I've given up

Looks like iMac and Blogger are incompatible. Every time I try to load a photo, both Safari and Firefox are "not responding".

I can't get anyone from Blogger to answer a question and the same goes for several iMac forums.

Blogging without pictures just doesn't appeal to me. The whole point of using this medium for writing down my thoughts, was so there could be a photographic record of it.

Oh well. I'll see if iMac and Wordpress work together, although I really don't like the Wordpress layout.

~~~~~~~~~Update for my own mental files:

I opened a Wordpress blog. Pictures will not load there either. Must be an issue with iPhoto.

I tried moving pictures into the Desktop and then onto the blog---same thing happens.

Lee is suggesting that we reload iPhoto---Whatever that entails. I'm crossing my fingers.

Testing, Testing, 1 2 3....

It's just me. I cannot get Blogger to upload pictures today.

I checked with their "issues" thingy and it isn't listed as a problem.

I've tried logging out. I've tried shutting my computer down and restarting.

I even began to wonder if it was the camera that was the problem, but subbed pictures from the old camera and they won't load either.

It has to be Blogger.

I'm doing this post to see if it will even post words. No need to respond in any way.

UNLESS....you are having the same issue. Then you can respond and make me feel heaps better.

Christmas Tradition

Note: Blogger is not loading pictures right now. Hopefully my pictures will appear soon.

We have many traditions at our house.

We always go to church. Instead of being a standard worship service, it reminds me more of campfire at camp. The evening starts with silly and fun songs and readings. It finishes up with more sacred stories and hymns. Those things are sandwiched in by prayers. After all, you have to invite God to come and give thanks at the end for a wonderful time together. Mostly, thanks for the gift of Jesus.

Like most good churches, food follows closely on the heels of the Christmas Eve service. Snacks really. Christmas cookies and chocolates and cheese balls and dips of all ethnicities, and tiny meatballs, and crackers and the token veggie tray. The veggie tray makes it all okay. Somehow it cancels out the artery clogging other stuff. For drinks we have a long tradition, started by a dearly departed member, of banana punch or hot apple cider. Or, it you're like me---have some of both.

The next morning we torture our kids with the reading of the Christmas story out of the Bible and a prayer to give thanks for the ridiculous number of blessings that we have at our house. We are, indeed, blessed beyond measure.

Lately, my sister Jean, has been able to join us for the Christmas festivities. She lives in Portland for most of the year; and so having her here four Christmases in a row has been a rare treat!

The unwrapping frenzy commences. Lee and I had high hopes when we just had Tom, that we'd unwrap each present individually and everyone else would watch and 'ooo and ahhh'. Once we had three kids, that pretty much went out the window. The kids are properly grateful, but at a much faster pace.

Lunch is when we eat. No one can wait until dinner time to eat Grandma Cox's homemade butterhorn rolls or pumpkin pie. What seems to be setting up itself as Christmas tradition is the addition of beef as the main dish. A rib roast. We buy meat from one of those grocery stores (Randalls) that gives deep discounts on things if you carry one of their "member" cards. Rib roast would be out of the question, otherwise.

Beef climbed the ladder over turkey and ham quite easily. We have ham many times during the year, and so it isn't so special. Turkey............lets just say that after Thanksgiving I don't want to eat turkey again until next Thanksgiving.

Lastly, I have a personal tradition that the family doesn't really know about. It isn't something that's up in their faces like say, cookies or watching the movie, Elf.

I got this book called The Family Christmas Book in 1993.

Here's what it says on the inside cover:

"Keep this family Christmas Book

Faithfully through the years,

Record your Christmas memories,

The love and the good cheer.

When twenty-five years have come and gone

Won't it be a pleasure,

To have this book to cherish

As your special Christmas treasure."

Each year, as I'm putting away the decorations, I fill out the book regarding that years events.

Christmas (year)________

We gathered at (address)________

Those who joined us in the cheer________

Special events of the holiday season_________

Memories of the past year___________

Photo___________

Christmas card we sent this year__________

Not every year was there a special picture taken. Not every year was there a special event. Not every year did someone join us. Not every year was there a Christmas letter or a Christmas card (gasp!!).

What did happen every year was memories. I won't say they were all cheery, but goodness knows we done some living and been incredibly blessed since 1993.

Lee and I have been blessed since the moment we met in 1986.

I hope this book will bring back happy memories for my family for many, many years to come.

Can You Say, Aaaawwww?

Three years ago we added to our menagerie. Mandy, our big Cattle dog/Shepherd cross got a new little sister. I did not set out to get a female. In fact, I was dead set against it. Even spayed females tend to have "Alpha Dog" issues.

My decision to give into the female cuteness you see below, later came to fruition. Smokie and Mandy, did indeed go through about 6 months of making me wonder if I was going to have to get rid of one before one of them died of fighting injuries. Neither one would back down.

They will still occasionally have a fight, but it is no longer a constant worry.

That's not really why I'm posting. I was just looking through old pictures and remembering when we brought home the little fatty you see below. Smokie.

I've never known what it is about the Christmas tree, but a dog or cat has always laid underneath it. Never upsetting the tree, but just napping.

It's important to remember that while the dogs aren't allowed on the sofa, there's nothing in the rules that states that dogs can't be on a person that's on the sofa. Splitting hairs is the name of the game. The kids know how to get around the rules as well as the dogs. :)

Smokie proved her worth very early. Besides being a champion squirrel chaser and hole digger, she is able to prewash the dishes with the best of them. She's our way of 'going green'. Think of how much water we save by not prewashing them in the sink.

She learned early that it was just easier to get in among the toys instead of getting them all out. She was very thoughtful that way. No mess for us to clean up.

Mandy showing off a new circus trick with Smokie.

"Look mom, I can fit her whole head in my mouth!"

Again with the technicality of being on a person and not on the sofa. I think here they are stretching that idea a bit, but it was so darn cute. I'm sure they both were aware of it before Smokie ended up in this position. In fact, at this age, she was too small to get up on the sofa by herself. By the looks of it, she wasn't too worried about me discovering her.

She still lays like this today--head tucked in under your chin.

So, gratuitous cuteness is over. Smokie is now a big part of our daily smiles and laughter. She is a funny dog with quirks just like the rest of us. She's deathly afraid of the vacuum cleaner, trash bags and when humans sneeze. She's not afraid of much else.

She still chases squirrels and digs the occasional hole.

She rarely gets called by her real name.

Smokie Jo, Smokachino, Mochachino, MoMo, La, LaLa, Poodle, Smoshie, Heyyougetouttathetrash, Smoochie.......

What nicknames do you have for your animals? Why is there no rhyme or reason to nicknames with pets? I guess because they can't slap us upside the head and tell us to cut it out.

I Couldn't Help Myself

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Love-Hate-Love Relationship

Not a good photo, I know.

This picture is forever adhered to the glass it is behind, because I keep on my bathroom counter. Warm, humid conditions are not particularly the best for pictures.

There are three tiny frames with pictures of our kids from our first trip to San Diego, in December of 2000.

Oh, how we love San Diego!

This is Tom and Pearl on the Skyfari aerial tram over the San Diego Zoo. Lee was able to capture a moment between them. A moment in which Tom said something or did something that absolutely tickled Pearl to the point of explosive laughter. He was good at that with both her and little brother, James.

Tom and Pearl were great friends for many years. Loved to play with just each other.

When they reached the mid-elementary school years, that changed. Sibling rivalry kicked in and they could barely be in the same room together. I used to tell people, "They can't breath the same air." I didn't have that rivalry with my siblings and neither did Lee. Our siblings are much older than us; making us almost 'only' children. Neither one of us understood how our kids could dislike each other so much. The only thing that united them was their love of their baby brother, James. They were both good to him, but never to each other.

That was the status quo at our house for years. They would have moments where they were peaceful with one another, but mostly they just avoided each other like the plague. Really, he more than she. Tom just thought Pearl was too silly and too random to be related to him.

Last year, things changed. He was a Junior in high school and she in 8th grade. I have no idea what happened, but delighted in it. They could finally breathe the same air!

Now that they are both in high school, I fully expected them to revert to their old ways. Pick, pick, pick. I am thrilled to report that they seem closer than ever. They laugh, they share inside jokes, they tease, and are generally pretty thoughtful to one another. He offers her rides back and forth to school. She worries that he's having trouble with Kay (his girlfriend) if he's particularly grumpy. They text one another, they sneak one another's cell phones and text each other's friends. If one were to leave their Facebook page open, woe to that person! Their 'status' might read something outrageous. The same goes for instant messaging on Facebook.

Yesterday, Tom and Pearl got out of school early because of final exams. I offered to take them shopping for Christmas presents. What a delightful time for me! The time we spent, just the three of us, was Christmas present enough for me. We ate, we laughed, we shopped and no one whined. They even went in together on a Christmas present for James. Instead of splitting the cost, 50/50, Tom insisted on paying more. "I have a job, you don't."

They are such good kids! I am so proud of who they are becoming as young adults.

One thing they do when they are both on Facebook is comment on one another's status'.

She'll say something that is far out or random. Instead of balking at her silliness like he used to do, he'll reply,

"Quiet".

her reply is,

"Go to college".

It's a joke between them. I know they both know that it won't be so funny next year when he really goes to college. I know they'll miss each other. What makes me happy is that technology will enable them to continue their relationship. Something that couldn't happen a generation ago. Now he'll know right away if he needs to come home and beat up any boy that breaks Pearl's heart.

They've come full circle.

Love to hate to love again.

Parenting has to be the most glorious, gosh-awful, magnificent job on the planet. I wouldn't miss a minute of it.