A MERRIER CHRISTMAS

PH - Christmas as a child
I know, I didn't do one last week. Lots going on here.

My earliest memories of family Christmases was at my grandparents' mobile home in Carson, California. We would always meet with our cousins and their families, probably on Christmas eve, to have a fun meal, play, and open gifts. All of the photos I have here are from that time:

I'm willing to guess I'm about three here. Niles is a year and a half younger than me and Debbie, my cousin in the middle, was born the month after him. Obviously, I'm the rosy-cheeked cherub on the right!

Same dress, so I"m guessing the same time. I'm with my grandmother here. You can tell that, even at that age, my hair wanted to wave and curl!

This picture has four of our brood at the time, along with three of my cousins. I'm the smug one in the middle.

My grandmother sewed the outfits we were wearing. I had a lot of clothes she made for me!

I remember this pinata! My mom made it herself - a monumental task. She filled it with gifts and treats that we cracked open Christmas eve!

After we moved to Norwalk, my grandparents eventually sold their trailer and moved from different jobs, spending a little time in San Diego, and finally resting in Perris, California. We would spend our Christmas Eves at home and then drive out to visit them Christmas Day, having a nice dinner and playing games.

Christmas Eve began to be the big tradition at our house. We would have dinner by candlelight and it would be all the stuff we generally didn't have but rarely during the year: finger food, crackers & cheese, chips and dip. Mom would make a jello ribbon salad with three layers - red jello, a middle mixture of lemon jello, marshmallows, crushed pineapple and mayonnaise, and a green jello. It was very festive. At first we had actual lit candles, but as we got older, married, and had our own children, the little led candles were developed. Much safer and better for parental anxiety.

After dinner and clean up (at first it was dishes, but morphed into paper plates after two son-in-laws thought that holiday dishes were ridiculous - ahem!), we opened gifts (Santa stockings were for Christmas morning after breakfast). Dad for years played Santa, sitting on the floor and drawing gift after gift from under the tree. He would dole them out, one at a time, to each child in turn, so that everyone got to unwrap one before anyone received a second one. With six kids (eventually) the livingroom became a sea of paper and ribbons. For many years, I would become Dad's elfin helper to wrap his gifts for him. He'd call me out into the garage (which even in a California "winter" could be chilly) to wrap his things to Mom. I was always amused. I wonder who does it now, or does he just use gift bags, since they're easier?

In my parents' dining room is a large fireplace, with the whole wall lined with rocks (it's impossible to dust) and a tile ledge in front of it. My capable, construction-minded father managed to string our stockings across the fireplace. We used to take our yearly family picture sitting on the ledge in front of those stockings (sorry, I don't currently possess a photo). There was even one year with me with my arm in a cast. Photo time was always stressful for poor Dad, getting all six of us to cooperate at the same time. There was usually some emotionally breakdown, be it child or parent!

Mom made all of our stockings. She started, I believe, when Niles was little, using a pattern she found. They were felt and she cut out felt letters to put our names on them. Stylistically, mine and Niles' are similar, but as each child came, the patterns and colors changed some. I still have my stocking. It's old and beat up, but I cherish the time my Mom took to make something special.

We had lots of special decorations. Mom, for one, saved EVERYthing we brought home from school or Church during the holidays to put on the tree. We joked when we were grown that she still had paper stars from our Sunbeam days that held only a few flecks of glitter on them. Also, being of a creative bent, I made several things for her. I made a hook rug tree skirt for her one year, made a corn husk wreath (so hard on my hands) another. I used to work at a craft store and once made a spiral wreath (all the rage that year) that falls in a spiral (duh) from the ceiling to the floor. I've had to redecorate it a time or two, but it still hangs in her living room, a unique decoration that fascinated visitors.

Of all her decorations, my favorite was her nativity set. Her sister had made several ceramic Christmas decorations for her, but this was special. Mom would lay it on cotton batting and surround it with Christmas lights. I loved to listen to Christmas music, watch the lights twinkle on and off, and just stare at the nativity. I think this is where I learned about how the Holy Ghost feels and my love for the music of Christmas began. In fact, one of the first things I wanted to make for myself when we started painting statuary when I was nineteen, was to make my own nativity set. It is my most beloved and treasured decoration and I feel closer to God and my mother when I look at it.

Our So-Sweet Christmas

This year was one for the record books. Seriously. We had the most tender time unwrapping gifts on Christmas Day. This year has been full of ups and downs and plenty of struggle. But the thing we've learned the most was how much we loved each other.

Jonathan, for one, blew my husband's mind. Ken's phone was dying; he needed a new one and we couldn't afford it. Jonathan took him out and bought him a new one! Then, he gave him an Amazon gift card as well. Ken, my unemotional Aspie, wept and went into an autistic mode, trying to hold back the overflow of feelings. He doesn't mind light-hearted gifts, like the Santa t-shirt Analiese got him and enjoyed the cheesy bubble loaf (think monkey bread with cheese) I made him. But this, he feels he doesn't deserve being treated well, which is, of course, ridiculous. I said it was high time he realized how much he was loved.

But that wasn't all. Analiese told me last week I had to get out of the house for at least an hour. Then, Christmas Eve she said I wasn't to get online at all on Christmas Day until she told me I could. At the end of our gifts, she gave me permission and said to look on Facebook. This is what she posted:

Analiese's present to Mom

(click on link)

Did I cry? You betcha! Not only was this personal, she wanted to world to know she loves her mother as well! I had a sister at church today (Sunday) say she was so envious. I realize it; I have an amazing relationship with my daughter. It is one of my most cherished possessions!

Christmas Dinner: Horseradish-rubbed beef roast!

No fireplace? Stockings on the piano!

That's Chuthulu. Don't ask, it's complicated. She loves it.

Ties & Taco Bell Cards

Jonathan spoiled me with Amazon and a keyboard vacuum.

The End of Taco Bell

Ken had a lovely week. Two days of Christmas joy with his family. And his last days at TB. He cleared stuff out of our storage that belongs to them (Merry Christmas to me!), and used up his vacation hours to come home earlier the rest of the week. Saturday he came home shortly after noon with hope in his eyes, joy in his smile, and singing songs of freedom! I had to laugh, though I'm not that naive about his new job. It's not going to be a walk in the park.

To celebrate his new job (and mine), we splurged on dinner out at a favorite restaurant. I have to tell you, their skillet mac and cheese with poblano cheese sauce and grilled chicken was amazing!

VIPKid - FINALLY

Anxiety issues I have: I seriously don't want my picture taken. I know I'm old, overweight, not good with the beauty/makeup stuff, and have a big gap between my two front teeth. Doing online Seminary was difficult at time for that reason, but I did it. For the kids. For the Lord.

But for Chinese parents and children, in a "professional" capacity, was nearly crippling. I'll be judged on this stuff - probably found wanting! I saw other people's profile pictures and their 15-second videos (you'd think 15 seconds would be no big deal, but it is) all sharp, fun, creative, edited and professional. Those were the last two things I needed to do to confirm my VIPKid employment. I was stuck and kept putting it off. At this rate, I'd never get hired and it would be all my fault. Anxiety is a vicious cycle.

I made myself just do it. Jonathan took a photo of me all dressed up the Sunday before Christmas in front of the blank walls of the Church. He does passport photos at Walgreens all the time, so I figured he'd help me. Friday, I just made a video (okay, several, I think I tried twelve or so times) and just sent the best (?) one off.

They said, "It'll be 5-10 work days to process your background check and info." Saturday morning, I had, not an email, but a text message. It was all done. I read the contract carefully, signed it and, voila! I am now a VIPKid teacher. There's more to be done. I will attend some online workshops and probably find someone to help me redo my photo and video. I've opened up my schedule availability. Now it's a waiting game, but in the meantime, I'll prepare and study up. One thing I'm studying is Chinese culture. Fascinatingly, the first thing I've learned is to count on my hand like they do. English numbers, Chinese hand signals. And it's all on one hand!

Here's my video I sent. Try not to be embarrassed for me. It's their script, my way!

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