Just a few hours old.
We got to babysit. Charlie is sleeping in the same cradle his mommy slept in - the one that my dad built for her.
Christmas 2007 - his new swing.
On the carousel at Seaport Village
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Time is certainly flying by! I really wanted to post a little more often on this site. So much happens, and it is so easy to forget the details.
Charlie had a wonderful first birthday. He had his party here at Grandma & Grandpa's house. There were lots of people here ... Grandma & Grandpa Sump, Aunt Jessica (Sump), Jose (roommate), Brandon (roommate), Jose's mother - Sherry, Travis (Billy & Becca's friend), Travis's mother, Justin (B & B's friend), Justin's mother, Jeanne Milton, Cambria Clark, Chatele Clark, Jason Beard, and more that I can't remember. The theme for his party was Jungle/Zoo Animals. He had one of those big "jumpers" in our front yard. The kids loved it ... so did the adults! He received so many nice presents. And, of course, he kept us all entertained with his charm and sweet disposition.
Right after his birthday, we went straight into planning for the Thanksgiving holiday. We decided not to go to Bishop to be with Randy & Leslie. Since Billy would have to work early on the morning after Thanksgiving, Billy and Becca couldn't go with us and I didn't want to face a holiday without them. So, we invited Charlie's Grandma & Grandpa Sump and Aunt Jessica to our dinner. Everything went off without a hitch. Dinner was great (even if I do say so, myself!) and everyone had a great time. After dinner, Billy set up "Guitar Hero" and we all took turns playing in the band or singing. Bill (Sr) and Dave played together and got to know each other better. Charlie had fun being with his whole family!
Rebecca and I were worried about how Charlie would react to Santa Claus. We took him shopping one day and decided to introduce him to the Santa at the Hemet Mall. I figured he would be ... like so many children his age ... afraid of Santa. WRONG!!!!! He went right to him and posed for pictures like a pro.
Becca and I baked ... and baked ... and baked. She decorated a gingerbread house from a kit we had stored for a year or two. It smelled like stale, rancid oil, so I sprinkled some cinnamon on it to cover up the foul odor. It worked! She did a wonderful job of decorating it and it became the centerpiece for a "tabletop" in our dining room. We laughed and giggled and had so much fun making all of the baked goods we would package as gifts for friends and neighbors.
Dave decorated the outside of the house with lights and moving figures ... and of course, his train. Our electric bill soared out of sight, but it was worth it to see the look on Charlie's face every time he went outside.
Billy, Becca and Charlie went to the Sump's house for a Christmas celebration on Christmas Eve. After the gift exchange, they all came over to our house and slept here so that Charlie (and his mommy) could wake up and be here early on Christmas morning. Santa Claus was very good to all of us. We had lots of gifts, but most importantly, we shared Christmas together. Charlie liked all of the toys and books he was given, but I think he would have liked empty boxes with ribbons and paper to tear off.
Next, it was time to celebrate Rebecca's 21st birthday! We went to her favorite restaurant - The Olive Garden - and invited Bill & Jeannette Sump to come along. We had a great time and then took Becca back to her house to celebrate with her friends. The next day ... Sunday ... Rebecca and I went to Soboba Casino. She took some nickles my mom had brought back from Las Vegas and a few dollars from her daddy - around $11, I think. We played the slot machines for about two hours - winning some, then losing some. It was a fun experience for us both and it cost under $20. You can't beat that!
Now, here we are, waiting to usher in the year 2009. So much has happened in this past year. We will have a lot to remember, to celebrate, and even a few things to shed some tears over. All-in-all, 2008 has been very good to us - the good things far outweigh the bad. We have each other, we are all fairly healthy, and Charlie can make even the worst day seem like heaven on earth. What's coming in 2009?
Charlie had a wonderful first birthday. He had his party here at Grandma & Grandpa's house. There were lots of people here ... Grandma & Grandpa Sump, Aunt Jessica (Sump), Jose (roommate), Brandon (roommate), Jose's mother - Sherry, Travis (Billy & Becca's friend), Travis's mother, Justin (B & B's friend), Justin's mother, Jeanne Milton, Cambria Clark, Chatele Clark, Jason Beard, and more that I can't remember. The theme for his party was Jungle/Zoo Animals. He had one of those big "jumpers" in our front yard. The kids loved it ... so did the adults! He received so many nice presents. And, of course, he kept us all entertained with his charm and sweet disposition.
Right after his birthday, we went straight into planning for the Thanksgiving holiday. We decided not to go to Bishop to be with Randy & Leslie. Since Billy would have to work early on the morning after Thanksgiving, Billy and Becca couldn't go with us and I didn't want to face a holiday without them. So, we invited Charlie's Grandma & Grandpa Sump and Aunt Jessica to our dinner. Everything went off without a hitch. Dinner was great (even if I do say so, myself!) and everyone had a great time. After dinner, Billy set up "Guitar Hero" and we all took turns playing in the band or singing. Bill (Sr) and Dave played together and got to know each other better. Charlie had fun being with his whole family!
Rebecca and I were worried about how Charlie would react to Santa Claus. We took him shopping one day and decided to introduce him to the Santa at the Hemet Mall. I figured he would be ... like so many children his age ... afraid of Santa. WRONG!!!!! He went right to him and posed for pictures like a pro.
Becca and I baked ... and baked ... and baked. She decorated a gingerbread house from a kit we had stored for a year or two. It smelled like stale, rancid oil, so I sprinkled some cinnamon on it to cover up the foul odor. It worked! She did a wonderful job of decorating it and it became the centerpiece for a "tabletop" in our dining room. We laughed and giggled and had so much fun making all of the baked goods we would package as gifts for friends and neighbors.
Dave decorated the outside of the house with lights and moving figures ... and of course, his train. Our electric bill soared out of sight, but it was worth it to see the look on Charlie's face every time he went outside.
Billy, Becca and Charlie went to the Sump's house for a Christmas celebration on Christmas Eve. After the gift exchange, they all came over to our house and slept here so that Charlie (and his mommy) could wake up and be here early on Christmas morning. Santa Claus was very good to all of us. We had lots of gifts, but most importantly, we shared Christmas together. Charlie liked all of the toys and books he was given, but I think he would have liked empty boxes with ribbons and paper to tear off.
Next, it was time to celebrate Rebecca's 21st birthday! We went to her favorite restaurant - The Olive Garden - and invited Bill & Jeannette Sump to come along. We had a great time and then took Becca back to her house to celebrate with her friends. The next day ... Sunday ... Rebecca and I went to Soboba Casino. She took some nickles my mom had brought back from Las Vegas and a few dollars from her daddy - around $11, I think. We played the slot machines for about two hours - winning some, then losing some. It was a fun experience for us both and it cost under $20. You can't beat that!
Now, here we are, waiting to usher in the year 2009. So much has happened in this past year. We will have a lot to remember, to celebrate, and even a few things to shed some tears over. All-in-all, 2008 has been very good to us - the good things far outweigh the bad. We have each other, we are all fairly healthy, and Charlie can make even the worst day seem like heaven on earth. What's coming in 2009?
- A murder trial - anticipated for 36 years - will finally happen (Dave's brother, Billy, was murdered 36 years ago last September)
- Dave will retire and devote all of his time to his new business
- We - Dave & I - will go on a cruise to the Bahamas
- We will have a year of amazing adventures with each new development in Charlie's growth
- My best friend, Pat, will be battling cancer (remember to pray for her)
- The world will do its best to recover from financial disaster
- And ... please, Dear God, may we see peace?
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)