Santa Claus is coming to town – or Memories from my Dad’s Rotary Christmas Party

As a child between the years of 1960 to 1971, once a year my Dad would take us kids to his inclusive Rotary Club Annual Holiday Luncheon.  We would celebrate and eat lunch with the all the members of the elite men’s service club of Garden Grove, California. It was such a treat and a pleasure for many reasons!
• My Mom would dress us up in our best clothing
• We got out of the school for the day
• We were spending time with my Dad
• And sometimes my older brother would perform his magic tricks for the entire group
Last night as I was doing the routine grocery shopping for the house; I heard a popular tune come on in the grocery store. The song was “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town” and I immediately thought of the memories of attending the Rotary Christmas parties with my two brothers, Gary and Drew and my Dad.
That song was the theme song for that “event” – it is amazing how one Christmas song can transcend you through 50 years back to the days of middle class America, attending a Rotary Holiday party.

 

Photo journal – Thankful

2016 – Trabuco Canyon, California 

Thanksgiving Day 

1976 – Anaheim, California 

My immediate family 

A well planned wedding

It does not matter the color scheme…..

It does not matter what is served for dinner….

What does matter is the love between the bride and the groom – three weeks ago my son married the woman of his dreams.  The most important part  – it was event that Guests will never forget.  Everyone kept their cool !  Congrats to Cameron and Jessica.

 

Bridal Shower weekend in Bay Area

I feel blessed……

I feel lucky……

In just a few short months my oldest son is getting married to a beautiful, intelligent woman.  Here are scenes from her bridal shower. We all have waited a long time, now it’s becoming a reality…pretty soon we will  have Mr. & Mrs. Bride and Groom.  Love is wonderful when you find the right one.  Here’s to Cameron and Jessica Lynn, Congratulations and I can hardly wait for the nuptials.

beaming Jessica Lynn

beaming Jessica Lynn

lovely friends

Happy Birthday Disneyland – 61 years of magic

Where do I begin to imagine my life – without ever working at Disneyland in Anaheim, California? I have been fortunate to work for 39 years out of Disneyland’s 61 year history.  I am the lucky one – Happy Birthday to Disneyland – and her’s to another 61 years of fun.  Thank you for a great ride!

Disneyland 1985 with the Vice Premier of China

The Golden Horseshoe Revue

Wally Boag, the comedic genius

Look Up…..2016 Word Press weekly photo challenge

This week is all about taking a moment to check out what’s going on above you.

 

 

Life evolves

One of my most proudest moments is when my son, Cameron graduated from UCLA in 2006. I invited my parents to attend the graduation at Pauley Pavilion on the campus.  It meant the world to me – to have my Mom watch Cameron graduate as he crossed the stage to accept his diploma from the Mayor of Los Angeles.  Most especially hearing his name being  called out loud.

It is now ten years later and my son is engaged to marry the woman of his dreams in October. There is so much happiness involved with this wedding of my Mom’s first grandchild. I always say that the first grandchild – could almost walk on water, since my Mom was so happy to become a grandmother back in 1983.

This past March, my mother was laid to rest – and she passed away knowing that Cameron was getting married.  She was happy knowing that the preparations had begun.  She knew the bride to be for the last three years and was close to her.

Here we are – (some of our immediate family) when we said our final goodbyes to Mom.

Life evolves and we move on – there are new babies, new weddings to plan for and vacations to book.  We think often of my Mom – and know that she is watching all of us from Heaven.

Here’s to the Bride and Groom and for happier days of loving each other.  Thank you Mom for laying the foundation.

 

Happy Mother’s Day to my girlfriends

 

When I was little, I used to believe in the concept of one best friend,
and then I started to become a woman.

And then I found out that if you allow your heart to open up, God would
show you the best in many friends.
One friend is needed when you’re going through things with your man.
Another friend is needed when you’re going through things with your
mom.

Another when you want to shop, share, heal, hurt, joke, or just be.
One friend will say let’s pray together, another let’s cry together,
another let’s fight together, another let’s walk away together.

One friend will meet your spiritual need, another your shoe fetish,
another your love for movies, another will be with you in your season
of confusion, another will be your clarifier, another the wind beneath
your wings.

      

But whatever their assignment in your life, on whatever the occasion,
on whatever the day, or wherever you need them to meet you with their
gym shoes on and hair pulled back, or to hold you back from making a
complete fool of yourself … those are your best friends.

It may all be wrapped up in one woman, but for many it’s wrapped up in
several… one from 7th grade, one from high school, several from the
college years, a couple from old jobs, several from church, on some
days your mother, on some days your neighbor, on others your sisters,
on some days your daughters.

      

National Appreciation for Teachers

I would like to say thank you to my favorite teacher, Mr. Tom Dorosky from Loara High School in Anaheim, California.  Mr. Dorosky passed away (1999) but was an exceptional teacher.  He had a way of making his classroom (Political Science) fun and worthwhile. Mr. Dorosky also taught Police Science and History and was a great role model for all of us young Saxons growing up in Anaheim.

Mr. Dorosky was always looking for ways of making all of his students feel valued and appreciated. He would team up with Mr. Barron and invite Guest Speakers to come and share their stories about law enforcement.  Many of the times we would have Detective Dick Christensen come to our classroom.

 

 

Photos of the day – a look back

The year was 1988, a photo of my first Volvo Station Wagon, what a great car!  We bought it used and here my son (at age 5) is posing in the driveway.