Scotti and Zach Oja are engaged!  Happened about a month ago, and we are now in the “strategic planning phase” for her wedding next August.  “Hire vendors about 12 to 18 months in advance,” we read.  Oops!  We’re behind before we even get started?  We’ve been texting back and forth trying to get everything scheduled.  Scotti knows exactly what she wants.  Thanks to her Uncle Dennis  she has been planning her wedding ever since he gave her a Bride Magazine at the age of three.  We are thrilled and very happy for the two of them.

♪It’s the most wonderful time of the year♪ Can you hear that song?  Except for the warmth of summer, Christmas is truly my favorite time because I spend time looking back on all that happened this year and looking forward to hearing from you.

My yearly review begins in Feb/Mar with our six-week stay in Gulf Shores.  We were greeted with a huge thunderstorm (personal favorite) and a tornado watch our first night, and I can stop complaining about the cold—we had really warm weather.  We watched the Super Bowl with delight as the Packers beat the Steelers to reclaim the Vince Lombardi Trophy (those of us of a certain age will remember that Lombardi won the first two Super Bowls).  We spent time every day walking the beach; I especially liked the setting sun walking west and the view of the moon when we turned around.

We took golf lessons again, and I was content to hit buckets.  To actually play a game intimidated me:  which club should I use? what if I hit someone with my ball? would people watch me swing?  All this even though our golf pro was very encouraging as to my ability.  Bill insisted that I walk the course without the stress of playing.  Our foursome for our first game included good friends Al and Arlene (from Winnipeg) who taught us the etiquette of the game.  I mean who knew where your bag should be placed?  Nine holes later, not keeping score (but I do remember having the best ball on one hole) and losing a few balls, we could actually say it was fun.   Having the Schicks in Gulf Shores was such a treat—Al and Arlene also went with us on an excursion to New Orleans, such a fascinating city where we ate beignets at Café Du Monde in the French Quarter and listened to a jazz group as we walked Bourbon Street.

Shana flew in to Gulf Shores for a ten-day stay with Raines, 3-month-old Pax, 2 car seats, a double stroller, a pack and play, a popup beach tent and assorted toys.  I call that amazing!  Shana would often go for a run on the beach in the morning, and one morning 3-yr old Raines ran with her for her entire run.  [Raines is pretending to play hockey with a broom and a ball.  He keeps putting himself in time-out. Shana asked him why he’s there:  “for fighting all the hockey players.”]  We enjoyed a Dolphin Cruise, hot tubbing at the end of the day, walking the beach with Raines and his bear stick, and more beignets at a local café.   We missed Scotti this year, but Mike flew in for a long weekend and was able to experience a Mardi Gras parade and fish tacos and the live band at Lulu’s before heading home with Shana.   We left on March 15, and I made it as far as  Green Bay wearing capris and sandals.

Did you hear that President Obama visited Marquette in February?  We missed it, of course, but enjoyed seeing the video.  I did attend the Royal Wedding on April 29 at 4 a.m. courtesy of NBC as I am sure many of you did.  In early May we had our grandkitten Leo for a short stay at camp (you will remember he is felis non grata at Tourville) while Scotti was in DC for a school competition.

We celebrated my mom’s 96^th birthday on May 22 at Pinecrest.  Mom said it was the best birthday she had ever had (my brothers Tony and Dennis & Carol plus Scotti  and I were there).  “I’m so glad you’re here, sweetheart,” Mom said to Scotti.  Two days later she suffered a stroke.  We were at her side for most of the following twelve days. During this time Mom was able to squeeze our hand as she tried to say a few words. On Thursday, June 2, Shana, Scotti & Joshua saw their Grammabear for the last time.  (It was on this day that I took this tender picture of my mom touching Pax’s foot.  I was alone with her and I was holding Pax while everyone was out in the hall.  I snapped it with my iPhone because I knew she knew what she was doing.)  Shana and her boys flew home on Friday morning; when I saw Mom on Friday after seeing Shana off at the airport, she was no longer responding. I thank God that I was cheek to cheek with her when she passed the next day.  I could not have asked for a more peaceful ending. Shana could not return for the funeral, but a beautiful piece that she wrote was read by Scotti.  I think Mom would have been pleased with her “celebration.”  Bing Crosby played as we visited with cousins, high school friends and very close friends. Mother would never want us to “fuss,” so I think it was just the right amount of fussing.  I miss her terribly.

Our warm summer was spent at camp.  I swam in Lake Independence for twelve days in a row – now that’s a first!  Lots of time was spent with the Goldens and the Oslunds riding around in Sam and Gay’s pontoon boat.

Shana was here for five weeks in late July and August; we had so much fun with Raines and Pax.

Shana, Scotti, Bill and I attended the dedication of the Kaufman Fountain at the Graveraet School on a really hot day in July.  This picture shows the engraved stone I had purchased in honor of Bill’s years as principal at Graveraet.

Adam, along with 12-year old Jakob and 8-year old Zachary, joined all of us for a week at camp in early August as well.  When Zach threatened to splash water on Nana, Raines warned him, “don’t splash my Nana.”  Whew!  It worked!  Jakob and Zach (Adam, too) water skied, tubed and jetskied (compliments of Jim and Ann), and kayaked.  Jet skiing was “awesome,” they said.  They played football on the lawn, and everyone participated in a rousing game of tag as the evening grew dark. The “children” had a big water fight.  Jakob, Zachary and Shana had water pistols and jugs of lake water, but Mike wielded the garden hose soaking all comers.  Jakob and Shana were both brave as they tried to douse Mike, but they were no match.  The rest of us were giggling from the comfort of our porch.  We did miss Krysta, however; we are sure she would have joined the fray, but she was back in Calgary working hard at her new law firm (I must tell you that seeing “Ostwald” among the names on her firm’s door was really neat).  This year’s Christmas picture would have been perfect if Krysta had been here.

We spent Sept. 4 at the Highland Games in Canmore with Adam and Krysta, an event that Bill and Adam had talked about his dad attending for years.  So enjoyed the piping and drumming competition, Caber tossers (big men in skirts were throwing telephone poles like matchsticks), sheep dog demonstrations, Celtic wares and traditional food and an Evening Ceilidh (party pronounced calee).  My personal highlight was dancing with my 12-year old grandson Jakob at the Ceilidh – so stinking special!  We all danced to the Mudmen until the very end of the evening.  Great time!  We stayed at Adam and Krysta’s condo in Canmore for the week while they returned to Calgary for work and school.  What a great getaway!   They took us to Johnston’s Creek, an amazing walk/hike to the lower falls–iron bridges are attached to the canyon walls allowing one to walk over the creek.  Jakob, Zach and I walked to the Upper Falls as well.  Beautiful!

So many restaurants in Canmore from which to choose, and the weather was so warm (80).   Krysta left us her car so we drove into Banff for “world” famous Cows Ice Cream (funny name but fabulous ice cream).   Crazy Weed in Canmore was our favorite restaurant pick of the week until we went to Tapas with Adam and Krysta during our last weekend there—a leisurely dinner with lots of dishes and lively conversation.  We flew back to Winnipeg, and took in our yearly trip to The Downs race track with the Schicks.

Fall in Marquette was still beautifully warm, and the fall colors exceptional.  Unusual for me to be enjoying coffee on the dock in early Oct.  On October 12 I flew to Philadelphia to visit Shana and Mike, who had moved from Denver in May because of Mike’s new job with Lockheed Martin.  Mike was attending a “Data Without Borders” weekend conference in New York City, and she wanted a travel buddy.  What a great time we had.  We ate at Café Cluny Friday night and at the French restaurant, Tartine, on Saturday night.  We walked everywhere seeing as much of New York as we could.  Biggest surprise was Central Park, so incredibly big and beautiful.   Once back home in Ardmore, Shana showed me as much as she could of her new home and their surroundings.  We tackled her basement, trying to find a place for all of its contents.  Life with two young boys is a very busy one to say the least.    As I flew home, I was already missing them and thinking of how lucky are those with grandchildren nearby.

(Warning: bragging ahead)  In January Shana’s blog “Ain’t No Mom Jeans” was among the top five finalists in the 2011 Weblog Awards called the Bloggies.  But more recently, she was a double winner in the Parents Magazine Best Blog Awards.  She won the Editors’ Pick and the Readers’ Choice in the Best Fashion Blog category.   The magazine had this to say about her blog:  “. . . Two chic moms having fun with fashion show us how to dress for all stages of motherhood (and look darn good if we do say so ourselves). This blog offers practical advice, stylish outfits, and inspires us to look Hawt . . . Shana and (her friend) Molly share practical tips for translating the hottest trends into an outfit that any parent or kid can wear . . .”   Shana’s blog was the only double winner.   (I did warn you!)  If you haven’t yet checked it out, here is the address:  aintnomomjeans.com.

Scotti is in her second year of teaching at Westwood High School in Ishpeming and loves it.  Two Westwood students in a Mining Journal article talked about Scotti Ostwald being their favorite teacher and mentioned the following:   “A lot of teachers don’t let you put in your opinion.  People can look up to her (Westwood teacher Scotti Ostwald) because she’s younger.  She makes things fun.  She can relate to us.” Think that didn’t make her day and ours?  Often she joins us for Friday night dinners or we’ll get in a little shopping.  In this picture, Scotti, her dad and I attended her good friend Allison’s wedding in September.  I cherish most those times when Shana, Scotti and I get to have uninterrupted “chat” time; we do laugh!

Bill and I are working out everyday, reading as much as we can, going out with friends on Friday night, and enjoying life.  I am still enjoying my involvement as treasurer of Marquette’s Beautification Committee and as vice president for P.E.O.  We have the love and support of so many amazing friends.  That’s a wonderful thought on which to end my 2011 newsletter, don’t you think?

In a year marked by earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes and floods, we are truly counting our blessings and are so thankful for your well wishes and prayers.  As in so many years past, we wish you the gift of time with your family.

Merry Christmas with love.

Tina and Bill