New Topic- Christmas Memories, Traditions, presents, etc.

I have been such a slacker these last few weeks. But I know that everyone has been busy too. Let's share some favorite Christmas memories. Can I also get those who didn't talk about Grandpa Yamane to write something for his Christmas present.?

Some of my favorite Christmas memories:
My very favorite tradition is Christmas eve with the Childs family. I know that some might think that the Christmas program is too long but I love it. It is the perfect start to our Christmas. I love being with family and feeling the spirit of love and of Chirst. I love Granny's presents. Not because they are everything I ever wanted but because I know the love and sacrifice with which they are given. Nothing is better than being with my family. It's amazing to think how different the Christmas party is now.

My favorite Nativity we did was the year that Julie was Mary and Dad was the giant Joseph. Remember the year that we had our own Christmas trees in our rooms and Santa left our presents under them. Matt and Jake came running up stairs to see what Santa brang and ran right passed their presents.

Mom and Dad always made Christmas magical. I knew when Christmas came that I would get everything I wanted. I learned from them to make Christmas special and to give gifts that will make others smile. Now my favorite part of Christmas is finding the perfect gift for those I love.

There are so many great memories of the Orlando trip. I'm still amazed that everyone was able to be there. Life gets so busy that to get all us together was truly amazing. Here are just a few of the memories that still stick out.

Grace on the first night at DisneyWorld watching the fireworks and the saying "Its all so magical". That made the whole trip worth it already and it was just the first night.

Grace on the airplane rides to Orlando. I think she had as much fun on the airplane rides as any of the rides at the parks. She had several people on the plan laughing. I could keep going with Grace stories but I'll stop here.

It started raining, as it did everday, and Sarah and I started to run for cover. I was pushing Sam in the stroller and he kept screaming. He had hardley made a sound the whole trip (except at night when we trying to sleep). We finally found some cover and Sam continued to scream. We removed the cover from the stroller and found the reason for Sam's crying - he was soaking wet. In the process of running for a place to get out of the rain, a portion of the stroller cover must of lefted up and Sam was completely soaked.

Mark going to down a large water slide and Cindy at the bottom repeating "you don't have to do it baby, come down baby, you don't have to do it....."

For anyone that rode in our car I'm sure you remember Sam crying on the way home everynight. He would start at the same spot everynight and cry until we got home.

Lastly, Jake and I making one last turn on the biggest slide they had. We listened to a kid in front of us for an hour telling his friend how many times he has gone on it, it isn't scary, he is the fastest, etc. As it was his turn he started to go and then turned and tried to grab the top of the slide and then yelled "Oh gosh", gravity took over and he was swept down the slide.

Mom's Family Vacation Memories

We have had so many vacations together. I am not sure where to begin.

Dad and I would give up having about anything just to take a vacation with our children and now even with our grandchildren. Since we have always felt this way we have always gone somewhere each year. I love our memories of the early years going camping. I know we didn't do a lot because mom doesn't appreciate using outhouses but our trips to Yellowstone are high on my list. Looking for flowers and animals. Remember when granny and grandpa Childs went and we used the CB to communicate with them."Animal House to Road Ranger". I have never come home from a family trip and said Oh boy I am so glad to be home. I have always come home and wished that our time away would have been longer. You kids are great fun. Remember how Matt loved the Sequoia National Park trip. He couldn't believe how big the trees were and little Marky had been taught not to puts rocks in his mouth and when were around the campfire we figured out that he thought the name for rocks and sticks was actually cacaw because that was what we said when he puts things in his mouth.

I don't know how many Disneyland trips, Sea World, Zoo's, Yellowstone and Colorado to Utah trips we have made actually maybe too many to count.

One time when we went to Colorado Springs with dad while he worked I took you kids to the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. We had such a good time that the memory is magical in my mind. I cannot remember how many times we fished but I do remember Julie catching the only 5 in fish one time and she was three. We laughed and laughed because she wouldn't let her dad take it off the line and dragged it around for hours. And well yes your mom never was able to touch a fish and take it off the line.

All the amusement parks, scary rides and Universal Studios. We have had many fun times together. We can't even begin to count soccer trips. But thanks kids for helping dad plan more vacations. He is good at it and loves to plan. He used to even plan our bathroom breaks into the schedule but unfortunately he didn't tell our bladders to cooperate. All of you even most of the new family knows about Dad and his planning skills. Granny and Grandpa Childs have even experienced his skills.

I loved Hawaii with Dad. My favorite memory is snorkeling while holding his hand. The fish were amazing but I was too scared to not hold his hand. That is the way my life has been. I could fly on a airplane because Dad held my hand. He has been with me on every scary ride I have been on and he is my protector, provider and best friend. He is the best dad any of you have ever had and all of our favorite dad ever.

Mom favorite sayings

I think I have had too much going on and finally sat down this quiet Sunday afternoon to read and to write.

Some of my favorite sayings are my mother sayings= "Bless your Hearts and Does anyone know any bad words" She has many and has always been so willing to laugh and be laughed at. What a good sport and a good example to us all.

I am sorry about the time I told Jake, all in fun mind you, "that he was grounded for the rest of his life and had nothing to live for".

Of course when you are allergic to as many things as I am "It wasn't worth it!"

You kids did a great job capturing the many famous Yamane phrases.

I Love You All

New-Topic Favorite Family Vacation Stories

I decided to give us a week off. I know everyone is busy. One of the things Mom and Dad have always given us is fun family vacations. I didin't have very many friends that had been to Disneyland more than once. We went almost every year when I was little. When you are little it is magical every time you go to Disneyland. Our last trip to Florida when we were watching the fireworks at Magic Kingdom Grace said, "It's all so magical." That was a great moment.
I remember a trip to Yellowstone and North Dakota when I was in 1st or 2nd grade. Me, Matt, and Jake road the whole way in the back of the white truck. There was a carpet kit in the back and it was like a playground for us. I remember laying on the floor and sliding across the floor when the truck stopped.

Some of my personal favorites- Julie

A lot of the phrases that came to my mind are from mom. She has some good ones and some of them are ones only she and I know:

"You Good Lookin"
"I thought you were speaking smack"
"Me casa is YOUR casa!"
or when she whines "Stee-an! (Stan) they're makin a frun of me!"
and when she kisses me good night, instead of saying "good night" she says "good bye"

Then I thought of cute Gracie and Sammy:
"Super Guyser!"
"Not B Y U, B Y ME!"

Mark had some good ones too:
"And I pinched it on"
"See I didn't poop my pants, I pooped in my underwear."

from dad

It is just not fair since, i am the oldest and have the worst memory and you kids taken all the good ones.

I didn't originate it but I say it often, "winners never quit and quitters never win."

And "If you don't have anything good to say, don't say nothing."

Then there are the many nicknames we have: skippy, bubba, jasper, juju, margie, maynard, one eye willie, etc.

Here is a couple.

I think we all looked forward to Mark saying the prayer during Matt's mission. As if learning Chinese wasn't enough, Mark wanted Matt to learn and teach Spanish as well - "please bless Matt to teach the Hong Kong people Spanish"

We were right in the middle of another big volleyball game out back when someone stepped in a surprise and then Julie said "oh, did you find my pile?"

Marie

When we were on our trip to Florida, and I was listening to Mom and Dad's conversation and I asked, "What are we doing?"

Mom's reply, "There is no We in We're!"
pause...
Mark's two cents, "Yes there is!"

My many words of wisdom that mom is now reminding me of,
"I wanna watch a wovie!"
"Galoon!"
"Goofy Ball"
"Look, I'm jiggling!"
"Whooped Cream"
"hangaberg"
and one of my latest, Whew-pers, instead of whoopers.

An embarrassing long list I know.

New Topic-Famous Yamane Quotes

So I know that the last topic was a hard one. But I am glad we did it because it forced me to remember things that I haven't thought of in a long time. Now we have some memories of Grandpa that are written down so we won't forget them.

This week I thought it would be fun to list some favorite phrases that we have heard over the years. They can come from anyone. Anything that you want to remember or that makes you laugh. For example, from mom,"When cars move, you don't move." 

Remember Dad used to always say, "If you can't say any nice, don't say anything at all."
"544, go shee shee" and the "shee shee shuffle."
Mark: "Somebody come and wipe me!"
And Granny's ever famous, "Now does anyone know some bad words?"

my memories of dad from your dad,

Grandpa Yamane has taken care of me most of my life. Because Grandma Yamane worked at HAFB, when i was old enough i had to go into the fields with grandpa. when he was on the tractor i sometime rode in a tomato box that was wired onto the back of the tractor. when he wasn't on the tractor i would some time play by his pickup.

when i was older and could actually work on the farm, i would follow him around doing work like hoeing weeds in the onion patch, irrigating crops and harvesting crops. most of the work like hoeing and harvesting was not always that fun because we worked long hours in hot or cold temperatures. one thing was no matter how young and strong i though i was grandpa could always out work me. when we irrigated often it was in the middle of the night and we had to stay up and irrigate. but the work to be done during day light hours could not wait for us to get sleep, so kept working. this is when i realize how strong grandpa really was. the other thing is he never complained no sleep or how tired he was. in fact the one amazing thing about grandpa he almost never complains of pain or any discomfort.

over time he has softened up on many things. like i could never imagine he could ever hold a baby [but then who could think i could either]. but he did and has done that.

over time he has compensated for grandma yamane not being with us. he is always generous with what he has and will share with all.

now in grandpa's life things are different. he use to take care of me and now it is my turn to take care of him. it is easy for me to do that but it hard for him to let me since he has been able to take care of himself for over 80 years.

our family is known for a great work ethic. we try our best and work really hard for the thing we achieve. much of this we have inherited from an 89 year old japanese farmer we call Grandpa Yamane. i love him for what he is and what he has taught me.

mom's memories of Grandpa Yamane

This is such a timely moment to record some of my memories of Grandpa. He is living with us now and he is so easy and uncomplaining that other than worrying about his health he is a pleasure to help out.

You know besides being quiet, like his son, I would have to say one of the most memorable things about him is I know of no one, oops other than his son, who is more generous. Right from the start of our marriage he wanted to help us. Dad brought into our marriage a 12in black and white TV. It was all we had. One night we were watching reruns of MASH and dad let me know that all the characters had dyed their hair red and I couldn't see what was so funny until he told me that. Well needless to say Grandpa showed up with a 19in color TV. He was always doing little things like that. He would pay for car repairs or whatever we needed. He never has shown disappointment in me and has always been good to me even if I wasn't sure what he was thinking because he was quiet. What a good man. We can all remember that he raised one of the best people in the whole world. Yes you know him, Your FATHER.