Showing posts with label holidays. Show all posts
Showing posts with label holidays. Show all posts

"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!
 
 

"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!

"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 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."



summertime, and the livin' is easy...

well, maybe not "easy", but it's definitely laid back compared to the school year! i have "summertime" set as my ringtone. last year it was "put your records on" because "summer came like cinnamon, so sweet"...

summer is absolutely my favorite time of the year. i like to think back and remember when i was a kid and all of the fun stuff we did. i try to do some of those things with my own kids, and come up with new ideas too.

so far this summer we've:
*caught lightning bugs and put them in a jar
*skipped rocks on the river
*made rock buddies
*played on the slip-n-slide in the back yard
*made homemade ice cream
*set off fireworks
*cooked on the grill
*made s'mores
*attempted to make s'mores bars and caught them on fire (yes, flames were coming out of the oven...very scary stuff, but all's well that ends well and there was no damage to anything besides the marshmallows on top!
*drove up to WV and enjoyed the mountain views
*gone swimming
*moved into our new home

hopefully we'll have lots of other fun things accomplished in the coming weeks before school begins again. also, hopefully i'll get better at blogging regularly. i really enjoy sharing my thoughts and ideas, and contemplating life and creativity.

fear, fulfillment and destiny...

"if fear is keeping you from being who God wants you to be, the most important question you have to ask yourself is this: am i fulfilling the life that I know I am called to live? am i living my destiny?" --jeff greathouse


no, i haven't posted on here in awhile. i decided to absolutely, 100% focus on my family and having the best christmas season possible! and let me tell you, it was amazing! we didn't have tons of cash for gifts, but the kids did get things they wanted and liked, we ate well, and we did TONS of baking! i think my favorite baked item this year were the earl grey cookies, but i really enjoyed attempting springerle, making sirupsnippers, and lots of other delectable goodies! the norwegian lefse for christmas eve turned out to be the best batch ever too. my kids enjoyed jumping in and helping make the goodies, but i think they enjoyed eating them much more. funny thing is, i think they're baked out...they have been avoiding sweets for the past week, which is not a bad idea since i am transitioning our eating as a family back to much healthier options like we were doing before the hectic school year and holidays hit.

so on to the main reason for my post...fear, fulfillment, and destiny...

i have been doing a great deal of reading over the past year or so on, simply put, positive and intentional thinking. it's been a process, difficult at times, and i'm still working on it. but i have finally had a mental transformation from being fearful and worrisome pretty much constantly, to being optimistic, hopeful and at peace. i am enjoying life, in spite of and sometimes because of the crazy twists and turns we've taken unexpectedly. teaching kindergarten is fulfilling in many ways, but there is so much more i want to do and be. so this break from blogger and especially during my vacation from school during the post-christmas lull has brought about some clarity of thought, an idea of goals to write, and just a glimpse of my destiny. (btw...my biopsy came back as nothing, woohoo!)

as for goals, i have always had a hard time writing them out, and still haven't, but now i have some concrete ideas in mind and have done a lot of thinking about "where i am, where i want to be, and what i am grateful for" which are the most important aspects to keep in mind when setting out on a new journey in fulfilling our calling, our purpose, and our destiny.

those goals are still a little jumble-y in my head, but tomorrow i have a date with my notebook to continue writing them out, as well as working on my dream board, coming up with a realistic schedule for myself and our family, and adding in my new workout routine (kinect is going to help me out a lot!). i am also looking forward to a phone appointment with my business partner to discuss business strategies and excitement coming up for our company this year...it's going to be amazing!

looking forward to an amazing year ahead...are you fulfilling the life you are called to live? are you living your destiny?