Upto Pt 2

Figure it's way past time to share another edition of what Alana's 'up to' for her uncles who are so very far away.

She's chillaxin' with Auntie Mo-Mo.
 

She's fixing the leaky garbage disposal with Daddy.  Yes, she's playing with an electric drill--but only with supervision.

She's enjoying the Oregon Coast.

She's perfecting her fake sleeping on the couch she got for Christmas.

And as usual...she's being CUTE (which includes growing hair)!

The Trip I Missed But Not Really

WARNING: this post will be a little bit whiny but it has a good ending so stay with me.  Thanks.  Okay.  Here it goes.

Once upon a time I planned a beach trip.  Not a big deal, right?  With so many siblings out and about around the globe, I wanted some good old-fashioned fun when they started trickling in for Christmas.  So I researched my booty off for M.O.N.T.H.S. to find something that was affordable, beachfront-ish, had a game room and hot tub and could fit the family.  So I found it.  Created a menu sign-up, harped about pre-shopping and pre-planning, made sure everyone had maps and directions.  

And meanwhile was soooooooooo incredibly excited to go on this trip!

But then I got the flu.  On Friday, the day we were supposed to actually drive to the beach, I tested positive for the Type A Influenza and my dear doctor friend banned me from going on the trip.  It broke my heart.

However....Sister to the rescue!  While I stayed at home all alone, my darling sister made sure everyone followed the beach rental rules, cleaned like a madwoman and somehow managed to post over 100 pictures on Facebook so that while I was dying in bed my last images would be of my family, enjoying the trip.  

And so I post some of my favorites here, so that the one brother who didn't get to make it home for Christmas gets to enjoy them too. 

Definitely planning another one!

Wild and Crazy

Wild and crazy are not the words people typically use when describing Christmas.  At least not intentionally.  Observe how people respond when asked how their Christmas was:

"It was great, lots of good time with family." (re: Too many people in my family,  I was ready to pop so-and-so if they didn't shut up and give me some space.)

"We're so lucky this year." (re: I got so much junk in my stocking that I don't even know what to do with it.)

"I was feeling a little under the weather but managed to make it." (re: If I'd had to stay upright for two more minutes, ya'll would be eating week-old Christmas cookies at my funeral.)

So you can only imagine what kind of Christmas it was if I'm saying 'wild and crazy'...that's right, it was Wild and Crazy with fun, food, family, and fabulous gifts--it truly was a wonderful time of year!

And let the photo-bomb commence:

GG & GPA with the great-grands...awww!

  (she's showing her cousin where her nose is...she's NOT picking it!)

Christmas Eve means...naps on GG & GPA's living room floor!

Christmas carols in the basement!

Christmas morning means...tree and stockings at home!  Yes, that bag is three times larger than Alana.

Breakfast at Grandma and Grandpa's!  Eggs, ham, potatoes, cinnamon rolls, fruit, juice--the deliciousness abounds! And I was so disgustingly sick this year that every time I asked someone to pass me something...they did.  It was a true Christmas Miracle!

Head off to other family gatherings...more carols with cousins!

 

Christmas evening is at Grandpop's house...note the trendy sporty tree!

And finally time for the annual Christmas photo...you'd think by now we'd be pros.

Attempt #1:

Attempt #2:

Attempt #3: (they do say it's a charm!)

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

And P.S. I already asked Santa if next year he can bring EVERYONE home for Christmas.  

He said 'we'll see'.

Best Efforts

Despite my best efforts to delay this day, my lil' baby sister turned 20 today.  Wow.  Just wow.  
And since this just blows me away and I'm more than a little speechless, I'm not going to try and find the words to describe all the coolness about her today so instead will just post some pictures from tonight and she'll just have to know that I think she's amazingly cool.

So there ya go, happy birthday to the cool sister!

 

And then somehow my camera was passed around the table...

Once again...words seem to fail me.

Happily Ever After

Once upon a time, these folks:

 

Helped me celebrate marrying this guy:

Which made him part of this:

Happy 10th anniversary, Kev!  And here's to another 10 (x 10) more years!

The Sun was Shining

That's right.  This year for Thanksgiving the weather was BEE-YOU-TEE-FUL!  Just gorgeous!

Unless you live in Hawaii and then you'd say it was freezing.  And unless you like snow or rain and then you would have been disappointed. 

But if you're a Willamette Valley dweller then you'd look around and take it in and be thankful.

Thanksgiving was, as is tradition, at Grandma and Grandpa's house.  Unfortunately only two of the four families could make it this year and not even all of those two families were there in their entirety.  

But that's okay, they all had good reasons.  Really really good reasons.  

And for that reason I have some photographic evidence that despite many people being absent, it was still a lovely day.

Grandma went all-out which meant nice tablecloths on the long tables in the middle of the living room.  Everyone sat and everyone ate and everyone was thankful and shared it with the group.

After stuffing ourselves with DELICIOUS food it was time to play and watch football and gang up on Grandpa's six-toed cat and ride the four-wheeler and whew!  Nap time already?  Okay.

But who can sleep with views like these and weather like this?

It was a wonderful day with family and here's hoping for even more wonderfullness with even more family next year!

O Come All Ye Faithful...Fenns!

As we're winding down to (or ramping up for?) that wonderful time of year that brings joy to so many--Christmas (I mean I know everyone's excited about my birthday but that's not until July so let's give Christmas the spotlight for now, okay?), I take absolutely positively every single opportunity to listen to Christmas music.

I love it.

I listen during the summer.  Not because I'm excited about Christmas (well I am, but that's not why I listen), but because I just love the music.

In the car?  John Denver Christmas tunes belting out of the speakers.  Don't worry, when Little Miss Toddler's in the car, the decibels are appropriate.

In the house?  Christmas country on Pandora.

At my wedding (almost ten years ago), Jewel's Face of Love sung by my oh-so-talented friends and Christmas Carols while the 400 guests were being seated.

When I'm feeling saucy?  Rosie O'Donnell's Christmas CD from the turn of the century.  Ouch, that hurts.

The Judds and Silent Night?  Swoon.  Trans Siberian Orchestra?  Perfect opportunity for some righteous air guitar.  Grinch soundtrack?  Check.  

I love it.

So while I was listening to Christmas music and sorting old pictures, my mind in the weird twisted way that it has of looping and dipping and turning and wandering, started thinking that if there was a song that reminded me of each of my siblings...what would they be and why?

So here we go: Christmas Carols Seven Fenns Edition.


I Saw Three Ships Come Sailing In for Tony:
 

Look at what a sweet little boy you were, rowing your raft off the shores of Whidbey Island.  Who knew that one day you'd be a badass sailor and that it would take more than three ships to bring you in!


The Chipmunk Song for Paddy:

Out of ALL of Alana's uncles (and she has quite a few to choose from) you by far have the funniest little voices and expressions and sounds and beebops that are incredibly entertaining to not only her, but the adults around as well (especially if they've been drinking)--I believe you could do an accurate rendition of the above-mentioned song, you have that much talent.  And it started young--I can clearly remember your cute little voice in this picture as you were trying to explain the picture you drew.  

Comfort and Joy (from God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen) for KP:

KP you've always been the outdoors guy.  Grandpa's partner on the backhoe.  Biking down a super steep mountain at super fast speeds with super big rocks and logs and trees dotting your path.  Ate an inordinate amount of bugs and dog food.  And eschewed a blanket at nap time and instead preferred the silky locks of Daisy, the Golden Retriever.  Night night, little bro!


I'll Be Home for Christmas for Gabe (cheap shot, I know) and Redneck 12 Days of Christmas for Greg:

*Sorry for the doubled up picture but hey! you're twins, MOST of your pictures are together...get over it!

Gabe, I know you're having an absolute blast being a Marine in Okinawa, Japan, and doing a damn good job of it too and I'm over the moon with pride for you, but man-oh-man I wish you could be here for Christmas this year!  Sniffle. 

Greg....wait, do I really need to explain this one?


Silent Night for Lil Sis: 
 

Girlfriend just pulled a shift at the fire station that encompassed the first 24-hours of a snow and ice storm (Willamette Valley style storm so everyone else East of us stop snickering) and then worked all day at the Food and Toy Drive.  She could no doubt use a silent night right about now and I'd say she's earned it!


And one more quick picture from the early 90s, yes it's August in the picture but it was too stinkin' cute to pass up.  Plus I know each of us, wherever we are now, are dreaming of a white Christmas where Frosty and Rudolph and Santa and St. Nick and the Little Drummer Boy (poor kid, what was his name anyway?) and the three kings and all the rest of those Christmas song folks get together and roast chestnuts on an open fire after an afternoon of caroling with jingle bells and riding in a one-horse open sleigh over the fields and through the woods to where mommy was kissing Santa! 

Merry almost Christmas!