13 months and counting

Vivian asked for an update. I actually haven't looked at my blog since April...I waste too much time in front of a computer to think of additional ways to spend more time here.

However, it is long past due for me to give a NAW update (Nathan Alexander Winther), who is 13 months and 16 days old.


I wish I could tell you the exact date he started walking, but I can't. Time flies so fast! He was taking a few tentative steps on his birthday, but mostly he was walking around the furniture. He became furniture free about three weeks ago. We'd been working with him by sitting on the floor starting at 5 feet apart and gradually working to 10 and 15 feet apart, giving him lots of kudos when he "made the distance". There was a lot of leaning and falling into the "receiver" but with all our supporting clapping and yelling, he was totally jazzed about the whole experience. He walked in a kind of "heil Hitler" stance, right arm straight out above shoulder level at two o'clock and his left arm bent up to his body like he was holding him self up and pretending someone was holding his other hand. Very cute! On his birthday we bought him a little walker that THANKFULLY converts to a little push car, because a few weeks later he really didn't need the walker portion. I feel really bad that I acccidently deleted all the indoor pictures Bill took of Nathan opening his presents and killing his birthday unfrosted dinosaur cupcake. I don't know how that happened, but I was able to reconstruct the party from pictures Julie took. I do however have some adorable pictures - one currently my desktop background, of Nathan on his birthday playing in his new and wonderful little green cabana blow up pool.

I will be taking this Friday off work to watch him ALL DAY! Believe it or not, I only get to see him Friday evenings and Sunday for brunch usually. At the moment Emily and Jeff are taking dance classes at church on Wednesday evenings, and they gave me first pick of watching Nathan during that time. Auntie Erin hogs her nephew a LOT! So I have Nathan Wednesday evenings, and I have invited Erin to come over during that time if she wishes. So far, she DOES! What fun!

Other Nathan news - he is talking up a storm, and we can even understand some words! He can say "dada" and "mama" and "up", and I think he can say "gramma" too, but that may just be my interpretation :) One of his favorites is "puff" which stands for the little baby cheese puffs they give him to get him used to chewing "solids". He loves them! He also loves drinking out of his sippy cup with it's special no-leak straws. Until that came into his life, he never would hold his own bottle. Now he does much better, but he likes the straw cup better than the bottle with a nipple. Funny little man! He has six chicklet teeth, but only four of them are all the way in. He has a big space between his two top teeth. He is a happy boy, an explorer, always looking "out and beyond," and if you can't tell, I still think he is the most beautiful and wonderful baby in the world!

Other news: Bill had a lot of tests run this last month due to having symptoms that once again gave him concern about his heart health. The test results were all good, so at least psychologically he is in a better frame of mind, even though he continues to have aches and pains a and lower energy level (I think it is called getting old).

I am busy with Community Bible Study. My new position is such that I have a lot to prepare and organize so that the class will run smoothly. I haven't had to give a lecture yet, but I know that is coming up in January. I did give a training this last week that got good reviews, and even the interview I conducted for last week's opening got good reviews, so I must be doing something right. My current position in CBS is a support role for the Teaching Director, which usually means I don't have to be up front a lot. I just have to arrange all the schedules -who is supposed to be where, what is the opening each week, what music are we singing, what the weekly training is, and who is doing it, yada yada. I have set up a shared google calendar so the 10 member Servants Team can hopefully review it and post to it so we can all be on the same page.

This November I am taking the week of Thanksgiving off of work in preparation for our Thanksgiving cabin getaway. The cabin is only about 80 minutes away in the Glenville area. We have it reserved for Wednesday evening through Sunday morning, and I hope it will be a great time for our family. f

Julie plans to fly out after Christmas to attend Urbana, a mission conference I believe held in Alabama or Louisianna and attended by thousands of students. She hopes to get a better feel for the direction she wants to go in pursuing full-time mission work, possibly overseas. We support her, but at the same time are urging her to think it through completely and have a plan in place before jumping off the map. She has gotten her feet wet with her trip to Japan as well as helping build a home in Mexico with Hands of Blessing. She's done short-term mission trips before, to Mexico and here locally, but now she has a focus and she is excited to see where God leads her.

Scott McArdle, Erin's husband, lost his job as a counselor for the state prison system due to budget failure at the end of September. He is still looking for work. Erin is still working as graphic artist extraordinaire at First Pres, and as they are living rent free (and kitchen and bath free as well, using a microwave or Scott's parent's side of the duplex for cooking, and for bath needs as well), they are still making it financially.

My job is busy as ever, but Bill's work is slow as a commission salesman. That is the economy, and I am sure it is tough for most everyone in the work place. A local bank that has been well-thought of in our community for many years was just taken over by the FDIC last week, and I heard that even our credit union is under scrutiny for the same issue as the bank, so uneven ground for lots of us.

Nathan is the bright spot for all of us, and I thank God he is a part of our life!

March and April Events

Here it is almost Easter, and my last posting was February! I would say inexcusable, but there is too much life (and a growing grandson) to experience to waste it sitting for hours in front of a computer.


Either way, the latest news is that all of us here drove up to Sacto last month to attend a promotion ceremony for Bill - he was promoted in the California State Military Reserve from Major to Lt. Colonel. Supposedly it was the short version of the ceremony, but for our purposes it was long enough. All promoted (Bill was 2nd highest promotion of the day, there was one new General) got to say a few words after their profiles and achievements were read, they received their new rank on the middle of the chest of their ACUs and everyone stood and applauded. There were about 20 promotions, so it took a while. The ceremony was held at State Headquarters in the mess hall. Afterward they had a reception line for the promotees and refreshments to munch on while people mingled and took photos (see below).

Afterward the eight of us had lunch nearby, and then Jeff, Emily, Nathan, Erin and Scott left for home. Julie and I sat in the car in the headquarters parking lot for a few hours while Bill finished his monthly military duties. Julie and I were too tired to go exploring, so she sat in the front seat and wrote poetry while I took a nap in the back seat. Bill and I were quite thrilled that all our children wanted to be there. It meant a lot to us.



This last weekend we all attended another Scottish Games event held annually here in Bakersfield. Bill's ancestry hales back to Clan Donald and the Lord of the Isles. Scott's ancestry hales back to Ireland (though I just discovered that Clan Donald originated in Ireland as well). We are all Picts, well, all but me, as I guess my ancestry is more English than Scottish. But anyway, it was a lovely day, and I got to see some of the new generation of our old high school McLane Highlanders perform along with several other piper groups. We of course came mostly for the Wicked Tinkers, who we think put on the best show. They are a bit wicked though (they like their whiskey and twirling their kilts), and some of their fans are a bit over the top, but we enjoy the music and their skills. I found a picture Bill took of me with some of the Scottish bands in the background. I will include it here!



Other news is that my pastor nominating committee is unofficially decommissioned, as we feel God is wanting the church to take personal ownership of the ministries of connectivity through small groups and pastoral care. Two years ago the church wasn't ready for that, but we see signs that the members are ready to do their part to make it happen. So the fact that the Lord hasn't seen fit to call any pastor to cover those areas of ministry need is another indicator to us that he wants us to get our own hands in the mix. Our committee asked the Elder board to decommission our committee, but while they agreed, the congregation has to do the actual decommissioning, which will hopefully happen at the next congregational meeting in June.

Also, I will be going to Colorado Springs on April 18th for Assistant Teaching Director training for Community Bible Study. I have had to complete a lesson and two lecture exercise sheets in preparation for instruction on how to give a lecture and lead a core study group. While I led a core group one year over 20 years ago, I am very rusty, and as for giving lectures - bother! I am not looking forward to that! But I will only be expected to give 4 to 6 lectures a year, so hopefully I will be able to pull them together.

In the meantime, Julie has been busy. She has run in a couple of little 5Ks for various organizations, is presently comforting a co-worker and friend who is even now losing her father in law to an aggressive cancer that showed up less than 3 months ago (she spent part of last night in the hospital to encourage her friend in what may be her father in law's last night); she is working overtime at her office to help her employers meet the April 15th deadline (she works for accountants); and she is planning to go to Japan later this year as part of a mission project through her church.

Bill in the meantime is working hard to keep some income flowing, as he took a monetary cut at work due to his boss' response to the economic crisis. We can be grateful that none of our family have lost their jobs (knock on wood) due to this crisis.

On the Nathan watch front, he still has no teeth, though you will see from the picture below that he is drooling a flood. He also does not sit or crawl on his own, much less walk, BUT, he can turn over back to front and back again, and turn around in his crib, and he is now going through the process of learning to eat food. He took to it very well, as you can tell by his still chubby cheeks. They put him in his highchair to feed him when they are home. He is still getting "pumped" mommy's milk, though more of it per sitting along with his cereal or fruit mash. He goes to bed now between 8 and 9 p.m. and most times sleeps through the night. I pick him up from day care some Fridays after work and we have a blast. Emily invited me a couple of weeks ago to spend the day with them (I took the day off) to get his Easter pictures and to walk him around in his stroller at the Market Place while Emily used her spa certificate that I gave her last September. We had a blast! I get to keep him all day this Friday, and in anticipation I have purchased a little walker to see how he will get around in it. He has really strong legs and likes to stand all the time. It is difficult most times to get him to sit! Anyway, that is the Nathan watch update for now!

I wish you all a wonderul Easter celebration!

February Happenings

Dear friends and family - Mom and Dad emailed to remind me I had not updated my blog in a while, so here is a February update. The picture above was taken at the Father Daughter Valentine Dance on February 6th. Every year Bill takes his girls to this event - this was around the 15th year he has taken them! This year he gave them beautiful necklaces and little fancy-event purses that I shopped for and he "wrapped" in tissue and gift bags. He had them over for dinner first, though Erin couldn't make it as she was running late. They obviously had a great time, though Bill told me he got a bit winded from dancing this year.

In the meantime, I picked up Nathan after work around 1 p.m. that day, and had a marvelous afternoon and evening being grandma. He was in a great mood, and even took a couple of little 45 minute naps, at which time I also rested. He has developed quite an engaging smile and is experimenting with making happy noises, including his own special laugh. He grins a lot, and every time he just makes my own face split in a grin - he is so handsome and special! I wish I had some updated pictures to place here, but somehow I don't have any recent ones. I will see if I can post SOMETHING with him in it!

Also, we have had several storms in the last few weeks, and Julie talked us into driving up to the mountains through Porterville to Camp Nelson to get closer to the awesome mountains with all the snow. I know, to some of you snow is old hat, but for those of us living "under the cloud" in the valley, where we hardly even see the mountains though we are surrounded by them, and snow is a mythical substance, we have had quite a treat the last few weeks - the mountains are so clear they seem close enough to touch! And they are covered with snow. So we went to the snow, and threw some lovely light powder snow balls at each other and little Abby, who dodged them better than we did! I got a pretty miserable case of car sickness on the way down, the first I've had in a long time, but I think I have recovered now.



On every day matters, I am still trudging along in my APNC group (Pastor Nominating Committee) as we've had several potential candidates just not work out. We have one more "in the hopper" for early March, and hopefully that will be the one! Also, I'm still waiting on news from the Community Bible Study Area Director on whether I am approved to go to training in Colorado Springs in April for an Associate Teaching Director position I agreed (after prayer) to accept.

Julie is at work today, though Bill and I have the day off due to the holiday. Julie's job working for accountants means there are no vacations from January 2nd through April 14th. They get a vacation day on April 15th! (or is it the 16th?) Anyway, Bill has a pretty miserable cold, so while we went out to run just a few short errands earlier today, we've mostly spent the day indoors out of the wind and rain. Bill has been looking up stuff on the internet, while I have finished reading another fantasy fiction book and taking a nap, as I didn't get to bed until 2:45 this morning (reading). Friday night was game nite for the fam, where we had pizza and played "Life", then Saturday night (Valentines Day), Julie went to Em and Jeff's for dinner and a movie, while Erin and Scott came over and made southwest enchilladas and refrieds, then we played two games of Starfarers of Catan. The 2nd game didn't finish until around 1 a.m. Bill shouldn't have stayed up as his cold was getting worse, but he did, and as a result, he had to sleep upright in a recliner and stayed home doing nothing on Sunday until Julie talked him into going to the mountains. I just keep taking preventatives (airborne, vitamins and ointment for my nose) and so far, knock on wood, I have stayed healthy.

Finally, Emily, Jeff and Scott, who all have government paid jobs, still have their jobs as of today. I think Emily's job is pretty secure, and Jeff thinks his is as well, but Scott's job is newer, and we are praying the continuing economic difficulties the state is trying to deal with won't put them in jeopardy. I just heard on the news as I type this that because the state can't pass a budget, over 20,000 government jobs including the departments Jeff and Scott work in, will be lost starting immediately. Such hard times!

On a happier note, here is a picture from 1/23/09 of my grandson. With that I will publish this post! jane

Here is Nathan at Sequoia Sandwich Shop on Sunday. He's got his shades, his "silencer", and his two puppy strap protectors that he just loves to rub his little fat cheeks on, and gum. Just couldn't resist taking his picture - he looks like some movie star!

A Winter Day Trip to the Snow

Oh yeah, after looking at everyone else's blogs this morning, I know I can't compete as far as "snow pictures", but I have to tell you that Bill and Julie and I took our little dog Abby to Tehachapi on 12/27/08 for her first experience in the snow. The snow was only an inch thick where we finally found a place we were allowed to get out and "play", but we also found a little partially frozen pond in a picnic area in Stallion Springs (all just east of Bakersfield about one hour on Hwy 58) where Abby tried to walk on the pond and jumped when she cracked the ice. We also stopped at Keene on the way home and watched a train go through the famous Tehachapi Loop. Thought I would include a picture or two of our "snow day"

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Hi, everyone! As you can see by the latest pictures, Nathan is still the cutest baby on the planet! He took Christmas Day in "stride" going from bean bag chair to lap to another lap and set of arms - no lack when the room is full of relatives waiting in line to have a turn at him!

We all gathered Christmas Eve at Julie, Erin and Scott's church (Riverlakes Community Church) for a 4:30 p.m. Christmas Eve service, and then drove to our home for a lovely ham dinner and relaxation, before everyone (including Julie, who was dog/house-sitting) left for their beds. Everyone gathered again here for a reasonably late (Em, Jeff and Nathan arrived earliest, since Nathan gets up early) Christmas morning with coffee cake, ham and eggs, scripture reading and opening presents. We only turn our gas fireplace on a few times a year, and the days around Christmas are the primary times. Takes me back to Valeria Street and the awesome atmosphere Dad and Mom created on Christmas morning - more than the gifts, that is what I remember about Christmas in my youth (thanks Dad and Mom!). We also had Em and Jeff bring their dog Maggie over so they wouldn't have to make trips back to the house to let her in and out (she is an indoor dog for many reasons). Since Maggie would make Abby a chew toy, we rotated them in and out throughout the day so each could have some indoor and outdoor time.
For the first time I fixed a prime rib roast for our Christmas dinner, and it turned out pretty well. For the rest of the holiday we watched movies and played games that people got for Christmas and in general had a great family time.

Now we've entered 2009 after a small family gathering at the Winther's last night to eat another lovely Costco ham, play Ultimate Yahtzee and Set, watch The Dark Knight, and love on little Nathan. Erin and Scott came in briefly from a long round trip to Huntington Beach New Years Eve to deliver a basket of goodies to someone, then they were spending the evening at home to care for Scott's parent's dogs to get them through the fireworks of the New Year's celebrations. Today the McArdles are driving to San Diego to spend the next few days with Scott's family, while Em and Jeff and Nathan are driving north to Coarsegold to spend time with Jeff's family.

It is a very cold and dreary-looking first day of the year here, weatherwise, but that just gave me an excuse to update this blog! May 2009 be a grand year of wonderful events for all of us!