More Christmas Memories

Okay Christmas is literally a few days away, I can't believe it. So of course I was thinking about Christmas memories again. Some of my memories are sad, some are hilarious, some could rival anything the Griswolds would EVER think up. But most of all there is a feeling that comes from thinking through these memories: warmth. Not necessarily the warmth of heat from a fire, but of shared hearts and love for each other.

Christmases were always filled with laughter and much celebrating, still is in our family even though its getting harder for all of us to get together anymore. The the picture on the left was a Christmas morning with my brother and I posing with our "loot" I mean gifts, when I was nine years old. Barbie dolls, sewing machine, etc. My brothers helicopter and guitar. Gotta love it. And the picture on the right was taken of my brother, my little cousin and I when we were at my Grandparents house on Christmas eve. This picture was taken in the living room, thus the "fancy" furniture that you really didn't sit on any other time of year, ha ha ha! Just kidding. But it wasn't used that much except Christmases and Birthdays. I think this was yet another year for a Griswold"ish" memory. My Grandparents house had a small den that had a bedroom adjacent to it. This particular Christmas my Grandaddy decided after looking at the wall and seeing all of us crammed in the den that it was time for it to come down and expand the den for all the family to fit in. So of COURSE there was no time to lose, the hammers came out and the wall started coming down. See..told you. Lampoons Christmas Vacation.

Then my mom's parents divorced so we started having not just 2 Christmases but three. The Pic 2 the left is one of my 6th grade year with my brother, and cousin Candy. Also did you notice for me (and not my brother, ahem!) it was necessary for me to have a dress up dress for Christmas. Why? When my brother didn't have to dress up?? Actually it was all the women. Notice the other pic my mom is in the red dress, that's a LONG red dress and my aunt is next to her in a long skirt and sparkly shirt. Yes Christmas always equalled dressing up :-) as did Easter. woo hoo! love those traditions, many of them have died away.


I guess the saddest Christmas as a child wasn't really too very sad, just different. It was the year we lived in Kansas when I was in middle school. This was the first Christmas that I remember that we didn't spend with the Grandparents. At first we thought we were going to have to spend it with just the 4 of us and our neighbors who weren't able to go home for Christmas either. But my Aunt Louise and her family were able to come down from South Dakota to spend it with us. Below is a pic of me and my cousin Debbie. Notice I was FINALLY able to just wear comfy clothes, whew! We actually had a white Christmas that year too. Lots and lots of SNOW. My Aunt's family almost didn't make it.

Well, as you celebrate this year and look back on Christmas' past what are some of your favorite memories, traditions, crazyness??

Above all I pray this Christmas is FILLED to overflowing with joy and wonderful new beginnings and blessings.

Christmas Sounds That I Love

Fires crackling in the fireplace, laughter coming from the kitchen as the family works to get the meal on the table, family conversations and reminiscing, and little children whispering and giggling. But there are also the sounds of music at Christmas that I love as well.
Andy Williams, Johnny Mathis, the Carpenters, Perry Como, Bing Crosby, sing along with Mitch Miller are just some of the singers at Christmas that bring so many great memories of family Christmases. If we weren't singing along with these guys' albums, (yes those vinyl things that we put on a turntable on the Hi Fi) they were playing in the background either in our home or my Grandparents. There was also the Mitch Miller and Andy Williams' Christmas specials that we watched all gathered around the TV and we definitely sang along with those.

What Christmas sounds, songs and singers remind you of your childhood?

Shark infested

Can't you just hear the 2 note theme from Jaws??
Okay, no I have not gone to some tropical place and gone swimming with the sharks although going swimming or just looking at those tropical blue waters sounds really great to me. I am referring to the highways and byways this time of year.

Today as I was running errands for work, I got onto one of the interstates to save time. Crazy mistake! I felt like I was being swarmed by "sharks" out there on the roads today. For instance I merged onto the far right lane, the "slow" lane, and stayed at a reasonable speed. Yes I did go above the speed limit but only by about 5 mph. But I was still being "circled" and "swarmed" by seriously deranged drivers who obivously thought I was moving waaaay too slow.


At one point I just wanted to pull over and give up. I thought one truck was going to mow me down just so he could get in front of me. There were no free and clear areas, everyone just wanted to be in front or first, just like the little preschoolers I work with. But instead of just being a little body that can throw a tantrum these are people in large trucks and cars moving at speeds in excess of 75 and 80 mph. Very dangerous.


This is the time of year when I see evidences of Road Rage the most. People who are in too much of a hurry. To do WHAT?? I guess make sure they get that last Wall-e game for their child???? Don't know? So my word to everyone is: please be safe out there driving from place to place and remember Christmas is supposed to be a season of PEACE :-) and JOY.