Christmas and more........

Christmas this year was pretty quiet. We missed Grandpa Drew and Grandpa Cameron and Christmas wasn't be the same without them. Our usual Christmas Eve at the Allens was postponed due to Marilyns being in the hospital with the swine flu. We felt so bad for her....SO, we spent a quiet evening with Grandma Cameron (my mom) watching Christmas videos and eating pizza. With Jenny and Jon both gone, Josh is indulged in just a bit more these days. The older ones say he is "spoiled"....as well it should be since he's stuck with us!!(hee hee)

I LOVE my new nativity!! Last year Audrey from work gave me the shepherd and animals from a set she had extra of...and this year she and my boss Carollee gave me the rest of the set for Christmas!! I put it in the entryway for everyone to see:)

Every year on the first of December, I set up a little tree in the corner of the living room with 25 wrapped books. Then, each day of December we count down by opening a book and reading it each night. The kids would always take turns, but the past few years, Josh gets to do it every day. I add a new book (or 2) every year. We have over 50 Christmas books that we love to read!

We went to Thorntons to get our tree....Josh is the lucky one to cut it down by himself now.

We talked for about 45 minutes to our favorite missionary....he's doing great!! Said he's gained like 15 pounds and when asked how many ties he has, he told me he has 2 more than the tie rack we sent him for Christmas (that holds 24 ties...hence 26 ties are in his collection). He was having a "white" Christmas, but nothing like Arctic Blast 2008 which we had LAST Christmas here at home!! He's loving the work and just hearing his voice made my heart HAPPY!! Though, he did say I was probably the only mom who hung up on her missionary when he called.....(when I was trying to take the phone off of loudspeaker because he couldn't hear us I accidentally hung it up...OUCH!!)

One of Josh's presents was this memory box I made for him from his cub scout days...

I'm supposed to look like I'm exercising with my new wii fit board. Instead I look like I'm cheering....either way, I was very excited to get it!!

Josh is STILL giving it his best shot....and one of these days he WILL beat his Dad at arm wrestling. Keep trying Josh....you'll be there in no time!!

I couldn't resist this picture of Mom and I with our sock feet! We are so in style!!

MY brother Ron and his kids (Ashley was there too...but left before this picture) and girlfriend Tami came for Christmas dinner.......It was a very nice day. .....I'm so thankful for my family.

Traditions

(Disclaimer...dates on pictures are WRONG!!)
Most families have traditions....ours is no different. Granted, as we get older we end up adapting our traditions a bit, but we are creatures of habit and we like doing the same things over and over, year after year.When all the kids lived at home they each took piano lessons. After dinner I would say..."whoever plays piano doesn't have to clear the table!!" So...they fought over who would play and I would hear beautiful music while the others cleared the table. Since Josh really doesn't play anymore, when Jenny and Logan came home for Thanksgiving last week, I told her if she played the piano she didn't need to help clear the table. Hence....this tradition lives on:)
Grandma and Grandpa Cameron always come over for special occasions and even though Grandpa isn't with us anymore, Grandma was here for our special Thanksgiving dinner.
We're a funny family.....When we gather together for holidays we have this "thing" about taking pictures of us all gathered around the table before we eat our food...except of course, I'm usually NOT in the picture because I'm taking it. A tradition we will look back on fondly and wonder WHY we've gained so much weight (do you see all the food we're about to eat???)
And then of course....my ongoing tradition with my longest and dearest friend Melanie....we don ourselves in matching sweaters and get up before dawn the day after Thanksgiving. One of our traditions is that we get someone to take our picture while we're shopping. We usually find one of our friends to take it...or we've been known to ask complete strangers too. They're happy to do it because everyone thinks we're so much fun to dress alike. Actually, one reason we do it is so we can find each other in the crowds:) This tradition has gone on for 23 years.
Each year we have always tried to do some fun things with the kids during the Christmas season....whether it's going to see the light displays at PIR... going on a night tour of Fort Vancouver or touring the Victorian mansion in Portland.....we kept the tradition alive this year by attending the tree lighting in downtown Vancouver. We had never done this before...so it was a treat!! Jenny, Logan, Josh and I had fun out in the "cold" waiting for Santa to arrive:)On the kids last night at home we went to Zoo Lights at the Oregon Zoo. It was BEAUTIFUL!! Jenny sang there during her high school choir years, but the rest of us had never gone. I'm so glad we did it together this year. We even rode the Zoo train to see the over 1 million lights displayed. We'll have to go again when Jon gets home from his mission:)

So you see.....I love the traditions we've created over the years!! We may be getting older.... but I will never tire of the traditions that bring us together as a family:)

End of the Season

Another marching band season is finished....we had a great year!! This was one of the best show's we've had (I think I say that every year). Enjoy some pictures of our season....and then follow the link to watch our show...(my sister has been bugging me about this) You can watch several of our performances to see how the show progressed. Go to www.ehsboosters.com and click on one of the video links. The championship finals one has a great view from above, though it starts a bit into the show. You can watch it full screen by clicking the little flag looking box under the video. The other videos are closer up. I am in AWE of these kids to be able to play music and march like this...it's incredible. Josh worked so hard this year!! Way to go Josh!!
Lining up for preliminary competition.
Bollywood.... cast of many colors (don't you love the Taj Mahal?)
The band all ready to start...most are behind the curtains.
Weaving in and out of the arches:)
Josh warming up in the tents with a cup of hot chocolate at Championships. It was a very wet day!!
On Halloween Day some of the kids dressed up between performances....Josh included. Date on pic is wrong....it really was Halloween!
Warming up the same day. By the way we came in 2nd at Championships!! Like I said ....a great year!!

"Bollywood"

We are in the throws of Marching Band season!! It's quickly coming to a close though. This is honestly the best show our band has had in the 6 years Jon and Josh have been in band. The music is great and there's a little bit of everything going on in the show. Josh is in the middle ....
Here he is enjoying himself at one of our football games.......
This year I've been helping out with the merchandise table, along with my friends Michelle and Diane. We roomed together on the DC trip. We like to be silly! Notice the green board in the back of them...it has prices of our merchandise.....
Well....I couldn't take it. I took the poster home and made it into a REAL poster. Granted I went a little crazy, but it was fun to do. This weekend is The McKenzie Classic....the competition our band puts on every year..... where we raise the most money for our band. I'm really looking forward to it. 2 weeks and it will all be over.....championships at Oregon State University. For now, I'm loving every minute!! GO EVERGREEN!!!!!!!

Ode to a Handyman

What can I say....except that my man is SO smart!! There is very little that he cannot do. He can build houses, fix cars, put in water lines, soder pipes...you name it he does it. Granted there are some things he just can't do, but most things he can. Every major appliance in our house has gone out one time or another in our
26 years of marriage....and he puts on his thinking cap and fixes them. Just this past week our Dyson vacuum started making this horrendous noise. I tried to figure it out. Couldn't do it. So, I tell my handyman when he gets home and VOILA....he takes it apart and finds a little roller that guides the belt has fallen out. THEN....a few days later, I'm doing laundry and feel water on my feet. The washing machine is leaking. Having only the manual, which doesn't have a schematic of the thing....he gets on the internet and finds it. Then he proceeds to eliminate what it could be until he finds the defective part. Part ordered....machine repaired. JUST LIKE THAT!! He never learned things like this from his Dad....but he is very quick to teach our boys...they work beside him so they can learn. I hope that you are as blessed as I am to have your own "handyman"....

Going Back

Today was a day for going back.....for all of us. Joshua started his Sophmore year.....WOW!! Time is flying by so fast! When did he grow up? He loved his first day back, although this morning on our white board he wrote the word "school" and then drew a circle around it with a slash mark through it. I'm glad he enjoyed being back to school. Josh went back to BAND CAMP in August and he is LOVING it! The show this year is titled "Bollywood"....it is wonderful!! The kids are doing a GREAT job and I can't wait for all the props and everything to be finished. It is SO MUCH work....he told me that today's practice after school was one of the toughest practices he's ever had. When you see the show you will know why....it is AWESOME!!

Not only did Josh go back....but Richard went back to work after a month off because of his surgery. I know he's glad to get back to normal, but he will miss being home.
And last of all....I went back to work myself. I'm working at a different location this year, same job, same teacher, just a different school.

Going back is actually moving forward, because let's face it.....life is too short to stay the same. We move on...we go back...we learn, we grow, we progress. It's the way life is!!

Week-end Get Away

The summer is nearly ended and with so much going on in our lives......we needed to get away. Richard is starting to feel like his old self again. We decided to go to Longbeach for the weekend. On the way to the beach we stopped in Astoria OR at the Maritime Museum. Did you know that where the Columbia River meets the Pacific Ocean it is known as "The graveyard of the Pacific"?? Over 2,000 ships have sank and over 700 men have died because of the dangerous conditions that exist on the bar.
We toured the Coast Guard vessel "Columbia" which has been decommissioned. Here is Josh laying in one of the 17 bunks used by the crew. Very tight space.
When we got to Longbeach on Friday afternoon....it was RAINING of all things!! It was long enough for Josh to do his favorite thing....DIG!!
Today it was nice enough he got to DIG some more. He played in the water and built big piles of sand to stand on when the waves came in.
At one point we counted 13 horses along the surf. We had a wonderful afternoon flying the kite and playing frisbee. Later in the day we rented a surrey, a double sided bike that looked like a cart. (camera died so no pics) Josh and I peddled all over the trail next to the boardwalk, and we met Richard for ice cream cones. He waited for us while we were riding. Josh and I raced go carts, the 3 of us played minature golf, we had clam chowder, Josh and I went on the bumper cars and bumper boats.....and if that's not all we ended up the day digging MORE on the beach while we watched the most beautiful sunset!!! THEN....we went swimming in the pool and lounged in the biggest outdoor hot tub you have ever seen.....and we just finished watching Wall E and eating popcorn. I think I'll sleep GOOD tonight:)

My Dad 1933-2009

The past 3 weeks have been filled with family time as we gathered around Dad during his last bit of time on earth. During my 52 years I have always had both of my parents with me, so it will be an adjustment period for sure. After 13 days with Dad in the hospital, I left to go to another hospital with Richard as he had back surgery in Portland the same day Dad passed away. Richard is now slowly recovering and I'm getting rested up for school to start in a few weeks. For now, here is my picture tribute to my Dad....David John Drew.
Senior picture from Vancouver High School 1951
Amateur radio operator since 1956.... W7DPW ..... The airwaves won't be the same without him!! He spent much of his life communicating with others around the world.
Four generation picture with Grandma Drew, Jenny and I in 1986
With Jon just before he went to college.
Dad in his favorite spot in the house besides his radio room....HIS CHAIR.
With Jenny on one of her visits home after she got married.
Dad loved to take drives....here he is at Mt. St. Helens Josh's last picture with Grandpa and Tink just before he went into the hospitalOur last family picture with Dad....even though he was very sick he was still joking around with us when he had the energy....teasing me about eating his food, thumping us with his finger (something he did when we were little), asking us what the meaning of zero was and teaching us trivia about the Great Lakes (really!).........
LOVE YOU DAD....WE WILL MISS YOU!!!

Love Quilt

My Aunt Adele called me one day a few weeks ago and asked if I had any fabric scraps she could use in a quilt she was making for my Dad. He's going through radiation treatments and thought a quilt might help keep him warm when he gets chilled.In fact she got fabric from several family members so we would all be represented and showing our love to Dad, though her own fabric collection rivals even the best of fabric stores. She has ALOT of beautiful fabrics.....and she is always making something. She has a wonderful way with fabric....wall hangings, quilts, pillows (in fact I shared a pillow she made when Jon graduated on this very blog.) She worked tirelessly on this quilt and it was finished in amazing time!! Here are some of the squares....some of the fabrics are of state flowers and birds from around the country. In this close up, the Washington State bird...the goldfinch and Washington apples are represented. It was so much fun looking at all the squares she made and remembering the things she made with them. Aunt Adele is known to frequent as many quilt shows as she can around the Northwest....and my cousin Jane goes with her. Like mother, like daughter:)Anyway, here she is holding it up to show the back...she had the quilt machine quilted and presented it to Dad last week. I got a picture of Dad with his quilt, but am waiting for my brother David to email it to me (it was their camera). I'll post it when I can.