BRUNO SERATO OUR LOCAL HERO!

        Thanksgiving this year was spent with immediate  family. We spent the night eating lots of delicious food at the White House in Anaheim. While there we were honored to meet the chef Bruno Serato. Bruno Serato is a wonderful man with a Huge heart always willing to help others. Every night Bruno feeds around 300 children at the Boys and Girls Club. He wishes to help the children more and even the families. Bruno Serato is in the run for CNN Top Heroes award. If he wins he will have the chance to help even more children and their families. You can vote up to 10 Times a day. So go now and Vote for our LOCAL HERO!!
Click Here to vote:http://heroes.cnn.com/vote_en.aspx

Trying to understand what cant be understood.

             There are no words to describe how I have been feeling lately. Yes I can put labels like angry, happy,  or sad. But they don't do justice. Some might call it numbness but thats not exactly it.  I was told by a friend to take sometime to myself and sit in it with God. So I did what I do best and I journaled.  I sat and tears started to stream down myself but I felt nothing it is the weirdest feeling and I just don't understand what is going on. I look at pictures of Hal and think he's still here mind, body, and soul. But in fact he is not here in mind or body but maybe his soul is here with us. I feel as if he is still with me and I wonder if thats him with me in spirit. Each time a love one dies it brings on different feelings. With my Grandma her mind was already gone. When I found out she had Alzheimer's thats when my grieving process started and the tears would stream down my face each time I saw her and saw that she was only getting worse. But with Hal it was different his mind was still there and of course  he was still cracking jokes till the very end. Though he gave me time to prepare was I really prepared? I think I led myself to believe that he was not going to die that he was a fighter and had many years left in him. I had hope until I saw him take his very last breath. It became real all of a sudden real that I had lost one of my Best friends. Then I went on with my life and somehow the reality of the situation disappeared. That was until the funeral then it became so real again and now its not so real. My brain thinks about him every second of the day, and I know he's gone but my emotions their not so sure. The way I grieve is by crying but I don't know how to grieve if I cant cry and thats kind of the stage I am currently at. The tears are subtle and few just few enough to let my emotions think he is still alive.

         

"He's love is like the wind I cant see it but I can feel it" - A walk to remember

HAL BENVENISTE- A poem and video tribute

I am having copyright issues with uploading this video to the web because of the music so I hope this link works.
Click here to view Hal's Tribute Video (played at funeral)

GRANDPA HAL 

We aspire to be like our grandfather

Living a life dedicated to others

Hal taught us a lot, all of which we will cherish

As long as we live, his legacy will not perish

From working for the L.A. Times in its heyday

To helping out his community in a big way

Hal was the personification of Kiwanis

Hal was a giant of a man who we will all miss.

 Hal changed our lives, that’s for sure

He made us better people, right down to the core

His spirit, his strength, his contagious happy vibe

Even when he was in pain, he seemed so alive

Pachanga Miranga, bim boo bah, shentesay

Those are some made up words Hal used to say

I am just a poor Jewish immigrant from East L.A.

That is another phrase Hal loved to say

Hal had many passions in his life

One was square dancing with his wife

Another was producing newsletters, of which he was editor

The Ol’ Timers Publication and the Kiwanis Klapper

Hal loved his Mercedes oh so very much

In his Mercedes he often took my family to lunch

Hal was generous with his money and time

Hal was truly one of a kind

Hal spent a lot of time volunteering in local schools

From the B.U.G. program to ArtMasters, Kids thought Hal was cool

He took underprivileged kids back to school shopping with their families

He organized this through Kiwanis, the biannual shopping sprees

Hal was a devout Jewish man and praised God

Hals chipper sincerity was not a facade

A quality that made him the best Grandpa ever

We are blessed to have Hal as our adopted Grandpa forever

We ask God to treat our Grandpa Hal with care

With the very same affection that my mom gave to Hal’s hair

My mom was Hal’s hair stylist for many years

While I won’t let her touch my hair, Hal had no fear

Hal taught me to always put my best foot forward

He taught me to smile through the days that seem hard

Hal taught me that volunteering is good for the soul

He showed me that giving to others makes you spiritually full


Farewell my friend, my very dear friend
Thanks for the memories, right up to the end
We know you will always live in our hearts,
We love you so much, and so desperately do not want to part 


Our Grandpa is home with the angels above
As God summons Hal home, we send him with love
Hal is over the rainbow, Hal is now with the sky
On behalf of the family, we love you and goodbye 

HAL- a GIANT of a man!

Click on the this: Hal's Tribute Video-played at his funeral

 HAROLD BENVENISTE
 1933-2011

QUICK NOTE: I have posted Hal's memorial video on youtube. Click on the underlined words above Hal's picture to view the tribute.


     Play this song, the HAWAIIAN version of Somewhere Over the Rainbow while you read about Hal, a GIANT of a man! This was one of his favorite songs! After, listen to the GIGOLO song, Hal ALWAYS sang this! Finish up this memory article with another one of Hal's favorite songs, My Way. Do not just read, get into it emotionally and let the music make this an experience. Cry, laugh and remember! 

     Well here it goes, a lot of random thoughts written down to share with everyone about how much we, the Holmberg's, loved and appreciated HAL! We simply want everyone to know how great of a person Hal was and how he did so much good! His final days, he told us he always tried to be a good person. That is all you can do really, try to be a good person. If you are sincere about your commitment, as Hal was, thousands of people of all ages will literally adore you. 

     What is the most valuable thing on earth? Is it diamonds, gold, ocean view homes or orange county real estate? Over the last few weeks I believe I have found the answer. The most valuable thing on earth is life. When our time comes, we will do anything for one more day. My family has been blessed to have numerous “one more days” with our Grandpa Hal over the previous couple weeks. We got a chance to tell Hal how much he meant to us, Hal got a chance to tell us how much we meant to him, we were blessed to say we love you time and time again, we had the chance to discuss religion, we had the chance to comfort each other, we had a chance to say what we wanted to say, we had a chance to say goodbye. Wednesday afternoon, God summoned Harold Benveniste home. He went peacefully, with dignity and with his family by his side. As we left the hospital, music started playing in the rooms and halls of St. Jude Hospital. The music told everyone that a baby was just born, a new life had just entered the world.  

     My grandpa on my dad’s side passed away before my sister and I were born. My grandpa on my mom’s side passed away when I was 4 and when my sister was 2. My sister and I would have grown up without the love of a grandpa if Hal did not come into our lives. He meant so much to us. When we were younger, we would always go out to lunch. I probably ate too many Burger King Jr. Whoppers as a kid because Hal always made sure we ate whatever we wanted! When our mom made us get water because she did not want to spend the money, Hal would buy us a drink, not to mention our lunches! He was such an incredibly generous man.

     Hal was generous with his money and especially his time. He would volunteer at our school and all my teachers and principals knew him. My friends even knew him. To many of my friends he was known as the Art Masters guy or the B.U.G. man. He would volunteer with my mom to teach my elementary classes about different artists and lead them in a painting, once a month. The B.U.G. (bringing up grades) program was a mechanism to encourage kids who brought up grades in the La Habra City School District. He would emcee the dinner and magic show, held by the Kiwanis Club of La Habra. Hal organized the Kiwanis club shopping sprees where he, along with other Kiwanians, would take a dozen or more underprivileged kindergarteners, from head start, shopping for clothes before school started and at Christmas. Hal would present awards and scholarships at graduations in our community, on behalf of the Kiwanis Club. Hal worked at almost every Corn Festival for the last 20 years, raising money for the Kiwanis Club of La Habra to do all of these charitable activities. To us, Kiwanis is and was synonymous with Hal. He had a huge presence in our community and his passing will leave a noticeable void in La Habra. I think it is safe to say that, merely saying Hal will be enormously missed is a gargantuan understatement.    

 
    He was literally our God given grandpa! I sincerely feel like we have won the lottery by being able to have Hal in our lives. I am sure going to miss our little trips with him. I will never forget our trip to the Huntington Beach Hyatt Hotel for a night a few years back. Our last trip to San Diego, for the Kiwanis convention, this last summer will always be a warm memory. I am going to miss going to visit him and having lunch with him. I will miss seeing him every week. I will miss his made up sayings he and my mom had, like pachanga moronga, shentisay, bim boo bah, kidneys, chitlins and so much more. I will miss going to HEROES Bar and Grill every St. Patrick's day with Hal when he dressed up like a leprechaun. I will miss how FUN Hal was. I will miss how funny Hal was. I will miss how sincere, honest and loving Hal was. I will miss Hal. He has enriched our daily lives and his love will continue to have an impact for decades to come

      Hal’s passing was very different from my Grandma Holmberg’s passing earlier this year. My grandma had Alzheimer’s and it was a long goodbye. We were relieved to see her not suffer anymore. Her mind was gone and she was not the same person when God summoned her home. However, my Grandpa Hal seemed young. His mind was still totally there when he entered the twilight of his life. Although he was in constant pain, especially the last year of his life, he never complained. He was one of the strongest spirits I have ever met. He was a giant of a man, a role model, an inspiration, a friend and our loving grandpa.  He was one of the MOST IMPORTANT PERSONS in our life and we feel so blessed to have had Hal in our life. He made our family bigger and our holidays even more joyous, especially with the Chanukah parties! His family will forever be our family, with Hal looking over all of us.

     To my mom, Hal was her best friend and a father figure. To my sister and me, Hal was our Grandpa and he called us his grandchildren. To my Grandma, Hal was like a son. Hal even called my Grandma Rascon his mom. My children and my grandchildren will definitely know that there was once a legend named Hal and he changed our lives. Hal is that person in the room that, when you walk in, you immediately know you want to become friends with him. There is something captivating about every word he utters! We were lucky enough to adopt him into our family and have him adopt us into his family! 

 P.S. The Kiwanis Club of La Habra has very few members now. Unfortunately, some meetings consist of my mom, my grandma and maybe another member. This is an older club and the members have been steadily “passing away” over the years without any new members replacing them. If you would be interested in checking out the club or volunteering with their charity events, please let my mom or me know. The club currently meets every other Wednesday night at the La Habra community center. YOU DO NOT NEED TO LIVE IN LA HABRA to be in the Kiwanis Club of La Habra. Hal was a member of the club for around 20 years and did not move to La Habra until this year! Just yesterday, Hal told my mom that he thinks she will build up the Club to its former glory. If Hal ever made you laugh or smile, please consider joining the La Habra Kiwanis Club and help Hal’s selfless spirit live on in our community!

Much Love,
                   The Holmberg's - a family so blessed to have had Hal as one of their own! 

All About The Birthday Boy

It is official my brother is no longer in his teens!  Today is a very special day for Matthew Franklin Holmberg! Exactly 20 years ago matthew was born weighing 9 pounds. Matthew is an unique loving animal freak. My brother is devoted to his family, friends, school, but most of all GOD! I am so blessed to have you him as a brother. No one has the type of brother I have and I promise you that! Matthew Happy birthday I hope all your birthday wishes come true! Love you with my whole heart and i am so Glad to have a brother like you to look up to! Here you go enjoy! :) HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I DEDICATE THIS TO YOU! (your favorite birthday song) LOVE YA XOXOXO

The City that Never Sleeps

        Wow I cant believe that I am acutally here sitting in my dorm room watching New yorks twinkiling lights. The night is gorgeous the city has its own unique sounds. If i listen I can hear the subways, the horns of angry cab drivers, and the sound of people walking around at 11:35 pm. Though im so happy to be in such a wonderful place I am already somewhat Homesick. I miss my room I miss my brother, I miss my sister (rose joyce travis), I miss my dad. I know that this homesick feeling will go away as soon as I have a regular routine.
     My roomates are awesome! One is from Russia and goes to NYU while the other one is from Spain and speaks many different languages. I am already being introduced to different cultures and I havent even been here for a whole day.
      Tomorrow will be the start of it all. I start my classes and I will start to make tons of new friends who have the same interest and love for Musical Theatre.
  Well its just start of this new adventure and I promise to keep everyone updated. I ask everyone to pray for my safety, pray that i am able to show peers that i am a women of God, and pray for me to know that he is right here with me every step of the way.
Love you ALL and I honestly Miss everyone! TEXT ME CALL ME  EMAIL ME OR FACEBOOK ME!!! It will help :)
XOXOXOXO

Losing a friend

Well this has been on our minds a lot lately, losing a friend. Here is song to convey what we feel. Even though this song is a love song, we think it is appropriate for this topic. Just think of it as a friendship you are trying to remind someone about, not a lost love. haha! Listen to this as you read our blog.

There are those friends who you really do not mind losing and then there are those who you really miss. Often, you are not totally sure why you lost them. There is no fight to point to or an argument to blame. Perhaps you simply let too much time pass before you talked to them. Perhaps you did something to hurt them and you did not realize it. Perhaps you stayed the same and the other person changed. Perhaps you changed, without knowing it, and the other person remained the same. Perhaps you were never as close of friends as you thought you were, this thought hurts the most. All I know is that my sister and I both have a couple friends who we lost and we are not totally sure why they do not talk to us anymore.

You know you lost them as a friend because you text them and get no response or you message them and get no reply. Eventually, you simply stop trying because you feel like an idiot. You feel like an idiot for trying to maintain a friendship that has ended for a reason you cannot seem to figure out. You feel like you are bugging them every time you text them or message them. Of course, you usually want to save some dignity so you rarely confront them about it. Instead, you try to accept that this friendship now exists only as a memory, a memory that will always make you a bit morose when you reflect upon the good times. You know that you are sad to have lost those certain friends when they sneak into your dreams or frequently intrude into your thoughts. The more you try to put them in your past, the more you wonder, what did I do wrong? It is that uncertainty about what caused the friendship to end which stings the most.

Finally, there are those friends who you still have. However, you feel a bit more distance between you both lately. You still talk and hang out but something is not the same. All you want is for things to go back to how they were. There is still hope for these friendships but when those feelings start to settle, it is hard to reverse the feelings. I often feel like people grow up and grow "out" of the friendship. Fortunately or unfortunately, we do not grow up and we do not mature. We keep that kid like spirit and put on a smile as we really do enjoy life. We act silly and still like to go on adventures. We do not really do the whole drinking scene or whatnot because we are still kids at heart. But sometimes we wish we did, especially when that sense of loneliness and sadness overwhelms us. We remember those friends and solemnly reflect and reminisce about the good times. Is it just us who feels like this or is this common amongst our peers? Let us know, please.

Crazy thing called Life! :)

Lately life has just be so busy. (one reason why we havent been on recently) This season in our life has been absolutely amazing but at the same time bitter sweet.
       Elizabeth Holmberg: I graduated last thursday from Sonora High School I was so happy and excited but when the ceremony started it set in and I started thinking "this is real I am acutally graduating and leaving this place." High school for me was not the best time but even though I craved leaving for so long in the end it was truely sad because I have so many memories that were created at Sonora. Yet so exciting because I am starting a whole new chapter in my life a chapter where people will know me for the person ive become not the person i have been. I am stoked to see all that God has in store for this exciting NEW chapter.
         Last update July 5th I will be leaving sunny California till August 8th. I will be in NEW YORK FOR A WHOLE ENTIRE MONTH JEALOUS? I would be! I am attending a theatre camp in the city where THEATRE LIVES!
 
       Matthew Holmberg: I have been so busy with work, school and studying whats new? My dad hired me to work for his company which has been an absolute blessing I have learned so much about the buisness and it has expanded my horizon. After work I usually go to school I am currently taking a math class, spanish class, management class and 2 real estate classes. When I am not at work or at school I am usually studying. I am working hard now so that I can graduate from UCI next year. After I graduate I plan to go back for my teaching credentials.

           Thats about it I hope you all have enjoyed our lovely update and we promise to find more time to update our blogg! Hope all is well God bless you all!

Grandma Holmberg's memorial service poem

Grandmother

We aspire to be like our Grandmother

Living a life dedicated to others

She taught us a lot, all of which we will cherish

As long as we live, her legacy will not perish

From teaching to Church to Meals on Wheels

Her love of helping others was definitely real

She was a very proud and flag waving American

She loved patriotic music and voted Republican

She loved to golf and to praise God

Her chipper sincerity was not a façade

A quality of those who teach as a career

She loved kids and thought they were dear

She took pride in her roses in her front yard

She pruned those roses, she worked very hard

Her yard was one of the best on the block

This block was where she liked to walk 

Grandma loved to play Rumikub, it had her acclaim

She had Rumikub nights with her friends and that game

She loved her statue Geese she ordered one day

They had outfits and clothes for each holiday

Gobble Gobble Gobble my Grandma used to say

Every Thanksgiving, each year on turkey day

Her signature smiley faces, she would draw for you

She drew them on cards, with glasses and curly hairdos

The music of her home still fills my heart

Her ability to play the piano was truly an art

Her Methodist Church Choir was where she sang most

Yet with all of her talent, she never would boast

I find myself adrift in the memories of childhood

If just for a day, I would go back if I could

Spaghetti Spogatti and spying on the neighbors

Those are the fondest memories I savor   

There are a lot of things I am going to miss

To continue family Christmas’s is my wish

Although it will not-be the same without her

Her love is still with us, of that I am sure  

We know she will always live in our hearts

Yet no one is ever ready to part

Eternity is upon her which is happy and sad

But eternity ends suffering, of that we are glad

Grandma Holmberg is home with the Angels above

As God summons her home, we send her with love

Her sunset has come, she is now with the sky

On behalf of the cousins, we love you, and goodbye  

LAUGH TILL YOU PEE

Have you ever hung out with your friends and just LAUGHED? I mean not just laugh for a few minutes but litterally LAUGHED NON STOP (pee your pants LAUGHTER)? We loving hanging out together joking and laughing but when we invite friends it makes it more fun and more special. We always seem to be laughing, joking or smiling. Our friends make us laugh so much! But when you add a T.V, Friends, and some Modern Family Well man thats Some NON STOP PEING IN YOUR PANTS LAUGHTER! So anyone who has not seen modern family heres just a short little clip to show you just excactly what your missing. Hope you all enjoy!

During the summer we will have to have a Modern Family Marathon Day Basically a day full of NON STOP LAUGHTER!

Are you ready to take the risk?

As some of you know Matthew and I attend a church known as ROCK HARBOR! Matthew goes to the central campus, in costa mesa while I go to the fullerton campus. Recently we have started the series Freedom where we have been talking about fear and risk. This series has been an eye opener for me personally and for many others. Today as I was wondering facebook I came upon sarah carters blog which led me to the Rock Habor fullertons blog, which was written by Sarah Carter today. As I was reading more about risk it made me think alot about my life and matthews. We just want to be people who take the risk. How would the world look if we all listened to God and took the risk that he is calling us to take? So here is the link to the Rock Habor blog I encourage all of you to take a moment and read it. RISK TO BLOOM.I challenge those who are ready, just step out and start taking more risks for our Lord our God!

Energy Is Just What I Need:VERVE

About a month ago Matthew and I got involved with a company know as Vemma. We promote their Healthy energy drinks known as VERVE! Dr. Oz endorses it (without being paid). Drinking one verve is equal to the amount of vitamins you need in a day. It tastes amazing, gives you energy and IS HEALTHY FOR YOU!!!! If this sounds like a fun opportunity, being able to drink energy drinks while promoting them and earning some $, then contact us! By Via: facebook, Phone, Email: Smileyholmberg@aol.com

Ranting Liberal Professors

Here is a glance into the minds of stereotypical liberal professors. These professors seem to believe that it is their right and duty to preach their political ideologies on a stage. Unfortunately for my peers and me, their stage happens to be in front of the lecture hall. It disgusts me that these professors choose to poison the minds of influential college students. These professors know that students are vulnerable to the opinions of people with authority so they intentionally take advantage of their position as an educator and preach their political beliefs. If they wanted to become preachers of radical liberal ideology then they should have pursued the career of a "news" anchor on MSNBC. We think that this would make a great book! Ranting Liberal Professors by the Smiley Siblings...what do you think??? Whenever I hear my professor utter something outrageous, I write it down and save it for whenever I need it or want to use it. I have over 50 quotes from Ranting Liberal Professors, here are a few of them.

 “Fox (news) sits there today and outright Stalin style tells lie after lie and another lie to back that up and another to back that up and another and another. It’s systematic Nazi or communist propaganda!” Civil Liberties 2011

“When these tea party freaks, that took over the Republican party, spit on black congressmen only, push around black security guards only, they are saying something because they think that that is where all of their money is going. A lot more of it is going to Donald Trump.” (speak action concept) Civil Liberties 2011

 “When Jerry Brown was first governor he refused to live in the Governors Mansion, something you can never imagine Nancy Reagan agreeing to do.” California Politics 2011

“We live in a state where people complain that corporate taxes are so high. If they were so highly taxed, wouldn’t they be bringing in more money for the state?” California Politics 2011

“There is an effort to go after Social Security which is the most successful program with the least amount of problems.” Global Economy 2011

“Religion is just an emotional crutch for people who cannot get through life on their own.” World History 2010- This quote was said by a TA who is a PHD student aspiring to become a professor. 

“ (the Arizona Bill) obliges officers to stop people who they think may be here illegally.”

World History 2010 

Everyone Needs Some Loving!

My brother, Matthew Franklin Holmberg, is the definition of unique, and  as some of you know my charming brother is currently single. I use to dream about him and my best friend, Rose Joyce Travis, getting married but it doesn't look too promising. He has so much love to give to a wonderful Lady. We are looking for someone who is unique, likes dumb jokes, can go on adventures, and of course gets along with ME! He might be shy at first but honestly who isn't. He loves to cook and go to the beach but not so much the cliche of  "long walks on the beach". He loves his family, animals, politics, and most of all GOD! So ladies if you are reading this and adore my brother Call him, Text him, Email him. He is in no rush whatsoever, so go ahead and take your time!

So ladies who will his lovely princess be? Are you his cinderella?!?!

MOM WE LOVE YOU

 There are few words to describe how extremely thankful we are for our mother, Cynthia Joyce Holmberg.   Our Mom always believes in us no matter what. We have learned so many life lessons from her, and for that we just want to say thank you. Our mom is an honorable, admirable and loving woman. We are so undeniably blessed so, mom, thank you. We dedicate this song "wind beneath our wings" because honestly, there is no better way of saying thank you!

    

                

family is what you make it

     There is a certain comfort that comes with knowing that we have each other to lean on, our parents who love us and our friends who care. As some of you know this time in  life has brought tons of tears and lots of laughter.
     Two weeks ago our Grandma Holmberg went to a beautiful place, Heaven. Our grandma had a wonderful life full of loves such as Golf, Music, America, Family, and most of all GOD. About 5 years ago our grandma was diagnosed with alzheimers disease which was hard, our grandma sadly changed.Though we know we will never see my grandma again on this earth, we do know that we will meet her up in heaven. God answered our prayers and took away all her pain. While we were happy she was out of pain, we cried many tears knowing that we will never get to see her on this earth again. Grandma, we know that you are here with your children and grandchildren watching over us with so much joy and love.
~Matt and Liz    May 5, 2011

      While it was hard, Matthew and I have realized how blessed we truly are. Many of you have shown endless support and love towards our family and for that we are enormously thankful.
      This experience has brought our entire family closer, and I do not feel that this is just temporary. I guess it is so true, God works in mysterious ways. After the funeral everyone came over to our house and we spent endless hours together sharing memories and laughters.
 

     We are so thankful for the family God has blessed us with. But during this process, we have realized that our family is not just those who are blood related but those who truly care and who are there for us in times of hurt and joy. So thank you everyone who has some way helped Matthew and me during this time. We both sincerely love you all! You mean the world to us.