"blue willow, cinnamon apples and disk cameras"...christmas memories...

Christmas Memories #15--
Blue Willow tableware and cinnamon apple slices...

Most years we would be in Eastern Kansas for Christmas Eve and leave my Great Aunt's house shortly after breakfast and opening stockings to head to SW Missouri to visit my Grandpa McClimans and Grandma Wanda. I always looked forward to this visit because my aunt, Karen, is only a couple of years older than I am, and she had brothers close to my age also.

Grandma Wanda always served Christmas dinner on her Blue Willow tableware. She was a great cook, always going all-out with the fixings and sides. The one thing I remember her ALWAYS serving with dinner was cinnamon apple rings and that was the only time of the year I would have them, and she was the only person who ever served them.

One of the many memories I have of spending Christmas with them is the year we all (Karen, James, and I) got our own Kodak Disk cameras. Mine was actually the "LeClic" pictured below...it was better than the Kodak because it was pink, purple and teal! We thought we were the coolest kids in the world with those cameras! They were cutting edge!
 
 

"childhood comfort, stories of Jesus"...christmas memories...

Christmas Memories #14--(or not-so-Christmas) 

(this was what was on my mind as I heard the news of the Connecticut shooting, I was reminded of how I coped, as a small child, with the loss of the sisters I barely even knew but the effects of their loss followed me throughout my childhood...)

My favorite song as a little girl...as I dealt with life's dramas (and there were plenty), I would sing this song and picture myself standing by His knee and listening to Him and in my mind, "fancy His blessing resting on me" was picturing His arm wrapped around my shoulders...

"Tell me the stories of Jesus I love to hear;
Things I would ask Him to tell me if He were here;
Scenes by the wayside, tales of the sea,
Stories of Jesus, tell them to me.

First let me hear how the children stood round His knee,
And I shall fancy His blessing resting on me;
Words full of kindness, deeds full of grace,
All in the love light of Jesus’ face."


"water, water, everywhere...makes a great ice rink!"...christmas memories...

Christmas Memories #13--

The year we had a water leak (that had to wait until Spring to get fixed) that froze into a HUGE ice skating arena in our back yard...I had SO much fun wearing my ice skates in my own back yard!



Our house had a water leak that couldn't be fixed easily, so we had to wait until Spring (when it warmed up and the ground wasn't frozen to fix it). That was the best thing ever in a little kid's eyes! I "skated" around on that ice before Christmas...when I came home with those skates, I really got to skate on it! I always loved watching the figure skaters (Dorothy Hamill was my idol when I was little...I even sported a "Dorothy Hamill Haircut" for awhile!!!) on television and wished I could be one when I grew up. For one winter, I got to skate to my heart's content, and in my mind at least, I was a world-class figure skater...the cold wind blowing on my face as I soared across the ice in my back yard!

"crazy cards"...christmas memories...

Christmas Memories #12--

Thad's first Christmas...he was only 3 1/2 months old, so he was mostly smiling and super cute, but not doing much else yet. I actually got Nick and Elisabeth to cooperate with each other so I could take some fun pictures of them "wrapping" him up with paper and ribbons. Those were the best Christmas cards our family ever made!

"was grandaddy nuts?"...christmas memories...

Christmas Memories #11--

My Grandpa Frame had a huge black walnut tree in his yard. Every year he would gather up all of the walnuts in grapefruit bags (plastic mesh) and store them in the basement. On cold winter evenings, he would bring up a bag and pull out his giant nut cracker (it was this huge gear with a handle mounted to a board) and he would work on them for several hours at a time. (He di
d this with bags of mixed nuts and pecans too.)

As an adult, I always buy a bag of mixed nuts to keep in the old aluminum, grape embossed bowl I got from Grandma, and love to crack a few open every day...it takes me back to Grandma's big dining room, watching Granddad shelling nuts! (Grandma would always be sewing or working on something too.)
 
 

"baby girl's visitors and kitty love"...christmas memories...

Christmas Memories #10-- 

Elisabeth's 1st Christmas...

The best thing was that we were visited by grandparents from Kansas and California that "season" to meet our sweet girl. Also, I loved how our kitty, Tigger, always loved to snuggle up to her. She would grab his fur by the handful and he'd just lie next to her and let her "pet" him. I loved all of the super cute girl clothes I could buy too!!!

"Somewhere" I have digital pictures saved from this year...I'll have to dig these up too!

"a snoopy watch and a transistor radio"...christmas memories...

Christmas Memories #9--

I was either 5 or 6 years old and I spent Christmas with my dad and his girlfriend's family in Chicago. I remember seeing the tall buildings and thinking it was like a city from the future. I got to go sledding a LOT because they had quite a bit of snow! I got a Snoopy watch and a little AM/FM battery operated transistor radio for Christmas, along with an afghan made by his girlfriend's mom. One of the girls gave me a pair of ice skates they had outgrown, so I got to take them home with me. (Another memory to post later.)

"firstborn's first words"...christmas memories...

Christmas Memories #8-- 
 
Nick's 1st Christmas (circa 1995)...we had a little 4 foot tree up on a table because he was walking and we decided not to get a new one until he was bigger. We finished decorating the tree and I picked him up to see it and said "Look, Nick, a Christmas tree, isn't it pretty?" He whispered "Preeeee"...it was so sweet and melted my heart! His first word was "pretty" as he looked at the Christmas tree for the first time! ♥
 
(I may have to dig out some old pics of that Christmas to add to this post when I get a chance!)

"christmas in cali"...christmas memories...

Christmas Memories #7--

Christmas in Cali with cute boys...

The Christmas my friend Tammy and I spent in Cali...we were greeted at the airport by Santa and Mrs. Claus (my dad and step-mom). We helped Santa and the local firemen pass out toys, and hung out with some amazingly cute firefighters' sons, who took us bowling another night...one of the best Christmases from a teenagers point of view!

"camping knife"...christmas memories...

Christmas Memories #6--

Every year we would go to Bronson, KS for Christmas and stay at my Aunt Geri's house. Santa always knew where to find us and filled our stockings with goodies there. The stocking always had an orange in the toe, some nuts, and then other gifts/toys. 

I can't remember many of the gifts, but the one I remember being super excited about was the multi-purpose pocket knife that had a fork on one side and a spoon on the other! (I was in Girl Scouts and it was perfect for using when camping.) 

It's funny how we remember (and appreciate) the small things...like the oranges in the toe of the stockings. (and now I live in FL where we can pick fresh oranges off of the trees for Christmas)

 

"christmas candy"...christmas memories

Christmas Memories #5--

Making candy and snow ice cream at Grandma Frame's. We would make Mexican candy, hard peppermint and cinnamon candy, taffy (SO much fun to pull!!!), peanut brittle, fudges (chocolate AND peanut butter) and little cream cheese mints (that you form with little rubber candy molds). She put me to work when I was there, but I have so many amazing memories (and skills---cooking, baking, sewing, latch hook, garden/plant skills) from hanging out at her house so often!

Grandma's "Mexican Candy"...a yearly "must have" confection!

"green tomato pickles"...christmas memories...

Christmas Memories #4--

One of my favorite stories to tell is about the Christmas my hubby went home to Kansas with me to meet my parents (and ask for their blessing to propose) and the rest of our family. The poor guy was overwhelmed with my crazy big family, asked how to make sweet tea (really???), and found himself playing basketball with my cousin-in-law and future cousin-in-law. 

But the part I love to tell is about Grandma Frame's homemade pickles that Mom served with dinner one evening. Hubby ate some and said they were REALLY good...and I had the overwhelmingly joyous opportunity to inform him that they were my grandma's "green tomato pickles". At that point he made a face and refused to eat any more of them...he hates tomatoes! (It was classic!) :D LOL (Love you, honey!)
But the

Boy, what I wouldn't do to have a jar of those pickles to serve with Christmas dinner this year! They were SO good! (Anyone have the recipe?) 

I think it's time to peruse through Grandma's recipe box and see if I can find it!!!

"little house on the prairie"...christmas memories...

Christmas Memories #3--

One of the best, most-used gifts I ever received (this one was from my Grandma Corky)...the boxed set of Laura Ingalls Wilder's "Little House" book series. I was so excited to get them! I used to read them at least once a year... I think I'm going to read them over Christmas break, it's been awhile.

The pages are worn and "crunchy" and have gone unread for several years. I can't wait to get my hands on them and read through them once again in a few weeks!


"silver bells"...christmas memories...

Christmas Memories #2--
I must have been very young, because I barely remember this one...but I was at my Great-Grandma Wolford's house and I remember it being really cold, Christmas lights were everywhere, and someone was ringing the downtown bell in Bronson, KS...I recall thinking it was just like the song "Silver Bells"! (Bronson is a tiny town, but I guess it looked like it had lots of "city streetlights" to a little girl who loved to soak in Christmas magic.)

I'm pretty sure there was snow on the ground, and my "perfect memory" (as in what I imagine to be the perfect picture of it, not saying my memory is perfect) has it snowing too. Below is a picture of the tiny downtown of Bronson that I found online...


My Grandma Wolford lived next to the city water tower. My cousin, Sonia, and I would climb on it when we were out playing in Grandma's back yard!


christmas blessings

you can be a christmas blessing...

over the years it seems our family is challenged with helping people who are having hard times during the holidays. every year it seems as if there are more and more in need, especially in the current economic climate. well this year, i want to plan ahead a little because it seems like we find out about the needs right at the last minute, after most people have already donated or given, and it's hard to get it all lined up at the last second (though it does always fall into place). please consider clicking the above link and donating to help families in need this holiday season.

as a teacher, sometimes the way i find out about things is through students sharing at school when others are discussing the upcoming holidays. last year i was heartbroken when i found out about a little girl who had NEVER experienced christmas because her mother felt she could not afford gifts, holiday decorations, etc. and had no family to celebrate with anyway, so they just avoided the stores during the holidays and stayed home and did nothing. well, once her daughter came to school and started hearing about classmates discuss things, along with all of the holiday activities that happen this time of year, she started asking questions of her mom. the little girl came to school and told me that they don't celebrate christmas, but she couldn't tell me why. so i wrote the mother a note just to make sure that school activities involving the holidays were not going to be a problem with her beliefs or whatnot. that's when i found out their story. i cannot go into detail about it, but it was heart wrenching and she was open to allowing others to help her make christmas happen for her little girl. i had several friends and anonymous donors help make this an amazing experience for this little girl and the smile on her face when i showed up with everything was priceless.

this is just one example of how your donation can help someone. please help us be a blessing this christmas!




christmas memories...

I have decided to post a Christmas/Winter memory daily on Facebook for the month of December and thought I would post them here as we go too.

Christmas Memory #1
As I read my Aunt Gracie's facebook post that she's going to decorate her church for Christmas later today, it brought up one of the best Christmas memories I remember from my childhood. I spent Christmas at my Grandmother Pittam's that year. (If I remember right, it's also the Christmas that Santa brought me a Hollie Hobbie phonograph.) What I loved most about that Christmas was going to the Christmas Eve candlelight service with Grandmother (it was just her and I there together) at Savannah Avenue Baptist Church. It's the first candlelight service I remember attending, and it was so magical to a little girl! I was wearing my favorite red velvet dress, all prettied up for the holiday, and remember the glow of the candles in that beautiful church was breathtaking! This was back when I was in love with, and in absolute awe of the story of Baby Jesus, and had that childlike faith that we all should strive to have as we grow up. I ended up spilling candle wax down my velvet dress and think I ruined it, and even though everything wasn't perfect in life, for just that one evening, everything was right with the world.

"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men."