Families make keen the senses.

Christmas changes as the years grow upon us.  Time allows us to see the true meaning whereby happiness and family, smiles and love are the keynote players.  We have outgrown the anticipation of gifts and acknowledge the fact that a gleam in the eye, a tear of gratitude, a warm hug from a relative are far more important than packages glowing with ribbon and decorum.  Just look at these smiles and you will know what I mean.  Here’s a photo of Robin enjoying family and stories of years gone by: Now is that a happy face or what?  But children bring out the best in all of us.  Whether it’s performing to their parents standards, showing the kinfolk what “I can do” now that I’m this many years old, or just laughing at some silly jesture or antic, they are what makes us all the same.  Our well being and mental state of mind are in direct correlation to our childrens’ smiles.      Cousins, Tanner (left) and Hunter (middle) try showing the camera who’s the coolest dude in town.  Future daughter-in-law with her niece and two nephews mug along with son, Ryan for a lovely, “how’s this family look” portrait of what may soon to be.   But its all a memory now and we’ve settled back into the brix and stix home until departure mid January.  Return a few items that are wrongly sized and it’s a metal free for all while navigating motorists in the mall parking lots.  Robin is insistent we weave the isles finding the nearest vacancy to the entrance.  Wondering all the while that we visit the gym daily to bicycle, use the treadmill, as well as the eliptical machines, and then cruise for long stints yearning  for an opening. But thats a topic for another day.