Dressing Up

Oma & Opa
Originally uploaded by brenda.pirie

I got this ornament from Elsie quite a few years ago. Somehow it escaped a date, too (oops).

When we decorate our tree, the kids like get sneaky and on the sly, hang ornaments in our back pockets. Two years ago Mike was walking around with this dress on his back pocket for about 20 minutes before he noticed it. LOL!

Beached Santa

Beached Santa
Originally uploaded by brenda.pirie

Every October our town in San Diego (La Mesa) holds an Oktoberfest that is one of the largest on the West Coast. When I was a kid in high school it was small with fun things to do and a few craft booths. The beer garden complete with the oom-paa band was small, it always packed but you could always find a seat. There was a booth set up like an old jail and for 50 cents you could have
someone "arrested". Well, my friends thought it would be fun to do that to me! I got thrown in jail and did my time with a drunk band parent. I'll never forget Mr. Mountain...he was always so normal on the band trips, and here he was drunk off his ass. It was so funny!

Today if you go to the Oktoberfest, it's crowded beyond crowded, no parking, almost entirely craft booths, the beer garden has a line and is expensive...and of course there's no "jail". I guess another example of how things change, huh?

Anyway, I bought this guy at one of the Oktoberfests when Mike and I were first married. It's one of the few ornaments that doesn't have a date on it, but I'd estimate it to be in 1992 or 3. In case you're sight-challenged like me...it's a star fish.

Dreaming of Mountains

Idyllwild
Originally uploaded by brenda.pirie

This little guy we got in the gift shop at the visitor's center in Idyllwild, California. Several winters in a row our family along with Don, Keiko and the kids would drive up to Idyllwild to play in the snow for a weekend. One year we stayed in town at the Idyllwild Inn, Don wasn't with us because he was in serving in the War in Iraq. The other times we were all together and we rented a house in Pine Cove. Pine Cove is about 5 miles out of town BUT it's 1,000 feet higher in elevation so you know what that means? More snow!

My favorite memory is when we drove into the woods, built a snowman...and then ran it over with the Larry (Don's Jeep). Sounds sick but it was so funny! The head was on the hood for goodness sake!

This past summer while on a visit back home and did a repeat of our Idyllwild weekend with our friends. No snow to play in, but we had a great time anyway.

Camp Bondsteel

For our Troops
Originally uploaded by brenda.pirie

Becky and I made this ornament and a bunch more to give to our adopted US Soldiers at Camp Bondsteel in Kosovo.

Here's the story: After my Camp Fire club held a bake sale to raise funds for local military families, I was contacted by Armed Forces Support to see if I would be interested in having our club send goodies to a group of our guys in Kosovo. She said the Sargent had contacted her in hopes of some support. At the time, US troops in Afghanistan were getting all the attention and these guys were feeling a bit forgotten. I told Becky that I wanted to help, but I knew that my club would only be able to send one box, maybe two. I thought she might be interested in sending a box. She suggested we both work together and send the troops a box of goodies, BUT she said, "If we're gonna do this, we need to make a commitment to send them a box a month. Don't you think?" Who was I to say no?

So that's what we did...for 5 years. One box a month to Camp Bondsteel filled with home made cookies, candy, magazines, movies, letters, and of course love. The number of soldiers slowly reduced over the years, but the appreciation never changed...they were so grateful to be remembered every month by us two gals in California. They sent us stuff, too! I have three American flags in my home that were flown over Camp Bondsteel...very cool. We also received many plaques to recognize the support we gave them. They didn't have to do that, but I'm glad they did. I look at the plaques and read the names and remember my friendships with people I'll never meet but love and appreciate anyway. Actually, we did end up meeting a couple of our friends...but that's another story.

It was the most satisfying "work" I've ever done.

O Teddy Bear

O Teddy Bear, O Teddy Bear, something, something...something. Good thing I gave up that career as a song writer, huh? This little guy is hand made by ME! In my early 20's I wanted to make some homemade Christmas gifts and someone gave this pattern to me. It's made of plastic canvas, plastic yarn...um, I mean acrylic yarn, beads and pom-poms. He does have a back side...complete with a pom-pom tail. I made a ton of these guys and thank God kept one for me. My dear friend Elsie has two that she keeps hung on her closet doors year round...thanks Elsie!

After our move to Florida, I was cleaning out some boxes and found all my supplies for this project. For a fleeting moment, I thought about making a few more...don't worry, it passed without incident.

Joey at the Beach - 1998

Joey at the beach
Originally uploaded by brenda.pirie

This ornament was a project for my Camp Fire Club, but being the leader and being a freak about having enough supplies, I had plenty stuff left over to make one for Joey. I love this photo because it shows what a blondie he used to be back when he was two! He's so cute in that red coat! Was that really 10 years ago?

We were on a road-camping-trip to the Redwoods, this photo was taken about half way there, at Pismo Beach. The campground we stayed at was walking distance to the beach so we had to check it out. I remember being so shocked to see cars driving on the beach...people were actually camping on the beach! In Florida that's no big deal, but being from San Diego, it was quite a novelty.

I love that one bead is missing.

Mrs. Claus

Mrs. Clause
Originally uploaded by brenda.pirie

In an effort to get myself in the habit of blogging on a regular basis, I'm going to post a photo and description of my favorite Christmas ornaments that hang on my tree. Hope you enjoy it!

This ornament was part of a kit that my mom and I bought at Lee Wards back in the 80's. That year my dad dropped the box of ornaments killing most of them, so my mom was on a mission to replace them with hand made ornaments. This kit was awesome...it had about two dozen different clothes pin doll type ornaments you could make. I guess I never completed my kit because this is the only one I have...oh well. She's kinda cute, huh? My mom still has all the ornaments on her tree. Some are missing a limb, but they bring back wonderful memories of me and my mom sitting for hours making the clothes pin people come to life.