Boxing Up Christmas Decorations

Today I spent  the day cleaning up and putting away the Christmas decorations.  It took me longer to do this than I had planned, maybe it was because my decorations hold memories.

I have decided to keep only the decorations that have memories or meaning to me, so first I sorted out the two main plastic containers that I was going to store these decorations in.  I have a box now of old Christmas decoration that's going to go to DI, maybe someone else will have a use for them, but for me, decorations filled with memories will be my keepsakes.

I started by gathering the decorations from the different rooms and putting them on the dinning room table.  As I looked at each one, pictures came to mind of time and places, where and when, and who they were from and the stories behind them....

I put in a small box, a battery operated Backwoods Outhouse that my son Mark had given me years ago.  He said at the time it was for memories of the Outhouse that was in the mountains, where we spent our family vacations.  I put it in the bathroom on the sink this year, so he would see it when he was here for Christmas.

I package up a stain glass work of art, of a poinsettia that my daughter Marta made. It sets in a piece of wood that you put a light behind, the light shines though and makes the glass sparkle.

My granddaughter Shawna has made two angels for me.  The first on is made out of straw and is very simple, the other one is made with beautiful ribbon, gold and cream color satin, different widths and very angelic.

I have a Christmas red, green and white quilted wall hanging block that my daughter Ann made.  I love quilts and quilt patterns, so this is in my sewing room.

My cousin Barbara is a beautiful quilter and she has made me a lovely Christmas quilted table runner.  I cherish this for the friendship we share.

I have a lighted glass block with the word Believe on the front, tied with a lovely Christmas bow made by my sweet daughter-in-law Susan.  Her sweet spirit is a joy to me.

I have a set of 4 blocks, red and green, with the letter N, O, E, L, painted on.  This was made by my granddaughter Cara and this year I had them in my Red Room.

On the inside of my front door hung the face of "Santa" made from a bleach bottle.  My son Mark made this for me when we were living in Texas.  I had to smile each time I went out the front door seeing Santa and thinking of my son and his soft heart.

I have a Christmas rabbit made by my Mother, sitting on the dresser in another room.  On the mirror in my front room, hung Christmas Bells with a full, red velvet ribbon bow, also made by my dear mother.

I have cross stitch pictures of Old Santa's that I have stitched, plus 4 stuffed cross stitched nutcrackers sitting in front of my fireplace.

In my sun room from the mantel of the fireplace, hung the 2 Christmas stockings that my daughter Marta made and sent to us, that lonely Christmas in our Texas apartment years ago.

But one of my decorations that I treasure the most, is the 16x20 picture that I had hanging in my entry this year.  It is of a Christmas tree, with Christmas lights a glow, it is on a back ground of red velvet.  The tree is made out of old jewelry, earrings, pins, brooches, bracelets, it shines, it sparkles and glows of many colors.  My aunt Sissie made this for my mother many years ago, and now I have this beautiful keepsake.  Each time I looked at this picture, I remember my dear aunt Sissie, and it makes me feel good just seeing some of her jewelry that she had worn and the sweet memories I have of her.

At Christmas time the stores are filled with all the latest in Christmas decorations for your home and tree.  They are all so beautiful and lovely, but the decorations, that to me, have the most meaning, are the ones that come from the heart. They are selected or made and given to me, with love from the giver.

Christmas in 2010 is now just a memory, but one to remember.....

A Trigger Memory

I just went into my "Blog" to see if there had been any activity on it, and to my surprise I found that I had a comment on my last posting, "Memories of Thanksgivings Past."  So of coarse, I had to click on it to see the comment....

The comment was from my daughter, who has the profile name, "They call me Grandma" on her "Blog."  As I read her comment, again my heart was warm of memories past.

As I was sitting here at my Computer reading her words, I kept on thinking on how each person has a memory of an special event that will trigger another memory and even another one and another.

Let me expound on that thought:

My daughter's comment starts:  "As I read your post it brought a tear to my eye,"  you see, my granddaughter Cara that was upset with her "friend" calling me Grandma, is her daughter... and Tawni is her sister Ann's daughter.... 

Then she goes on to say:  "That was the year that Brandon and Michael got so excited to make "smoke" by stomping on the plaster bags."  Now, Michael is her son, and Brandon is my daughter Ann's son.  The "smoke" she is referring to, is the dust that comes from plastering material that's used in building construction.  You see, some of our  family members are Plastering Contractors and these little Grandsons had found a treasure.  They were covered with plaster dust, from head to toe, they had been busy little boys.

Next she says:  "It is also the year that Derek and Kevan were babies."  Derek, is Ann's son and Keven is hers.  she goes on,  "We brought Kevan to be blessed, surrounded by family."  Kevan was just a month old and in our faith, a baby is giving a name and a blessing.  This is a very special ordinance in our Religion and because of this, it was important to my daughter to be surrounded by family.  Because she and her family were coming home for this holiday, arrangements were made to have this blessing take place.

She continues: " and Peggy, (Peggy is my Niece) wants to know what Derek's name was.  That sweet beautiful baby that you loved with the elusive name."  Let me explain,  I was sitting there holding my sweet beautiful grandson.  He was only a few months old, a sleep, snuggled in my arms and Peggy says to me "Aunt Liz what's the baby's name?"  I looked at my sweet little grandson and said, "Oh my sweet little one, what is your name?  I know it's not Brandon or Kevan, oh, what is your name?"  and then my daughter Marta said, "Mama, his name is Derek." "oh, yes, my sweet one, your name is Derek."  Derek is now a tall handsome grandson, with a lovely wife and 2 beautiful boy and I do remember these names.  Please Derek, forgive this Grandma, for a grandma moment years ago.......

She concludes her comment:  It was a gift to be in California and able to eat outside on a pleasant fall afternoon. 

This year I gathered 17 of my family around that same table (she has her Grandmother's table and buffet in her home) and served the same food. 

Traditions continue for a few more generations.....

and then she ends with:  I sure enjoy what you are writing, keep them coming.. Love, Marta...

This is what I mean by having another memory trigger by sharing memories of special times..  I forgot about the smoke that two little boy had made, but I did remember holding a sweet grandson with the elusive name and I remember years later, traveling across country in a pickup truck, taking an old dinning room table and a buffet to a daughter, so she could have and enjoy her Grandmother's table and memories..

Sweetheart, you told me when you had me start this "Cyberspace Blog," that it would be fun and I would enjoy doing it.  Well, I'm still trying and learning how this thing works, but I am enjoying it, it lets me think and lets me remember some of my Life's Peaceful Moments. So here you are, another post from your Mama..... I love you,   I love all my family, you are my Blessings.

Memories of Thanksgivings Past

I have found that as we travel down life's path, family traditions have a way of changing when life takes a turn or two....We still have our traditions, but they might take on a new twist or maybe something new might be added to them, or deleted, but then again, somethings might stay the same.

So please come with me as I travel down my memory lane of my Thanksgiving past.

When I was a young mother, my mother-in-law would have Thanksgiving dinner and most of her children would come home for this special day....

She had a small home with a Dinning room table in her front room.  She would set the table with a pretty table cloth, nice dishes and white goblets.  She was a very good cook, but the rest of us would also help her with the fixings for this meal.

As the family grew, smaller tables were added for the children and more chairs would be added around the other tables.  Some times we had a lot of people home for Thanksgiving and sometimes there might not be so many.  But no matter how many would be there, there was always the turkey, dressing, gravy, candy yams, mash potatoes, jello, green salad and string beans and of coarse the pies..

The children always had fun with their cousins, the women would clean up and do the dishes and visit, the men would watch the ball games and talked....It was family time, to see each other and share with each other.  It was always a good day and we all stayed as late as we could.

Time brought about changes and family members would move, children would grow up, marry and are now having their own children.

Some of my children were now living in different states.  But when Thanksgiving would come, if they could, they would come home.

I remember one special year, all my children would be here for Thanksgiving.

My mother-in-law was going to have everyone over for dinner.  As her family had now grown to include great grandchildren, her front room would not hold everyone, so that year we had Thanksgiving dinner outside on the drive way.

The men folks went to the church and borrow about four long tables.  They were set up end to end along the drive way.  The tables were set with table clothes, paper plates and the silverware.  We had the turkey and all the rest of the goodies for this special meal.

As I sat at the table enjoy my meal and my family, I notice my little granddaughter Cara was crying.  I asked her what the matter was and she said in a sad crying voice "My friend is calling you Grandma,"  she was referring to her cousin Tawni.  Now Cara's family was living in Texas at this time and Tawni's family was living in Arizona and this Grandma was living in California, "Oh," we were living so many miles apart, so far from each other...

Now these little cousins were only about five years old at this time, so they really didn't understand the relationship between them, they just knew they were friends this day.

Grandma in all her wisdom tried to explain to Cara that it was alright that her friend was calling me Grandma, because I was her Grandma too, just like I was "her" Grandma.  I then told her, "her Mama and her friend's Mama were sisters, just like she has sisters, and because of this her friend was also her cousin."....I guess maybe she understood somewhat, for tears were now gone and smiles were there and cousins were cousins.

This is one memory, that warms my heart, of two little granddaughter on one Special Thanksgiving Day many years ago.  These little girls have now grown into beautiful young women with special husbands and sweet darling children of their own. This Grandmother loves each of them very much.....and now they too are making some Thanksgiving memories for their hearts.....

Thanksgiving Memories

It's late Sunday night and our Thanksgiving weekend is coming to a close.

As I sit here at my computer thinking of these past few days, my mind goes back to our Thanksgivings past. 

How fast the years go by.  When you are young and just starting out, ten years will seem like an eternity, but then five times that, plus a few more years and it does turn out to some, as an eternity.  But too me, it just seems like yesterday.

When I was growing up our Thanksgiving Day was spent at my Aunt Sissie's.  We would arrive early so my mother could help my Aunt and my Nannie with the dinner and then my siblings and I would play with our cousin.  We always had a turkey dinner with all the trimmings.  My Nannie would bake the best apple and pumpkin pies.  This was a wonderful traditions that our family did every year. But when my cousin was married, they were invited to her in-law's for Thanksgiving dinner and so, a new, or should I say, another traditions started.

Thanksgiving morning in 1942 my Daddy woke me up early and told me to hurry and get dressed, for we were going to Aunt Sissie's.  Why would we go so early in the morning, it was still dark out side???  Well, you see, my mother was pregnant and her pains had started, so she needed to get to the hospital.  I was just 6 at the time and I had a little sister who was just 16 months.  Well, we hurried to my Aunt Sissie's where Daddy dropped us kids off and then took Mama to the hospital.  Mama had always said that when they arrived at my Aunt's house, when she answered the door her comment was "I told you to come early, but not this early." 

My Brother Butch was born about 6 o'clock that evening on Thanksgiving Day and every few years, we not only celebrate Thanksgiving Day with a turkey dinner and all the trimmings, but with a birthday cake too.  I asked him just yesterday if he ever felt cheated about sharing his birthday with the turkey and he said, "NO," for not everyone has so many people celebrating their birthday on their day, as he does on his special day...

Well, I just looked at the clock and it looks like the time has come to put my memories to bed. There will be another day and another time for me to take you down  my "Thanksgiving Day Memories."   Until then---