Christmas Pictures

I just now edited the pictures from Christmas. If you are on Facebook you've seen these already, but in order to but them on Blogger, I have to downsize the pixels.

Christmas is packed away

We spent yesterday evening packing up the Christmas tree and decorations and when it's all gone the house looks so empty. I always hate packing it up because it means that I have to help Neil push the HEAVY boxes up the latter to the attic. Last time I was in the attic, I hurt my back. Bad memories!
We truly enjoyed Christmas this year. We spent Christmas Eve at our house with my family, lots of food, and game playing. The guest list included Mom, Jess, Geena, Chelsea, Robert and Melissa, Bev , JonJon, and Grandpa Ron. We were missing quite a few this year and we missed them. I did about half of the cooking the day before so I would have time to get ready, shower and put on makeup, for the day. Christmas day was spent quietly at home. Grandpa Ron came over in the morning for breakfast, then we had a visit by Lyndee who stayed and played for a couple of hours. It was the most peaceful Christmas I've had in many years.
The kids favorite gift this year was the Nintendo DS games that Neil and I got for them. They received many gift cards and money and the day after Christmas they spent their money on more DS games. Thank you everyone for all of the generous gifts you bestowed upon us this year. We were blessed with an abundance of love.
The kids go back to school tomorrow, I go off to work for my Dad, and Neil will return to work after a 4 day hiatus. We enjoyed our time off but we are ready to go back to work!

Christmas Time

Wow. It's been a while since I blogged so I figured I better get busy. Tonight Neil and I went to his annual PD Christmas party. This year Neil and I were both involved in setting up, donating items for the auction and raffle as well as Neil being the M.C. It turned out very nice and we had a great picture taken of the two of us. It only happens once a year.
The kids had a good time decorating the tree but got tired of hanging ornaments about half way through so that's how many went up. It was all them this year.

Family Group Pictures

While we were at mom's party, the Rydalch Family and the Mangini/Fonbuena Family posed for family photos. We also took a picture with all of the 1st cousins who attended, old and young.

Cousin Bev

This is Beverly on Christmas Eve. This is a once in a lifetime photo opp. Bev hates having her picture taken. She's never told me why, but I think it has to do with her face, because she's always trying to cover it up.

So when we have a chance we like to snap them. Robert, Bev's one and only child, likes to play along. Poor cousin has no idea what we are doing.

She's paying attention to Alex and Samantha, the perfect little angels in her life, and doesn't notice what fun her son is having. It looks like her daughter-in-law Melissa is getting a kick out of this too.

Neils just had enough of the games....so he'll have more wine! (we had a wonderful dinner before pictures, prepared by Melissa, then opened presents.)

Oh this is Ladies Night

We got a new Karaoke machine for Christmas from my Dad (Grandpa Gini)so after dinner, we were gettin' down. Even Al was joinin' in the jams. As you can see, there's Kellie, my mom (Robyn), Geena (my youngest sister), Hollie (middle sister), Samantha and Lyndee and of course, Alex amongst all the women. He likes it that way. He loves girls!!

Christmas Day 2007

Here is a slide show of Christmas Day 2007

Christmas morning started around 7:45am, not to early to my delight! Samantha woke before Alex so we told her to go wake him up. Santa delivered a shiny red and silver scooter to Samantha and a Little Tikes drum set for Alex. (And they've played with them everyday since Christmas). We opened more presents, took a break for breakfast which was eggs, bacon, fresh pineapple and blueberries, pastries and eggnog. Then back to presents. Lyndee joined us for breakfast and to play with toys for a few hours before she went with Grandpa Bill to see some family. It seems the "theme" of this years presents was music. Drum sets, keyboards, tambourines, maracas, karaoke machines and MP3 players were some of the many gifts they kids received. Our house is filled with music and singing (I've had to go to my room a few times) and they are constantly putting on concerts for any who will listen. Thank you to all of our family who made the kids, and our, Christmas extra special.

Christmas with the Mangini's

We visited Dad and Rose in Stockton on Sunday for a family get together. We arrived around 3pm with the kids and presents in tow and were delighted to see Rose had decorated her house so cute. There was a beautifully arranged front porch with fresh wreaths on the door, a huge decorated tree, and many animated, singing creatures! My Grandma June and Cousin Bev would have loved it. The best animated creature of all was a life sized Santa Claus that they bought for $50 at an after-Christmas sale. When we walked in the door Santa started talking to Alex and Samantha! Alex's eyes lit up when Santa told him he heard he had been naughty and broke his curtain rod! Grandpa Gini had fun with the remote in the other room. Santa gave Neil the creeps and he had nightmares. I heard him talking in his sleep last night saying, "Drop the presents Santa or I'll shoot!" (Just kidding). We did a white elephant gift exchange and I think the funniest gift was a jar of pickles and a glass pickle ornament. Alex kept ending up with "girl" gifts but was a good sport. It was a very cozy gathering and I enjoyed visiting with Rose's kids, Andrea and Rose, Jr.
(Samantha and Alex with Rose, Jr.)

(Alex with Rose, Jr. and Rose's grandaughter Haley)

All I want for Christmas is...

A new stove!! Neil came home last night from what I thought was a quick trip to OSH for a new filter and light cover for the range hood. I'm sitting at the computer and I hear some racket behind me. It's Neil carrying a big box with a new stainless steel hood. He explained that because our stove was so old they didn't make that filter size anymore so he had to by a new hood. And he picked stainless steel because he thought it would look nice....and he thought it would look good with the new stove that was sitting in the back of his truck! WHAT!! So, I'm so surprised but my first thoughts are "How much money was this new stove, and we still need to pay our property tax." But keeping my comments to my self, I excitedly go outside to see my beautiful new flat top stove. And as the story unfolds from Neil, come to find out it was a mad deal. Now I'm in love. Not only with my stove, but with my husband as well. Because you see folks, he's been eyeballing a new TV for the front room. I'm talking every night online researching what he wants. But he overhears me complaining in the kitchen yesterday about the burners on my stove being off balanced. That's what marriage is all about. And Neil has been like this from day one of our almost 9 years. He is so unselfish and loving to me. I love you Babe and thank you for my fabulous Christmas gift!!

Neil's Christmas Party

Last night Neil and I attended the TAPO Christmas Party. The Senior Center was decorated beautifully with bright pink, green and blue bulbs, lights and candles. We had a yummy country style dinner of tritip and chicken, then enjoyed a raffle and auction. Neil had worked hard soliciting donations for the party all month. He acquired a case of Crown Royal, 2 kegs of Beer, and a $200 bottle of Grand Patron Plantinum tequila (all for free)from a friend of his that owns a liquor store in town. It was the big hit of the evening. I donated a gift basket filled with my caramels, caramel popcorn and peppermint bark for the auction. It went for $80 dollars!! It was a nice evening without the kids. They went to Lyndee's grandpa Bill's house and were very well behaved.

(This is our 2006 Christmas Party. Notice the change of hair for Neil and I)

Partys and Performances

Today Samantha and Lyndee(our part time kid) had their class performance. They sang 2 songs, Deck the Halls and Must Be Santa. I had bought them matching red turtle necks and Santa hats so they could be nice a festive. Neil went and made a video of the second song (the camera wouldn't work for the 1st). I missed it by having to take Alex to school at 9. They had a class party later in the day and ate lots of pizza, cake, soda and bread sticks. Alex's preschool class had a visit from Santa. He asked Santa for a motorcycle (again), and a scooter. I took him shopping to pick out a present for his 2 teachers, Grandma Julie and Ms.Diana. He picked out socks. When I picked him up from school, the teachers had their socks on. Julie said Alex had asked them to open their gifts, then he said, "You know why I bought you these socks? Because I love you so much!" Oh melt my heart with tender love!!! Sometimes I just want to freeze his cuteness and keep him this way forever.

My Grandma, EvaDean Last Rydalch, Part One

I wanted to create a post that was dedicated to the wonderful memories of my Grandma Rydalch. Dec. 20th is the 5 year anniversary of her passing. What a huge loss for our family. I still tear up when I think about it. She was the light of our family and Grandpa was the foundation. So now I'll share some of my thoughts with you. I will add to this post as I remember more.
Grandma taught me to sew when I was 8. My first project on her sewing machine was a pillow. I can still smell the oil from the machine and the nuts stored in the freezer in her sewing/ironing/storing room. I loved to go through the big drawer that stored all of her patterns. Most were dresses, pajamas and Jenny's. Every year she would make us girls a new church dress for Christmas. It always made me feel so special.
Some of my favorite food items that Grandma made were divinity with walnuts, whole wheat bread and pancakes with critters in them! We all know Grandma wasn't much of a chief and she would always come up with something "creative" with ingredients on hand. Whenever we had a meal, we would kneel down by our chairs and have prayer. It was always so uncomfortable to little knees. As Grandma and Grandpa got older, they stopped kneeling by their chairs, and I think we kids were just a little grateful.
We had some of the best family party's at G&G house. Birthdays, holidays and Christmas were always celebrated at their home. This time of year, I miss having those gatherings in their home. Christmas carols and hymns, the nativity story and enactment, opening presents, and visiting with one another.
I love you so much Grandma and your memories will always be with me...Love, your oldest Granddaughter.

Dear Santa,

Dear Santa
I want a motorcycle and a race car and a hot wheel toy. And I want a big monster truck that's real. And Oh, a real bird. Thank you Santa.
Love, Alex


Dear Santa,
I want an Iphone and a Wii and a Gameboy. I want a pony that I can ride. I want a scooter!! I hope you like our cookies that we make you.
Love, Samantha

Dear Santa,
I want an Ipod and an Iphone and a scooter, the game Twister. Thank you for all the presents that you give us. I hope you like the milk and cookies we give you on Christmas night.
Love, Lyndee

Headline: Grandfather Left to sit for hours at Airport..

due to his son forgetting which day he was flying in! Grandpa Ron came to visit us in sunny California last Tues. and stay with us until Sunday evening. We had a wonderful time visiting and seeing the local sites. Grandpa was even able to attend Alex's Santa Celebration, visit with Cousin Bev, and take the kids Christmas shopping. Samantha picked out a pair of purple roller blades (which she has practiced using every day since acquiring them) and a family game set. Alex choose an electric guitar and bathtub shaving set so he can shave his head like is Dad's.


(Alex and the girls squatting by Santa Claus)

Alex's Preschool Santa Celebration

Today was Alex's nursery school's Santa Celebration. It was held at the War Memorial Building which shares a parking lot with the PD. It's a fun filled 2 hours of cookies, hot chocolate, Santa Claus, face painting, storytelling, ornament painting and the grand finale is a performance by the preschoolers. Neil and I went along with Cousin Bev, Grandpa Ron, Samantha, Lyndee and the star of the show, Alex. Alex has been practicing his songs all month long and he did not disappoint!! He stopped singing 3 times to tell me he had the hiccups, he hand paint on his hands and that he didn't want to sing anymore.

Is Christmas in the morning...

Is what Alex asks me everyday. So I tell him exactly how many days until Christmas morning. The other day it was 20 days. When I told him, their was a long pause before he said, "Whoa, that's a long time." He is starting to grasp the concept of time and days. He was describing something that happened to him "on the second night" meaning 2 nights ago and he is adamant that Christmas is in the evening because he's been hearing Christmas Eve.

This is a picture in front of our tree. Alex, Samantha and Lyndee our part-kid.