25 Days of Christmas...Day 25...Christmas Day!!!

Merry Merry Christmas!!!

Rick and I had a FULL day today! It took some time going back and forth between each of our families, but it was well worth it! Here are some pictures of our day!

Christmas with the Oshima Family

Rick and Bryan (Bryan posed this picture. I have nothing to do with it). He was sooooo excited about his new keyboard!

Uncle Randy and his pinwheels that Santa brings him every year. *Correction: Pinwheels that he buys for HIMSELF each year and puts Santa's name on the card.

The Twins with their new football beanies.


Bryan and his keyboard

Elijah, Ezra, and J.R.

Christmas at my Grandma's

Stephen, Jenny, and baby "L"

Chargers Fans: Mom, Chase, and me.

GO CHARGERS!!!

Mandy and Baby "L"


Grandma, Chelsea, Uncle Bill, and Chase




Bowling on Christmas

My Family

Rick...


Josh, Mandy, and Jeremy AKA "Jerome" or "Jeremiah Jones"
The whole gang

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!

25 Days of Christmas...Day 24!

Today, I finally finished up my gift wrapping. I am sorry, but I cannot stand wrapping gifts, not to mention, I am horrible at it! Maybe that is why I don't like it...

Today was a BEAUTIFUL day!!! Sunny and clear in San Diego! Love it! Earlier today I picked up my cousin, Daylen to come over and make a gingerbread house with Rick's little sister Bekah. It is so fun to see the two of them together. They were both our flower girls in our wedding, and have established a sweet friendship. The funny thing is that they are only two days apart in age, (Bekah being the oldest), however, Daylen is almost 6 inches taller than Bekah!!! It works out well though! So before we headed home to make our houses, we stopped by and got some "Christian Chicken" from Chic-fil-a. Yummy!

Then we headed outside to enjoy the day. While Rick and my dad were setting up an outdoor heater, they found a planter full of lizards. Now, I am not huge on the little guys, but growing up in the country, I am pretty used to them. Bekah and Daylen? Now they are total animal lovers and went straight for them!

The girls also found our old wagon.

And finally, we headed in to decorate the gingerbread house. What a mess these girls made! Luckily, we have Riley (our dog) who made sure to lick up every scrap of sprinkle, jelly bean, and frosting on the floor when they were finished...I hope she doesn't get sick!

Tonight we will be going to Christmas Eve service and then to my in-laws for dessert! Rick and I both hope and pray that you enjoy this night! Merry Christmas!!!

25 Days if Christmas...Day 23!

Wow. What a long day! Rick and I woke early this morning, got our coffee ready, loaded up the car, and began our long drive down to San Diego. It was a good ride, for the most part. Although, in Los Angeles we hit major traffic. All in all, our trip took 10 1/2 hours. We got to my parents house around 6:15pm. ah...it is so nice to be back home for the holidays!

Tonight, we went to my Uncle and Aunts house for dinner. It is a family tradition that all my mom's family gets together a couple of nights before Christmas to celebrate with my Grandpa who lives out in the dessert. We always have Mama's and Papa's Pizza and sit around catching up.

This year it was extra special because we have added a new member to the family...Little "L." He is so adorable!

I just love this one of my grandpa! I can't believe he is a Great Grandpa!

My grandpa his kids!

"The Bookends" (I am the oldest grandchild and she is the youngest).
More Cousins

I love my family dearly. I love Christmas time because it is a chance for all of us to take time from our busy lives and spend quality time with one another! God has been good to all of us this year. I thank Him for His many blessings. I pray that he continues to provide all my family with good health and safety in the coming year! I love you!

Merry Christmas!!!!

25 Days of Christmas...Twenty One!!!

CHRISTMAS 20 QUESTIONS:
I found this questionnaire online. I verbally asked these questions to Rick. Below are his answers verbatim. Mine are listed as well. Enjoy! Merry Christmas! And please, copy the questions and send your answers back!

1. Eggnog or hot chocolate?
Rick: "Hot Chocolate...what kind of questions is that?"
Lena: Even the smell of Eggnog makes me gag...disgusting! Definitely hot chocolate!

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just set them under the tree?
Rick: Wrapped them...you gotta wrap them!
Lena: I think I remember them being unwrapped...it was so fun running down the stairs to see our stockings full and our presents displayed. Writing this reminds me how blessed I was as a child. I realize that there are so many children this year who will not have this experience. This makes me so sad.

3. Colored lights or white?
Rick: "Uhhh...I like the colored."
Lena: I am mixed on this question. Usually I would say "white" because sometimes I think colored is so gaudy...sorry. But lately, I have looked at lights and enjoyed all the colors...it also brings back the traditional look.

4. Do you hang mistletoe?
Rick: No.
Lena: No, but it would be a good idea...wink, wink.

5. When do you decorate for Christmas?
Rick: After Thanksgiving.
Lena: Okay...let me clarify Rick's answer...."Lena decorates for Christmas after Thanksgiving." I do admit, he did a wonderful job hanging the outside lights this year! I love, love, love decorating for Christmas, and am so sad when I have to take the decorations down.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish, excluding dessert?
Rick: "It's gotta be the Prime Rib...I think."
Lena: Every Christmas morning, my mom makes a good breakfast with her famous "Killer Potatoes" mmmmmm....my favorite. Simple, but my favorite!

7. Favorite holiday memory as a child?
Rick: My aunt used to always give me the santa bears with the year on it. They were always under the tree when I woke up.
Lena: I have so many. A lot of them have to do with Christmas Eve Service and family. I remember my mom always talking about Santa coming, and how we might hear the reindeer's hooves on our roof (I always heard it...). Best of all, I remember being with family the whole day long...I am so blessed. Also, this is weird, but my sister and I always watch high schoolers sing holiday music on a local television station on Christmas Eve...lame, but we always end up turning the channel to that station.

8. When and how, did you learn the truth about Santa?
Rick: "um...I have no idea. maybe because I just knew...I have no idea."
Lena: I swear, I believed in Santa until I was 9 or 10! I loved how my parents allowed us to believe in Santa, but always lived by the example and taught us that Jesus is the reason for the season.:

10. How do you decorate your Christmas tree?
Rick: "I don't...you do."
Lena: With bows, and ornaments in gold, maroon, red, and silver. We also have our personal ornaments. I would love more than one tree in our home, but Rick is not too big on multiple trees...

11. Snow. Love it or hate it?
Rick: "mmm...I have never really been in it, so I guess I can't hate it."
Lena: I am not so big on it. I like the look, but do not like being cold!

12. Can you ice skate?
Rick: "ummm...can i ice skate....um...yeah?"
Lena: Yes, when I hold onto the wall! Ha!

13. Do you remember your favorite gift?
Rick: "Um...my first set of golf clubs."
Lena: As I child I remember receiving a lot of furniture for my barbies. I was obsessed with barbies! The same Christmas we got a kitchen set that was amazing! Had food that looked so real!!! I can't wait to have children so I can give them a kitchen set one day! Love it!

14. What is the most important thing about the holidays to you?
Rick: "The birth of Christ. The real reason for the season."
Lena: Being with my family!!! And of course, remembering Jesus' birth.

15. What is your favorite holiday dessert?
Rick: "Chocolate Chip Cookies."
Lena: My mother-in-laws jello, cream cheese, pretzel concoction. I have no idea what it is called.

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition?
Rick: "Watching Christmas Story all day on Christmas Day."
Lena: Going to Christmas Eve service with my family.

17. What tops your tree?
Rick: "A star."
Lena: same...

18. Which do you prefer, giving or receiving?
Rick: "Giving."
Lena: Giving.

19. What is your favorite Christmas song?
Rick: "Uh...I don't even know...uh...Silent Night?"
Lena: O Holy Night

20. Candy canes. Yuck or yum?
Rick: "Yummy."
Lena: Yuck...not big on peppermint.

Our Christmas Tree and Stair Railing


Merry Christmas!!!

Listed below are the Christmas Organization tips for the last couple of days. Enjoy!
25 days 'til Christmas Organizing tip #17 Have a stack of papers you haven't gone through in awhile, turn the pile over, the oldest things will be on the top and you will be less likely to want to hang on to them. Purge the pile, you'll feel better.

25 days 'til Christmas Organizing tip #18- New Year, New Closet- Turn your hangers backward over the rid, if you pull the garment off and wear it, turn the hanger around properly. Soon you will be able to easily spot the clothes you aren't wearing. Consider giving them away.

25 days 'til Christmas Organizing tip # 19 If you don't have a lot of room to work with, a surefire way to instantly create more space is to go "up." Instead of only having a couple of shelves to house your kitchen items, take them up to the ceiling to really maximize the vertical space – you'll store the things you ne...ed less frequently on the higher shelves.

25 days 'til Christmas Organizing tip #20 Something things to bring- Using laundry baskets is a great way to gather up all those gifts you are taking to the party with you and make just one trip to the car. It also keeps them from falling over in the trunk.

25 days 'til Christmas Organizing tip #21 Lost socks- Do you ever lose socks somewhere in the wash? Well, I decided it didn't make since to put them in the drawer without it's match, now I leave them in a small basket on the dryer. Whenever I have a loose sock I go back to the basket to see if the mate is there.

25 days 'til Christmas Organizing tip #22 Cold Season- keep medicines in one place, use a lazy susan in a cabinet so you can just turn it to see what you have instead of digging behind things.

25 Days of Christmas...Day Twenty

Last night, we had a few friends come over last night for food, drinks, and games. I met Hannah and Michelle in the Speech Pathology Program at Sac State. We all didn't become friends until after graduation, but it has been so nice getting to know them better and meeting their husbands too!

We started off the night with appetizers and talk, and then got into the games. We started off with "Win, lose, or draw-Holiday version" and then moved on to others.

During the games, Anthony was trying out his new camera. He kept taking pictures of himself and then looking at them. Funny comments were made...

Rick and I really enjoyed hanging out with these dear friends!





We really tried getting a good picture near the tree, however, with the lack of good lighting and timer setting issues, this is what we got! Ha!

Merry Christmas Chris, Hannah, Michelle, and Anthony!

25 Days of Christmas....Day Nineteen

This will be a quick post. We are exhausted from a very busy day, starting with a movie with my head trauma group, braving Costco, cleaning the house, and finally having a few friends over for appetizers and games (I will post pictures of our game night tomorrow). Christmas is getting closer, only 6 days left (5 shopping days). Are you ready?!!!

We went to see the "Blind Side," with Sandra Bulloch. It is a true story about Michael Ohr, a football player for the Baltimore Ravens. It was a WONDERFUL movie! There were many different parts to the movie...I choked up a few times, and I loved hearing the group members laugh through the funny parts!

Rick came along as well. I know all the guys love it when he is there. It is so nice to see how patient he is. He could probably stand there and listen to them talk for hours! I know they appreciate this about him.

Merry Christmas!!!

25 Days of Christmas....Day Eighteen

Today, thank goodness...it is Friday! Unfortunately, I had to deal with a few things that I was not thrilled about...don't worry, I won't bore you with my issues. But, like I said, it is Friday, and when I came home from work, my husband was in the kitchen making me this!

So good! A perfect Holiday Meal for two! My husband is wonderful!

Merry Christmas!

25 Days of Christmas...Day Seventeen

Merry Christmas!!!

Tonight was a wonderful night, again, spent with my favorite people. As most of you know, I facilitate a support group for head trauma survivors. They are brave, wonderful people, who truly know what it means to cherish life.

Tonight we had our annual Christmas Party, complete with a gift exchange, carols, ornament making, and PIZZA!


After Pizza, we made homeade Christmas Ornaments. I found the idea off of KellysKornerblog. They turned out so cute! All you need is clear glass round ornaments, colored shredded paper, ribbon, and Initial stickers.





Have good night!!!!