FRIDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2008
This is my parents home. I grew up here and I have some wonderful memories of our Christmases that we shared. Mom and dad always got us kids a real Christmas tree. They would throw us in the car and off we'd go to the Christmas tree lot to pick out a tree. I seem to remember that we always picked out the biggest, fattest Christmas tree they had. After getting it home, we would decorate it and I would get big welts all over my arms because my skin was allergic to the branches. I didn't care. The house smelled so wonderfully of pine needles. We would spray the tips of the tree with that spray can of snow so that our tree would look like we had trekked all the way up to the Northern States, chopped down the first Noble Fir we saw that had a lot of snow hanging off of it. Do any of you remember that shiny garland? You know the one. It came in gold, silver, blue sometimes in red or mixed. Yep, we used that. But then that's all that was available at the stores back then. I laugh now at how garish it is but it does bring back some special memories. I should use some this year. I just love it. It's so super shiny!
I'm not sure where Mom got the buffet but she always decorates it with pointsettias (did I spell that correctly?) or candles. I'm surprised that she doesn't have more decorations on it. Maybe she was too busy this season what with taking care of Etienne, cooking for dad and doing her mega power shopping. I remember our house always smelled so good of mom's cooking. She would make us special things like big popcorn balls, hamburger patties with vegetables all wrapped up in foil like a big Hershey's Kiss. We always ate popcorn which was Dad's favorite snack. There's no telling how many bags of popcorn I made for us. Thousands! Mom and Dad always made our holidays so very special. Those days off from school were filled with fun and food! No wonder we are all fat!
.After me and my siblings left the nest, Mom and Dad stopped putting up a tree. I guess they felt they could start their second honeymoon! Dad calls mom his "bride" and I love that! Mom calls dad....well, let's not go there! Just kidding mom and dad! Hee hee hee! Nowadays, she collects Santas. She has tons of them. I'm sure she can tell you where she got every single one or who gave her a particular Santa. She loves putting them out and I think she starts the day after Thanksgiving or maybe even before that! She loves her Santa's. I'm sure if Santa came knocking on her door she would run away with him. Sorry dad....you now how it is; Red hat, jolly cheeks, a sleigh with eight tiny reindeer and a bag full of goodies....hmmmm I might just run away with him myself! Sorry Marshall and dad! Mom and I will be in the North Pole.....give us a call!
This metal shelf has been in our family for many years! We got this shelf by collecting those grocery stamps and you would put them in a booklet and when you filled out a certain amount of them, you would take them to a redemption center and pick out something really groovy! We acquired so many things throughout the years but this is probably the only thing left from those days.
I have always loved that little silver Christmas tree. It lights up and is so pretty when lit. I've never seen one anywhere. I'm not sure where mom got that tree. I'll have to ask her.
This is my parents kitchen. This table has seen some great family dinners! This was the hub of our home. My family was always blessed with an abundance of gifts from the Lord. We always shared our table with others and anyone that came to our home was fed. There was always room for one more and sometimes more than that! This table has been used as a round table for girl cousins, aunts and the ladies in my immediate family as a forum to discuss families, marriages, recipes and gossip! The men folk have sat here and discussed golf, wives and heaven only knows what else! We've played Monopoly, Checkers, Yahtzee and Wa-hoo at this table. It's been used as a pumpkin carving table, tamale making table (only at Christmastime), a table to lay out patterns for mom to sew into something wonderful for her grandchildren and her grand nieces and grand nephews. We've cried at this table, laughed and consoled each other and I guess that is the reason I think of this as my most cherished memory of home. Our kitchen was the heart of our home and Mom was it's heartbeat. I wish I could be back there now. Mom would have some of her famous hot chocolate ready for us! Oh yes, and some popcorn too!
Thank you for sending the pictures Danielle! Merry Christmas and we love you all!
Deanna
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