The book and the movie!

We saw The Theory of Everything a couple of weeks ago and really enjoyed it.  I had been reading Travelling to Infinity:  My Life With Stephen Hawking, and so was interested to finish it to see how it squared with the film.

It is an interesting book for many reasons.  First of all, it is a pretty accurate portrayal of a complex man - at least according to all the sources.  There is a lot of history and science involved.  Jane Hawking, the author, was a literature major and her observations and field of study are richly outlined too.

 I believe it paints a portrait of a brilliant man who survived by asserting his powerful ego on all those around him.  Perhaps this is how he survived and how he was able to contribute so significantly to mankind.  But it was at a very high cost - a cost that cannot always be justified.

The movie lead some to believe that Stephen nobly left Jane so she could find happiness with someone else.  I was interested to finish the book to see if this was true.  It was not the case - Stephen Hawking exacted a very heavy price from his wife and his children and other family members.  Fortunately for him, as he has married and divorced twice since leaving Jane, his family still loves and cares for him.  They treat him well and include him on holidays when he might otherwise be alone.

They are the brilliant ones!

On the 25th day of Christmas,

Christmas comes and goes so quickly - when you are older anyway!!

Fortunately we keep celebrating until the New Year comes - and even sometimes beyond.

Excited for the arrivals beginning on Saturday!!

On the 24th day of Christmas,

it was Christmas Eve.  If I was really on the ball, I'd be able to find the 3 rather bad photos we have of our honeymoon in Santa Barbara.  But I'm not.  On the ball that is!

That was our first Christmas Eve - on our honeymoon in SB. It was a Sunday so we went to church.  We didn't tell people we were newlyweds - but maybe they guessed?  It seemed so other-worldly to introduce myself as Barbara Terrill!

Back in those days, nothing much was open on Sundays - we did find a dingy little restaurant for dinner - Harry asked the guy if I could have a child's plate because I didn't eat much then!  (He said okay.  I think we were the only customers in the place - times were different then!!)

It was beautiful though - blue skies, ocean breezes wafting in through our hotel window, falling asleep to the sound of the surf.  We truly wondered why we were going back to Provo!

But back to Provo we went, and then it was our 2nd Christmas Eve - in the house on 7th North.  And our first tree.  Happy times.

Christmas Eves have been happy times in our lives.

Tonight will be another one!

On the 23rd day of Christmas

is Joseph's Smith's birthday.  This photo has nothing to do with that - but it was taken after the family had gone to look at the lights at the temple.

We look for connections wherever we can.

And I was supposed to get a new scanner - which I did get - but my computer isn't "reading" it yet.

Why is it all so complex??

On the 22nd day of Christmas

Harry and Barb got married.  47 years ago.  A great day.  A great 47 years too.

On the 21st day of Christmas

Pretty sure that 47 years ago on the 21st day of Christmas - i.e. Dec. 21st - I was excited about getting married the next day!!

More photos - the same ones you see every year actually - will be forthcoming!

On the 20th day of Christmas

So this is maybe the late 90's?  We started having Clayton Family Christmas parties with whomever was around.  We drew names and exchanged gifts - Dad put his Santa hat on and passed them out.  We often had pizza and some talent numbers too.  Also started the pinata drill - how can you go wrong with a pinata full of candy and a baseball bat??

A nice bunch!!

On the 19th day of Christmas

Harry and I got married in December of 1967 - and getting married made me an aunt - and Scott - and his sister Karen - were the niece and nephew who did the honors for me.

And today is Scott's 51st birthday!

So happy day to you Scott - and thanks for the introduction to the wonderful world of "aunthood!"

On the 18th day of Christmas

The 18th day of December brings peace, and joy, and 7 decades for Harry to celebrate!!

On the 17th day of Christmas

Found another Messiah Sing Along photo.  I would guess 2008?  Eve looks like a 5 year old?

Anyway, it's a great part of Christmas in our family!!

On the 16th day of Christmas

Bonny and Bruce got married on the 15th,  but their reception was not until the 22nd - so the Christmas season continued to be full of wedding work - but it was spread out, so not as stressful as it might have been.

And it was nice to be continuing the celebration!

Although Noah was keenly disappointed to discover that the "party" we kept saying we were going to have was really not a party to his way of thinking!!

So he was delighted to leave and go to Andrew's for a sleepover - his idea of a party!

On the 15th day of Christmas

Bruce joined our family - a great day - and it's just been getting better all the time!

 

A perfect day for a wedding.

 

And a perfect photo to commemorate the occasion!

On the 14th day of Christmas

This looks like a holiday photo from the 60's - Ernie, Scott, Frances, Helen, and Grandmother Taylor.  This may even have been the year I met the family - while Harry was on his mission - this is how I remember everyone anyway!

 

 Christmas 1971 - the last time we came for Christmas - until we moved back to CA in 1979.

Mary Taylor came one year at Christmas - this is the early 80's - we still had the shutters!

There are lots of Christmas memories - not so many photos!

On the 13th day of Christmas

This was the family holiday photo in 1989 I'm thinking.  In 1990, Harry was away at school - so his hair was shorter!!

The little girls had matching dresses that I loved - hope they loved them too!

And Noah - sandals and white socks with his shirt, tie, and suspenders - what was I thinking??

This was the last family photo before in-laws joined our ranks.  And it's been fun watching the family grow and change over the years.

25 years ago - that's a long time!!

On the 12th day of Christmas

This photo is entitled in my files as "Cosmo at the Wedding!"  Don't you love it??

As I recall, he was a bit perplexed at the piles of presents in the living room as we sat with Bonny, Bruce, and lots of extended family of Bruce - and our family - to open the wedding gifts.

And, of course, the famous line, "Is this Christmas?" spoken by 5 year old Hannah!!

It was a wonderful time for our family - but it was a bit chaotic!!

On the 11th day of Christmas

Christmas 1998 found us renting a little place in Laguna - it was fun.  We have tried lots of locations for the yearly family gathering - we are a big group now, so we are somewhat spread out - that is, somebody stays with Harry and Dawn, somebody - maybe a couple of somebodies - stay at our house - and the "locals" drive back and forth.

I still dream about finding a wonderful spot that fits us all and is festive, bucolic - and cheap!

Will let you know when I find it!

On the 10th day of Christmas

It can be tough to get everyone in a big group together for a family photo.  We didn't do it often in our family - in fact, the only other whole group photos includes the ones taken at Lyn's missionary farewell and photos taken at Bill's wedding.

But Christmas 1971 found everyone home - in the months following, others would be heading off on missions, so we had to "seize the moment!"

And actually, Harry and I never again went down for Christmas.  We went in the summer instead, when I could stay longer.

And then we moved back to California.

It's still tough to get together for family photos!

On the 9th day of Christmas

When Harry and I chose December for our wedding, Frances came up to me and said, "How could you do this?"  She was sure it was the worst choice for a wedding month! 

It's not terribly convenient for those who are not the bride and groom - I've been the mother of the bride for two December weddings.  But it's really great for the bride and groom, so I really didn't mind!

You spend many years not really being able to celebrate your anniversary, but you can "celebrate" other times.  For several years, Harry and I would go to a hotel in Pasadena for our anniversary - and do all of our Christmas shopping!  It was a great little get away!

December birthdays have their issues too.  But December and Christmas and lights and festivities can be a wonderful backdrop for all kinds of things!

On the 8th day of Christmas

This would be a Santa photo from 1972 - no one looks very excited about it do they??

I think all of our "with Santa" photos come from ward Christmas parties.

On the 7th day of Christmas

Christmas in the Rock House - long ago - I did a lot of sewing then - as you can tell!

It was a happy time though - not that now isn't happy, but it almost seems idyllic in retrospect.

That's what's great about Christmas memories - they "grow" with time!

On the 6th day of Christmas

Everyone was home for the holidays in 1988!  And everyone continues to come home for the holidays.  It's one of the things I love about the holidays!!

On the 5th day of Christmas

"my true love gave to me, five funny hats!"

Love the New Year's celebrations that are part of Christmas at the Terrill house - and the hats - such an integral part of the celebration - funny, since we're really not a hat-wearing clan.

Remember the year of the "tiny hats?"

What will it be this year??

On the fourth day of Christmas

Nebeker's prints, sent to us each year for Christmas.  What a treasure we have.

We keep them up year round, but at Christmas they seem extra special!!

On the third day of Christmas

We missed Marjorie at Thanksgiving - and we will indeed miss her this Christmas.  She has been part of our Christmas celebration for the last 14 years!  

These three ladies added to the holiday spirit for us all.

Happy memories are the best!

On the 2nd day of Christmas

We drove up to Bakersfield in December of 1987 - it was the 18th in fact, because it was Harry's birthday - but he was working or something, so he didn't go.  I drove up with Pop and Helen.  And I know I took Noah, because he was a babe in arms - he is shown here with Melissa - but I'm not sure if I took the other kids or not.  Maybe they remember.

December is full of weddings in our family.  Well, maybe not full, but Bonny and Bruce and Matt and Eliza and Scott and Shelly and Harry and Barb all chose December for their nuptials!!

That sounds full enough!

 

Contrary to popular opinion, December is not the worst month to get married.  It's actually a great month - all the world is alight with sparkle and shine - and it feels like it's just for you!!

The First Day of Christmas

December in the Terrill household now holds a lot more holidays than just Harry P.'s birthday - and our anniversary - and my sister Mary's birthday - and my brother Bobby's birthday - I guess it's always been a busy month, now that I think about it!

(I recall wondering how my mom managed Christmas and new babies in one month - I was there - all seemed fine - I guess it can be done!)

But I thought I'd do some random "Days of Christmas" posting - since it was nice to have a format for the month of gratitude in November.  Perhaps there's a format that could keep me organized for January??

At any rate, December of 1990 was a busy one indeed - Bonny married Bruce - that involved a number of projects - not the least of which was keeping everyone on my radar!!

But I look at this family photo - when we hired the photographer for the wedding and reception, I said, "All I want is a good family photo" - I realize that I not only got a good photo, but we got lots of happy memories - and a wonderful son-in-law.  But more on that on the 15th!!

For now, I'm thinking I will start bugging Harry to get the Christmas decorations down from the rafters in the garage.  And maybe think of a better place to store them so I don't have to bug him each year!!

Month of Gratitude

Today, the last day of the "Month of Gratitude," is also the 11th anniversary of the death of our beloved Charlie Graham.

 

Charlie was a good man with a great family.  We all miss him still - but are so grateful to have had him in our lives.

And we are all eternally grateful for the plan of salvation.

Seems like a fitting note upon which to end this month of gratitude.

Month of Gratitude

I did some checking, and I'm two posts short - so I'm playing catch up!!

I'm really grateful that years ago we went to a Saturday morning activity at SMCNS - while Phoebe went there - and toured Santa Anita Racetrack - and discovered that far from being a "den of iniquity," it was a fun place to go and watch the horses work out and eat breakfast under heat lamps at Clocker's Corner.

And I'm grateful it's part of our holiday celebrating!

Even if Harry is yawning, he loves it too!

Month of Gratitude

I'm grateful that we get together at the holidays. I'm already looking forward to it.  I'm grateful that everyone wants to get together!!

I don't think it gets any better than that!

Month of Gratitude

This photo was taken a year ago.  I decided to have my mom, Marjorie, and Helen over for dinner - just them.  They had all commented that when everyone was there, it was noisy and hard for them to hear and be part of the conversation.  So I had the idea to just have them over.  

It was a good idea, and the meal was lovely.  I think they all had a great time too.  At this little dinner party, my mom started discussing her dream of riding the train across Canada - a dream she realized this summer.

I'm grateful I acted on an impulse - and hope I learned a lesson!

Month of Gratitude

I love dolls.  And I loved dolls when I was a little girl - and even when I was a big girl.  My sister Alice and I usually got matching dolls for Christmas.  One year we got "newborn" dolls - which were perfect for us, since we usually had a newborn in our house and we could use some of the clothing and accessories when we played.

And we always "played" dolls.  We set up houses by laying out rooms on the patio, and we played house with our dolls. 

 

 I'm so old there were no Barbies.  There were Ginny dolls, but they were probably expensive, because we never got one.  Once we got a Muffy doll - maybe the equivalent of the Target brand faux American Girl dolls.  We weren't ace seamstresses at the time, so the clothes we made for them were pretty rustic.  But we still had fun.  Although I do remember going to school and being very envious of those girls who brought their Ginny dolls to school - and the vast wardrobes their Ginny dolls had!

I remember always loving the dolls we got.  From conversations with my mother over the years, I'm pretty sure she either went to a lot of trouble or was always really lucky - I think maybe she went to a lot of trouble.  In later years, she often made dolls for the granddaughters and great-granddaughters, so I think she thought dolls were pretty important.

When Bonny was ready to get a doll, Harry and I both weighed in on the purchase.  He had some definite ideas about dolls too.  I made doll clothes that matched Bonny's clothes.  I enjoyed doing it too.  Once Harry said, "Are you making those for Bonny to enjoy - or for you to enjoy?"  I think it was a little of both.  I also started collecting Madame Alexander dolls for Bonny - each year I'd give her one of the Little Women dolls - she still has them all!

Madame Alexander actually fell into some disfavor, and all the girls didn't get them.  Frances had a tradition of buying Baby Huggums for the new babies, and we've done that somewhat sporadically I think.  It's pretty hard and pretty expensive to get them now.

And of course, everyone knows the story about Phoebe's Cabbage Patch doll.  (She wanted one - I did manage to find one - and Harry questioned the expense - until he saw her face when she opened it - and said, "Well, you called that one right!")

 

Hannah and Eliza managed to come of age at the right time for the American Girl doll saga - I confess I enjoy them too - and Bonny, Phoebe, and Dawn have managed to make them a part of their lives!!

 

There are lots of doll stories to tell.  Someday I should gather them up.  For now I will just say I am thankful for a mother who provided me with dolls I loved - and encouraged me to play with and enjoy them!!

There are lots of doll stories in our family - sometime I ought to write them all down.

Month of Gratitude

Grateful today for blue skies, warm sunshine, good food to eat, and a sweet visiting teacher who comes faithfully every month. I haven't had such a regular visitor in many years - a true blessing in my life!

Month of Gratitude

I didn't always know how to sew.  And I wasn't always interested in learning how either.  When we were girls in junior high, I was always in Student Council or on the newspaper staff, so I didn't take sewing at school.  My mom sewed all the time, and sewing was often essential if I wanted certain things.

I learned to trade chores with Alice, who not only took sewing in junior high, but was very good at it.  I'd do her dishes if she'd set in the sleeves for me, or put in a zipper - I'd was pretty good at straight seams!

This arrangement worked well until she went on her mission - and I was pregnant and poor!  She gave me a pattern and some fabric and assured me I could do it - and I did!  And I kept on doing it, and got better as time went on.

I mostly sew aprons and tied quilts these days. Or I mend.  I'm not so interested in having to read new directions - I'd rather sew something I'm familiar with while watching old movies on my portable DVD player!

That doesn't mean I might not branch out again

one of these days.  If my arthritic fingers and my vision continue to co-operate.

Stay tuned.  In the meantime, I'm grateful for skills that bring me joy!

Month of Gratitude

There are those who scoff at the skylight in our bedroom, but it really is a joy to me.  In the summer time, the blue sky and the green leaves of the neighbor's ancient oak tree make the start of every day a beautiful event.  At night, we can see the stars - and often the constellations.

And the moonlight - I love falling asleep bathed in moonlight!  Last week we found "Moonlight Becomes You" sung by Bing Crosby and listened to it in bed while the moon shone down on us.  What a treat!

On winter mornings, we still see green leaves and blues skies - because this is SoCal after all.  Cloudy days and nights make a pretty picture too.

I am truly grateful and thankful for my bedroom skylight!!

Month of Gratitude

While I am not grateful that John F. Kennedy was assassinated 51 years ago today, I am grateful that we have a strong enough government to withstand such an onslaught.

History has dealt with the man and his presidency with varying degrees of sympathy and appreciation, but he did give his life for his country.  That deserves our respect.

It is easy to be critical of politicians - I often am - but many of those who serve our country are good men and women for the most part.  Those who serve well deserve our thanks.

Month of Gratitude

Exchanged some text messages with Sarah Nebeker today.  Was reminded again how much our friendship with the Nebekers has impacted our life - for the better.  We have lots of beautiful art in our home - and have had for many years - and a lot of it is from Ry.

We are saddened by his recent passing, but we are grateful that he left such a great legacy.  And that we will see him again one day.

And we are grateful for our continuing friendship with his family.

Month of Gratitude

So grateful for the upcoming holidays and all that means to the Terrill family.  It means a wonderful time being had by all - and I'm getting excited.

It's beginning to feel a lot like New Year's!!