Monday, December 29, 2014

Finally, Christmas!
 
 
 
Opening stockings:  The Page Kender family in matching jammies examining how a magic trick works.
 
 
 
Breakfast:  Sam's amazing cinnamon rolls.
 
 
 
 
Presents:  Maddie's colorful wrapping paper made in her Daisies' troop.
 
 
 
Lunch:  Chinese restaurant (endless pile of beans the staff were preparing). 
 
 
 
Quiet time:  Doing Legos 
 
 
 
and more Legos.
 
 
 
As Maddie said, "Too many Legos is not enough Legos"--and she did five sets the next day.
 
 
 
Max on his new skateboard (with wheels, thanks to Sam, screwed in extra tight to slow it down to a learn-able speed---plus being on the grass helps).
 
 
 
 
Jess in that great late afternoon sunlight.
 
Full and fabulous Christmas and everyone happy!

Saturday, December 27, 2014

Sam's 38th
 
December 23rd--celebrations for Sam!
 
First, at Drew and Aaron's new house, Sam blows out the candles with many kiddos looking on,
 
 
then a cozy family dinner and Page birthday cake,
 
 
 
early enough to get out to watch Sam play hockey with his Maple Leaf's hockey team,
 
 
 
#21-yeah!!!!
And happy birthday Tiger!


Wednesday, December 24, 2014

December Events for the M's
 
 
Maddie getting an award for excellence in class citizenship,
 
 
 
and a better pix of our very proud grand daughter.

 
Max at center stage for the kindergarten production of "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer."
He gave a deep bow at the end--totally spontaneous and totally classy! 
 
Another Saturday night with us and Sunday morning creativity in the studio:
 Pipe Cleaner hats.
 
 
 
Max
 
 
 
with
 
 
 
expressions.
 
 
Maddie
 
 
 
with resident owl. 

Saturday, December 13, 2014

Getting a Start on Christmas...
 
 
 
First, Sam on the roof putting up the outdoor Christmas lights.
 

 
Then, great deliberation in choosing the perfect Christmas tree.
 
Creative Christmas projects Jess found on-line or got from Tara, her sister-in-law:
 
 
 
Advent Calendar bags, 
 
 
 
and brownie Christmas trees.
 
 
 
LA Opera singers came to serenade the Morning Memory Club at the Alzheimer Association with wonderful carols (Toby had to hold his hands over his ears at some points as their voices were so strong).
 
 
 
And finally, our little live Christmas tree on the front porch.





Friday, December 5, 2014

Thanksgiving Week
 
 
Ilya Fischhoff and his friend Heather stayed with us in the beginning of the week while they tested out the neighborhood as a possible place to live come January when they'll move out here, Heather hoping to get an animation job with Disney or something similar.  Really fun to see them again--not since 2006 at Rachel and David's wedding.
 
 
 
There were extra kids around that evening - it amused me to see them all watching a movie and sitting on the end of the bed Sam made for Jess years ago who most likely never imagined youngsters, theirs and others, using the foot-board as a viewing station.
 
 
 
On Thursday, dressed up, we went to Steve and Marisa's for turkey and fixings.
 
 
 
Marisa's festive dinner table--


 
and fabulous food.
 
 
 
Saturday--bowling in Glendale.  
Surprise--bowling's fun!!!

Saturday, November 29, 2014

The M's for the Night
 
Last Saturday Max and Maddie came over for the night while Sam and Jess were hosting a baby shower/game night event for friends.
 
 
 
The sleeper sofa arrived from IKEA just before they came.  The box it came in was the biggest hit, quickly transformed into a cardboard cabin.
 
 
 
 
Then the Lego movie (I finally understood it this third time around-and loved it),
 
 
 
 
and to bed in the new blue pull-out.
 
 
 
The next morning it was decorating the cabin--tiling the roof with tissue paper,
 
 
 
then painting pictures of Hawaii in the studio (Toby catching a wee nap).
 
 
 
Packing up and walking the 4 blocks home.

Saturday, November 22, 2014


Activity in Burbank!
We no sooner arrived than things happened--
Sam and Jess and the kids took a long-anticipated week's vacation in Hawaii--here they are back home, tanned and relaxed and happy.
 
Toby was hospitalized with pneumonia for three nights--but a week later we made it to the Alzheimer Association's "Memory Morning"--  the specialty this week was chocolate tasting.  Not bad at all.

Max and Maddie both tested for new belts in karate--Max for his orange 
and Maddie for her purple.
Max in full fighting gear
and Maddie with exuberance,
and Jess' snazzily dressed for a concert at the Staples Center with her friend Aarin.

Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Fun Photos From Gamboa

Sweet shots from our week and a half in Panama--


Grown-up Gwen, watermelon slushie and bat cookie,

 

Adult Simon, perusing toy catalog in car seat.


the Gwen-Eric dance performers,

 

Simon, the monkey, and Isa, Graciela's granddaughter,

 

watching the banana-eating monkeys,

 

 talking to a bombero,


retrieving one of the many balls that disappear down the backyard ravine!


Late afternoon cheese and wine on the deck:  the family plus, of course, Eric.
Delightful, relaxed, and wonderful.  We loved our time with you all!
.