Merry Christmas 2008

What a wonderful Christmas it's been--despite no extended family and no white stuff! Last night, friends invited us over to enjoy a traditional English holiday feast complete with roast beef (which inevitably makes me think of the Grinch's roast beast), Yorkshire pudding, brussel sprouts, and roasted potatoes. Yum. The not-so-traditional part consisted of extras like grapes, salad, orange rolls--and the trifle for dessert. Double yum.

Between the two couples, we have eight children! So after dinner, they performed the nativity play for us. Hans played Joseph,

Ralph doubled as a sheep and as Herod,

Rhiannon provided the "three wise camels,"

Liesl served as videocamerawoman,

I snapped photos, and Greg hosted our friends' toy creche--courtesy of their youngest child.

What a sweet almost-end to the day! Once home, the kids rushed to open Aunt Margo's pajama packages--a beloved tradition now--then more or less scurried off to bed with few complaints. Our own Christmas miracle! Ralph woke us a few hours later, too excited to sleep any longer. Unfortunately for him, 7:00 was our pre-arranged, set-in-stone wake-up agreement time, so he suffered a wee bit. Oh, but it was worth it! Just check out Hans' face as he raced down the stairs this morning. In their own ways, his siblings' faces matched.

Everyone desperately needed long-sleeved shirts and Santa came through. Even Greg got some new shirts from all of us. I heard him telling his folks over the phone that it'll be a nice change from the trio of winter shirts he's worn these past 6 years. Hmmmm . . . Good thing he's a physicist. I'm deep in the middle of a fascinating book, memoirs of the last child born in MacBeth's castle, called "A Charmed Life."

Hans constructed Lego creations all day (he's determined to be a Lego designer when he grows up), Liesl's been loading Ralph's new iPod and Rhiannon's new iPod touch with music from their joint library (she got a camera), Ralph's been playing Wii (a year-old gift) games, and Greg's been helping everyone. Me? I've been talking on the phone with family, downloading photos, sending them, writing this, reading, and making the boys' blankets that should have been finished this morning. Luckily, they took it all in stride.

Christmas Newsletter 2008

Merry Christmas! Are you familiar with the opening stanza of "White Christmas;" the part that talks about the sun shining, the grass being green, the orange and palm trees swaying? I've been humming that song all day while writing Christmas cards. I SO need snow. Need it desperately to catch the spirit of this wondrous time of year. Don't misunderstand me. I know the "reason for the season" and believe it fervently. But I believe in my Savior 24-7-365 and don't need a holiday reminder. The Christmas spirit I'm dreaming of is cozy and warm and magical and jolly and breathtakingly beautiful. And, for me--a California girl born and bred, but a Utahn at heart--that spirit starts with the fluffy white stuff. Having a blooming bouganvillea framing my front door instead of bare, frosted branches is just plain wrong. After 6 (long) Christmases here, it still feels odd NOT to have snow. Sigh.

Other than that, we're all happy and healthy and heartily enjoying Christmas traditions and festivities galore. Today, December 22, is the first quiet day we've all--besides Greg--had in months. No lessons, no practices, no school, no work, no homework, no games, no place to be. It's picked up a bit this evening with Hans delivering some Christmas presents with Greg and Rhiannon attending a holiday party, but, overall, it's been a deliciously lazy day.

Liesl, as might be expected, is our social butterfly. The child who always craved noise and action and change still does. Instead of almost literally bouncing off walls, she now flits from one activity to another, either involved herself or supporting friends who are. She's got an awesome group of friends--boys and girls--who're largely interested in music, good grades, and more music. Liesl hosted a Christmas party here Friday night that started and ended with everyone gathered 'round the piano playing holiday songs or original compositions and singing. Combined with lots of laughing and playing, chatting and eating, the party was an excellent post-finals stress buster and a fabulous way for me to get to know her friends even better. Liesl's still in the dual piano-performance and pre-IB pathway at her high school and starts swim team practices in a couple weeks. Yes, folks, it's California!
Rhiannon, an eighth-grader who starts each day in a THS geometry class, desperately hopes the next half of the school year speeds by so she'll truly be a high schooler. The two of us spent spring break with her best friend and her bff's mom on a school-sponsored trip to Boston/NYC. While in Boston, she succumbed to the Harvard allure and is determined to enroll there someday. It's not the school I'd choose for her, but it's a fantastic and realistic goal, so why not dream? Rhiannon's still involved in soccer and softball, violin and choir, with some drama on the side. For the past two years, the city's musical director has chosen a play with Rhiannon in mind to sing the lead, but each time it falls through because of our vacation or girls camp schedule. Even so, Rhiannon's getting lots of chances to solo and is, finally, starting voice lessons in a few weeks. Her two choir directors have been playfully competing to teach her. And, like her sister, Rhiannon loves Twilight and the three of us attended a midnight premiere of the movie release.
Fifth-grader Ralph is still a sports fiend in both the actual and virtual worlds. American football is definitely numero uno, but since I won't let him play, he contents himself with baseball and soccer. For some reason, he's been unusually lucky with his soccer teams and coaches and has had one fantastic season after another. He's playing, again, on a competitive soccer team (until baseball starts up) and is one of three non-hispanic boys. His combination of speed and blond hair attract a lot of attention! Ralph loves school--especially plays, his friends, and his teacher. A new district music policy this year stipulated that percussion would not be taught until 6th grade, so Ralph's dream of drum-playing took a one-year hiatus while he strengthens his music-reading skills with the trumpet. And Ralph has just bridged into Scouting after earning his Arrow of Light.
Eight-year-old Hans has the worlds' most incredible teacher (and one of my best friends) who thinks he's a genius and who can finesse him out of temper tantrums, doldrums, grumpiness--whatever might be ailing him. And when he's on, he's on! Excitedly, he has a lead in the class play and will be playing one of the crooks who hoodwinks the Emperor with "new" clothes. Hans is considering taking up baseball again, although we're trying to guide him out of it and into something more his style--like swimming or martial arts or tumbling. For him, life revolves around Star Wars, friends, Legos, and artwork. Our house is overflowing with Hans' drawings, comic strips, and Lego inventions--constant evidence of his continually flowing creativity. Plus, he loves to sing and we love to listen.
Greg's still employed at Lawrence Livermore even though 500 others lost their jobs this year. At the lab, they say the physicists are king, so it wasn't a huge surprise, but it was a stressful time nonetheless. The love affair between Greg and his dog, Champ, is as intense as ever. They're a cute pair and communicate well with each other. We deliberately never spoke baby talk to our children, but Greg has no such qualms with Champ. It's like he's a kid with his first pet and it makes him even more loveable to me! At church, Greg's the Cubmaster AND gospel doctrine teacher and is a natural at both.

My life has changed considerably since October when I became the new librarian at my boys' school. One of the former librarians retired and another chose a move "up" to one of the middle schools. So the two libraries, an upper school and a lower school one, were combined and I now care for 1,000 students--one-half bilingual, one-third socio-economically disadvantaged, and the rest GATE--and 20,000+ books. It's been enormously overwhelming, yet intensely rewarding. Luckily, my hours match the boys', so there are no carpool or daycare issues. And it's so much fun having Ralph or Hans open the door and wave or say hi! Of course, this could all change with the new school year--if not before--since budget cuts will force the most drastic changes ever in our school district. I still work as a substitute librarian at the city library, too. As you might imagine, I'm WAY behind on personal and home-making chores. Other people seem to handle changes like this with aplomb, but I'm not one of them. Be patient with me as I adjust . . .

And know that I--we--love and miss you! Despite my ever-more-feeble attempts at corresponding, I do think of you often and remember fondly all the wonderful, life-altering adventures we've shared. My friendship with you is cherished and treasured. Best wishes to all of you and yours in this new year. May you be filled with hope and strength, light and love.

Two Months Later . . .

. . . here's a summary of our summer.



Ralph and Hans have excelled at swimming lessons. In addition to conquering freestyle, Hans is a floater extraordinaire and Ralph has a mean backstroke. They love the lessons AND they love the free time in the outside pool afterward--Hans to play, Ralph to sun.


Liesl finished summer school yesterday. She enrolled in a PE class so that she could take French her Sophomore year. Two years of PE are mandatory in CA; two years of a foreign language are not. How's that for "educational" priorities? Of the five week class, two weeks were spent primarily indoors to escape the truly dangerous smoke (and particulate) levels and the triple-digit temps.


The first weekend in June, we participated in a Cub Scout Family Campout. Hans and Ralph overnighted with Greg in the small tent, Rhiannon squeezed with 2 friends into a pup tent, and I went home to stay with Liesl who had had a mandatory YW 3rd-year hike pack & swim test. Greg, as Cubmaster, was in charge of the fireside activities--including the requisite silly songs and skits and the less usual retiring of a flag. Very cool.

Chaos & Disappointment

After a tense, yet exciting 9 innings (2 of those were tiebreakers), Rhiannon's softball team lost their game. Highlights for Rhiannon? First run scored; single-handed double play; sportsmanlike behavior (as usual). Next games (if they don't lose again) are: Friday, 5:30 p.m.; Saturday, 9:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m., 3:00 p.m.

Ralph's team also lost. The Giants (2nd place) lost to the Diamondbacks (3rd place). Ralph didn't get on base, but he hit the ball both times he was at bat and it took great fielding to get him out. Greg watched the game from his post in the "Snack Shack." It was 95 degrees outside and considerably "warmer" inside. Ugh.

Liesl and Hans attended Rhiannon's game with me. They both watched some of the game but aren't fans, so . . . Liesl attended the middle school open house (Rhiannon's games are played at the school) to see her old teachers and Hans alternated between bleacher sitting, stick throwing, vine swinging, and fence climbing. Obviously, I did NOT attend the open house; luckily, Rhiannon has a 4.0 gpa. For fun, Liesl quizzed Rhiannon's teachers for me and heard nothing but compliments. At least the teachers know why we didn't show up!

Other Wednesday happenings? My regular subsitute librarian stint at the high school (every W and F), the kids' at school (no kidding), Ralph's group guitar lesson after school, Ralph's Webelos Scouts after the game (no, there was not a free moment for ANY homework); Rhiannon's violin lessons were rescheduled to yesterday and there was no YW (church youth group)for the girls because of the stake (like a diocese) beach trip on Saturday. Of course, that doesn't include getting kids to the games an hour before, carpooling kids to and from school, dinner (ha ha!), laundry, etc. Busy, busy, busy!

Mother's Day

For the big day, Hans made me a cake: yellow, with chocolate pudding frosting, 20+ candles--some in pyramid patterns, some spelling out "happy" and "day," tiny gingerbread man sprinkles, and mint-flavored "Blues Clues" decos (left over from his 2nd birthday party back in SLC). He was very proud! Liesl made me brownies, Ralph made me a couple Mother's Day cards/books, and Rhiannon gave me moral support while I created this blog.

Not to be outdone, Greg played his harmonica to accompany Bob Dylan's "Mr. Tambourine Man." Liesl cringes whenever he even SAYS harmonica, but he's actually good! Greg also helped Hans with the cake, made dinner, and bought me a dozen white roses (for the purity of his love) and a dozen red ones (and for the passion of it)--or something equally romantic like that. I was in my closet Saturday, fulfilling Rhiannon's last-minute request to search for a less geeky-looking pair of black pants that she could wear to her concert, when Greg gifted me with the roses. So I missed the fine points but got the big picture!Also in honor of Mother's Day, Hans' entire 2nd grade (all 10 classes) participated in a Mother's Day tea. The kids learned words and actions to "Hey, You Beautiful Doll" (or however it's punctuated) in English and "Eres Tu" in Spanish. Plus, they recited a darling poem, served us lemonade and cookies, then gifted us with paintings and flowers in classroom-decorated vases. SOOOO cute! Here's Hans with his painting and with his best buddy, Spencer.

Community Choir

Yesterday was the first day of Rhiannon's softball tournament (hence, her softball "do") AND two performances of her community choir in our newly restored Grand Theatre (On this same stage, during the Christmas concert, Rhiannon sang a "Sleigh Bells" solo.). See if you can picture her in the group photo (7th from the right in the green shirts row); in the telephoto shot it's a cinch.

Ralph's a Giant

Thanks to what Greg called a "tragically good" tryout, Ralph did NOT get another season in Minor A baseball, a Little League division. Instead, he was drafted up with the big boys and into the Majors. I was petrified and I know Ralph's coach sensed my hesitation and unhappiness when he first called. In fact, when I first told Ralph, he was bummed and thought (like I did) that he'd sit on the bench the whole season. Of course, once I told Ralph that he'd be playing on the Giants, he felt much better. Nothing like the home team to lift a boy's spirits.

Happily, Ralph usually starts, plays at least half of each game, and is not at the bottom of the batting order. Coach drafted him for his speed, so when Ralph can get on base, he's always a scoring threat. The other boys and their parents are extremely supportive, too, which makes it fun. In a league with 7th graders (he's in 4th) who double his weight and top him by a foot or more, Ralph's holding his own. What's more, because the coaches have been so positive and such great teachers, Ralph has thrived. Because of his size, it'd be so easy for him to walk every at-bat, but he WANTS to hit. If the pitch is close, he swings and often hits. He doesn't always get on base, but he's not an easy out. Plus, his speed makes him a natural in the outfield. At this level of play, he sees lots of action there. And the Giants are in 2nd place. What more could a kid ask for?