I live in Northern California, the REAL Northern California. We are up on the far end of the state and it is BEAUTIFUL up here. Lots of tree's, fresh air, lakes, mountains, and wild life, I just LOVE it here and really cannot imagine living anywhere else.
We have had for the last 3 weeks weather that is just beyond words. While the rest of the country is surviving in blizzards, and temperatures below zero, we have been basking in 65 to 75 degree weather. The sun has shined and we have loved it!!!
While we do get snow, lots of rain, and at times in the summer, blistering hot weather, it can get to 115 and on rare occasions even 120 degrees here in the summer. But truth be told we only have those extremes for about 3 weeks. The rest of the time we have the best of all worlds weather wise.
Where else can you, in February sit on your deck and enjoy a glass of wine with the sun shining on your warming you to the deepest depths of your soul? Or where else can you work in your yard, and then go to the nursery and be disappointed because they do not have any flowers for you put out.... but then it is February...
I putter around my yard looking for signs that the ground has warmed up enough to get my bulbs pushing up from the earth, I trim my roses in hopes that come April, May I will have arm loads of blooms to bring to my wife to put in vases around our house so that it perfumes our home. I only grow roses that are both beautiful and fragrant.... no slackers allowed! Nothing makes me smile more than having grown my own flowers to grace our home. At this time of year I do buy hot house blooms, only because I need, want to be able to have fresh flowers in our home. It just makes me smile when I have fresh flowers to see, smell, and enjoy.
So as I read blogs from others across the country dealing with snow as tall as my fence, and temperatures so cold I cannot even imagine... I smile and try not to gloat that we are having such wonderful weather. And really I do wonder why people live in places where weather is like that ??? so cold ? My brother lives in South Dakota, and I talk to him weekly, he always asks what the weather is like and then gets grouchy when I tell him. What is wrong with him ??? He was raised here in this area of great weather..... oh yeah his wife is from South Dakota and loves it there..
I need to get that glass of wine and sit on my deck for these last few days of this impostor Spring as I call it. Because next week we will have cold temperatures, oh my, down in the 50's and it will be raining, but we need the rain. I want all of my roses, hosta's, and bulbs to be watered by a gentle rain...... My wife and I do love a good rain storm, fire place blazing with the rain coming down washing everything making it new and clean.... ahhhh!!!
Oh yeah if you are thinking about moving here, well don't.... I mean you would not want to put up with the extreme heat in the summer now would you??? Disregard my bragging about our wonderful weather in February..... oh for the glorious Sun!!!
Blessings and Sunshine to you and yours
Curtis
Friday, February 11, 2011
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Kids all grown up
So we have had a week to digest the news that our oldest son is moving to a new city, not a long time but enough time for it to sink in.
We are both so proud and excited for our son and his wife, our buttons are bursting!! Noah is a good kid, has always had a plan, and always worked that plan, so it was no surprise when he decided it was time to move on that he got so many interviews, all over the United States. We are just feeling so blessed that he accepted the offer that keeps he and his wife in California.
My wife Sherrie and I have had long discussions about them moving, what it means to us, to them, and how it affects our life as parents and one day grand parents.
You see we chose to live here in Redding because that is where our family is. Our sons were able to get to know their Great Grandparents, spend time with both sets of Grandparents and form relationships with them. We felt that the connection to family was very important and that being able to spend time with them in person was the only way to forge that bond.
Fast forward 26 years,with the Internet, skype, face book, twitter, and all of the other electronic things that we have today you can still forge a relationship with people. Now a little disclaimer, I do not think that the relationship is as good as being able to see, feel, laugh, cry with someone in person. But it will be our option for keeping in touch with them as they continue on in their journey called life.
So my wife and decided that we will have to make the change, get more computer savvy, and come into the new generation of relationships. I do not go into this without reservation, but I will try.
Life has a way of always keeping you on your toes doesn't it? I mean who knew, say 5 years ago that I would be writing a blog? Let alone writing about feelings, and intimate family dynamics? But we all change, and it is a good change.
The day my mother died 16 years ago, as I was leaving the hospital, I turned on the radio in the car and a song came on that I had not heard before, the singers catch phrase was: "Life is about changing nothing ever stays the same". It was so difficult to hear those words that day as my life had changed dramatically.
And now some 16 years later I find myself telling myself this same thing, Curtis life is about changing nothing ever stays the same. And for the good or bad, life does change, it is how we meet these changes that makes a difference. We can fight them or decide that maybe.....just maybe ..... this change will be good for me, make me a better person, make me see something that I have not seen before.....
So I hope that life continues to change, continues to make me grow, continues to offer more opportunities because of the change. I by nature do not like change, but I will try harder to embrace it and welcome it into my life. God has a plan, He is in control, so I just need to be able to live and let go.....
How about you? Do you embrace change? Look for the good in it? Or are you like me just a little, and resist the change a bit? I hope that we all can grow from change be it good or bad, because as the song says...........
Life is about changing NOTHING ever stays the same.
Blessings to you and yours
Curtis
We are both so proud and excited for our son and his wife, our buttons are bursting!! Noah is a good kid, has always had a plan, and always worked that plan, so it was no surprise when he decided it was time to move on that he got so many interviews, all over the United States. We are just feeling so blessed that he accepted the offer that keeps he and his wife in California.
My wife Sherrie and I have had long discussions about them moving, what it means to us, to them, and how it affects our life as parents and one day grand parents.
You see we chose to live here in Redding because that is where our family is. Our sons were able to get to know their Great Grandparents, spend time with both sets of Grandparents and form relationships with them. We felt that the connection to family was very important and that being able to spend time with them in person was the only way to forge that bond.
Fast forward 26 years,with the Internet, skype, face book, twitter, and all of the other electronic things that we have today you can still forge a relationship with people. Now a little disclaimer, I do not think that the relationship is as good as being able to see, feel, laugh, cry with someone in person. But it will be our option for keeping in touch with them as they continue on in their journey called life.
So my wife and decided that we will have to make the change, get more computer savvy, and come into the new generation of relationships. I do not go into this without reservation, but I will try.
Life has a way of always keeping you on your toes doesn't it? I mean who knew, say 5 years ago that I would be writing a blog? Let alone writing about feelings, and intimate family dynamics? But we all change, and it is a good change.
The day my mother died 16 years ago, as I was leaving the hospital, I turned on the radio in the car and a song came on that I had not heard before, the singers catch phrase was: "Life is about changing nothing ever stays the same". It was so difficult to hear those words that day as my life had changed dramatically.
And now some 16 years later I find myself telling myself this same thing, Curtis life is about changing nothing ever stays the same. And for the good or bad, life does change, it is how we meet these changes that makes a difference. We can fight them or decide that maybe.....just maybe ..... this change will be good for me, make me a better person, make me see something that I have not seen before.....
So I hope that life continues to change, continues to make me grow, continues to offer more opportunities because of the change. I by nature do not like change, but I will try harder to embrace it and welcome it into my life. God has a plan, He is in control, so I just need to be able to live and let go.....
How about you? Do you embrace change? Look for the good in it? Or are you like me just a little, and resist the change a bit? I hope that we all can grow from change be it good or bad, because as the song says...........
Life is about changing NOTHING ever stays the same.
Blessings to you and yours
Curtis
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
New Beginnings, Our Oldest Son moves on
I wrote a few months ago that our oldest son was looking for a new job, one that would futher his career in broadcast news production. Well after flying across the country a couple of times, and many interviews both on the phone and in person, he has now been offered a new job. This news,(no pun intended)is bittersweet, because we, my wife and I know that he probably never will live in the same city as we do again.
We are so proud of him, and so excited for the new and wonderful things that he and his wife are going to be doing, but at the same time a bit sad. But today I will only write about the exciting things in store for my son and daughter in law.
Neither of them have ever lived anywhere but here in their home town, so to say that this will be an adventure is an understatement. As I think of all of the fun and exciting things they will be able to do I get happy for them. They will be making new friends, finding new places to shop, eat out, play, take the dogs to, new places to hang out on their weekends. They are moving into adulthood big time.
Noah, our son, has always wanted to live in a BIG city, and experience that lifestyle, and he will do great in a new city. He is adventurous, as is his wife, they like to go and find new places to explore, go on drives to find places to hike, and play with their two dogs. Noah will be at this new job for at least 3 years, as he is signing a contract for that amount of time, and then he will probably move to another market.
As I write this I have mixed emotions. My oldest son is moving away to follow his dream, and for that I am so proud and excited for him. But then there is this part of me that just wants all of my family in the same place, comfortable, easily accessible, able to call them on a Saturday and go to breakfast with them, able to celebrate birthdays, holidays with them. But I know I have had my children with me and my wife in the same town longer than a lot of people do. So I am going to put on my big boys pants and learn to deal.
I will miss him and his wife, but this is THEIR Journery in this journey called life...........
New beginnings, and new hopes await them, we will pray for them as we send them off on thier journey, that they reach the new heights and goals that they have set for themselves.....
Noah and Kristen we love you, and will miss you more than you know
We are so proud of him, and so excited for the new and wonderful things that he and his wife are going to be doing, but at the same time a bit sad. But today I will only write about the exciting things in store for my son and daughter in law.
Neither of them have ever lived anywhere but here in their home town, so to say that this will be an adventure is an understatement. As I think of all of the fun and exciting things they will be able to do I get happy for them. They will be making new friends, finding new places to shop, eat out, play, take the dogs to, new places to hang out on their weekends. They are moving into adulthood big time.
Noah, our son, has always wanted to live in a BIG city, and experience that lifestyle, and he will do great in a new city. He is adventurous, as is his wife, they like to go and find new places to explore, go on drives to find places to hike, and play with their two dogs. Noah will be at this new job for at least 3 years, as he is signing a contract for that amount of time, and then he will probably move to another market.
As I write this I have mixed emotions. My oldest son is moving away to follow his dream, and for that I am so proud and excited for him. But then there is this part of me that just wants all of my family in the same place, comfortable, easily accessible, able to call them on a Saturday and go to breakfast with them, able to celebrate birthdays, holidays with them. But I know I have had my children with me and my wife in the same town longer than a lot of people do. So I am going to put on my big boys pants and learn to deal.
I will miss him and his wife, but this is THEIR Journery in this journey called life...........
New beginnings, and new hopes await them, we will pray for them as we send them off on thier journey, that they reach the new heights and goals that they have set for themselves.....
Noah and Kristen we love you, and will miss you more than you know
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
New Beginnings, Fresh Starts
Ahh so the Holidays have come and gone, have you got all of your decorations taken down and put away for another year??
I love Christmas, and all the trappings that go with it, but I must say that after the big day I am ready to take everything down and get our house back to " normal" what ever that is. As we pack away all of our decorations that we were so anxious to get out at the beginning of the month, I am not sad to say good bye til next year.
Then it is off to the New Year. The New Year has a double meaning to me as January first is my birthday. So as the week closes in on a New Year, I am thinking about the year that has just passed, and what it has meant to me, both good and bad.
And then I start thinking about the upcoming year and all of its possibilities. What it will bring, who will come into our lives, who will we have to say good bye to. But it also holds the promise of new friendships, of renewing old friendships, of mending fences, and just enjoying the moment.
I at times find myself always waiting for the nest big thing.... and I sometimes forget to just relax and enjoy the moment. Do you do that? Or is it just me? I at times rush through things, events and when they are done I look around and say to myself why did you go so fast, why did you not linger a little longer?
So this year I am NOT making any resolutions, I gave that up years ago. But this year I will try to enjoy each moment, each person, each event, and when the time or event is over I will be able to say wow that was great, I really enjoyed ________ fill in the blank.
So as we all start anew, with 2011 may all of us make sure that we take the time to slow down and enjoy the things that God offers us. Life really is meant to be enjoyed and not endured.
Take the time to slow down and relish relationships, and people..............
Blessings to you and yours
Curtis & Sherrie
Happy 2011!!!!
I love Christmas, and all the trappings that go with it, but I must say that after the big day I am ready to take everything down and get our house back to " normal" what ever that is. As we pack away all of our decorations that we were so anxious to get out at the beginning of the month, I am not sad to say good bye til next year.
Then it is off to the New Year. The New Year has a double meaning to me as January first is my birthday. So as the week closes in on a New Year, I am thinking about the year that has just passed, and what it has meant to me, both good and bad.
And then I start thinking about the upcoming year and all of its possibilities. What it will bring, who will come into our lives, who will we have to say good bye to. But it also holds the promise of new friendships, of renewing old friendships, of mending fences, and just enjoying the moment.
I at times find myself always waiting for the nest big thing.... and I sometimes forget to just relax and enjoy the moment. Do you do that? Or is it just me? I at times rush through things, events and when they are done I look around and say to myself why did you go so fast, why did you not linger a little longer?
So this year I am NOT making any resolutions, I gave that up years ago. But this year I will try to enjoy each moment, each person, each event, and when the time or event is over I will be able to say wow that was great, I really enjoyed ________ fill in the blank.
So as we all start anew, with 2011 may all of us make sure that we take the time to slow down and enjoy the things that God offers us. Life really is meant to be enjoyed and not endured.
Take the time to slow down and relish relationships, and people..............
Blessings to you and yours
Curtis & Sherrie
Happy 2011!!!!
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Reflections
Well Christmas 2010 has come and gone, and now we are quickly coming to the end of 2010..... So today I am reflecting on this past year.
This past year has been filled with hope, joy, sadness, and yes even despair. But through it all God has been faithful.
This year I have said a final good bye to a dear friend, Pat, who always made me smile and laugh, to two Uncles one whom I spent my entire childhood with and one who traveled the world serving in the Air Force.
This year I have watched my youngest son feel the pain of a marriage ending. And was brought to tears by the attitude and grace that he showed through this process. It has not been a perfect process but he has shown me how to be gracious to others and for that I am grateful. He has become a wonderful man and in time he will heal and I pray that he finds someone to love him unconditionally. I love you Nathan.
This year I have watched my oldest son grown in his career, stretching his wings to fly to another city, state to do what he does best. He has always wanted to live in a big city, and this year he has started this process, so in 2011 I know we will bid he and his wife good bye as they move to who knows where to continue their journey in this thing called life. I love you Noah and Kristen.
This year I have watched my wife of 32 years grow more precious to me, and fall in love with her more than I thought possible. People ask us how do you stay married for this long..... and our answer is always the same......one day at a time. I love you Sherrie.
This year my wife and I were able to take the vacation of a life time, going on a cruise to Alaska, thanks to my Aunt Margaret who gave this to us as a gift. We will remember this vacation forever and forever be grateful to my Aunt for her gracious gift.
This year I have begun to write, not only this blog but other things as well, something I have always wanted to, and now I am finally doing it.
This year I started a quest to find my childhood cousins, we have all scattered across the country and lost touch with each other. So I began a search to find them, one by one. And as this year closes I have found all of them and all but one has responded with kindness and great memories. I am still waiting for my last cousin to respond, and even if he chooses not to do so, I still found him and know that he is alive and has people who love him surrounding him.
Yes this year has had great, wonderful moments, filled with love, hope, promise and gratitude. And it also had moments that were not so great, filled with despair, and sadness. But I choose to cling to those things that were positive, keeping my glass half full, because in this journey we call life we have the choice of how we look at things and I choose the positive.
I always start each New Year on a happy note because it is my birthday! I am surrounded by those I love celebrating not only my birthday but the birth of a New Year, with all of its hope and excitement. So my wish for all of you is that you look to this New Year 2011 with HOPE, LOVE, and EXCITEMENT for all that it has to offer you.
I say good bye to 2010, and a great big HELLO to 2011!
Blessings to you and yours and HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Curtis
This past year has been filled with hope, joy, sadness, and yes even despair. But through it all God has been faithful.
This year I have said a final good bye to a dear friend, Pat, who always made me smile and laugh, to two Uncles one whom I spent my entire childhood with and one who traveled the world serving in the Air Force.
This year I have watched my youngest son feel the pain of a marriage ending. And was brought to tears by the attitude and grace that he showed through this process. It has not been a perfect process but he has shown me how to be gracious to others and for that I am grateful. He has become a wonderful man and in time he will heal and I pray that he finds someone to love him unconditionally. I love you Nathan.
This year I have watched my oldest son grown in his career, stretching his wings to fly to another city, state to do what he does best. He has always wanted to live in a big city, and this year he has started this process, so in 2011 I know we will bid he and his wife good bye as they move to who knows where to continue their journey in this thing called life. I love you Noah and Kristen.
This year I have watched my wife of 32 years grow more precious to me, and fall in love with her more than I thought possible. People ask us how do you stay married for this long..... and our answer is always the same......one day at a time. I love you Sherrie.
This year my wife and I were able to take the vacation of a life time, going on a cruise to Alaska, thanks to my Aunt Margaret who gave this to us as a gift. We will remember this vacation forever and forever be grateful to my Aunt for her gracious gift.
This year I have begun to write, not only this blog but other things as well, something I have always wanted to, and now I am finally doing it.
This year I started a quest to find my childhood cousins, we have all scattered across the country and lost touch with each other. So I began a search to find them, one by one. And as this year closes I have found all of them and all but one has responded with kindness and great memories. I am still waiting for my last cousin to respond, and even if he chooses not to do so, I still found him and know that he is alive and has people who love him surrounding him.
Yes this year has had great, wonderful moments, filled with love, hope, promise and gratitude. And it also had moments that were not so great, filled with despair, and sadness. But I choose to cling to those things that were positive, keeping my glass half full, because in this journey we call life we have the choice of how we look at things and I choose the positive.
I always start each New Year on a happy note because it is my birthday! I am surrounded by those I love celebrating not only my birthday but the birth of a New Year, with all of its hope and excitement. So my wish for all of you is that you look to this New Year 2011 with HOPE, LOVE, and EXCITEMENT for all that it has to offer you.
I say good bye to 2010, and a great big HELLO to 2011!
Blessings to you and yours and HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Curtis
Monday, December 20, 2010
My Christmas wish
It is December 20, 2010, a Monday. This morning I am thinking about Christmas and all that it means to me, to my family, and to others.
Christmas has always been a wonderful time for me, my mother LOVED this holiday more than any other, and no matter what our financial status was we always had a wonderful Christmas. But growing up Christmas was just a tree and presents and spending time with our family, nothing more nothing less.
Then when I was 20 years old I came to know Jesus as my saviour, and from that time on Christmas changed for me.
It is about a baby born in a Manger, to a unwed mother, and her soon to be husband, born of lowly stature, his name....... JESUS. He grew up to be a Carpenter and challenged the thinking of his time, and in his early 30's, he gave his life to save mine, and the world's.
At this time of the year I think of those who are struggling, who have lost their jobs, their homes, a loved one.
And I wishing that someone can be JESUS to them, take time to talk to them, to give them comfort, to reach out, offer support. Because life at times gets hard for everyone and it is a these times that people need us... those who know the Saviour to be JESUS to them.
Can you be JESUS to someone in this Season of Light? I pray so, that each of us can offer someone, a shoulder to lean on, in their time of need.
I close this wishing you a Merry Christmas, reminding you that JESUS is the reason for the Season!!
Christmas Blessings to You and Yours
Curtis & Sherrie
Christmas has always been a wonderful time for me, my mother LOVED this holiday more than any other, and no matter what our financial status was we always had a wonderful Christmas. But growing up Christmas was just a tree and presents and spending time with our family, nothing more nothing less.
Then when I was 20 years old I came to know Jesus as my saviour, and from that time on Christmas changed for me.
It is about a baby born in a Manger, to a unwed mother, and her soon to be husband, born of lowly stature, his name....... JESUS. He grew up to be a Carpenter and challenged the thinking of his time, and in his early 30's, he gave his life to save mine, and the world's.
At this time of the year I think of those who are struggling, who have lost their jobs, their homes, a loved one.
And I wishing that someone can be JESUS to them, take time to talk to them, to give them comfort, to reach out, offer support. Because life at times gets hard for everyone and it is a these times that people need us... those who know the Saviour to be JESUS to them.
Can you be JESUS to someone in this Season of Light? I pray so, that each of us can offer someone, a shoulder to lean on, in their time of need.
I close this wishing you a Merry Christmas, reminding you that JESUS is the reason for the Season!!
Christmas Blessings to You and Yours
Curtis & Sherrie
Monday, November 29, 2010
And we are off to the Christmas races!!!!!
Catchy title don't ya think? Well there have been years that we have felt that way. But as our kids have grown up and moved out it has slowed down quite a bit. Except for this last week end.... We hosted Thanksgiving, something we do every year. But this year was different, my wife's brother and his wife were going to be here for the first time. It has been over 15 years since Sherrie has celebrated Thanksgiving with her brother, so we were excited to have them. And the dinner was as usual wonderful..... only 9 people at our table one son and his wife were at his in laws, that sharing holidays is not a easy thing for me... but I did it!! Now on to the race.....Since Sherrie's brother was here we or I decided that it would be a great time to have Sherrie's side of the family out for a Open House on Saturday, sounded easy enough. But oh NO, my wife had to have the house completely decorated for Christmas if she was going to be entertaining. Now let me stop here and tell you that we have NEVER put up our Christmas decorations in one day, EVER. There are just so many, and my wife decorates every room in the house including the laundry room... So Friday after Thanksgiving when all other sane people were out shopping, we were tearing our house apart.... why you ask? Well because we had to put away the Thanksgiving decorations before we could put up the Christmas ones. silly people.
So we started at 9 am on Friday, and we finished at 2 am on Friday morning, yes you read that right 2 am! It was a decorating frenzy let me tell you. We worked all day long, did not turn on the television, just played Christmas music, and worked and worked, and worked, and worked. And in the end our house looked wonderful... beautiful.... We surprised those who had come for Thanksgiving as they left the house with Turkeys and Pumpkins and returned to Santa's , Wreath's, and a completely decorated Christmas Tree... wheeeeeew! Then on Saturday we cooked food, for 30 in preparation of the Open House. I must say it was a resounding success! The house looked great, the food was wonderful, and most importantly the company was unsurpassed. The look of contentment on my mother in laws face as she enjoyed having 2 of her 3 children celebrating and enjoying the company of extended family, cousins, aunts, great cousins, all talking laughing, smiling and having a wonderful time. It is an understatement that we were exhausted on Sunday and did not get off of the couch the entire day... But it was all worth it, because you can never do too much for family. Would I do it again? Yes I would, would I be tired? Yes I would . Would I be ever thankful for time spent with those we love? YES I would. Because you see as we race into this Season we call Christmas, we will be able to sit back and enjoy it all because we worked a little on the Friday after Thanksgiving... Merry Christmas to all of you, I will be posting again but just want all of you to know that Jesus is the reason for the Season.
Blessings to you and yours
Curtis & Sherrie
So we started at 9 am on Friday, and we finished at 2 am on Friday morning, yes you read that right 2 am! It was a decorating frenzy let me tell you. We worked all day long, did not turn on the television, just played Christmas music, and worked and worked, and worked, and worked. And in the end our house looked wonderful... beautiful.... We surprised those who had come for Thanksgiving as they left the house with Turkeys and Pumpkins and returned to Santa's , Wreath's, and a completely decorated Christmas Tree... wheeeeeew! Then on Saturday we cooked food, for 30 in preparation of the Open House. I must say it was a resounding success! The house looked great, the food was wonderful, and most importantly the company was unsurpassed. The look of contentment on my mother in laws face as she enjoyed having 2 of her 3 children celebrating and enjoying the company of extended family, cousins, aunts, great cousins, all talking laughing, smiling and having a wonderful time. It is an understatement that we were exhausted on Sunday and did not get off of the couch the entire day... But it was all worth it, because you can never do too much for family. Would I do it again? Yes I would, would I be tired? Yes I would . Would I be ever thankful for time spent with those we love? YES I would. Because you see as we race into this Season we call Christmas, we will be able to sit back and enjoy it all because we worked a little on the Friday after Thanksgiving... Merry Christmas to all of you, I will be posting again but just want all of you to know that Jesus is the reason for the Season.
Blessings to you and yours
Curtis & Sherrie
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