WOW, IT'S DECEMBER ALREADY

KING MADELINE GETTING READY TO TRICK OR TREATKING NICKLAUS CHECKING THE FIT OF HIS CROWN

KING GRACE PLOTTING HER NEXT ADVENTURE

Well, I can't believe that December 1 is just around the corner, which will be followed by Christmas and then the New Year. The above photos are of the triplets in their Halloween costumes which were made by Grandma Sharon. Unfortunately Sharon and I were in Europe at the time, so we did not get to see them go Trick or Treating. But as you can see from the photos, they looked cute as ever. How could anyone resist giving them lots of candy? Sharon had quite a time getting the triplets to try on the costumes as she was sewing them. We have learned that if we want them to do something, we have to figure out which one of the three will do what we want, and then get that one to do it. If we approach the wrong triplet and get a rejection, then the other two are sure to follow and like their sibling, rejct whatever it is we want them to do. But, if one of the three does what is asked or desired, then the other two will go along with the program. Since Grace likes to dress up and look pretty, we had her try on her costume first, and then got the other two to try their costumes on with minimal resistance.

All three are talking more and more each day, and doing so in understandable english, not their own triplet language which is what they were previously using to communicate with each other. Nicklaus and Madeline can count to 5, and feel like they really accompished something when they do so. Sometimes I have problems understanding what is being said, which really frustrates them, especially Nicklaus. This Christmas should be lots of fun and I suspect a bit frustrating.

Well, that is the quick update. Christy and Steve certainly have their hands full.

Bernd

JULY A MONTH OF BIRTHDAYS

Grandma Alma enjoying cake for her 94th Birthday

Grandma Alma getting help from Madeline opening presents

Blow out the candles, Grandma

Grandma Alma with one of her birthday presents

July 2010 is history as I write this, and what a month it was. The month started with Grace, Madeline and Nicklaus celebrating their second birthday, and ended with Grandaughter Rachel celebrating her eighth birthday. In between we celebrated Breanna's fourteenth and Grandma Alma's ninety-fourth birthdays. The highlight was Grandma Alma's, as it is not every day that we celebrate someone's 90th plus birthday. The family went to the board and care home where Grandma lives, taking her presents and cake with us. She received cards and letters from friends which were read to her. She has a hard time keeping focused on things, so it is hard to know if she understood the cards and letters, but in any case she said it was her best birthday party ever. Her cake did NOT have 94 candles, as that would have set off the fire alarms, but was still enjoyed by all, especially little Nicklaus who kept begging for cake until a piece was cut for him. Once he got his piece of cake all was quiet, and he gave Grandma a big smile of thanks for having a birthday so he could have some cake.

Breanna and Rachel each celebrated their birthdays during our Monday evening family nights. A family tradition has been that each birthday person gets to select their favorite meal for their celebration, including their favorite dessert, and each did. Grandma Sharon's Texas Sheet cake seem to be everyone's favorite, so that was what was had several times in July. Next month we celebrate Grandma Sharon's birthday and before that Sharon and I will be off on an Alaska Cruise celebrating her brother Bill and Sister-in-law's 25th Anniversary. Time for a little relaxation and I am looking forward to it.

WHAT A DIFFERENCE TWO YEARS MAKES

MADELINE GIVING GRANDMA SHARON HER SERIOUS LOOK

NICKLAUS PLAYING MAYBE IF I CLOSE MY EYES I WON'T HAVE TO OBEY

NICKLAUS JUST HAPPY AND IN THOUGHT - WHEN CAN I GO OUTSIDE TO PLAY?

GRANDMA, THIS IS A FUNNY AS I CAN LOOK SAYS GRACE

OR MAYBE THIS IS FUNNIER, GRANDMA, CAN'T YOU PHOTOGRAPH MY BETTER SIDE?

The above photos were taken a week after their second birthday. If you go back to earlier posts on this blog you can see their progression. Well, we are all expecting the terrible twos, or is it threes?? We do have three, maybe then it will be the threes in their terrible twos???? Confused, I am. Grandpa Bernie

MORE JAMAICA PHOTOS

Brian and Becky enjoying dinner and maybe some Jamaican Rum

Breanna and Deanna enjoying their dinner.

Nicklaus getting into the spirit of fun in the wading pool.

Madeline and mom enjoying the cool evening dinner show.

Rachel loving her cousin Nicklaus who is thinking about what he can get into next.

OUR JAMAICA PHOTOS

We made it to Jamaica, looks like we have enough luggage to last a while
Madeline and Grace are having a blast splashing their dad.
Hannah with her Jamaica cornrolls.
Rachel also got her hair done Jamaica style.

Nicklaus trying to tell Rachel about the water.

OUR FIRST AIRPLANE TRIP

Hi everybody. Mom, Dad, Grandma Sharon, Grandpa Bernie, Aunts Becky and Deanna, Uncle Brian, and Cousins Hannah, Rachel and Breanna went on a vacation with us last week. We went to a place called Jamaica. It was a place with lots of green trees and flowers, a nice sandy beach and lots of swimming pools and water slides. The people there were different from what we are used to. They said a lot of words like "No Problem Mahn" and "Yah Mahn", and spoke with a funny accent. We had to get there on an airplane. We had seen airplanes in the sky before, but had never seen them close up or been inside one before, so the trip there and back was kind of exciting for us. The trip there was during the night, Grandma Sharon called it a "Red Eye", so we slept most of the way there. We first went to a place called Baltimore where we changed planes, and then flew to Jamaica. On the way from Baltimore we saw lots of water, and Nicklaus kept telling everyone that he was seeing "Wah-Wah". We then went on a 2 hour bus ride to the resort where we were staying. That was also fun.

The resort had several places to eat, but the adults preferred to eat at a sit down restaurant. We preferred the outside eating area where they had cafeteria style food. They had great swimming pools and the water slides. We all went down water slides, the adults had to hold us in their arms. Nicklaus liked that the most but Gracie didn't care for the slides. Madeline was Ok with the water most of the time. The most fun for us was when the Sesame Characters, including Elmo and Cookie Monster came to the cafeteria to visit with us. They also did a dancing show at the outside stage. Nicklaus showed off his dancing skills which he recently learned. Grace also danced a bit but Madeline didn't want to dance. One day we all went on a boat ride to see fish through a glass bottom in the boat. It was OK, but there were not that many fish to see. Daddy said something about the water being too rough which stirred up the sand on the bottom of the ocean, so the fish could not be seen.

The week was lots of fun for everyone even though it rained a little for half the days we were there. We loved being outside. Even when it rained it was very warm. Some of the adults went to play golf one day, and did other outside activites without us. But we were OK with that, because we still like to take our afternoon naps. Our trip home was kind of long and a bit confusing as we had to go through several security screenings, which were hard because we still had to be held, but our strollers and some of the baggage had to be screened. Somehow it all went well, and after a stop in a place called Atlanta we made our way back home. It was great to get home and to our own cribs. We slept for a long time the day after we got home. We can't wait for the next trip with everyone.

We have attached some photos of our trip. We hope you enjoy them.

Lots of love from us. Grace, Madeline, and Nicklaus.

HOW ABOUT THIS PHOTO

Here is one more photo. I could not resist showing this one off. It's Gracie in Brian and Becky's pool. Enjoy. Bernd

MORE PHOTOS

Breanna and Deanna at Breanna's graduation party

Gracie wanting to be picked up - the sun is in my eyes!!!!

Madeline with Aunt Whitney

Hannah as her Great,Great,Great Grandma

Lucy Hayes (President Hayes' wife) for a school project

Nicklaus with his Uncle Bill

SUMMERTIME IS APPROACHING

Breanna during her Jr. High Graduation
Sharon and I at the Bellagio Casino in Las Vegas
Triplet Babysitter Penny with Madeline, Nicklaus and Grace
Pastor Brian getting ready to Baptize Hannah
Breanna's Confirmation family photo


Hello everyone. I was recently reminded in an e-mail that it has been several months since my last posting. Time seems to go by faster and faster, my apology for not being more diligent in my updates, and thanks for your patience as you wait for family updates and new pictures.

Sharon and I are doing well. Her cancer seems to be in a holding pattern, but we have learned to accept the roller coaster ride when it comes to the test results and so on. We both keep pretty busy with watching Hannah and Rachel after school on Mondays, seeing the entire family for dinner at our hosue on Monday night, and babysitting the triplets on Wednesday and Friday, but neither one of us would trade those "busy" times for anything. We love spending time with the entire family, and seeing the grandkids grow up.

Breanna starts High School this fall. It seems like only yesterday when she arrived on the scene. Hannah and Rachel are growing up way too fast, and the triplets are doing something new almost every day. We sit back and wonder how Steve and Christy are able to keep up with those three little overactive babies. Nicklaus continues to be the fearless one, climbing on anything and everything, then jumping off, scaring the daylights out of us, much to his delight. Madeline continues to be the chatterbox with the biggest vocabulary. She loves to look at books, and does the best job expressing her wants and wishes. Grace is still the little "peanut". She is so active, that no matter how much food we "pump" into her, she hasn't gained as much weight as we would like. Watching all three is trully like "hearding cats". Breanna was confirmed three weeks ago and Hannah was baptized this past Sunday. We are so happy to see them growing up knowing and trusting in God and Christ.

Sharon's dad, Pete, has agreed that he should be moving back into Orange County, and has agreed to buy my mom's mobile home in Yorba Linda as soon as we are able to sell his house in Sun City. Unfortunately, that means a little work for Bill (Sharon's brother), and me, but in the end we believe that this move will be best for Pete, as he will no longer have to drive such long distances. My mom's dementia continues to get a little worse every month. She still remembers us, and other family members, loves seeing the great grandkids, but other than that doesn't have much interaction with reality. She will be 94 in July, not bad for all the trauma she has had in her life.

Sharon and I also keep busy bowling on two different bowling leagues, and also getting in those occasional practice sessions. We recently bowled in a tournament held in conjunction with the Retired Sheriff's Reunion, and both took a second place in our respective catagories. I am still working a little bit, a few days here and there, but have given notice that I intend to really retire at the end of this year. So that's the news from Nixon Way.

MORE EASTER PHOTOS

Here are the remaining Easter Photos for you to enjoy.

EASTER CELEBRATION 2010

Wow, how time flies. I can't believe how fast the weeks are flying by. Here it is already Easter. Springtime is finally here. The triplets are able to go outside and play, something which they want to do every day. The older girls are on Spring Break, and excited about the chance to be out of school for a week. Breanna is going to Washington DC with her mom and her mom's school class, and Hannah and Rachel will be spending a few days with us. We are busy as ever, getting the garden in shape for the upcoming summer months, doing the spring house cleaning, babysitting, bowling, planning some vacation time, and occasionally working. Next week we are off to the Retired LA Sheriff's Reunion in Laughlin, Nevada, something which we look forward to each year. There will be over 800 retirees present, and a chacne to see fellow retirees and co-corkers. There will be lots of telling of stories and showing pictures of grandkids.

We are all doing well healthwise. Sharon's cancer seems to be in remission. My most recent Cholesterol test was very encouraging - the best it's been in years. Grandma Alma's is doing as well as can be expected for a soon to be 94 year old, although her dementia seems to be getting worse. Her ability to remember and do simple things like standing are becoming more difficult. She talks about the little village in Eastern Europe where was born as if it is within walking distance to her Board and Care home, and wonders why her mother and sisters (all deceased) don't come to visit her.

Well, those of you who still look at the site occasionally are probably more interested in pictures than my blabbering, so here are the latest, taken this Easter weekend.

Getting Ready for Super Bowl

Well, here we are waiting for Super Bowl Sunday, whatever that is. Dad seems all excited about spending the afternoon with his brothers and a some other guys cheering for their favorite team. We are not sure what that is all about. We don't think that Elmo or any of the other Sesame Street gang will be involved so this sounds pretty boring to us. Oh well, maybe someday we will understand what all the excitement is about.
We are growing as fast as we can. Mom lets us climb up the stairs every day when we lay down for our nap and when we go to bed at night. It is lots of fun racing each other up the stairs. Nicklaus likes to run into mom and dad's bedroom, but Madeline and I prefer to go into our own room. Nicklaus likes to climb on things and does so every chance he gets. Yesterday he got up on a chair and then onto mom's desk, but then he got scared and started to cry. Guess one day he is going to have to learn to climb down also. Grandma Sharon arrived just in time to keep him from falling off the desk, so all was well. I enjoy holding one of my dolls and loving it. Madeline likes to play with the blocks and Nicklaus likes to jump and climb on everything. Nicklaus is also very good at placing the different shaped blocks into the correct holes. Mom and Grandma Sharon are trying to get us to eat with a spoon. The other day they gave us Spagetthi-O's to eat. Guess they found out that was a big mistake. We enjoyed getting the tomatoe stuff all over the place. We are looking forward to being able to do that again real soon. Well, Grandpa Bernie said that we should not be too long as he needs to add some photos to this posting. I hope you enjoy them. One is of Nicklaus and I learning to play piano at Grandma Sharon and Grandpa Bernie's house, the other is of Madeline, and there is one of all three of us together. Gracie