Christmas! The Most Wonderful Day of the Year!

Yes, it's Christmas! The day we longed for for weeks and planned for for months! We've decorated the house; we've sent out all our cards; we've sent our packages; and we've decorated the tree. We've been to a miriad of parties and concerts and thoroughly enjoyed the season. But, now it is time to spend a few quiet moments of reflection as we read the Christmas story from Luke and marvel at the thing that happened there that changed the world forever.

One small infant would make more of an impact on the entire world than all of the world leaders or celebrities or explorers or pioneers or any number of things that make the headlines on a daily basis combined. I love that little infant, lying in a manger. I love that Heavenly Father had a plan for us and that His Son willingly took upon Himself that mission, knowing what He would have to go through. I wonder, could I do such a selfless act? Could you?




I am so thankful this day for my Savior. I am thankful for Christmas and will forever say to the world "MERRY CHRISTMAS," whether they want to hear it or not. And so, I say to you and yours, MERRY CHRISTMAS! And in a few short days, as we bid farewell to the year 2009 and usher in the New Year, 2010 (boy that just doesn't feel right), I will wish for you and yours a blessed New Year.

God bless!

Oh, P.S. I did get the ornaments on the tree on Christmas Eve, just like I was sure I would. Crazy, huh! More like my mother every day!

The Third and Last Week of Christmas...

With the cards mailed and the packages on their way to loved ones far and near; the musical performances only a golden memory and the temperatures outside dipping way, way down; it is time to focus on beautifying the lonely tree that stands in the front window waiting to be adorned. Most years, I would have gotten that job done the day after Thanksgiving, but this year, for some strange reason, it just got ignored. Now, that tree is calling me and telling me to get out the ornaments that are so cherished. In years past, I have had a white tree adorned with garlands of red ribbons and nothing but red balls; or a whimisical "Teddy Bear" tree crammed full of teddy bears with bigger bears resting beneath its branches; or a magical angel tree with nothing but angel ornaments and a white and gold angel atop the tree; or a traditional tree with all the ornaments from every year past, including some of the above mentioned ornaments. This year, I have just not been inspired as to what to do with the tree, so there it sits waiting for my decision.


I have a cousin in Bend, Oregon, who (for want of space in their living room) always hangs their Christmas tree upside down from the ceiling! And I actually found a picture of such a tree -- not theirs, mind you, but an upside down tree, none the less! It was always the center of attention whenever we went to visit them. I loved that tree! Perhaps I should do a tree such as this!



A few years back, we were in Williamsburg, Virginia for Thanksgiving, and Washington, D.C. on the day they were decorating the huge Christmas Tree in front of the White House. I mean to tell you, that tree is huge! A bit much for my living room, so I've opted not to copy that one.

Perhaps I will do as my mother did many years ago, and on Christmas Eve, when everyone is sound asleep, I will sneak into the Family Room and decorate the tree and it will be a surprise for Dean and Billy on Christmas morning. We shall see!

At any rate, there will be a decorated tree, and there will be gifts from near and far because the people in this house are loved. And beneath the tree will be our traditional Creche, with the Nativity figures representing the first Christmas. There was no tree then. There were only lowly creatures in the beginning to stand in awe at the birth of their creator. There was a humble father and a blessed mother and a babe that was "wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger." It was a quiet night. It was a Holy Night. And for a short time Mary and Joseph were allowed solitude to wrap their hearts around the miracle of this birth and the mission that their son was created for. I would have loved to have been there in those quiet moments.

Perhaps that is why my mother waited until Christmas Eve to decorate the tree. She waited for quiet moments to reflect on the real reason for the Christmas Holy-Day. I can picture her thinking about the birth of our Savior with each and every carefully straightened strand of tinsel that she hung so lovingly on every branch of the tree -- one at a time! I can imagine that her heart was full of gratitude for our Savior and for her family and the home that she so lovingly cared for.



Merry Christmas everyone! May your Christmas be everything that you hoped it would be and more. As you open each gift, pause and remember the greatest gift of all -- the gift of love and eternal life brought to each of us through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

The Second Week of Christmas...Cards

"These are a few of my favorite things..." I love sending and receiving cards for Christmas! There is something about connecting with friends and family during the Christmas season that just doesn't happen the rest of the year. I look forward every year to receiving these little reminders of love and best wishes. Every one is unique and every one is filled with deep, heartfelt sentiments that linger throughout the New Year.

I love writing my annual Christmas letter and I love receiving those letters from my friends and family. Somehow it helps to keep us closer than the hundreds of miles that separate us and I can "catch up" with events in their lives.

I love sending and receiving Christmas pictures. Oh, the beautiful smiles of loved ones help to keep them close and bring back memories. And it is wonderful to see how the little ones have grown! My, my, how they grow!

I love remembering that it was the Christ child's birth that we celebrate and the beautiful cards that I receive remind me of that. I love to read the Christmas story again and again in beautifully prepared cards.

May we forever keep that tradition alive. May we never forget the gift of the Christ child whose birth we celebrate and His gift of eternal life for all of mankind. Oh, how I love Christmas cards!

The First Week of Christmas ~ Lights

Ah! The beauty that is Christmas! Dean and I love to drive around and look at all of the beautiful lights as people begin to brighten up their neighborhoods with bright red, green, white and gold glittering lights. I like to think of it as bringing back the "wonder" of Christmas. All things are in anticipation of a wonderful event that soon will make each and every one of us pause and wonder at the miracle of the birth that took place over 2,000 years ago in an obscure little stable in the Holy City of David, which was Bethlehem.


As we look upon the lights that brighten the night, we are reminded of the star that shown a billion times more bright than any other star before it or any star since and pointed the way to the place where He lay, "wrapped in swaddliing clothes and lying in a manger." Oh, how I love the lights of Christmas!

Our own lights are beautiful, but simple and I love the greeting we get when we turn the corner to our street and then in the driveway. To me, they are beautiful. I haven't snapped a picture of them yet, but perhaps I will include them in another writing as we get closer to Christmas. May we all keep the lights of Christmas in our hearts and may they remind us of the event that is soon arriving.

Aloha...Hawaii Day 8...

I did not look forward to this day! I did not want to leave this paradise in the middle of the Pacific Ocean! I don't know why vacations and visits with family always have to have a "last day!" But, alas, our last day has come and we must say good-bye to this beautiful place that has blessed us with so many wonderful adventures and memories that will last a lifetime.

For some reason, our flight did not correspond with Billy and Anna's flight, but we all had to go to the airport at the same time. We got up early, ate a minimal breakfast consisting of whatever was left over in the fridge or the cupboards, got ourselves packed and ready to make the trek to the airport. The traffic in Kailua was horrible! More and more folks were arriving daily in preparation for the upcoming Iron Man Triathalon. More and more skinny people on bicycles and in swim suits and jogging attire. All the way to the airport, we saw them bicycling along the side of the road or running somewhere.

The first thing we needed to do when we arrived at the airport was to check in our wonderful rental car. It had served us well and given us a good ride. It was interesting to note that when we picked up the car, the lot was full of cars ready to be rented. But today, the lot was practically empty! All those athletes, I suppose!

The shuttle dropped us off at the airport and we waited around for a half hour or more, waiting for our plane to come so we could board it. Billy and Anna's flight wasn't for another hour and a half. Poor guys! They had to wait in all that heat.





With a reluctant step, I made my way to our waiting area when our flight was called. We said our good-byes with hugs and kisses and tears, and left Billy and Anna sitting in the main part of the airport while we went to our gate. Saying good-bye always brings tears. I really, really don't like them!


Once aboard the plane, we could concentrate on a very long flight home. I got to have the window seat, so Dean handed me the camera and I took some pictures of the airport, our lift off, and the islands that we passed on our way to Honolulu. We tried to guess which island was which, but it's so hard to tell when you are up above them looking down! They were a pretty sight, however.





When Honolulu and the island of Oahu was in sight, I felt a thrill, as I recognized many of the landmarks that I was seeing. There was Diamond Head and the huge Veterans Cemetery within the crater; there was the beautiful white-sand beaches with the tall hotels lining the edges of them; there was the crystal blue Pacific Ocean licking the shores of those same beaches. I craned to see if I could see the USS Arizona and Pearl Harbor, but it must have been on the other side of the plane.


We only had a short lay-over in Honolulu, but we couldn't really go anywhere, so we just made ourselves comfortable and waited for our flight home. I kept myself busy texting my kids, saying "Aloha" and that we were on our way home -- reluctantly!

Our flight home was uneventful, but very long. We ate a pretty good dinner and watched a movie, "The Proposal" with Sandra Bullock. I really liked that movie. I always seem to like the movies that Sandra Bullock is in. She can be so funny.

We arrived safely in Portland about 9 p.m. and then had to collect our luggage and ride the Max Train to Dean's cousin's house in Gresham. By the time we got to the station near her house, it was quite late and she was very tired! She had been waiting for an hour for us -- our plane was a half hour late!

Ah, but the end of a wonderful journey always makes one very tired! We have so much to reminisce about over the coming weeks and months. In fact, it has taken me a month to write this entire travelogue, so I have been reliving it over and over again as I write. Wish I was still there!

Back to Hawaii...Day 7...

Today was a wonderful day to go flying. And that is exactly what Dean and I did, while Billy and Anna stayed in town and caught up on some much needed rest. We got up early and headed to the airport to catch a tour plane that would fly us over nearly the entire island. It was an amazing flight!

We started out flying south, over coffee bean fields, huge lava flows, and amazing views of the southwest coastline. We were seeing from the air what we drove over on the ground just a few days earlier. What a beautiful sight. We got to see Hualalai, the northernmost volcano and the oldest one that sits to the east of Kailua-Kona. It's interesting because there are always clouds surrounding the mountains -- they create their own weather.

As we neared the southern tip of Hawaii, we could see a great view of Mauna Loa, or "Long Mountain." Then, as we rounded the southern tip and headed east, the steam pouring out of Kilauea volcano became visible and looking toward the coast, we could see the steam coming from the fissures in the earth and then a huge amount of steam where lava was meeting the ocean. We couldn't see the red lava flow like we had from the boat at dawn on Saturday morning, but it was impressive none-the-less.



We then headed north to the northern part of the island. We sort of by-passed Hilo, as it seems to always be under clouds and rains there a lot. As we continued north, we could see Mauna Kea and the huge telescopes up on top. Quite a different view from the one we had there on Friday.

Flying further north, the huge Parker Cattle ranch came into view and the "fingers" of rain forest that stretched toward the ocean. It was in stark contrast to the gray and black of the old lava flows that dominate the western side of the island. It was beautiful. There were many, many waterfalls in this area and some of the country was so remote that the only way in and out was by back country backpacking. Our pilot flew us over a waterfall that he had hiked to to go swimming in the pool at the bottom of the fall. It was breathtaking.


We flew over the relatively new town of Waimea, and Dean made a mental note to drive back there later. This part of the island isn't that far from where we are staying. Continuing our flight west now, we approached the north-western shoreline and then continued south to the Kona airport. Our pilot pointed out several of the big hotels complexes that line the north-western shore. He also pointed out some beautiful white sand beaches.


Back on land, we had a chance to reflect on what we had just seen and decided to take a nice, quiet walk on the Temple grounds back in Kona. It didn't take a very long time to find it, as the nice girl at the "Del Sol" shop in town told us how to get there! She was LDS and she and her husband were runnning the shop, which is a Sandy, Utah company. Small World.


The Temple grounds were beautiful. It was closed, as they were doing some work on the inside of it. There was lumber everywhere near the front entrance. We walked, sat down on a nice bench and just filled our spirits with the sacredness of these grounds. Visiting Temples is my favorite thing to do. It took me back to our honeymoon trip to New Zealand, when Dean talked our driver into taking a side trip to visit the New Zeland Temple near Aukland. I will never forget that act of kindness.


After visiting the Temple, we drove back to pick up the kids and headed north to the beautiful white sand beaches we had heard about. On the way, we stopped at a wonderful shopping center to purchase lots and lots of fun gifts to bring home. The beach was beautiful. We stayed there for about an hour, soaking up the sun, and cooling off in the wonderful water -- until -- Dean got stung by jelly fish! Then, they closed the beach to swimming! What a bummer.
We packed up then, and continued our journey north to visit the Pu'ukahola Heiau National Historic Site. There is a huge rock structure there, built by slaves for King Kamehameha as a "Temple". All of those rocks were hauled by hand and handed up the hill via a line of workers handing them one rock at a time along the line and placed at the top. I cannot imagine such a feat! Much like the Pyramids in Egypt, I suppose!

After we left the site, we drove to Waimea and toured around the little town. Dean wants to come back some day and stay there. It doesn't have so much tourist traffic. Driving home, we caught some beautiful sunsets.

Ah! The perfect ending to a perfect day. Tomorrow, we fly home! It will be a sad day.

Loggins And Messina..."Sittin' In Again"...

Ah, the memories! I think the first time I even heard of either one of these guys was way back in the 70's when I was just beginning to raise a bunch of teen-agers. By the time Kim got to college, they had split up and Kenny Loggins went his way and Jim Messina went his. Kim was mesmorized by Kenny Loggins and really got me interested in his music.

I first saw Kenny in concert at a BYU "Stadium of Fire" event in Provo, Utah way back in the late 80's or early 90's. He did an amazing concert. Dean first saw him in concert here in Oregon in 1998 at the Oregon State Fair in Salem. Both of us were fixated on 2 of his best songs (to us) "The Winnie the Pooh Song" and "Rainbow Connection."

Ever since 1998, we have looked for Kenny to be in concert again in Oregon. Well, we got a double treat on Wednesday evening, when Loggins and Messina came to Portland! It was part of their 2009 "Sittin' In Again" tour. As soon as I heard about it, I knew we had to have tickets and go. The best part was that we both were off that day.


We left Lincoln City in the afternoon and drove to Portland. We had a wonderful time, walking in the park, eating a fun meal, having a yummy dessert at a fun little restaurant downtown, complete with entertainment by a solo singer who did Sinatra! It was great.

The Concert was phenomenal! They played lots of their oldies but goodies and a few new songs, as well as each singing a lot of their own individual hits. The band was amazing. They had a sax player that was out of this world. All in all, we were greatly entertained and can't wait for them to come back again!