December started out with an ornament blowing event with Pat. The ornament I blew was huge and really funny shaped, but I really liked it.  I figured I would not put it on the tree, but use it all year round for a decoration.  Well, when you blow the glass, it has to be tempered overnight, so the next day I went back to pick them up, my ornament had been redone into a normal looking ornament.  Oh well, I was kinda disappointed, but that is fine. My original one is at the top, then the one they redid and below it is the one Pat made.  The class was free as a gift from our investment company, so I really had no complaint.

Lina turned 5!!!  My youngest grandchild is FIVE!!!  

Jessi went all out with a 'You are My Sunshine' theme and the cake was so cute!

I flew to Thousand Oaks to be able to attend Gabe and Daniel's Christmas program.  It was really fun to have a quick little trip and be a part of their lives.  One night we were watching a movie, and there was Mason, sitting alongside us watching it with us.  It cracked me up.

It was so fun to be a part of each of the grandkids Christmas programs this year.  

I saw the cutes gnomes that were made from a tomato stand.  I went over to my parent's place and brought home the branches to make them.  While I was there, I found some inspiration in the form of fungus growing on a maple tree.

The Gnomes were so fun to make and looked so cute on my entry way.

Meanwhile, in California, the yard is growing its own Christmas color.

Here are a few of the decorations this year.

Arianna put her special touch on another nativity scene this year.  Of course she had her hand in the usual way on my bigger nativity.

With all that went on this year, Christmas cards only were sent out to those far away. 

Every year, when I see the boxes of oranges, I cringe.  It makes me remember back to the time years ago, when I took my kids in to see my Grandparents.  Before we left, Grandpa handed me some money and told me to stop and buy a case of oranges for the kids.  Well, instead of buying oranges, we talked it over and went out to lunch instead.  I still feel guilty for not buying those oranges as he wanted me to.  Maybe it is not too late, I think I will buy a case of them next year.  HAHA.

Times have changed.  This is where I did most of my Christmas shopping this year.  Sure it was easy, it was fast and it was one stop.  BUT...it just does not feel right to hand the family one tiny little card.  I miss the days of them ripping open packages of things that I hoped would be just the perfect gift.  Well, at least this way, they do get the exact thing that they wanted.  I still buy gifts for the little kids. 

Added to my Nativity collection, I now have one that I found in Jimmy's house.  It is one he made years ago.  When I had him out her for lunch one day, I showed it to him.  He didn't remember making it at first, but then slowly, he began remembering how he used a shingle for the roof and how he did this or that on it.  I had him sign his name on the back.

I love having my morning latte sitting in the Christmas tree light.  It is a nice quiet peaceful way to begin the day.

I cut down on the amount of baking and candy making I did, but there was still way too much sugar around this house!!!

Everyone's schedules were different this year, so we ended up having 3 gift openings at our house.  The first one was our traditional Christmas Eve celebration, with the Veras'.  We started out with the usual dinner and dessert and moved on to the gifts.

My newest toy.  I am going to have so much fun with this!

The next morning, Christmas Day, we had the Salem family join us.  Well, part of it, Emily and Matthew couldn't be there that soon because of his family's events. We brought Jimmy out to join us at our house.

After brunch and family time, we all went over to my parents house for the traditional dinner and gift time.

The next night, Ariel flew out to see his family in the Dominican Republic.  Then the day after that, Dennis and his family flew in for another round of Christmas!

The 29th, ALL the family was able to get together, except for Ariel of course.  We had an amazing, fun day together, playing games, checking out new toys, and just being together.

 

We always have to celebrate the REAL reason for Christmas.

And then before we knew it, it was time for these critters to fly back home.

And I can't let a month go buy without showing off a bit of the mountain!

Bob Dixon

Husband, Father, Catholic, Grandfather, Friend

John's Dad went in for a permanent catheter to be inserted.  There were complications and it was discovered that the cancer tumors that he had operated on a few years ago, had grown back.  After a week of many ups and downs, it was decided that he stop treatment and begin Hospice.  It was a long month, but his Father was finally able to move on from this life to his next one.  There is sadness and happiness and relief that his battle is over.  He will be missed, but we hope that he and Cleo are finally together in their Promised land.

November and December came and went so fast!  Both months were so full, some good, some bad and some sad.  The month started out with the McCool girls annual spa day.  This year it was at Ruby's as it usually is.  We all agreed that we each thought it was our top massage ever!  

 Josh had his 18th birthday.  He celebrated it with a tattoo.  It says 'It Is Finished' (Jesus words on the cross) in Greek.

 I met up with Josh and Alexis and Emily and Matthew to celebrate his lunch.  It is so amazing to spend time with them.  To see how they have grown up into almost adults that I am so proud to know.

 The fall colors hung on until late.

John's Dad had surgery to insert a permanent catheter.  There were complications and after a long week of up and downs, Bob said no more and it was decided to begin Hospice.  John, Martha, Sandy and Jessi spent endless hours with him at the hospital.  Martha had to get back home before he moved to the Hospice Center. John and Sandy were there from the beginning taking shifts, days for him and nights for her. It was a long grueling time for them as they watched their Father pass from this world. When it became clear that Grandpa Dixon was not going to get better, Dennis flew up from California to see him and say goodbye.  John came up from Salem while he was here to do the same.  Jessi spent endless hours helping her Dad through the days and even stayed on her own into the nights. It was so special to me, as their mother, to see them care that much to give up their time to be there for their dad and encourage and comfort him through the loss of another parent.  He lost them both in one year!

While he was here, Dennis took advantage of spending time with his other Grandparents too.

We had the kids over for a sleepover which included a birthday shopping trip for Josiah.  He wanted to go up the mountain to the fly tying shop.  I can not believe how long he was able to wander around in that shop day dreaming.  The owner talked with him and they shared stories and he asked advice.  Then he made his decisions on what to buy.  As soon as we got home, he went right to work tying his flies. I am pretty impressed with that he knows about fishing and how much skill he has at tying a fly.

 The weekend also included a little sewing project for Arianna's Girls Club patch.  She has some pretty amazing sewing skills.

Of course there was a lot of ice cream and hot tubbing too.  The girls discovered the old View-Master that was given to me after my Grandmother passed.  I love it when an oldie, but goodie is discovered by kids of this generation. Pretty fun stuff for the generation of screens of every kind.

 And then came the birthday party.  9 YEARS!!!  

Jessi has begun doing the cakes, as Great Grandma has decided it is time to stop decorating cakes. Jessi has done a great job of learning what to do to make the cake a masterpiece.

It just never stops changing out there in the canyon.  The clouds are so amazing!  And the colors of fall turn into the colors of winter.  Even winter has different shades of the trees.

After having so much fun with Maria and Alison making and painting concrete leaves, I had a McCool leaf making party.  I was not sure how the kids would do, but it ends up they did as well as the adults!

I reached the 5 year mark since I had the cancer surgery.  It is a landmark that many are so relieved to reach.  Myself, yes, I was glad that it all has stayed clear this long and happy that I won't be going in for checks all the time, but I have not been worried about it.  Maybe I should have been more concerned, but I really have felt good that the doctor got it all out and the radiation was backup to make sure that it was gone. I know that there were many prayers said and that God kept me healthy and well.

 One of the last looks at the pretty valley with the mountain showing.  It won't be long until the clouds roll in and the rains begin.

A pretty sunset with a very bare mountain.  It will be covered with snow soon.

Lina's PreK class had their Thanksgiving performance.  She is such a good singer and knew all the words.  The teacher put her in the middle to help the other kids follow along.

I have never decorated the house for Christmas until the day after Thanksgiving, but this year, with John gone all day and into the evenings, I went for it!  Last year, with us having the unexpected delay getting home from Oxnard with Jimmy's health problems, Jessi and the kids came over and we all went at it decorating.  I had been a little nervous when we began, but in just a short time, it was up and I hardly had to move a thing when they left.  Well, I guess we have a new tradition, because when they were here one day, I said, "Let's decorate for Christmas!" and they were so excited.  Again, barely a thing needed moved when they left.  They have learned over the few years we have lived here, where I like to put my special decorations.  It took two weeks longer before John decided that we really did need a tree and one night after he arrived home from the Hospice House, he pulled in the box and we got the tree up.

I didn't buy any poinsettias last year.  It was too late by the time we got home, got Emily married, and the house decorated and a second trip back to Oxnard to move Jimmy to the Memory Care home.  Well, this year, I was by myself so much, I stopped into Al's to take a look.  Oh Wow!  So many colors and sizes.  My eyes feasted on them!  Of course I took a few photos!  And I brought home 5 of them! plus one for my Mom.

Sunrise!!!

And then suddenly it was Thanksgiving!

This year was one of those rare years that Mom's birthday is on Thanksgiving.  Oh well, she still cooked a feast for the whole family anyway.

We took her out to dinner the next week and celebrated it right!