~Merry Christmas~

Baby, It's Cold Outside...

A couple of weeks ago we had a bit of a cold spell here. I woke up early Monday morning to big, fat, fluffy, white, snow flakes falling...

Sam's truck accumulated a dusting...


By Tuesday, the snow was gone, but it was replaced with a frosty, icy, wonderland. The grass crunched under my feet...

The fence was white with ice...

Steve's rain gauge had a thick covering...

And my still blooming roses were a sight to behold...

Somehow, I don't think roses are meant to be covered with ice crystals!! Steve was able to cover the citrus trees and they seem to have survived without damage, but I did lose a few of my flowers to the bitter cold temps. Although I am not a fan of snow or cold weather, I have to admit it was rather pretty, but I am now ready for some good ol' California sunshine!

Gargantuan Fruit...

I have a very special niece who lives in Idaho. Last month she posted photos of some gigantic squash that she had grown. It was very impressive and I was a little jealous of how well her garden grew! I remember thinking that her squash looked like it was on steroids!!

Well, now it's my turn to share some impressive California grown citrus fruit with her...

Yes, it is a gigantic lemon...

sitting next to a regular size tangelo!

I have to be honest and confess that I didn't actually grow the lemon; one of Steve's co-workers did! I did grow the average size tangelo though!! Guess I don't have the green thumb she does after all!

Hmmmmm....lemonade, pie, or lemon squares?

Congratulations! It's Another Daughter...

Our family is growing again and I couldn't be happier! Yesterday Sam popped the question and Amy replied, "Of course"...

I have prayed for Sam's future bride for years and God answered my prayer with Amy. She is adorable, lovable, feisty, fun, and has a heart for Jesus. She is perfect for Sam and perfect for our family.

I pray God blesses their journey with all the joy their hearts can hold and that they will always keep Him at the center of their marriage.

Welcome to our family Amy; we are so blessed and honored to have you!

Forever In Our Hearts...

 

Bob Lerman

9/13/1934-9/26/2009

You will be greatly missed.

 

Road Trip.....

A couple of weeks ago (September 13th) Steve's dad celebrated his 75th birthday.

Bob, the birthday boy!

Our family as well as Steve's siblings and their families headed to Oregon to help him celebrate. Steve and I drove our truck, Kyle and Holly drove Holly's car, and Sam and Amy car hopped between the two vehicles! Since it is a 10 hour drive, we all had to find ways to amuse ourselves:

Amy played Mario Bros. on Nintendo DS until she conquered it!

Sam NOT sleeping!! (He claims he couldn't sleep)!

Steve drove...hey somebody had to do it!

Kyle and Holly followed behind. We could see them singing, clapping, and bopping with the music!

And I annoyed everyone by snapping pictures!

Before long Amy joined Sam in getting some shuteye! (Yes, Sam still says he didn't sleep)!!

Of course, there were MANY pit stops!!

Although we spent most of our time in Oregon with Steve's family, we did have a few free hours Saturday afternoon. Kyle and Holly went to the car show in Old Town Florence while Sam, Amy, Steve, and I took a stroll on the beach.

Aren't they cute?

This guy was curious about us.

Since the whole gang hadn't been together in a long time, Steve's mom wanted to get a family photo.

The Lerman clan (all 18 of us)!

Although the trip was mainly to honor Bob, it was a special time for all of us because the family isn't able to get together very often anymore. More importantly, I think Bob had a memorable 75th birthday! He got to race around in his motorized, super charged, turbo-powered wheel chair and supervise as we all helped do some chores around the house; he was very good natured during the "roast" while stories were told and everyone reminisced at his expense, and he even got to tell a few stories of his own, and if you know Bob, you know how much he enjoys telling a good story!

Happy 75th birthday Bob! We wish you many, many more!

Golden Deeelicious...

We have one apple tree in our backyard...

It isn't a very big tree, but it is usually loaded with apples. Although the worms, squirrels, and birds get most of the fruit, sometimes they are generous enough to share with us. Our share this year...

Can anyone say, "Homemade applesauce?" Mmmmmmmmmmm.........

Strollin' the Streets of Old Sac...

Steve and I decided to head to Old Sacramento on Monday to spend some time together reconnecting and recharging from all the busyness of the past few weeks preparing for Kyle and Holly's wedding. (The wedding was beautiful and I will blog about it later when I get some pictures.)

We had a great time strollin' the wooden sidewalks and taking in the sights and sounds of the past.

Intriguing staircase!

Old Sacramento Schoolhouse with Tower Bridge in the background.

I love, love, love, fun socks and this store was full of them!

Liked the color version too!

Inside old candy store.... so much vibrant color!

Beautiful morning glory vines climbing brick wall.

I had a great time on our little "road trip"! Thanks, Honey, for a much needed play day!!

Early Morning Visitor...

I spotted this cute little guy keeping an eye out over the neighborhood this morning from our garage roof. I hurriedly grabbed my camera and thought I would very carefully and quietly sneak out onto the front porch to take his picture. I was so proud of myself for not scaring him off with the squeaky opening of the screen door. I slowly crept out onto the porch and pointed my camera at him. I was having a hard time steadying the camera, so I leaned against the wall for support. Unfortunately, I leaned against the doorbell! Of course, the ringing of the doorbell triggered Lucy's barking! So much for being quiet and sneaky! All the commotion caused the squirrel to look at me and freeze just long enough for me to snap the shot.


I am really glad I was able to get the photo because now Steve is out trimming all the tree branches away from the house. It seems he doesn't find squirrels on the roof nearly as cute as I do!

Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes...

Today the old David Bowie song Changes is running over and over through my mind. I can't seem to keep up with all the changes taking place in my life right now. Some very exciting...Kyle and Holly's rapidly approaching wedding, some hectic...Kyle moving back into my house, and other's not so easy to accept...saying goodbye to a special little guy that is moving far away and taking a piece of his Aunt Sandy's heart with him. Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes.

Although I am not a big fan of changes, I do expect great things to come from them: I believe the wedding will be fabulous and I suspect the marriage will be even better; I feel like I have installed a revolving door in my house, but I sure enjoy having Kyle around more often; I will miss the precious little boy immensely, but I am hoping and praying he finds all the love, stability, and happiness he deserves in his new home far away. Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes.

I am used to having a certain rhythm to my everyday life that seems to be missing lately, but I know that when the changes become familiar, that will be my new rhythm...at least until the next series of Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes!

Today's the Day...

It was in mid May of 2006 that Kyle accepted the National Weather Service job in Brownsville, Texas. On my 50th birthday, Kyle and Steve were in Texas scouting out a place for Kyle to live. I stayed home and had myself a big ol' pity party. A couple of weeks later, with a smile on my face and a stiff upper lip, I bid Kyle goodbye as he and his dad drove "old blue" out of the driveway heading toward the Rio Grande Valley. I promised myself Kyle would not see my tears and much to my amazement I was able to keep that promise. However, the car was not out of sight before I had a total meltdown...the ugly kind complete with gutwrenching sobs! My son was headed to a strange place two thousand miles from home where he knew absolutley no one...no family to help him, no friends to call, no church family to rely upon. It was a test of faith...one that Kyle passed with flying colors and that I was able to get through only because of God's steady help.

NWS office in Brownsville, Texas.

While in Texas, Kyle flourished. He met great people, made good friends, and started his career in a job that he loves. Kyle took from Texas a friendship that will last a lifetime...thanks to Buddy, a great passion for photography...thanks to Jim and Darlene, a spirit of adventure that was gained from exploring a new area, and the growth that comes with finding one's own way in the world.

After a little over a year in Texas, Kyle called to tell us he had been chosen for a position in Eureka, which meant he would be much closer to home. Of course, we were ecstatic to have him return to the west coast. We got to see him much more often and we had some great trips to Eureka to explore the north coast with him. This leg of his journey also gave him the opportunity to meet more wonderful people, make more friends, and explore a new area that he came to really love...the giant redwoods, beautiful sunsets, cool weather, and walks on the beach and around the island. Kyle has been in Eureka for almost two years and it has been a blessing for him and for us.

NWS office in Eureka, California.

Today is the day Kyle's journey comes full circle...he is moving home!!! He starts work at his new office in Sacramento on Monday where I am sure he will meet more great people, make more friends, and have more opportunities for great experiences. Although I am thrilled to be getting Kyle back, I now see that he is not the same kid I watched drive away to Texas three years ago. He has grown and matured in ways that would have been impossible had he never left on this journey. He is coming home more confident, more independent, and more aware of God's presence, provision, and love. The journey was not always easy, but it was necessary because it was part of His plan for Kyle's life.

Welcome home Kyle and Happy Mother's Day to me...this is the best gift ever!!

It's a Good Year...

I have a Rhododendron bush in my backyard that I cherish...at least when it is having a good year! It can be quite contrary. Some years I get no blossoms whatsoever to enjoy. Other years it can be very cooperative and shower me with beauty. Still damp with dew early this morning, it was a sight to behold...





I am so glad this turned out to be a good year!

Goodbye Ol' Faithful...

I was so thrilled to be getting a new refrigerator...after all our old one was close to 27 years old and battle weary! We would finally have not only a working ice maker (ours quit about 12 years ago), but also a water and ice dispenser ...something I have never had!! I couldn't wait to get rid of the antiquated, ugly, old fridge and join the rest of the world in the wonders of modern refrigeration technology!

After waiting with much anticipation for 2 weeks, yesterday our new refrigerator was delivered. As the delivery guys unloaded it from the truck I was struck by how beautiful it looked gleaming in all it's bright, shining glory! It was a sight to behold. I was jumping with joy and doing the happy dance...UNTIL the deliverymen hauled out my old fridge.

Now I know; a refrigerator is just an appliance and nothing to get nostalgic about, but suddenly I found myself staring out the window as my fridge was loaded into the truck and not seeing the faded almond color that didn't match anything in my kitchen or the dirty smudge marks that would no longer wash off. I didn't think about how loud it had become or the fact that it seemed to be continually running day and night.

Instead what I saw was all the baby bottles it kept cold for me to grab for those middle of the night feedings and all the jars of baby food that kept from spoiling because of it's faithful performance. I saw all the times it moved with our family and settled in to do it's job in each new location without failing. Instead of the grimy dirt spot that I couldn't clean off, I saw the glittery sticker that caused the smudge many years ago where little hands proudly stuck it in the most prominent place in our house to be seen by all...the "frigidator". I remembered all the birthday cakes and ice cream stored in it for significant days in our family's history. I saw all the wonderful report cards, priceless works of art, and special photos it proudly displayed for us for over a quarter of a century. Needless to say, I found it hard to say goodbye to that old fridge that served us well for so long.

I have to admit though that today, I am enjoying the instant ice, both cubed and crushed, and the cold water at the push of a button. For some strange reason, my favorite feature on the new fridge is the light for the water and ice dispenser...I love watching it slowly fade to black! The clear bins are amazing...I can see all the fresh produce without having to open drawers to peek inside and I am starting to get used to the idea that the fridge is really running although I can hardly hear it! The sound of the ice dropping is scaring the daylights out of Lucy, but I appreciate not having to deal with ice trays anymore.

After loading the outside with photos, magnets, and other misc objects, I feel the new model is starting to seem familiar. Of course I will continue to have fond memories of the ol' faithful Norge that took such great care of our family's needs, but I hope we share as many years and as many events with our new fridge.

I think it is time to go get a nice tall glass of cold water with crushed ice and watch the light fade out.

Fun in the Foothills...

Tuesday Steve had the day off so we decided to enjoy the glorious spring weather and head out on an adventure drive. This time we had a destination in mind... the foothills of the gold country where some of our favorite small towns are located. First stop was my favorite bookstore in old town Jackson. I can't get close to Jackson without stopping at Hein & Co. to pick up a few good reads. Unfortunately, I was so excited to be at the bookstore that I forgot to take a picture of it!


After browsing in the bookstore and buying several books, we thought we would attempt to make our way up to a little old church that we saw as we were heading into Jackson. It sits up on a hill behind Main Street. Steve is a great navigator and we only made one wrong turn before we found the church.

We proceeded from Jackson through Mokelumne Hill and then on to the little town of Angel's Camp. I was having such a good time that I forgot to take pictures, but I am sure we will go back again. We manage to head up that way at least twice a year.

On the way home, we stopped to enjoy the beautiful California poppies (Eschscholzia californica)that were blooming everywhere. The hills were ablaze with color.

It was a very enjoyable day and I look forward to many more adventure drives in the coming months. Hopefully I will remember to take more pictures next time!