Monday, January 14, 2013

Classic Moment: "Into the Cake"


On Saturday Ken baked a cake for a Sunday night dinner with friends.  The two cake layers were set to cool on the breakfast room table.  Ken was in the kitchen.  Coco was playing quietly in the breakfast room . . . too quietly . . . . oh, so quietly . . . .








Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Christmas 2012 - Parts 1 & 2

Coco revelled in two Christmas holidays this year.  Part 1 with Grandma Mary and Grandpa Roy in San Francisco and Part 2 with Grandma Connie and Granddad Roy in Savannah.  Both parts included special time with family, some holiday traditions, presents for Coco and some much needed rest for Ken and Mike.

Grandma Mary and Grandpa Roy spent a week with us in early December (December 6 - 12).  The weather was generally good so most days included the usual trips to the Duboce Park playground and walks to Safeway.  The days ended with late dinners as Mike and Ken were both working long days. 

One of the highlights - the second annual trip to see Santa - was reported in a previous post.  Another highlight was The Opening of the Presents from Grandma and Grandpa.  There were presents for Mike and Ken (which were very much appreciated) but let's face it: the main attraction was Coco opening her gifts.  Coco wore her special red-with-white-polka-dots Santa PJs from Grandma, brought specially for the occasion.  Gifts included a pink broom and matching dust pan (Coco is obsessed with sweeping), a trike (with working blinkers, a horn and a radio), sparkly shoes (that flash neon blue, pink and white lights from the toes when she walks) and of course some cute outfits and story books. 

Coco also inherited the Walsh family toy box, a simple wood box first brought home by Edward Walsh (Cornelia's great grandfather) circa 1950 from his job at a munitions factory, for his young daughters including Mary Margaret (Cornelia's grandmother).  The box was passed along to Mike and Scott circa 1970.  It has been tucked away for nearly four decades waiting for the next generation of toys, and finally it has passed to Cornelia.

On Christmas Eve we flew to Savannah to spend the week with Grandma Connie and Granddad Roy.  Christmas Day was a leisurely one, with gifts at a civilized pace in the morning (Coco once again in her red-with-white-polka-dot Santa PJs) and a turkey dinner.  The week was full of remarkable dinners actually - ham on Christmas Eve, turkey on Christmas, fondue the day after Christmas (a Wingard family tradition), and BBQ ribs the day after the day after Christmas.  Fortunately, I managed to run every day!

The Kennesaw Wingards - Kevin, Angela, Kourtnee (12) and Kamryn (10) - arrived the day after Christmas.  One of our family outings was a trip to downtown Savannah which is a great little shopping district - and apparently much chnaged since Ken lived in Savannah which was, um, quite some time ago.   Everyone departed on Saturday; the Kennesaw Wingards left for Disney World and the Gotham Wingards left for home and a week in the country.

Christmas 2012 Part 1 - in pictures


"Manners? What manners?" 
(Daddies were horrified by this picture!)

Priceless!



In case anyone was not clear that she was crying in her picture with Santa . . . .


Horn? Check.  Radio? Check.  Turn signals? Check.
Spedometer at 67 mph? Check.


Christmas 2012 Part 2 - in pictures

Exploring Grandma Connie's Christmas tree.

with Granddad Roy

with Grandma Connie



Kisses for Papa

Waiting patiently for Christmas dinner.

The Wingard Girls
Kamryn (10), Cornelia (20 months) and Kourtnee (12)

A little "down time" with the video player.

At Savannah airport waiting to go home.