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Our Family Christmas Photo

Every year I get excited about the Christmas photo that will come in the mail from each of my kids.  There is a tradition in my family that every Christmas, a family picture is taken and mailed out with the annual Christmas family newsletter.  When my kids were young, I decided that I wanted to record each Christmas in a concise way.

The way I came up with to record each Christmas was with a family Christmas photo and a newsletter that summarized each of our family member’s year.  This tradition continued until my oldest son went off to college.  I had known that the day would come that not all of my kids would live with me, but the first one leaving was really hard.

That was the first year that our annual Christmas newsletter had two photos.  The family Christmas photo was me with my husband and only three of our kids.  The other photo that I enclosed was that of our son in front of the sign for his college campus.  I missed him not being in the family Christmas photo, but he had grown up and moved on.

Our annual Christmas photo kept going in the same direction, with one less kid in the picture every couple of years.  My daughter was the first to get married and she sent me a Christmas photo with her and her new husband to send out with our annual Christmas newsletter.  I thought that it was sweet that our tradition had grown to mean so much to her.

This last Christmas, our family Christmas photo just featured me and my husband with our pets.  The newsletter, however, was filled with six photographs.  My granddaughter had her first individual Christmas photo included where she was standing in front of the same college as her dad had attended.

I got out the Christmas photo with my son by himself that first Christmas after he left home and made a copy of it.  I had it framed right next to the photo of my granddaughter in the same location, in the same pose.  I gave these framed pictures to my son and daughter-in-law for Christmas.

I have a file now that is full to brimming with Christmas memories.  I plan to take the entire newsletter collection and bind them into a book which includes each year’s Christmas photo for our fiftieth anniversary which is coming up this year.  I will give each of our kids a copy.

 

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Family Travel Ideas

Traveling with the family can lead to some of the most memorable vacations of your lifetime. The key to planning a spectacular family vacation is to choose a destination that will have an appeal to all of the members of the family. Consider the ages and likes and dislikes of everyone in the family when choosing your family vacation and try to choose a destination that will be enjoyable for all. If you are uncertain, try offering a few suggestions to the rest of the family and have everyone vote. This way everyone gets a chance to voice their opinion and cast their vote about where the family will spend their vacation. There are a few popular family vacation destinations but with a little creativity you may be able to find the perfect travel destination for you and your family.

Camping trips are one example of a great family vacation. Whether you opt to camp at a nearby location or travel cross country to a national park of your choice you may find that choosing just one of the many beautiful locations available to be your most difficult decision. With so many gorgeous national parks as well as breathtaking smaller wooded areas to choose from, finding the right place for your camping trip can be difficult. Many popular destinations limit the number of campers per season and it can be very competitive to obtain one of these permits. In some places, permits sell out within hours of when they go on sale. Many potential campers are aware of the date that permits begin being sold and anxiously await this time to snatch up prime camping spots in their preferred location.

Tours of famous museums are also excellent ideas for family vacations. Even young children can appreciate distinguished works of are on their own level. They may not be capable of understanding the intended meaning of the art or of interpreting the symbolism behind the piece but they can certainly form their own opinions about what they like and what they don’t like. If you visit an art museum during your vacation take the opportunity to ask young children what they think about certain pieces of artwork. This will encourage them to think for themselves and learn to formulate their own opinions.

Beach vacations are also family friendly ideas. Building sand castles, participating in beach games, snorkeling, boogie boarding and swimming are just a few of the activities that families can enjoy together on their beach vacation. The ocean can be a dangerous place for young children if parents are not careful about supervising them. Although the beach is a fun destination it is important to remember that you should remain vigilant to ensure that young children do not enter the water alone where they could be at risk of drowning. Exercising proper precautions can help to make your beach vacation enjoyable.

Memories that last a lifetime are often created on family vacations. There are so many options available for families who wish to travel. Camping trips, museums and beaches are just a small sample of the popular family vacation locations available.

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My Christmas Cards

The week after Thanksgiving, the Christmas cards start arriving.  I enjoy displaying Christmas cards all throughout December.  I pin them to red ribbons and they hang everywhere.  The number of Christmas cards I receive usually increases by a couple every year.  I currently send out eighty three cards to family and friends and receive about sixty.

I enjoy Christmas cards because they seem to come from all points over the globe.  I have made many friends over the years and have been very vigilant to remember to include them all in my mailing of Christmas cards each year.  I like to let everyone that has affected me in my life to know that I remember them and care about them.

My favorite Christmas cards are the handmade ones.  Those are the only ones that I have ever done anything beyond saving them in a large envelope with all the others from that year.  I have taken a few of the super creative Christmas cards and had them framed for display.  My favorite handmade Christmas cards come from my niece.  The best one featured three sparkling trees and I had it framed.

I don’t dislike any Christmas cards.  They are really just a way for friends and family to reach out to one another and let them know that they are still thought of and cared about.  I don’t usually display the bulk Christmas cards with plain pictures in my living room, though.  I’m also not a big fan of overly religious Christmas cards.  I do not put the Christmas cards with nativity scenes out in my den.

I think that sparkles and glitter are wonderful additions to Christmas cards.  All of the extra embellishments are what makes them so special.  In addition to the appearance of the card, I like to send and receive cards with personal notes inside.  I am always excited to hear good news from old friends.  Christmas cards with included photos also keep me feeling like I am part of my friends’ lives.

I encourage my kids to send out their own Christmas cards to their friends.  Even if their friends don’t reciprocate, yet, someday they will.  My kids make their own Christmas cards with white tags and craft items.  My daughter prefers using stamps and ink to create Christmas cards.  My son prefers to glue lots of small shiny objects to make his masterpieces.

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My Unitarian Universalist Take On Christmas

At Christmas, a Unitarian Universalist can feel caught right between Christ and Santa Claus. Most Unitarian Universalists are uncomfortable with the notion that Jesus is the reason for the season and they also don’t want to elevate the materialism of Santa Claus. Most Unitarian Universalists are left puzzled and perplexed at Christmas. It is important to reflect about Christmas and what you want it to mean in your home.

For the most part, Unitarian Universalists respect Christian traditions that celebrate Christmas as the birth of Jesus. A lot of Unitarian Universalists take Martin Luther King’s birthday very seriously, so why not the birth of Jesus? It is a good opportunity for Unitarian Universalist parents to talk with their children about the teachings of Jesus. Christmas and Easter may be the only times that you do this, but it is important.

Community service is a large part of a Unitarian Universalist’s life. A nice Christmas ritual my family has is related to the service of others. My children make a Unitarian Universalist Helping Others box to put money in for the coming year’s donations. We also light a special Christmas chalice that we made together and make promises about how we will help others throughout the year.

Some Unitarian Universalists celebrate the Winter Solstice with some intensity. I have attended many gatherings on this day to celebrate the cycles of the Earth. One family that I know does not celebrate Christmas at all, only the Winter Soltice. They have a big celebration that ends with Sun Shakes made with orange juice and vanilla ice cream.

We don’t have a name for it, but each Christmas my family all exchanges names. The idea is that you are supposed to do three good deeds for the person whose name you drew during the coming year. This is a little like a Secret Santa, but it has been altered to fit with our family’s values.

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Porsche 356

The Porsche 356 is the first Porsche production automobile and it was sold from 1948 through 1965. Although many consider Porsche 64 as being the first automobile produced by the German company, the 64 was never mass-produced and it was only a drivable test-mule. The 364 was created by Ferdinand Porsche and his son, Ferry Porsche, designed by Erwin Komenda and its engine features derived from the Volkswagen Beetle, deigned by Mr. Porsche Senior.

The models available were initially coupe, cabriolet (luxury convertible) and then roadster (a stripped down convertible).  Before being withdrawn in 1965, it went through several changes. The most desirable versions were 356 “Carrera” (often sold for well over $150,000), “Super 90” and “Speedster”.  In the late 50`s, the original selling price for a Porsche was $4,000.

In 1954, Max Hoffman, the only importer of Porsches into United States needed a lower cost, racier version for the American marker. Therefore, the company created 356 “Speedster” that became a instant hit thanks to the low, raked windshield (easily removable for weekend racing), bucket seats, and minimal folding top. These days, this car is still very appreciated as it is sold for over $100,000 and it has been used in several films, including 48 Hours, its sequel – Another 48 Hours and Top Gun. In 1957, the production of Speedster peaked at 1,171 cars.

In 1959 it was replaced by the Convertible D model, which featured a taller, more practical windshield, glass side windows, and more comfortable seats.

Year after year, the basic shape of Porsche 356 remained the same and was easily recognized and remarked, even though changes were made, especially in the mechanical area. Coupe and cabriolet models were produced every year up to 1965, with the last 356B Roadster built in early 1963. The final model build was 356 C that featured disc brakes and the most powerful pushrod engine Porsche so far: the 95HP “SC”.

In the year that Porsche launched 911, 1964, Porsche 356 production peaked at 14,151 cars. Still, the company continued to sell the 356C in North America through the end of 1965 as a lower-cost vehicle. When the customers complained the price for 911 was too high (almost twice the price of the 356), Porsche started producing the 912, using the 356 engine. The 912model was sold between 1965 and 1969.

56 years after the beginning of the production, Sports Car International named 356C number ten on the list of Top Sports cars of the 60`s. Today, the 356 is a respected car among the collectors, as it stood the test of time. Worldwide, thousands of 356 owners maintain the tradition, preserving their cars and driving them regularly.

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Unofficially, the Porsche Carrera GT is a racecar, a racecar built for the street. What makes it a racecar is not necessarily the huge power produced by its V10 engine or the carbon fiber construction that keeps everything very lightweight – although these features surely make it a fast car. It’s more the sum of its parts that make this car worth every bit of its $440,000 price tag.

The Porsche Carrera GT was introduced as a 2004 model and until 2005 there were already a few changes in order to make the Carrera GT the new Porsche super car. These were minor updates in order to make it a little more street friendly.  Between the supplemental bar hoops is now mounted a glass screen. The seats height is adjusted along with the additional bolstering in the thigh area. The Carrera GT is easy recognizable, as it’s a low, sleek, lightweight roadster, very beautiful on the outside as it is on the inside. Two removable panels that can be stored in the front trunk make the foul weather protection available.

The car has unique features, among which are: 5.7 liter, 605 horsepower V10 engine, monocoque chassis with Porsche-patented engine and transmission mounts made of carbon-reinforced plastic and the first use of a ceramic composite clutch in a production car. A very important aspect is that The Carrera is safe and stable at speeds up to 205 mph, thanks to its aerodynamic and race-bred suspension package.

The design of the suspension is so sophisticated that the shape of its components improves the Carrera GT`s aerodynamics.  The designers used lightweight materials such as magnesium for the car’s substantial wheels and the frames of its special sport seats, the result being a faster and safer car. To prove so, The Carrera GT accelerates from a standing start to 62 mph (100km/h) in only 3.9 seconds reaches 100 mph (160 km/h) in less than seven seconds, 125 mph (200 km/h) in less than 10 seconds, and can achieve a top test-track speed of 205 mph (330 km/h).

What makes this car have these impressive results is it’s 5.5 liter, normally aspirated V10 engine for racing created in the development center in Weissach, Germany. That engine’s bores have been enlarged to displace 5.7 liters in the Carrera GT. It has a very low center of gravity, a 68-degree V angle and four valves-per-cylinder heads. Since the block, crankshaft and camshafts are all made of light alloys, the engine weighs only 472 pounds (214 kg).

To stop this “monster” Porsche`s team used a high-tech braking system. Developed for demanding motorsports applications, ceramic brakes are the first to work for on-road use.  The massive 15 inch ventilated discs and six-piston calipers have the amazing capacity of bringing the car to a sure and safe stop, matched only by the stunning acceleration of Carrera GT.

Porsche Carrera GT is definitely a exotic appearance, a car that can do it all: fascinate you with its good looks, astound you with its performance and abilities on the race track.

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The beauty and relaxation provided by a swimming pool is nothing short of spectacular. On a hot day, a pool can be a blessing. On the other hand, a swimming pool can also be a headache if it isn?t cared for properly. Swimming pools require a lot of maintenance, including time and money. No matter what type of pool you have, you?ll need to perform regular maintenance on it.

By owning a swimming pool, you assume the task of keeping your pool clean and safe for yourself and anyone who swims in it. Maintaining your pool doesn?t have to be a hard task or consume a lot of time, if you know what you are doing. If you follow the advice of a professional and perform regular maintenance on your pool, you?ll keep it healthy year round.

To put it bluntly, you should check on your chemical balance from time to time, and make sure that the water is safe for swimming. You?ll need to ensure that you keep debris out of your pool, and that the water remains healthy. If you filter your water on a frequent basis, you can keep the chemicals moving about and keep the water safe for swimming.

The weather outside and how often you use your pool will greatly contribute to the condition of your water. If you don?t have your chemicals balanced properly, the sun can quickly turn your water to a green, musty color. If you live in an area that is known for hot weather, you?ll need to make sure that you keep your chemicals properly balanced at all times.

A swimming pool will naturally attract leaves, insects, dust, hair, and other forms of debris. No matter what you do about it, you can never prevent things from getting in your water. If you don?t clean your pool on a regular basis, the pollutants that get in the water can lead to bacteria and algae, which will quickly destroy your water. If you sanitize and clean your pool on a regular basis, you?ll help to keep it clean and free from bacteria and algae buildup.

If you don?t have the time to clean your pool yourself, you can always leave it to a professional. Professional pool cleaners don?t come cheap, although they will clean your water and your pool, and ensure that your chemicals are properly balanced. You can schedule a time for a cleaner to do his job, normally once a week or so. Once you have started using a professional, you may find his services great and never want to go back to cleaning your pool yourself. With the help of a professional - you can rest assured that your pool will stay clean year round.

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Every pool owner has to deal with chemicals at some point in time. When dealing with chemicals, there are a few things that you should know. No matter how many chemicals you have, you should never attempt to mix them together. Also, you should never try to add water to dry chemicals of any form. Last but not least, you should never under any circumstances attempt to handle chemicals with your bare hands.

Throughout your time of owning a pool, there are 3 chemicals that you simply must have for your pool. These chemicals are very important, as you’ll be using them quite frequently.

1. Chlorine tablets
Chlorine tablets come in dimensions of either 1 inch or 3 inch. Chlorine tablets go in your skimmer, normally 3 - 4 tablets at a time. During the summer, when you run your pool on a daily basis, you’ll need to change out your tablets every week or so. If you are planning to use 2 skimmers, you’ll need around 8 tablets each week. You can buy chlorine tablets by the bucket, containing 30 - 50 tablets. They can tend to get expensive, around $80.00 a bucket, so you’ll need to have plenty of money to invest in your pool during the summer.

2. Alkaline powder
Even though chlorine in your water will help to kill off germs, it can also raise the level of acid in your pool. If you aren’t using enough alkaline, parts that contain metal will begin to corrode, turning your water a misty green color. On the other hand, if you are using too much alkaline powder, the water will get very cloudy, raising the level of germs in the water - which can lead to very dangerous health issues. In order to get the right about of alkaline powder in your pool water, you should always use brand name alkaline powders in the amount recommended by the package.

3. Chlorine powder
Chlorine powder is essential to killing germs such as algae and bacteria that exist in your pool and multiply at very fast speeds. To kill off these germs, you’ll need to use a large amount of chlorine powder in your water. Depending on the size of your pool, you may need to use more powder than others. Chlorine powder can tend to be expensive, so you should always check how much you need before you buy. This is a chemical you must have, as it’s impossible to keep your pool free of germs without it. If you have already bought it or if you plan to buy a large supply, you shouldn’t worry as you’ll always have the need for it - meaning that you can never buy enough chlorine powder.

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