Category: family

I love iPhoto and use it to organize my photos. One of my favorite aspects is the Faces program that automatically recognizes people’s faces and categorizes per approval. I spent some time organizing the last few batches of pictures I had and discovered that in my dad’s Faces file kept suggesting that he was our Thanksgiving turkey. I’ll let you decide how much they look alike:

Did you know that my Grandpa is really Santa? It’s true. Each December he becomes Santa and you can go get your picture taken with him. He’s been Santa for 21 years and he’s the best there is. How many grandchildren can say their grandpa is Santa?

Today is my grandpa’s 80th birthday and yesterday 13 of us got together to celebrate this man. It was the best 80th birthday party I’ve been to recently for a number of reasons. The number one reason, of course, was spending the day with my hilarious grandfather.  He’s amazing. Here are my top eight moments from the day:

8. Spectacular. That was the word my grandpa used to describe The Christmas Carol in 3D at the Imax. We looked swell in our glasses.

7. Riding back from the movie with my husband, dad, and grandpa. I was honored to be in the “Man Car” with them.  I declined to recline, however.

6. Drinking sparkling cider & champagne and listening to my grandpa’s toast. He said celebrating his birthday together is as memorable as his 12th birthday, the day Pearl Harbor was bombed. What a day to share with history.

5. Watching Barry down the table from me sitting next to my grandpa during dinner. Barry laughed at every joke, shared the bread and bumped elbows with my Grandpa ~ another left handed man.

4. Riding the Carousel at the Seattle Center with my family. My grandpa even got on his own horse! I only hope that when I am 80 I will find myself doing something so simple and carefree with ones that I love.

3.  Listening to my whole family sing Pete Seeger’s My Get Up Has Got Up and Went as we all digested the massive meals we’d just eaten.

2. Hearing my dad and Aunt Sue sing to my grandpa. My dad’s version of Brandi Carlie’s The Story brought me to tears, as hearing him sing often does.

1. Seeing my grandpa’s smile and light in his eyes as he watched us sing to him around the dinner table. This same smile showed up on his face at the end of each song sung in his living room hours later. He’s got many, many smiles, but this one is the most special.

80 years and he wanted me to be there to celebrate with him.

I hope my grandma invites me to her 80th in June….if I could be so lucky.

Maybe I’ll put it on my Christmas list to see if Santa can swing me an invite!