Las Madres '80 East
DECEMBER 2011 NEWSLETTER

Happy Holidays

DECEMBER BIRTHDAYS
2nd    Phil Martinez
3rd   Sean Nevoli
8th   Bud Butler
11th   Eddie Butler
21st   Jennifer Butler
28th  Sharon Simmons





COMING EVENTS
Month of December
Saturday Coffees

9 am
LeBou at San Felipe/Yerba Buena
Contact: Randi
December 15
  Christmas Party & Potluck

6:30 pm
Merrilee's Home
Contact: Merrilee


December Meeting
When: Thursday, December 15, 6:30 pm
Where: Merrilee's Home
What: Our Annual Christmas Party & Potluck


This years Christmas party will be on Thursday, December 15th at 6:30.
We will have a $20 gift exchange and this years theme is outdoors or garden.
Please let Merrilee know if you will be attending and what you will bring for the potluck dinner.



Missouri Missive

Where did November go? The Wilson's were on the move once again. We took a mini trip to Oklahoma in honor of an uncle's 90th birthday. Friends and family gathered in Oklahoma City coming from San Diego and Richmond, VA and all points in between. It is nice to be close enough and free spirited enough to be a part of the family festivities. Greg and his girls came up from Ardmore. We all had lunch at Blue Moon Chinese. It will be a blue moon before we return. Midwest Chinese needs some Asian intervention.

The house progressed nicely and we saw a big change after being away for a week. We only see one room color that may not last. We are expecting the granite to be finished by Thanksgiving- all seven slabs.

The beautiful fall colours are now a mass of mostly nude trees and deep brown oak leaves to kick around. Fall decorations are down and big Christmas decorations and displays are everywhere. There is no concern for religious differences here. Branson shows are in overdrive. We have yet to partake.

Walt and I will be traveling to Nevada (pronounced Ne Vay da) MO for Thanksgiving and staying with a cousin who lives in nearby El Dorado Springs (pronounced El Door A doe Springs). I have to work on my accent.

Wishing all of you a peaceful month of December. I am sad to miss the annual potluck and exchange. After all these years, I have only missed one or two times. It is the memories that mean so much and it is the friends that created those memories that will keep us close in the heart.

Sending our love to you all. Merry Christmas and Here's to a Fabulous New Year.

Joan and Walt.



Congratulations
Our congratulations to Randi and Dave Heinrichsen who will be celebrating 35 years of wedded bliss on the 19th.

Invite from Ruth

(I want....) to let the LM ladies know that I'd love to host a getaway weekend here at my house, probably anytime in April (except the 15th).  May would be okay too.  I know it's a long way to come but if anyone is interested I'd be thrilled to organize a ladies weekend.  I can accommodate 10 people in beds (2 to a bed) and have 2 couches.  I also have one cot and could get an airbed too.  There are loads of hiking trails but also the trolley tour of San Diego is pretty entertaining and stops at all the major sights.  Shout in the Gas Lamp quarter is a dueling pianos bar and is a fun place to go at night....they serve hamburgers, etc.  Of course we can hang out here too and play games/cards.
Love
Ruth



Saturday Coffee Clatches Continue
We meet every Saturday morning at 9 am at Le Boulanger at San Felipe and Yerba Buena.  There is a Starbucks across from it if you need something "special" to go with your bagel or pastry.   This month we'll forego the field trip and just enjoy our peaceful Saturday coffee at Le Bou with our friends and hopefully some visiting family.


e-Mail Tidbit

We convince ourselves that life will be better after we get married,
have a baby, then another.
Then we are frustrated that the kids aren't old enough and
we'll be more content when they are.
After that, we're frustrated that we have teenagers to deal with.
We will certainly be happy when they are out of that stage.
We tell ourselves that our life will be complete when our spouse
gets his or her act together, when we get a nicer car, are able
to go on a nice vacation, when we retire.
The truth is, there's no better time to be happy than right now.
If not now, when?

Your life will always be filled with challenges. It's best to admit this to yourself and decide to be happy anyway.
One of my favorite quotes comes from Alfred D. Souza. He said,
"For a long time it had seemed to me that life was about to begin - real life.
But there was always some obstacle in the way, something to be gotten through first,
some unfinished business, time still to be served, or a debt to be paid.
Then life would begin. At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life".

This perspective has helped me to see that there is no way to happiness. Happiness is the way.
So, treasure every moment that you have and treasure it more
because you shared it with someone special,
special enough to spend your time...and remember that time waits for no one.
So, stop waiting until you finish school, until you go back to school, until you lose ten pounds,
until you gain ten pounds, until you have kids, until your kids leave the house, until you start work,
until you retire, until you get married, until you get divorced, until Friday night, until Sunday morning,
until you get a new car or home, until your car or home is paid off, until spring, until summer, until fall, until winter,
until the first or fifteenth, until your song comes on, until you've had a drink, until you've sobered up, until you die,
until you are born again to decide that there is no better time than right now to be happy.

Happiness is a journey, not a destination.

Work like you don't need the money
Love like you've never been hurt
Dance like no one is watching
Sing like no one is listening
Live as if this is paradise on earth.


mice choir


DECEMBER WEBSITE
Better Homes & Gardens 2011 Homemade Holiday Gift Guide
Find the perfect handcrafted gift by artisans around the country.
http://www.bhg.com/videos/m/48581179/2011-holiday-gift-guide-editors-top-handmade-picks.htm



CLUB OFFICERS
President - Merrilee Claverie
Treasurer - Sue Ballard
Newsletter & Webmaster - Ginny Gomez
Coffee Coordinator - Randi Heinrichsen
Executive Committee - Randi Heinrichsen, Sally Brooks-Schulke, and Tina Cuneo