughter and fun, we are on our way home today.
We'll miss them very much.
We leave with tons of fun memories in the SNOW and mud.
But before we got on the road we had an early "family" dinner with Nana and Cheii in Gallup.

"Have a safe trip.........awwwk" 
We saw this hawk on the speed limit sign.
Cookie thought that even the hawk wanted to bid us farewell.

Awesome..... 

We had a great dinner in Gallup. 
The following photos are what we see on the way back to ABQ.


En route via East I-40 just past Continental Divide, NM.


Near Grants, NM with Mt. Taylor in the distance.


Just past To'hajiilee, NM


The photo above is our last glimpse of SNOW. It is also an optical illusion. 
It appears I'm taking the photo out of the drivers window.
But in fact it's Bam taking a photo out of the passenger window into the reflection of the mirror.
He entitles this photo Hágoónee' 
 (I really like this perspective)


Here we are with the Sandia Mountains in the distant coming towards nine mile hill.
As you can see, the SNOW is almost non existent. 


We're in Albuquerque now and the sunset is as beautiful as ever.
We are safe and sound at home now. 

.......with a few snowballs in the freezer.
(hehehe)

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Cheii & Nana's little helpers

The children started the day early this morning.
Cheii's early morning helper

Bam helped Cheii with his morning tasks.
While the girls and I helped Nana in the house with her tasks.
Then Sweetheart hears the Rooster crowing outside.
She says that the Rooster is calling her.................to read to him! 

Sweetheart says Rooster's favorite book is
 A Wrinkle in Time and Charlotte's Web.

 "After all," says Sweetheart, "he doesn't have proper hands to turn the pages of a book. 
It's the right thing to do." Sweetheart so cleverly announces as she heads to the rooster's house.

Can a Rooster be a bookworm??

By the time noon rolled around, we were all ready for lunch.
Nana made a delicious veggie stew, fresh fry bread with hot coffee and hot cocoa for the kids.

I can smell it now! Can you???

After lunch, the kids tried to get in what ever SNOW play time they could before it melted.
And it was MELTING quickly........

Chasing and racing 
Sir Kyle in his winter parka

Even Sir Kyle enjoyed the SNOW while looking for his little friend Skippy John Jones.

As the SNOW began to melt rapidly......
Cookie decided to shovel the slush that had accumulated on the walk way.
The end result was a very muddy but happy child.

What do you call a mud covered Cookie?
A muddy buddy!!
We all enjoyed a good laugh.
Happy Memories.
Good times, good times...........

Monday, December 26, 2011

Boxing Day on the ranch

We're hitting the road this Boxing Day.

We've decided to visit Nana and Cheii in Vanderwagen, NM.
We left our NON-SNOW region of NM to the pleasant SNOW covered grounds of the four-corners.

Breathe taking......

The children were thrilled with the first sightings of SNOW against the Red Rocks as we entered Gallup.
When we arrived at Cheii and Nana's house there was more SNOW!
Cheii said they had significantly more SNOW earlier this week.
We were glad to play in any amount of it!

hear the snow crunch......

The kids had a great time sledding

Princess Fifi and Nana's lil' dog, Skippy John Jones, both
enjoying a ride on the sled

 snow bright, snow sprite, first snow I see tonight......

It was very refreshing to get outside with the kids in the snow on a beautiful winter day.
Cheii enjoyed pulling the kids around on the sled.
Nana and I enjoyed catching up on our conversations.

Is that a bear out of hybernation???
No.....
that's just Blacky
We enjoyed our Boxing Day on the ranch.
Best wishes at your celebration for "Father Christmas," from all of us!

Sunday, December 25, 2011

silver bells

Theses are a few of my favorite "Christmas" things:
Bam playing Christmas songs on his keyboard
Fifi painting on canvas a beautiful dream
Sweetheart dancing the dance of the sugar plum fairy
Cookie singing with full heart and soul
Even our Christmas tree is smiling and shining brightly and proudly upon my FAMILY.......

PEACE, LOVE and HAPPINESS 
from our hearts to yours
--Merry Christmas--

Saturday, December 24, 2011

it's the most wonderful time of the year.......

T'was Christmas Eve.....
We've set our luminarias out along our walkway, driveway and sidewalk.

.....this is Christmas Eve on Nob Hill
 
In case you're wondering.....
Luminarias or farolitos are brown paper bags weighed down with sand or gravel and lit with a small votive candle or tea light candle.

 On Christmas Eve our neighborhood is aglow with glimmer and flicker.

They're so beautiful to walk among....

We enjoyed our evening walk among thousands of luminarias in our neighborhood.

Lighting up the way......

Runway spectacular
this is definitely something everyone should experience.... a New Mexico Christmas Eve.

After our walk, we made cookies and sweets for family, friends and SANTA. (of course)
If only you could smell our home.
Mmmm......

If you've tried to call us, you probably couldn't get through.......our apologies.
The children are on the phone with NORAD.
(North American Aerospace Defense Command)
Every year since I can remember NORAD has been tracking Santa's flight around the world.
We check via the internet as well as many calls to NORAD in Peterson AFB (Airforce Base) in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
When you call the Santa number a volunteer military personale will let you know exactly where the military satellites and NASA are spotting Santa's sleigh.
Pretty fun and exciting for us.........

In anticipation, Bam, Fifi, Sweetheart and Cookie set out milk, a piece of Navajo fry bread and cookies for Santa. They also left fresh carrots, celery and strawberries for the reindeers too.


Our choice bedtime story tonight is ......T'was The Night Before Christmas.
(loving tradition!!)
HAPPY CHRISTMAS EVE to all.............and to all a good night.

Friday, December 23, 2011

razzle dazzle

This evening we enjoyed the Christmas light displays in and around our neighborhood.
By far the most exciting home is the Speake family home.
This family puts on the most EPIC lighting displays annually.
You can tune your car radio into their frequency to hear the music that goes along with the lighting display.
Check it out.....


Thank you, Speake family, for taking the time to make our holiday more magical.
You inspire us......

Thursday, December 22, 2011

a haunting Christmas night

We're reading the ultimate Christmas ghost story A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens.
The classic tale, from 1843, of Mr. Scrooge who is visited by the spirits of Past, Present and Future.
This is among one of our favorite family holiday books to read aloud together.

"I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future. The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me. I will not shut out the lessons that they teach. Oh, tell me I may sponge away the writing on this stone!"

My children understand that the true joy of the Christmas season is in giving.
You're never too young to understanding and learn what A Christmas Carol teaches about regret, greed, suffering, and misfortunate; along with charity, salvation and appreciation.
"Mr. Scrooge regrets the pain and sorrow he left upon others yet can now reflect with peace only after learning and understanding the full scope of his life's path." explains Bam to his sister.

"No one is useless in this world who lightens the burden of it to anyone else."
"We forge the chains we wear in life."


Absolute words to live by.......

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself.....

We got up very early this morning; in anticipation.....
We got everything sorted, lined and ready:
Dress up shirt ironed
Dresses steamed
Curlers set
flattening iron on
fancy shoes and tights found
hair gel, hair spray, ribbons, bows, earrings, necklaces 
and LISTS in hand.......

Any guess on where we're headed today???
Can you spot him???

The day is here..........
The day we get our annual holiday portrait with SANTA.
--------
We got up bright and early and hit the mall at the opening hour.
With our attempts to beat the crowd, we were astonished to see the Santa line was already long.
Two hour wait???
Yes! Two hours!!
--That's GREAT
We're happy to have ONLY a two hour wait to see the "Big Guy".
We're prepared for the long haul
In one bag I've made child sized breakfast burritos, juice boxes, crackers, cheese, granola, bottled water and plenty of napkins.
In my other bag I was armed with chap stick, lip gloss, hair spray, hair brush, hair pins, baby wipes, anti static spray, lint roller, hand sanitizer and cellphone.

"Wait, the line is moving!! Ohhhhh.....I think SANTA sees us!" exclaims Cookie as Santa smiles in our direction.
His eyes--how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
"I've been very well-behaved, helpful, friendly and kind all year long. But I don't need to tell you that! You already know....." Sweetheart bashfully announces to Santa.

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

what a blessing.......

This evening we attended our first New Mexican Posada. 
A Posada is a special Christmas mass held in a private residence honoring the journey of Mary and Joseph.

Tonight's Mass was officiated by Monsignor Olona

 Christmas music provided ambiance for the night

The Vigil family provided their beautiful and spacious home for the Posada.

Yummy cookies and biscochittos anyone???

After mass, the Vigils invited everyone to stay for a meal and dessert.
But among the veggie platter, the finger food and the chips and dip they had some New Mexican favorites like.......

Tortillas

Green chile stew 

Red chile carne adovada 

Super HOT green chile

Homemade tamales

With full bellies followed goodwill and cheer among the guests as they gathered about the house. 

The grown ups gathered around the table
to talk about their children and grandchildren

Others gathered in the living room for after dessert banter

Friends new and old were made

La tournament of ping pong was held in the garage 

 after dinner poker?!

Smiling faces proves to be contagious

Tonight we met some charming and lovely people while sharing prayer, song, great food and sweet biscochittos. 


We give the Vigil family many accolades for the beautiful Posada.
Thank you for sharing the special evening with us.

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