Christmas 2011

Okay, I have had a problem getting back into regular updating but hopefully I can get this blog going and keep up. I wanted to finish Christmas and then move into the new year finally. We spent the Christmas holidays with our families in So. Cal. as usual. We missed my sister Amy and her family and my dad but enjoyed those who were there. The girls, Taylor and I drove to Ca. and Ken and Jordan flew due to work. We had a pleasant drive, quick but no car problems.

Many years ago my family and another close friend's family started the tradition of big party Christmas Eve and then family Christmas day. There have been assorted friends to join us but it is steeped in traditions and the festivities go on with the next generation.

This is my parent's house that my sister and her family are living in right now. They did a great job of decorating everything up and making it welcoming for us all. We are still getting used to the fact that my mom isn't here to take charge but I think she did a great job training us all and we are carrying on. There were many times we felt like she was there celebrating with us.

Paige and Cori were helping get the silverware wrapped and ready for the Christmas Eve feast. We had 36 for dinner. Everyone helps out bringing assorted food and we all love the visiting.

Jordan has a recipe for "pink Fluff" salad that calls for seeds from 3 pomegranates so he got the pleasure of getting those prepped.

The table before

I had to put in one picture that shows I was there. Usually I am taking the pictures and forget to show I am part of what we're doing, it's even more rare to get Ken and I together.

Ken got the job of carving the ham.

A few of many friends and family ready and waiting for the toast to begin.

Everyone has a tray and can enjoy all the great food made by great cooks. One thing that's nice about leftovers, that's dinner Christmas day.

Ken and Lexi filling their plates

Good friends Missy and Wade Torgerson. Her mother Mar Jean and my mother started all this years ago.

After dinner starts the festivities. 1st we have all the kids put on their reindeer antlers and pompom noses and they sing Rudolph the red nosed Reindeer. You have to participate in this until you graduate from high school. Usually the older ones end up carrying the babies.

Next comes the wild dice game. We take pie tins with two die in each. They are passed around the circle with each person rolling the die. If you get doubles you get to take a wrapped present from the pile in the middle of the circle. You keep passing the tins until the buzzer goes off. When the presents in the middle run out you can then steal from someone else. At the end of the game is when we unwrap the presents and see what treasures we got. They are usually things from the dollar spot or 99 c store. It's one of the kids favorites.

My mother's brother Bill, my Aunt MaryJane and their daughters Colleen and Catherine

After the wild times we bring things down and start the quiet part of the evening. The kids have start their cousins choir. They practice songs and come up with a program they present to us. They have done and great job and we all enjoy their hard work.

Last but not least is the acting out of the Nativity story. Everyone gets a part and as the story is read from the Bible the kids come in the living room. We have gotten enough kids that we actually have multiples of some parts. Unfortunately no real baby Jesus. This really helps to remind us of the wonderful reason to celebrate.

I personally really enjoyed having Christmas on Sunday this year. We were able to get together and do stockings in the morning, go to church for a wonderful program and then come home and enjoy the rest of the day together.

This is the Santa presents before all the kids got at them.

One of our traditions is all the kids on the stairs before going in and seeing what Santa brought. It's amazing to look at how much we've grown through the years. And we are missing 4 grandkids.

The Torbit kids with their presents from Santa

Our family with Ken's mom ready to go to church.

Christmas gifts-This year I actually followed through on a gift for all my boys. In 2007 Ken, Jordan and Taylor went to Philmont Scout ranch in Cimarron, NM with our scout crew. They had a great time and it was a wonderful memory. I made scrapbooks for each of them of their experience. These are pictures of them opening them.

my girls with some of their gifts. Lexi with a new rolling duffle.

Paige and her clothes

These are the kids and cousins enjoying some of the presents. Lexi playing Just Dance 3 with Tori and Mackenzie. They were very intent on their dance. This was a routine to the them from Nightmare before Christmas.

The kids spent hours playing Disney headbanz. We have determined that they need add-on packs with a great variety of characters/objects. It's a fun game that we have enjoyed as a family

My nephew Benjamin was too cute with his Cars and racetrack. He spent hours playing and as long as none of the big kids bugged him, he was content.

We had a great Christmas and enjoyed being together with family.

December activities

We are back in business with the blog. I have actually downloaded December's photos and even figured out how to get them here, now let's just hope I can keep things going. December was of course full of all the wonderful festivities of the Christmas season. This is just some of the beginning of the month happenings.

The lights are one of my favorite things and so I like lots of them on my house. Jordan says were are a bit overboard but I like it. This was this year's display. I would love to do the roofline but Ken is not willing to risk life and limb to get a ladder that will reach that high. For now I have to be content for the lights around the perimeter of the lawn. My "JOY" was made by Ken.

This is the finished product on the tree. We were a bit lazy with the tree this year. I didn't even get the star on top. We started out alright getting it early, but then it sat outside, then in the stand and finally we got the ornaments and lights on it. At that point I just wanted the decorating done and the boxes put away. I think it's still pretty and we'll try again next year.

Every year the kids get a new ornament that is usually representative of something they were interested in that year. Paige's ornament was "Edward and Bella" of the Twilight saga. We'll see what she thinks of that 20 yrs from now.

Lexi is hanging one of our ornaments from our Disney adventure early in the year but her personal ornament was Rapunzel from Tangled. One of her favorite's.

Taylor looks wonderful but I had to catch him while I could. He was in the midst of car repairs and came in to wash his hands. His ornament was Spiderman. He loves Marvel and DC comics and this was perfect.

Jordan got a nod towards his love of Star Wars with a Hans Solo/Boba Fett ornament.

Taylor turned 20. Taylor has left behind the teen years but not necessarily moved into adult mode. He stills loves to skateboard, play xbox, hangout and tease his sisters. I think the proper saying is "boys may get older but they never grow up!!"

Last year that Taylor can use just his hands and feet to show how old he is.

One of our favorite traditions is to attend a local Christian church's "Journey to Bethlehem". This is a live nativity that you walk through as if you were part of the travelers making their way to Bethlehem when Jesus was born. We have been doing this for several years and it is a great way to focus on what the Christmas season is all about. Unfortunately Ken was gone the weekend the program was on but we went with good friends and enjoyed a wonderful time. They had to make some adjustments since we have had a burn ban in effect and they usually have pit fires in the ground along the path. They moved the program to the front of their property and had contained fires in metal fire pits above ground. They fires are usually a necessity for warmth, both for the travelers and the actors.

Both of the girls had their band Winter concerts. I love to hear the kids perform and it's always a great experience for them to perform for a large audience. Paige got to play the bells, bass drum and Timpani for their different numbers.

Getting the Christmas tree. We have always had a live tree and make the annual stop at Home Depot to pick it out. It's funny to look back on our pictures because some years we are bundled up and freezing and other years we are in shorts and t-shirts. The fun of winter in Texas, you never know exactly what you will get. This year Lexi took the camera so you can tell I was actually there. We really liked the shape of our tree, it was taller and not quite so full at the base.

I'm still here

This won't be the most exciting post but we are still here. After battling a computer virus and problems we broke down and got a new computer. Only problem is there is a BIG learning curve for me and I feel like I have taken many steps back. Frustrating. The other problem is my pictures are still on the other computer. So hopefully we will get everything together and we'll be back in business soon. Hope you all have a very Merry Christmas and happy New Year and we'll be back after the holidays.

Sept

We have had some major computer probs the past month, so it compounded my delinquency in posting. I figured I will give highlights from the past couple of months.

Paige turned 15. I can't even believe that she already that old!!! Time goes way too fast and she is such a beautiful young woman!!! She is raring to get her learner's permit and drive. (I am definitely not ready for that!!) She had to go to school so she is decked out in her birthday regalia to let everyone know it was her special day. We also had the band bash that evening so her birthday got sandwiched between the activities. Seems like that is the way life is going lately, craziness.

No, Paige did not get a car for her birthday. Ken had a rental from a trip and the girls decided they wanted to enjoy the photo op. Just the thought is scary!!!

WE GOT RAIN!!! It's weird that this is so exciting but we have been in severe draught conditions with no rain for months. We finally got a real rain storm! It didn't make a significant dent in the need but the kids had a good time running around in it for a while.

We went to a Astros game. A friend had 4 tickets they weren't going to use so we went. We didn't think it would be very good since the Astros had a terrible season with something like 100+ losses. We played the Colorado Rockies and WON!! We said we brought them good luck, Hah!! but it was a good time.

Maria turns another year older. The end of Sept is my birthday and despite my age I wanted the 2011 American Girl doll. No matter how I get I love dolls. I usually don't indulge but this one was from Hawaii. My family thinks I'm a bit loony but she is beautiful and I love it!!

Denae and Joel's wedding

 The beginning of Sept we flew to California for a quick weekend to be there for my niece Denae and her fiance, Joel's wedding.  They were sealed in the Los Angeles temple.  We left Wed evening and got there in time to enjoy a bit of the the bridal shower, Thurs was a family dinner with both families, which is a lot of people and then they were married on Fri.  It was a beautiful day and we are so glad we were able to be together to support them and their families.  The beginning of forever for Denae and Joel.

Paige and Lexi waiting outside for the bride and groom to come out

The handsome guys, Ken, Taylor and Jordan

I even got everyone together for a family shot

The beautiful new bride and groom

Denae wanted a peacock feather theme for her reception.  The cake was a topsy turvy with the feathers and orchids.  

This was my sister's backyard where the reception was held.  It was very nice when the sun went down.  Very warm before that.  There was yummy taco bar, great music and of course wonderful family and friends to share the joy with.  Heather did a beautiful job planning all the details to make it great. 

For dessert Denae had a candy bar.  There were chinese take out containers that the guests could fill with their choice of goodies.  The hard part was keeping the kids from continually grazing so the other guest could enjoy also.

The girls and I at the reception.                                    This was Paige's turn at the guest book

 Before the open house the next day we had cousin pool time at Galante's.  The kids filled up the water weinie and it took them all to hold it up.  It was a quick but fun weekend

Paige in Marching band

Paige has been involved in the jr. high band for the past 3 yrs. playing percussion. With the start of high school comes marching band, YEAH!!! This is not just learn some music and play in the stands. The schools each have a 1/2 time show that is very intricate with movement of the band members in different formations with each music movement

As a percussionist Paige had many instruments to choose from but she is partial to the xylophone. She is actually playing the vibraphone for this marching band season. She had a special percussion camp the last of July and summer marching started Aug 1st. This is 6-8 hrs/day with a break midday. She may not have to march but she still had to stand in the 100+ degree heat and play. The commitment of these students is incredible. Going from jr high to high school has been a huge leap and it is amazing to watch the show these students put on. Paige was overwhelmed and never thought she could memorize all that music to begin with but now she plays it with no problem.

This is the kids outside practicing. Paige is on the far right by the black box.  The kids are not locked in, they practice in a student parking lot that is striped off like a football field so they know where to go for their part.  I'm on the outside so I don't distract Paige (that's her version of it)

Getting set for the 1st game.  The kids didn't have to wear their marching uniforms because it was still 100+ and the band directors didn't want to add heat exhaustion into the mix of everything.  Paige is front and center right below the drum major's stand.  She plays the 1st notes that start out the show.

This is a partial overview of the band.  Paige is on the silver vibraphone to the left of the drum major's stand. It's cooled off to the 80's so the kids where their uniform now.



This is Paige after an all day band competition.  After their performance the band boosters fed the kids and then it was more fun with a football game.  It  made for a very long and tiring day, for kids and parents alike

It has been really fun to see how much Paige is enjoying band.  She has gone from being tentative and unsure to very confident about what she is doing.  She has made lots of friends and hasn't even complained about the long practice hours and heat.  I look forward to the next 6 years-that's with both Paige and Lexi through high school

1st day of school

August 22, 2011 was the 1st day of school. Lexi in 7th grade and Paige starting high school in 9th. We do our traditional pictures out front. Both girls were excited with their new clothes, ready for a new exciting year. Paige had already been busy with marching band so she knew quite a few kids already. Lexi had gotten her schedule and gotten to check out the classes. Great things are to come!!

Lexi

Paige

Our morning carpool