Playing the Wii at Christmastime

We all missed you guys so much at Christmas. If Wes and Jen hadn't come, I think we would have had a very VERY quiet Christmas. It was so fun to video-conference with you Christmas morning and see all your faces. I'm so glad we did that.





When Wes and Jen were here for Christmas, they plugged in their Wii and we had the best time playing tennis and bowling. Everyone commented that my style of playing tennis was a "wii" bit spazzy, but I promise it's more fun that way. Wes said my tennis-playing reminds him of Elaine's dancing. (Watch the videos simultaneously. Bobby tried it and it is hilarious.)






This I'm sure doesn't need to be said, but these beautiful pictures were taken by Jen.

NO COMMENT NECESSARY

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JULIA! AND ELVIS

ONE OF MY FAVORITE JULIA
PICTURES
(Bobby, check out her cool lunch box.)

ENTERTAINING with MARIANNE SANT WARNER

I JUST WANTED TO EXPRESS MY THANKS TO KATHERINE FOR THIS BEAUTIFUL BOOK. I THINK ABOUT YOUR MOM ALL THE TIME AND THIS HAS BROUGHT BACK A FLOOD OF MEMORIES.
KATHERINE TITLED THE BOOK PERFECTLY. YOUR MOM DIDN’T REALLY LOVE TO COOK. PROBABLY BECAUSE YOU KIDS WERE A LITTLE TOO PICKY. TYPICAL KID STUFF. BUT YOUR MOM LOVED TO ENTERTAIN. SHE WAS A GREAT ORGANIZER, SHE HAD EXCELLENT TASTE, WAS CREATIVE AND SHE LOVED PARTIES. SHE LOVED TO BE WITH HER FAMILY AND FRIENDS.
WHEN WE FIRST MET, MARIANNE TOLD ME THAT WHILE AT CAL STATE FULLERTON SHE PUT ON THE WEEKLY LUNCHEON AT THE INSTITUTE. I GUESS THESE LUNCHEONS TURNED INTO A RATHER LARGE EVENT. I REMEMBER REALIZING THEN HOW MUCH MARIANNE LOVED TO ENTERTAIN.
WHEN WE BUILT OUR HOUSE IN FAIRE MARIN, MARIANNE WANTED A HOUSE THAT WOULD ACCOMADATE LARGE PARTIES. REMEMBER THE LARGE WOLF STOVE AND THE LONG, WIDE GALLERY (THAT’S WHAT SHE CALLED IT) DOWN THE MIDDLE OF THE DOWNSTAIRS. WELL THAT WAS GREAT FOR SETTING UP TABLE ROUNDS. WE EVEN INSTALLED A SECOND SINK IN THE KITCHEN, ALTHOUGH I CAN’T THINK WHY.
SHE LOVED TO DECORATE THE HOUSE. I ALWAYS ENJOYED BUYING CHRISTMAS ORNAMENTS OR SETTING UP DECORATIONS OR WHATEVER BECAUSE IT SEEMED TO MAKE HER HAPPY.
WHAT MADE MARIANNE REALLY HAPPY THOUGH WAS HER FAMILY. FROM YOUR BIRTHDAY PARTIES, BAPTISMS, THANKSGIVING (REMEMBER THE OVERNIGHTERS) TO THE SANT CHRISTMAS PARTY. I THINK SHE WAS ALWAYS HAPPIEST WHEN SHE WAS THROWING A PARTY FOR HER FAMILY. ALTHOUGH IT COULD GET A LITTLE TENSE PREPARING FOR THE PARTY, HER PERSONALITY LITERALLY LIT UP THE HOUSE ONCE GUESTS WOULD ARRIVE.
WE HAD A COUPLE OF WEDDINGS AT THAT HOUSE. SEVERAL WEDDING RECEPTIONS. WE HAD A NEW YEAR’S EVE PARTY; I THINK THE WHOLE STAKE WAS INVITED. WE HAD THE STAKE HIGH COUNCIL CHRISTMAS PARTY ONE YEAR. WE THREW A SIT DOWN DINNER PARTY FOR OVER 100 PEOPLE CELEBRATING PHYLLIS CURTIS’ 50TH BIRTHDAY PARTY........AND OF COURSE THE SANT CHRISTMAS PARTY.
REMEMBER THE BUTTERCAKES! MARIANNE GOT THIS RECIPE FROM HER MOTHER’S DUTCH NEIGHBOR GRETA. MARIANNE WOULD MAKE AT LEAST 40 TO 50 BUTTERCAKES EVERY CHRISTMAS. PUT THEM ON A PAPER CHRISTMAS PLATE, WRAP THEM IN CELLOPHANE TIED WITH A RIBBON AND A NAMETAG AND WE WOULD DELIVER THEM TO FRIENDS ALL OVER TOWN. EVERYONE WOULD KNOW THAT THEY WOULD GET THEIR BUTTERCAKE THAT CHRISTMAS. MANY WANTED THE RECIPE, BUT MARIANNE WOULD ALWAYS DECLINE. SHE WOULD RATHER BE THE ONE MAKING THE CAKE. HOWEVER, IN MEMORY OF MARIANNE, KATHERINE HAS INCLUDED THE RECIPE IN THIS BOOK, ALONG WITH A PICTURE OF THE WORN 25 YEAR OLD RECIPE CARD SHE HAD USED EVERY CHRISTMAS.
MARIANNE CREATED SUCH A BEAUTIFUL HOME FOR US. I LOVED THE WAY SHE WOULD DECORATE THE HOUSE FOR THE HOLIDAYS. I MISS SITTING UP LATE WITH HER WATCHING TV WHILE SHE MADE BUTTERCAKES, ROLLS , CHEESECAKES; GETTING READY FOR A PARTY. I MISS GOING TO THE STORE FOR HER WITH HER GROCERY LISTS. I WAS ALWAYS AMAZED HOW LONG SHE COULD BE ON HER FEET PREPARING FOOD IN THE KITCHEN.
FOR ME, ONE THING THAT MAKES DEALING WITH SEPARATION FROM MARIANNE EASIER IS THAT I KNOW SHE IS WITH FAMILY. A MUCH LARGER FAMILY NOW. I KNOW SHE IS HAPPY AND HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE HER TALENTS WITH THEM.
WHEN I THINK IT COULD BE A LONG TIME BEFORE I SEE HER AGAIN I TELL MYSELF THAT THE LONGER OUR SEPARATION, THE MORE SPECIAL OUR REUNION WILL BE.
WHAT A GREAT BLESSING SHE HAS BEEN AND CONTINUES TO BE TO OUR FAMILY.

LOVE DAD