Chrismukkah Visit with Kids in December

This year the Jewish calendar was kind to me. Chanukah fell more than a week before Christmas, so we were able to visit the kids, celebrate with them, do a Christmas gift exchange with Cliff and Sue, as we wouldn't be seeing them for Christmas this year, and still get home, cut down a tree, decorate the house for Christmas and clean the house for Danielle's arrival Christmas eve, the Irvins' arrival the day after Christmas and Audrey and Corey Tomlinson and their two children, two days before New Year!! Crazy month, but then what month is not crazy since we retired?! We call this blended holiday "Chrismukkah!" We had a wonderful visit with the kids, which now includes Danielle and the three grand dogs! I went to a swimming lesson with Dionne and Amya, which I always enjoy. She is really progressing. A few of the women who were in Akumal with the kids, had a slumber party so I was able to go with Dionne. We didn't stay overnight, but we did get to have tons of fun with the family and enjoyed the hot tub at cousin Maggie's house.


My beef brisket turned out to be delicious. Latkes, and of course chicken soup and matzoh balls!

Talk about a blended holiday!

Grandma, watch this, I am on my back with floaty things on my arms

Papa's shoes don't fit me too well!

Mist over the mighty Columbia, and oh, the Keller ferry

Now that I have my Event Planner living in Washington, she arranged for us to go over to our dear friends Jack and Gloria for dinner! It was so good to see them, thank you Danielle!

Imight be getting too big for the car you bought me Papa

Two Papas and a Daddy

Chico likes to sit on my head (Amya has just discovered the joy of Chico)
Our pet bird for years now

Mommy lights the Chanukah candles

Grandma gives me my first night's Chanukah gift, what is it?

Hot tubbing at Maggie

Hee haw Papa

I like this Dreidl Grandma Tesh! (as I am now called)

My Christmas dress and my pink coat
Grandma and Papa are taking me to see Aunty Danyelle

Hi Tink, Mutta and "Fok!" "Hi Aunty Danyelle"

I must be watching "Elmo"

Two Grandmas

Two Papas

Mommy and Daddy

I like my first Chanukah present from Mommy and Daddy

My own camera phone, say "Cheese!" "Look at my Elmo shirt from Grandma and Papa for Chanukah, it has my name Amya on it!"

"Cheese"

Thank you for all the wonderful gifts you guys

The "Beanie Boys!"

Amya insisted she wear a beanie too!

We welcomed a Fairly Quiet November

November is a month I like to be home. Seems like the "quiet after the storm!" Summer is always so busy. However, this November, Danielle moved home. I worked a few days at school and then came the Thanksgiving break. The day before Thanksgiving, we decided to visit her and help her settle in. So, off we went. We arrived to many boxes all over the place so Danielle and I go work. Oh, this after we shopped for Thanksgiving dinner. Once the work was done, and during, we were cooking and getting our turkey in the oven. Needless to say, we ate very late! During the rest of our visit, we put Rock to work, hanging shelves, pictures, moving furniture and all the things Dads do. I shopped for her and just spent my time organizing her apartment. She had to go back to work after Thanksgiving. The kids went to Akumal in Mexico with Cliff, Sue and at least thirty of Brian's family members. They came home two days before Rock and I left for home. So, we got to see our little family and hear all about Amya in Mexico. They had a wonderful time. I guess one night in a bar they were giving free shots to women who got up on the bar and danced. Little Ms. Amya had to join in of course, so at her request, she was put up on the bar and proceeded to entertain the whole bar crowd as well as people coming in from the street to watch her dancing around the pole and drinking her Virgin shots!! Watch out for her pole dance around the lamp in Danielle's bedroom, following during our Chrismukkah visit with the kids. Another exciting event this month was that we purchased our new Nissan Pathfinder in Idaho and went to a concert in Spokane to celebrate this event! We saw Manheim Steamroller who are a full instrumental group and whom I have loved for years.



Oops, first things first!

Amya probably eating her first ice cream, in Mexico

The kids in Akumal, Mexico

Yeah, I wish I was back in the ocean in Mexico, but it is water!

So is this

Aunty Danyelle is proud of how I brush my teeth

I like your new car Papa and Grandma Tess

Ho ho, ho ho, it's off to work I go..

A far cry from going to work in Arizona!

Why, it's Chanukkah Santa!!

Think I am tired, we finally eat our Thanksgiving dinner at 11 p.m.

Let's eat, now that we have counter space for our food

We are getting there, the table is set

Yum Yum...

All that we need now is food....

The turkey bird

The grand dogs

We did it, now we can cook

Oops, it's to work we go before we can cook and eat
I knew we had work to do helping Danielle settle in

New student at school "Joshua Morningowl!" How cute is he?

Our new car

Loving Grandpa

Haunting Halloween-BOO

Going in for the Kill!!!!! Oh, it's my friend Mason

Grandma's silly hat

October 29th!! First snow of the season...just a bit early this year. However, off we go to Seattle to celebrate Halloween with the kids. Danielle's interview is also scheduled for this time and it was so nice to have Danielle join in on the Halloween celebrations. Dionne had many plans for us all. We also had time to visit with our good friends, the Smiths who had invited mutual friends whom we hadn't seen in years since they became California snowbirds and we became "recluses in Booniville!" As always Barb put on a wonderful spread. A seafood fondue was most welcome as we don't get much of that around Booniville! Amya was at a great age this year for Halloween. We went with Dionne and friends downtown Renton as the merchants had opened their stores for "Trick or Treaters!" It was totally geared for little kids and I think Amya had a good time with her "treat" bag. We then went to the Tomlinsons who have a huge tractor that pulled an open trailer all decked out for the holiday. We "hayed" around their neighborhood. For us, this was hopefully, our "First Annual Tomlinson Halloween Hay Ride!" It was great fun and quite amazing to see how people in the neighborhood had decorated their houses. The kids loved it. After that we went to Lisa and John who had a Halloween party. There is never anything better than a party at the "Walls Resort and Spa". It was just great fun to be with the family and friends for this, my favorite holiday. Danielle had a very successful interview, was offered the position and accepted it. She is now a Treatment Coordinator in an orthodontic office. We all agreed that a party at the Walls was a perfect way to celebrate her accomplishment!! She will find a place to live and move home with all three of my grand dogs in early November. Well done Danielle and yippee to me, having my children all in one state. I would say this was a memorable Halloween.

Tinks is on the road again

Buried as usual

Snow in October!

Very strange, global warming I tell you

So nice to see you all

Watch this Papa, I like to swim

"Wings and Ranch!"

My girls dressed up as "Hooters Girls!"

Uh Tink.....leave the Hooters Girls

First Annual Tomlinson Hay Ride

Coffee in hand

Piled in leaves

Thanks for the party Lisa

Giraffe and Grandma

Who's this? Brian????? you're ugly!

Let's go "trick or treating!" In style

Giraffes and bananas

The Giraffe and friends

Hmm, I think I like this Halloween thing

Let's go trick or treat