January 7th…..Celebrating Russian Christmas at the cabin

Today we celebrated Christmas with Owen, Mila, Hannah, Vernon, Robert, and our littlest grand baby that is living and growing in Mila’s tummy. 

Mila, Vernon, and Hannah were very ill on Christmas Eve—when we had previously planned to celebrate Christmas together.  But by January 7th, the day that Russian’s celebrate Christmas, everyone was well, so it was the perfect day for our family Christmas celebration.  

Mila explained to us that the way Russian’s celebrate Christmas is to dunk yourself in a freezing sea or river.  Since there are no rivers close to the high desert mountain town of Pine, we decided to celebrate Christmas in the traditionally American way—a loving family gathering, sing Christmas carols, exchange presents, eat lots of good food that was prepared with love, and thank God for giving us his son.

Grandpa and I arrived at the cabin the day before, so we could celebrate Owen and Mila’s 7th wedding anniversary…..or as they call it, “the 7th birthday of our family.”  What a lovely way to understand the true meaning of a wedding anniversary!

Before our celebration, I experienced a miracle. Mila allowed me to go with her for her first appointment with her new obstetrician in Arizona….and I heard our newest grand baby’s heartbeat.  I cried.  And as I write this, I am crying again.  

The last time that I heard a baby’s heartbeat was when this new baby’s Papa was in my tummy….forty-three years ago, when I was pregnant with Owen.  The creation of life, God’s gift, is a miracle.

For our celebration of the birth of Owen and Mila’s family, Mila made an amazing heart shaped, chocolate chip cookie cake, that she frosted with homemade marshmallow cream.

Christmas morning….

Hannah was so excited that she couldn’t help but make a silly face….she has a sense of humor already and can be a little clown, that is, when she’s not a princess.

Grandpa played Christmas carols, accompanied by Hannah and Vernon on their new Christmas harmonicas, while Robert danced to the beautiful music, and I sang along.  It was such fun!

Owen gave his dear wife, Mila, a vintage, very intricate and beautiful bracelet….

We gave Papa and Vernon a silk needlepoint picture that Owen’s Grandpa Vernon had bought in 1935 in Kobe, Japan.  Both Owen Vernon and Vernon were named after this marvelous man, who was a father to me for the past 50 years….from the day I met him when I was 25 years old.  Even though he died in 2013, when he was just a few months shy of 100, he will always live on in the hearts of each of us who knew and loved him.

Mila sewed each of the children a cape…..Little Red Riding Hood for Hannah and knight’s capes for the boys with a helmet made by Papa.  They are absolutely adorable!

Owen made a swing for the children….

Owen also made stilts.  Since Hannah hasn’t learned how to walk on stilts yet, I had to show her how to master this skill.  I couldn’t get a picture of her on the stilts, since I needed to hold on to them as she was learning.  But Mila stuck her head out of the door and snapped a quick photo of me demonstrating my stilts walking skill.

No Christmas celebration can be complete without frosting gingerbread cookies!

We were given so many thoughtful, loving Christmas gifts from Owen and Mila, as we were given from all of our children.  We are simply overwhelmed.  Thank you all. 

Mila used her artistic skills to create some original creations.  A month or so ago, she asked us for several photos of each of us from our adult years before we had met.  And now we know what she has been up to.  

She used these phots to recreate our “life together….”all the years that we would have had if we had met as teenagers.  

It is amazing for us to see “us together” all through the years….

Mila was inspired by a 1920’s music sheet that we have framed in our living room at Nuestra Casa for the following picture (in the center) of the youthful Vicky and Dan dancing together….

Refrigerator magnets of us in our young adult years….

And Mila made a photo that lights up and plays, “Fields of Gold” by Sting, our favorite song.  Mila had asked us before Christmas what our favorite song is.  Now we know why she wanted to know.

The fields of gold on the Mogollon Rim above Pine is where we want our ashes mixed together and spread, so we can dance in our fields of gold together through all eternity.

For the grand finale, Owen and Mila gave us a movie poster created by Kamila Burt.  She used Monument Valley as the background….just like John Ford in the Searchers!

As you can see Mila is an extremely talented graphic artist.  Before she and Owen were married, she worked for several years in Russia using her skills.  We’re sure that they want her back, but we’re not letting her go….she is a keeper.  In addition to her creative artistic skills, she is a marvelous mother, wife, and daughter.  We love her very much!

She is also a superb cook.  She adds her touch of Russian, other Eastern European cooking, and her own creative skills to everything that she prepares for us.  Luckily for all of us, she truly loves to cook too!

To top off our Christmas celebration, Mila and Owen made us the best brunch that we have ever had…and it was extremely healthy too. Owen fried us up REAL bacon.  Mila made a delicious salad and cooked us a traditional Georgian (not the state of Georgia) breakfast dish called Khachapuri!

Christmas brunch….

Yummy Christmas cookies made by Owen, Mila, Hannah, and Grandma….and happily eaten by all!  (featuring Owen, Hannah, and Mila’s Christmas Star Cookies)

What an amazing celebration of the birth of Christ.

Sadly, the first snow this winter was forecasted to start during  the night.  We had to leave our dear family a day early, so we could drive safely home to our sweet Nuestra Casa.

Christmas Vacation II with Sean, Emily, Soren, and Sebastian

Two years ago Sebastian was Santa, last year it was Santa Soren, this year Emily was Mrs. Santa, and next year Sean will be our Santa Claus.

The whole family had a blast frosting gingerbread men!

We all love to hike so we headed out into the desert where we found desert flowers still blossoming beneath the magnificent towering saguaros. Surrounding us were the magnificent mountains in the Superstition Mountains.  

 

We spent a delightful evening at the Organ Stop Pizza Restaurant.  This restaurant is icon in Mesa.

A night out at this unique pizza/organ restaurant has been a fun Graybill family tradition since Mom and Dad lived in Leisure World in the late 1980’s.  We are continuing this tradition with Mom and Dad’s great grandchildren!

Our special request for a song to be played on the magnificent organ…..Unchained Melody by the Righteous Brothers:

We spent every afternoon on our back patio playing games, talking, laughing, being lazy, and just spending time together.  The weather was perfect for patio sitting…..warm and mostly sunny.

And of course we walked over to Leisure World’s Rendezvous Cafe for a delicious breakfast…..another family tradition.

We celebrated the New Year and Sean’s birthday with a candle in his favorite Grandma Vicky’s Peanut Butter Fudge and a gift of a Leisure World baseball cap.  Doesn’t everyone need a Leisure World baseball cap?  (Well, at least, they certainly DO need Grandma Vicky’s fudge!)

Christmas Vacation II was delightful!  In fact it was so lovely that we wouldn’t let all of them leave until they promised that they will be back with us again for another Christmas Vacation in 2026.

HAPPY NEW YEAR to all our loved ones….you give meaning to our lives.  Our New Years wish is to be lucky enough to spent lots of time with each and every one of you!