Grandma and Grandpa Z came into town the day after Christmas for some quality time with Owen and some adventures in and about DC. With some very cooperative weather, we've packed in quite a bit of site seeing into the last few days.
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Adventures with Grandma and Grandpa Z
Posted by Allen A. Fawcett on Wednesday, December 31, 2008
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Friday, December 26, 2008
Hinkel Horn Honker and Bright Red Boots
Aside from his boxes, Owen's favorite presents this year were his bright red boots (just like Gossie's), and his Dr. Seussian Hinkel-Horn-Honker (which is really called a Saxoflute, but it's much cuter to hear Owen say Hinkel-Horn-Honker). We all had a lovely Christmas, as we spent most of the day up at Mom & Don's with friends and family packing our day with fun and our stomachs with delicious food. Grandma and Grandpa Z arrived in town the day after Christmas, and we're looking forward to closing our 2008 with a week of fun and adventure in and around DC.
Posted by Allen A. Fawcett on Friday, December 26, 2008
Labels: Holidays 0 comments
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
It's Not A Box
Posted by Elaine M. Zimmerman on Wednesday, December 24, 2008
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Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Pop Pop
My grandfather (Pop Pop to me, Pop Pop Pop to Owen, Marvin Atchison to the rest of the world) passed away today. We're thankful that the end was peaceful, and that we were able to make it down to Austin for one last visit just a few weeks ago. Pop Pop was the only one of my grandparents who lived to meet Owen (my other grandfather passed away just a few months after he was born), and I'll always treasure the memories of them together. Pop Pop may not have been able to see, but he knew that Owen looks just like his daddy, and his daddy looks just like Pop Pop. And he didn't need his vision to hear Owen say, "I love you Pop Pop."
It's hard to know what all to write in this post, but I wanted to at least share some of my thoughts and memories of a remarkable person. My memories of Pop Pop are all of a wonderfully happy person. When I was young he would always play with us grandkids, crawling around on the floor and tickling me when I was little, or teaching me how to play pool and golf when I was a little older. He was quite the flirt, and he inevitably charmed the young ladies, as Elaine or Adrienne would be happy to tell you. Hearing the story about how he swept Mom Mom off her feet I'd say he was always pretty smooth, and as the father of three adoring girls who still call him Daddy (while they all called Mom Mom, 'Mother') he had plenty of practice over the years.
Growing up I knew Pop Pop fought in the Pacific during WWII, but I never knew the stories and only had the vaguest idea that he was a war hero. I once asked why Pop Pop didn't eat rice, and heard in hushed tones that it was because of the memory of maggot infested rations they ate during the war. Eventually I heard the stories of Pop Pop receiving a Purple Heart when he was shot through the neck on his 21st birthday as the Marines landed on Tarawa, and the Silver Star for his bravery in a ferocious battle on the island of Saipan. After Mom Mom passed, he was more willing to revisit those years. One of the earliest posts on this blog has a video of Pop Pop telling the story of that battle on Saipan. Every time I listen to the story I'm left in awe of the sacrifices made by the greatest generation.
On our wall at home I have a picture of that young Marine, Pfc. Marvin E. Atchison. It's hard not to think of Pop Pop the war hero when seeing the picture; but looking at his smile, the jaunty tilt of his cap, and the light in his eyes, you can't miss the happy and joyous person who savored his happy ending in the wonderful family and life he built after the war.
Posted by Allen A. Fawcett on Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Labels: funerals 1 comments
Monday, December 08, 2008
Pictures at an Exhibition
On Saturday I was playing with Owen in his room when he started singing the Alphabet Song. He got to about "G" when he suddenly stopped, turned to me and said, "Go get the camera."
It's understandable that Owen would assume that we would want to capture his every adorable act, since in our quest to nail the perfect pic for our holiday card, we've been photographing him seemingly non-stop the past week. But despite all the footage, we still weren't satisfied with any family shots and so on Sunday we headed to the National Botanic Garden where we hoped to persuade some stranger to take a winning family portrait of us.
We hadn't realized how many other people would be of a similar mind, and so instead of posing amid the crowds in front of the Christmas trees, the plant replicas of Capitol Hill, or the "Windows to Wonderland," we opted for the Orchid Garden. Owen was appalled that we would leave the trains for someplace sorely lacking in locomotions and was less than a good sport about smiling for a very generous stranger. As a result, Owen got one more tour of the trains before nap time, and we'll be using a wide-shot from early November for our Christmas card.
Posted by Elaine M. Zimmerman on Monday, December 08, 2008
Monday, December 01, 2008
Thanksgiving Leftovers
There was turkey. There was pie. There was a "naked boy" doing laps in the livingroom. It was a fun-filled Zimmerman Thanksgiving with Grady relations Bernie, Blaine, Caitlin, Ellen & John there for an afternoon of food, family and bird puppets.
(click here to see all the pictures)
Posted by Elaine M. Zimmerman on Monday, December 01, 2008
Labels: Holidays, Travel 0 comments