It's Begining to Look A Lot Like....

 Oma Dor here,

...Christmas?? Oh, yes, the ads are on TV, the houses are starting their competition for best lit, half-lit, and lit-wit. I admit I love taking an evening ride a week or two before the BiG DaY, a little snow cover but clear roads, clear black sky with diamonds cut from the sun gleaming their own homage to us on Earth. I do get sentimental and love so many of the traditions of my childhood and young Motherhood.

 I am a Grandmother with grown-up kids with their own babes to make the BiG DaY however they please. My Gar and I are still flopping around from year to year, Christmas tree? No tree. Lights? Too cold. Deco? Tossed it when the racoons shat upon it. Was it their form of sarcasm or just more comfy than in the woods?


Ugh, Raccoons!!!!I lost so many treasures because of them.  I had decorations my kids made in grammar school, my favorite being Mykel's kindergarten or first grade Styrofoam gas station he made for the town for the Nativity scene. It just was so precious, although it embarrasses him every time he sees it. I think of those on the Coast of NY, NJ, Staten Island who lost everything during hurricane Sandy last month and I can move on, grateful for what I DO have, wonderful memories and a husband who never minds taking out the trash even the kind from raccoons.

My Blue Jay visitor wonders why we haven't provided winter feed for him yet. We will. There is so much to do and it is out of my reach and G. is at his Pa's in Fla. for a few days.  I am hibernating for a few days, and I am warm, cozy and never, ever a dull moment of 'what should I do'.  There are a billion things that NEED doing but hey, I'm alone for a few days so what is the rush? I'll haul butt the day before my One-and-Always returns. Then, I'll tell him to put up the bird feeder after many kisses and welcome home hugs.

Whaz up? TV is so boring and the same ole same ole, especially with the BiG DaY in 6 weeks. We haven't even choked down turkey yet.
To satisfy the ever-present art-craft urge, I've been printing out and constructing articulated dolls. I have a few on the wall and I change their arms or leg positions every so often. It is a fun hobby but I have that American Guilt still running through my 64 year old veins. What good is it? More junk to move with or toss. I have no grand kid interested in this type of stuff, nor do I live close enough to any of them to create one. They are all very artistic, creative children from all three families. I can tell Eko, Leo and Desmond will be, too, like their big cousins, Sophie, Kai, Alex and Rowan. Give them a few years.

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 Wait! I have an idea. I'll make my own Big Day Greeting Articulated card. Isn't that a cool word? Articulated. It means those creepy, moveable paper dolls with little brads joining the limbs that can then move in all wild ways. Some are to color. Some come just ready to print and cut out. On Etsy, fully made articulated dolls can be bought from anywhere between 7 and 30 dollars. It is time consuming and you need a steady hand, good eyes, good light and a small, sharp scissor to cut them out properly. I have a hole puncher that makes itty bitty size holes. I was amazed a tiny box of brads at Michael's Crafts cost $3.00. I got two, the most exspensive part of the project so far. The store had over  50 different kinds, colors, sizes and shapes of brads, mostly for scrapbooks I assume. I was happy to find them.

Eko in his costume made by his Mama.

Okay. I will use my G-energy (G for Granny to would that be Grannergy??) to make cards so I won't sit around feeling guilty because I can't make toys and sweaters, p-j's, quilts, socks and hats for my little family members this year. I hope by next year Western Medicine will be finished tweaking me back into a workable, energized White, Gold, Violet Love from,
                  Oma







Here are a few photos from the last year or so.

Sophia Ruvola turns 8

Eko Harmon-Fee ascends to his feet!

Ever try to get all the grand kids together on a 98 degree summer day? Oma holding Eko and adorable Sophia with little Leo who she nic-named 'Little Red-Red".

Kai following in his Dad's footsteps.

Eko takes a step and another and another....

My California grandson, Kai Ruvola, is getting tall.

A squirmy little Desmond just makes it. Eko, Kai, Desmond, Sophia, and Leo. July 2012

Leonardo's first birthday with big sister, Rowan, big brother Alex, and brother 'squirmy' Des. June 2012. It was a circus theme and Lisa made a great tent cake.

Kai Luca Ruvola on his Hawaii vacation 2012

Kai's artwork is excellent. I want that crocodile!

Creative girl, Sophia Cayenne Ruvola, makes a pinata. She's got it!

Big cousins Kai and Sophie showing Eko how to enjoy the water.

Grandpa Gary with happy Leo, and (squirmy) Desmond.

In My Mind, I Love Them All

1918 - This is my Mom, Minerva Yuncker, and her kin in New Jersey. My Grandpa (who died before I was born) was 20 years younger than my Gramma Minnie. Minerva was the first baby in the family and here she is on the Davis farm buggy with her Mom, Dad and his sisters and brother-in-law. Minerva got to be the family 'Princess' for 4 years, then along came Florence!

1949-Patterson, N.J.- This is me, Oma Dor when I was an itty bitty. I am with my Nanny Case, Margret Brown-Case, my paternal grandmother. Oh, she sure knew how to do Christmas and I thank my lucky stars for her and the magic she made for us. She had 13 (I think) grandkids and many of us gathered there for the holidays. The tree was the biggest I'd ever seen, and presents piled up so high. Each kid got at least 2 or 3 gifts so you can imagine. I loved my cousins, my Aunts and Uncles, and best of all, my Nanny.

1959-Donnie Gary Case, my baby brother on Pinelawn Ave.with his new Joe Palooka punching bag. He loved it, and also dinosaurs, and if I do recall, my Mom got his a lot of flashlights! He is 6 years younger than me.

1944 (?) Florence Yuncker and James Smith, my Aunt Florence and Uncle Jim.

 

 

1900-ish -My great Aunt Mary and her husband. She was my grandfathers sister on my Mom's side. They had a farm in N.J.
They look like a nice couple. I'd love to have met them.

1920- Minerva Yuncker, my Mom, when she was still an only child. 4 years later, Florence was born, and 4 years after that, Elinor. My Mom and her 2 sisters have always been quite the trio.

1944 I think. Florence and Jim's wedding day with my maternal grandma, Wilhelmina C Yuncker. We knew her as Minnie. What an adorable person she was. She passed away right before my first child was born in 1971. I still think of her every single day. I guess she was my all-time favorite relative.

1950-ish - Aunt Florence and her Mom, my Nanny Yuncker, once again. Two lovely Leo ladies I know and love.

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1949-Uncle Bill, my fathers youngest brother lived with my Nanny Case in Patterson, N.J. He had the best sense of humor and always had us laughing. My father was the oldest boy, and he had siblings, Jaye, Margaret, Earl, Ruth and Billy. My grandfather, George Earl Case, died when my Dad was 16.

1950 - Big brother, Georgie Allen Case. He is two years older than I am, born on Sept. 21. We both got cowboy outfits that Christmas.

1955-Oaklawn Ave. Farmingville. Me (then Doris), Donnie and Georgie in front of our tiny house. I had fun there, my best friends, Kathy and Patty Quinlan lived close by and we had a good neighborhood full of kids. We picked blueberrys and blackberries along the extention wire path (and ticks!) We made a 3-story tree house but only my brother and his pal Michael Quinlan were allowed on the top floor. We'd sneak up there when they were gone.

1949 - Georgie and Doris/me Case. My Dad did such a beautiful job decorating the tree. I think it is '49 and I'm about 15 mos. old. Check out the 'taps' on brother Georgie's shoes. Remember those? I loved them when I got them. I thought I was a tap dancer.

1945 - My two Nanny's, Minnie and Margaret with their new little granddaughters, Judy Smith, and Linda Currell. 

1950- Washington D.C. My Dad George, looking buff, with me, Georgie and my Dad's Mom, Margret Case. on a vacation to Washington, D.C. I still remember that huge, huge Abe Lincoln sitting there, and that is about it. Looking at my Dad's t-shirt sleeves, those were probably his cigarets.

1949- My Nanny Yuncker with her sister, Millie and Millie's husband, Lou. It seems Georgie and I weren't too happy. What a shame. They were nice and brought us a big box of lollipops. I don't remember but my Mom was quite impressed with the lollies so told us several times when we were growing up.

1938 (?) Edgar Davis-Yuncker. My maternal Grandfather was born a Davis, but his Dad died and his Mom remarried Mr.Yuncker, who adopted Edgar. When Edgars Mom got sick, Mr.Yuncker put him in an orphanage where months later he was told his Mom had passed away. Poor little Edgar. I wish we had met. I hope we see you in Heaven.

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There are so many lovely faces in my cache of Family Photos going back to the Civil War. Amongst the family of faces, some met, but many only from stories from various members, Mom, Dad, Grandmas, Aunts and Uncles. Only a very few of my older family members are still here on Earth and not near enough or clear-minded enough to recall who, what, when. It is another reason I want to get as much family whose who here that I can.


In high school, I was part of a sorority and it was my job to keep the scrapbook. I was 'Dorian the Historian' and I loved it. My Mom, Minerva, now 93, paved the way. She kept such records, birth announcements, newspaper clippings, and best of all, my letters to her.
It was like finding a diary I didn't know I had.


I'm constantly trying to put a timeline filing system to my many pictures, but I just get caught up in the faces each and every time! It is okay, though, because, like the Beatles once sang...'In my mind, I love them all.'

My Amsterdam Star ~ Adam

In 1971, when my son Mykel was less than a year old, our family moved to Amsterdam, Holland. That was quite a colorful adventure I'll speak of again.

After being there for about a year, we saw a wonderful Santana concert at the Concert Hall in Amsterdam, I can't recall the name. It was small but so gorgeous...(concert-ga-bow was how they  pronunced it). Besides being one of the best concerts I've ever seen (such energy!)...I saw angels flying around the head of Santana, really! It was just a quick flash, but wo! Nice. Strange and wonderous things happened in Holland. 

Shortly after, I discovered I was with child...(LOL and nothing to do with the angels).   I loved A'dam, as it, Amsterdam, is nicknamed, and its symbol is a star, but I wanted to have my child born in U.S.A. So, we moved back to Flushing, L.I. outside of N.Y.C. and on Aug. 24, 1973 gave birth to my son, Adam Star Ruvola. 

Here he is with his Dad and brother. It is Adam's first day home from Flushing General Hospital in NY Aug 24 1973.

 

Adam is about 7 or 8 months here right before he moved from Flushing, Queens to Malone, NY. Here he is playing with one of his favorites, Lincoln Logs.

What a sunshiny baby! Here is Adam on the front lawn of his new home on Fayette Rd in Lake Titus, NY. Brother Mykel looks on.

It was the a fun time at the island by Ballard Mill Park in Malone NY. Here Adam is with two cuties, Tara Visconti, and his step-sister, Gillian Fergerson-Sprague. Brother Mykel has a good hold on his little brother. 1976

Momma Dor and Adam Star take a spin at The North Pole. 1977

These are just a few photos of my Starshine.
I can see both of his own little boys in his face in these early days. I am sure proud of my Star and his whole family!

My Mung Bean 1971

I was 23 when I gave birth to Mykel. We learned what it was all about together. He was a good sport and we had lots of fun adventures when he was my only child. I called him 'Mung Bean' and made him a toy one out of felt. We also nick-named him 'Young Guy' and 'Stinkledink'. But, he was a sweet little guy with a keen interest in things.

Mykel in his crib from Nanny Fischer, with puppets of Ma and Pa from Dorian's friend, Roz Moresh, and the first toy Mama Dor ever made, Panda. I know, Panda is a bit wonky but Mykel liked him anyway We were all kind of 'scared' of the puppets, though.

Mykel and his Dad, Fred

My first baby was born in Toronto, Canada in 1971. I went into labor during a thunder storm and by the time I got to Toronto General, it was bad enough for the electriicity in the hospital to go out seconds after we got off the elevator. No others were admitted after me so baby Mykel had the whole nursery to himself! His astrological sign is fire, Aries, and ALL of the planets were in fire signs when he was born.  One of his favorite foods is cayenne peppers! He even gave his first born the middle name 'Cayenne'.  He is my SONshine.

My Seven Grandkids

Sophia Cayenne

Kai Luca

Our first grandchild was born to my son, Mykel, and his wife, Ann in the city of Boston in 2004. Her brother, Kai, was born in Boston, too a few years later, 2006.

When Alex and Rowan were 8 and 11, my son, Adam, got together with their Mama, Lisa.  Lisa and Adam had two little boys a few years later.
In 2010, Desmond was born, and this year, 2011, Leonardo arrived.  What a big, adorable family they are now.

Des and Leo

Alex and Rowan, my new Step-grandkids

 now 13 and 11.

Seven is our family lucky number. and 11 is, too, so perhaps there are 4 more grand babies to come. Lisa and Adam will be married on 11-11-11 and it will be the first time all three new boy babies will meet. Now, if only I had time to make them tuxedos.

Our newest grandchild is Eko, Jade and Jay's baby boy. My daughter has been a Mama for 6 weeks now and of course she is loving it. My new East Coast Trio of baby boys is complete. My West Coast grand kids, Sophie and Kai,  we all miss so much, and their parents, too. I look forward to the day I have all my three children and their families all together for a big gathering, but until then, we are so lucky to have email and once in awhile, skype. There's nothin' like the real thing, though.

                             I am a happy Oma.