Looking Back on Real Life Role Models

I cannot believe 2017 is half over already.  It's been a while since I've posted on my blog, so I revisited my

"mission statement" as well as my "six-word-memoir".

 

I began this blog when Lucy was a baby ... it was my intent to write her (and now including Tag along with future generations) some history & values from me.  I grew up in a rural community in West Virginia surrounded my family.  My Granny was the center of family life and I was blessed to have my aunts, uncles & cousins in our little corner of the world.

 

Several family not pictured at the time... and several are now Home in Heaven

 

My Granny was never a person who wanted or thrived for attention.  She went about her daily activities -- taking care of her family, gardening, housekeeping, caring for people in our community -- and never expected anything in return.

Granny was simply being where God needed her most.

 

My Granny ... love her always & miss her daily

 

Along with my Granny, my parents set the role model standard for hard work.  Before my sister came along (when I was almost 9 years old), my parents each worked 2 jobs in the nearest city (about 30 miles from home).  Nothing was taken for granted. And they never complained.

My Daddy taught me that when you make a commitment to something, you simply see it through... even when it was hard.  You never quit. And even when he was so tired from working so hard, he still found the energy to play with me & my cousins. Because kids grow up fast and only have one childhood.

My Mother taught me to that it is perfectly okay to stand up for what I believe in... not to be swayed by "the crowd".  You never make fun of anyone, but instead you stand up for the underdog... because you could possibly be the only voice they have.

 

My parents with granddaughters & greats

 

I will post later on what each of my aunts & uncles taught me just through them living their everyday lives.  Because that's how we learn, isn't it?  We can sit & listen to lecture after lecture of How to Live Life 101... but let's face it -- we live in real life. 

We observe real life.  We experience real life.  We model real life to our future generations.

 

So I'm asking myself this question ...

 

What will my future generations have to say about how I impacted their lives

 when they are my age?

 

Did I have a positive influence on them?

Did I show them through my actions how to love others & treat others as God has instructed?

 

Whether we admit it or not...

whether we like it or not...

whether we ever see it or not...

 

We are the role models for all the future generations coming after us.  We are either positive or negative role models -- but we are one or the other.

 

The choice is up to each of us.

 

My Granny never had to think about helping someone... whether family or friend or a stranger.  She simply did it.  My Granny never had to think about working in her garden or being there for a family member or friend who needed her.  She simply did it.  My Granny never held a grudge against anyone nor talked about anyone. And she was most likely the one who was such a positive role model to everyone who ever met her.

 

I have seen both my parents go out of their way to be positive role models to everyone around them.  They've put family needs before their own desires... they've worked hard to provide for their family... and they have shown unconditional love to all of us.

 

These 3 people in my life have been so much more than "blessings"...

 

they are the very foundation of who I am

and who I hope to be

 

 

How can we go about our daily lives knowing that we have a choice on what kind of role model we are to our future generations?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



On Being Tucked In ...

Our wonderful daughter and sweet grands were home over this past weekend. 

Lucy had her Summer Showcase Dance Recital in which her little heart led her dancing every step of the way! 

 

Through her jazz ... and her ballet ...

 

our girl is really growing up too fast on us!

 

 

 

And then, the quick weekend was over ... time for them to head back to their "new home".  Dan & I are transitioning into the new household arrangement just as the little ones are -- and their parents as well. 

 

So, last night we Facetimed with everyone!  We've often said that the cartoon "The Jetsons" was so beyond it's time back in "our day" ...

visual telephones -- who ever heard of such a thing!

 

Well ... somehow Tag was put in charge of his Mommy's iPad.  And he was just chattering away with his Grandad & Granny.  And then his Mommy came back in the his bedroom & started "ahhhhhh"-ing.  Then she took a picture on her cell phone ...

 

 

 

Our sweet little boy had tucked us in for the night -- in HIS bed!!!!!  Oh man .... he sure knows how to get to his Granny's heart! 

 And then I started thinking about it ...

 

Isn't that how relationships are supposed to be?  At the end of the day ...

 this is all we have ...

our relationships ...

 

We may not always agree with each other ...

we may not always understand each other ...

but

we do always have each other.

 

One of our former pastors always asked this:

 

Would you rather be in fellowship or be right?

 

Unfortunately I know there've been times in my life where I have not put my relationships as priority.  However, there've also been times when both Dan & I have tried to restore relationships with those who are simply unwilling to accept restoration. And those are the times that we accept that we've done all we could to restore and we simply have to leave the rest to God.  I've learned over the years that I have to do all that God instructs me to do in restoring relationships ... then I leave it at the foot of the Cross.

I cannot force someone into accepting and restoring.  I may not understand why,

but God knows their hearts -- and we still pray for restoration.

 

I think back on my Granny ... her whole life was centered around her relationships ...

her relationship with her Savior Jesus Christ

her relationship with her family

her relationship with her community

her relationship with strangers who were in need of help

 

This is what our lives are all about -- our relationships.  And this Granny & Grandad are so very thankful for the relationship with we have our daughter, son-in-law, grandchildren, family ...

we don't have to be right ...

we don't have to agree ...

we don't have to understand ...

 

we simply just need to be

 

At the end of the day

it's a good thing to be "tucked in":

 

tucked in the prayers of those who care

tucked in the hearts of our family & friends

tucked in our eternal relationship with our

Lord & Savior

 

There's a much higher price that's paid for not being tucked in ...

personally, I don't want to pay that price.

 

 

 

 

 



Influential Women in My Life

Today ... Mother's Day 2014 ... I want to share a little about some very influential women in my life.  Each of them had a special role that only they could fulfill in helping me to become the woman -- wife, mother, daughter, sister, aunt -- that I am today.  

These women ... 

... my Granny and her daughters (my Mother & my Aunts) -- along with another Aunt (my Mother's sister-in-law from her brother) --- I know, I'm not very proficient at family tree descriptions.

I've written in many posts what a close-knit family I had growing up.  And although I've been away from "home" for almost 

30 years, I still enjoy the closeness of my relationship with my family hundreds of miles away. 

These women in the picture all gathered around my Granny ... my Mother is sitting on Granny's lap and is surrounded by her sisters.  My Mother and my Granny were the primary women to take care of me. 

With both my parents working 2 full-time jobs each, they juggled home and work-life ... Mother would take me to work with her sometimes on Saturdays when I was a little girl and then she & my Daddy would take me for an ice cream cone (no Baskin Robbins, Dairy Queen or any other "chain" ... but I looked forward to Broughton's every chance we had to go there).  My parents and I lived with my Granny and youngest aunt until our house was built just "up the hill" from Granny's house. Every night after I brushed my teeth and washed my face, my Mother and I would kneel together and pray. It would our special time together to chat about our day and talk to God.

My Granny was the one who basically was my "go to" ... she was a widow several months before I was born ... she was a pillar in our community and in our church ... she never knew a stranger & would invite anyone in need into her home ... she took care of her family and her friends.  Granny and Mother were probably 2 of the most unselfish people I've ever known in my entire life ... 

as were my aunts ... 

I had a very blessed and "privileged" childhood ... growing up surrounded by my Granny, aunts, uncles and cousins ... each of them gave me a piece of them that has carried me through to this point of my life -- 

... now I'm a Granny ...

... my values, my beliefs, my heritage ... all rolled into my daughter and her family.  I can see my heritage in her and in my grandchildren.  She has always been close to my family -- her great aunts & uncles -- she carries the name of her great-aunt who became our guardian angel almost 34 years ago -- she was my Granny's first great-granddaughter whom she saw for a short couple of months before Granny's faith became sight.  

And our little Lucy carries the name of her great-great Granny ... 

my beloved Granny.

I see traits in each of "my girls" and in Tag that come from the influential women in my own life.  I see our heritage continue throughout these next generations ...

and my heart is filled

And so ...

to those who are mothers today ... 

I pray you have had a blessed Mother's Day that has been Christ-centered and family-loved

to those who are role-models and support systems ... 

I pray that you know how influential you are to those whom you surround

and to all of us women (mothers or not) ... 

I pray that each of us will come to the realization that we don't have to have everything figured out ahead of time as long as we indulge in the abundance of God's amazing Grace

~~~ Wishing each of you a blessed week ~~~

Why I'm "Granny"

In February 2008, my husband & I learned that we were going to be grandparents!  To say that we were excited would be an understatement -- we were completely over-the-moon ... and already in love with our first grandchild!!!  Soon after our daughter shared the "grandparenting" news with us, Dan & I began thinking of names that we would like our grandchild to call us.  For him it was pretty easy -- and our daughter offered the suggestion -- "Grandad".  Yes, being "Grandad" suited my husband perfectly!  And he still grins from ear to ear to hear his grandchildren say "Grandad" (he completely melts for these 2 little angels-on-earth we call our "grands").  But, for me it was a little bit different.  Names were presented to me, but I just really didn't "take" to any of them.

I knew then that only one name really suited me.

You see, my "grandparenting" moment did not begin with the announcement from our daughter.  My moment began at my birth on August 24, 1964 ... no, I take even that back.  My "Granny" moment began on January 11, 1906 ... at the birth of my Granny.

To say that she was an extraordinary woman would be the understatement of a lifetime.  I can't even choose just one word to describe her ... 

Granny was the WYSIWYG of our family -- "what you see is what you get" -- 

So many people talk about being "authentic" ... well, that was my Granny.  

My parents & I lived with my Granny until I began the 2nd grade.  Then we just moved up on the hill from her, so I still spent many many nights walking down the hill to stay with Granny.  You know, I've learned over the years that God never does anything by chance or by accident.  I firmly believe that my childhood of living with my Granny actually prepared me for my grandchildren who live with me.  
Coincidence?  Not at all.  
It's all God.

So, here's a little glimpse of who my Granny was ...

She loved God and she loved her family. 

She loved having her grandkids all around her.  

She was a hard-worker and never complained about anything.  

She was a pillar in our small community.  

She kept her word.  

She never met a stranger.  

She always helped anybody who needed anything no matter what time of day or night. 

She loved life and she loved learning.  

She didn't have to be right but she knew when to speak her mind.  

She enjoyed sitting on her back porch swing and talking of days gone by.  

She respected everyone -- yes, even the young people.

She loved people.  

She loved to laugh but she would cry of heartbreak.  

  

1986:  Granny with my daughter -- her first great-granddaughter

1964 -- several months before I was born

We always loved to celebrate Granny's birthdays

One of our family vacations in the '60s

 

Having fun with her daughters & granddaughter

One of my favorite pictures of my Granny

I believe that I can speak for my cousins in that all of us can say that we lived a privileged childhood ... we were all very close -- age, proximity & relationship-wise.  And although some of us have moved away from "back home", our relationships are still close.  That's what our Granny instilled in each of us.
 And we all are thankful for our closeness even now.

There are numerous fond memories & comments of my Granny from our life-long friends.  Everyone who knew Granny ... loved her.  She was just that type of person.  And her legacy lives on.  My Granny was "Lucy" ... and my granddaughter is "Lucy".  Not only in name, but I do see the beginnings of another wonderful person even at this young age.  I believe my Granny would be honored at her namesake.    

I know that I could never live up to what my Granny meant to our family and 

to her grandchildren.  But I pray daily that God will guide my words, actions and thoughts so that one day my grandchildren will tell their future generations about their Granny.

My prayer ...

Dear Lord,  I cannot begin to thank You enough for my Granny.  The values she instilled in her family & our community will forever live for generations to come.  I'm asking You today and everyday to direct everything I do, say and think to first of all bring honor & glory to You.  Guide me daily to become the woman You have intended me to be ... in all aspects of my life.  Lord, above all, lead me in Your light to be the Granny to Lucy & Tag that I need to be.  Day by day, moment by moment ... showing them Your love and Your promises.  Help me to be the living proof of the importance of our relationships so that my grandchildren will carry this through to the generations that follow them.  Thank You, dear Lord, for giving me the responsibility as well as the privilege of being "Granny" ... 

may my words, my actions and my thoughts always be directed to You.

For it's in Your Loving Name I pray ...

Amen.

Missing some family in this pic, but these were happy times at my Granny's.

5 Lessons Granny Learned This Week ...

My Granny always said that the day she stopped learning would be the day she would be Home with her Savior.  
Well, this Granny continues to learn just as her Granny did.

Sometimes these lessons can 

reaffirm what I already know ...

while other lessons can

re-evaluate what I think I've known all the time ...

then there's the lessons that can

be the toughest for me to grasp & understand. 

So here's five lessons I've reaffirmed and learned over the past week:

Making memories with my grandchildren is priceless.
For the past couple of weeks, both Lucy & Tag have been sick with a virus.  It's been a time of cuddling, watching some videos, napping ... a time to just focus on them.  Nothing else in our house matters when these 2 little ones are sick. No matter how old they get, they will always be my grandbabies. 

When I'm focused on God, everything falls together,
But when I lose that focus, everything falls apart.  
That was actually my motto when I taught middle school & high school in a ministry school.  I would tell "my kids" that this doesn't mean that life will be perfect and always go the way I want ... but rather to say that I will live out 
Romans 8:28 and know that God will work it all out for my good.  Just like Peter when he saw Jesus walking on the water -- he had to either focus his eyes on Jesus or he would sink.   If I focus my sights on Him, then I will not sink into whatever situation comes my way in life. 
I am His child -- not the world's child.

I have control over my thoughts & feelings.
Sure satan will try to filter in his agenda to cause me to become doubtful, discouraged, disconnected ... only if I allow it.  I have the power and authority to tell satan to get out of my head.  Jesus told him to get behind Him in the Garden ... I can tell him that my thoughts are off limits to him.  I can turn from the negative and turn to the positive ... 
because greater is He who is in me than he that is in the world (I John 4:4). 

I don't have to wear a cape.
I confess that when I don't accomplish what I want within a certain time frame, I get discouraged.  But I'm learning that I don't have to be superwoman ... God made me to be me.  This lesson kind of ties in the other 3 prior ones.  I've always been my worst critic, so I'm learning more and more to accept me for who I am.  Are there areas that I can improve on? Certainly -- Granny sure doesn't profess to be perfect.  But am I really doing as bad as I think I am? Probably not.  Grandad is helping me to not be so negative on myself.  When he hears me saying something, he will respond by saying 
"I don't want you to talk like that about my wife."  
And if he accepts me, and God accepts me ... 
then I don't have to be superwoman.    

Deep breathing during the day is a necessity of life.
Our household is busy (just like millions of others).  Sometimes I am trying to do 20 things at once ... and sometimes I just simply don't have the faith & trust that things will get done.  And sometimes I forget to just simply breathe ... and realize that things will get done -- maybe not in my time frame, but they will get done.  And then there's times when the aspects of life just weigh heavy.  It's at these times that I just need to remember that deep breathing can 
redirect my focus
reclaim my focus
revive my focus

{And breathing is a good thing}

A Family Legacy ... Relationships

When I began blogging, my primary objective was to pass down memories and values to my granddaughter Lucy. Well, since then Lucy has become a big sister to Tag (who is turning 1 in just a couple of weeks).  So, I want my grandchildren to have a sense of who I am and why I am the way I am.  I want them to learn from my life experiences and value relationships in their lives as I have in mine.  In a nutshell ... 

I want them to have something they can share with their future generations about me ... 
their Granny.

One thing I learned very early in my life was how important family relationships are for understanding family histories and how to prepare future generations to value family relationships as they carry on previous legacies.  I know I sound redundant, but I honestly believe I grew up in a privileged family.  My Granny's house sat in the middle of my aunts, uncles & cousins ... there were 7 of us cousins who were born within 7 years of each other ... 3 older cousins were within a similar age ... and then my sister is almost 9 years younger than me.

Our Granny was the center of our family.  Poppy had passed away before I came along, so I never knew either of my grandfathers.  But, Granny was so very special to all of us ... and to our little community.  She was always doing for others ... whether helping out with her grandkids or helping a stranger stranded along the road ... she was our matriarch (and I say that with the most sincere heart). She taught us not only through her words, but most importantly through her actions ... her everyday living ... through her heart. 

Granny was the WYSIWYG of our family ... no, I'm certainly not disrespecting my Granny, this is actually one of the most accurate ways I know to describe her:

What You See Is What You Get

 She never acted a certain way for this person or that person ... she treated everyone with respect ... and she put everyone's needs above her own.


 
I still remember the time a motorcyclist got caught in a torrential downpour and asked her if he could park his bike under one of her trees until the storm had past.  Not only did Granny allow him to do this, but she welcomed him into her house and made him some lunch. After that, he became a friend to all of our family and would stop by when he was passing through.  

And there's story after story of how my Granny was such a respected pillar of our community.  She held on to her faith and values ... and never allowed anyone to sway her away from them.  
She loved her God ... she loved her family ... and she loved her life.




I feel that I was doubly blessed in my childhood to not only have my Granny as my Granny, but my parents & I lived with her and my aunt for several years.  As my parents both worked 2 jobs each before they were able to build a house of their own (which was just up the hill from Granny's house), I was blessed to be my Granny's little shadow. I started helping her wall-paper when I was 4 years old (my granddaughter Lucy's age now). I helped her work in her vegetable garden and her flower gardens.  We would sit on her back porch and talk for hours of her childhood & our family.  She helped shape me into the person I am today.

 One most important aspect that my Granny showed me through her life was to always put God first and then others second.  God is our steadfast hope & eternal life ... and we honor Him by putting His children's needs before our own.  I've found throughout my adult life that I am more at peace when I live by even that one principle ... God first, then others, lastly me.

I often ask myself what will my legacy be to my daughter and my grandchildren.  God saw fit for my Granny to see her first great-granddaughter (my daughter) before He called her Home a few months later.  My daughter did not know her great-Granny personally, but I hope she has seen her spirit and her values through me.  My granddaughter Lucy is the namesake of my Granny (also Lucy).  I can see some of my Granny's qualities and personality through our little Lucy already.  And while I would love to keep our Lucy a 4 year old forever, I look forward to seeing how she will be shaped into her own person through her family values & relationships.

 






Many people looked surprised that I refer to myself as a "stay at home Granny" ... when our daughter announced that my husband & I were going to be grandparents, without any second guessing or hesitation, I began calling myself "Granny".  It's my daily prayer that I will at least be a small portion to my grandchildren as my Granny was to me.  

In some regards, it truly doesn't seem that long ago that I was my Granny's little shadow ... and now, I have my own little shadows. Time keeps ticking and life keeps changing ... but our family relationships are what keeps our legacies and values alive. I've only got one opportunity to show my grandchildren just "who" their Granny truly is ... for one day they will be hopefully pass this blog post to their future generations and say 

"Let me tell you about your Granny ..."

A Time of Giving Thanks for Values & Relationships

Many of my Facebook friends have taken the challenge of giving thanks everyday for the month of November.  It's been so refreshing to read what God lays upon the hearts of others during this month... such a wide array of thankfulness I read about daily.  Although I haven't updated my status everyday with giving thanks, here is a very short list of whom I am thankful for ...

 Always first ... for God sending His only Son to leave His throne & come down to earth to die for me. I am thankful for my eternal life with my Savior.  It's all about the relationship ... not a religion.

And ... for God giving me my husband of 28 1/2 years. He has been the love of my life since I first saw him in high school... then several years later he asked me on a date... and 8 months later we eloped... and we're still going strong after being together for 29 years.  
He is my best friend, my cheerleader & even my challenger... 
supportive husband, dependable Daddy & awesome Grandad... 
well-respected, man of integrity & leader.
I'm so honored to be his wife. 
No greater role has God given me than to stand by his side throughout all these years
and the many more ahead of us.

Throughout our years ...

I'm so very thankful for our wounded warrior family. Words cannot express how much we have appreciated every prayer that has been lifted up on their behalf. 'Joe continues his physical therapy while finally teleconferencing an extensive TBI screening.  Mrs. 'Joe keeps up with his schedule (including primary doctors, other military appointments, other appointments), their adorable preschool "warrior princess" who also has dance class & other activities, and their precious "warrior prince" who is growing in leaps & bounds while teething and trying to keep up with his big sister. Never a dull moment for this family ... but sometimes it's a blessing to have just some down-time whenever they can get it.  God has some really awesome plans for this family ... and these 2 military kids are such blessings to everyone around them. 
I'm thankful to be their Granny.

Our 2 favorites

Our Wounded Warrior Family

I'm also very thankful to have my parents. God definitely knew the two people I would learn so much from & establish my values from. My parents instilled these values in me that have been my oxygen throughout my life. I've never seen anyone work as hard as they did when I was a young child -- worked 2 jobs each to support their young family.  And they are always there when either my sister or myself have needed them.  It's no wonder our daughter would spend practically every school break with them when she was a young girl. She even lived with them for a semester when she was in college. She has always had a special bond with her grandparents & the bond is carrying through into this next generation... Lucy & Tag love their "Great-Ones" and always look forward to spending time with them.  

G-G and Grandpa with their Great-Grands

Relationships don't just "happen" overnight... 

relationships aren't one-sided... 

relationships take time & are deliberate.  

I'm so thankful that one day I will see my Granny again. I am blessed that my Granny saw her first great-granddaughter (my daughter) before she went to her heavenly home. Relationships begin early in life and continue through generations. My Granny lived her testimony & really did not have to say one word of the importance of relationships. She would open her house to strangers who would be stranded in storms... 

she welcomed everyone into her home... 

she was one of the most respected pillars in our community. 

I was blessed that my parents & I lived with my Granny and my aunt for several years, and then my parents built their house just a short walk up on the hill from Granny. 
And how awesome it is that my granddaughter Lucy carries her great-great Granny's name! 

4 generations in 1986

My sister is 8 1/2 years younger than me. And although we are always at different stages in our lives, we are there for each other.  She was entering her teenage years when she became an Aunt, and my daughter & I were there when she gave birth to both of her children. We know we can always count on each other & will always be there for each of our families... 
my daughter always loved spending time with her aunt... 
and my grands love them all too.

Lucy & Tag with my sister's 2 children

I'm thankful for my husband's family and heritage ... they took care of him before God gave him to me.  He comes from a musical heritage & family... he played mandolin & sang in his family band and provided a musical release and enjoyment to everyone who heard them. I'm so very proud of my husband and proud to walk beside him in our journey of life. Although he hasn't played in the band for many years, he maintains his musical heritage through playing for his Audience of One in the various church ministries we've been part of over the past years. I'm sure our grandchildren will benefit from their Grandad's musical background.

My "future" husband on this side ... still my heart-throb

I've always said that I had a privileged childhood... and I sincerely believe that I did.  I grew up in my Granny's house & was surrounded by aunts, uncles & cousins. 
Family church time, family holiday dinners & family vacations... 
hand-me-downs, instant friends & lots of imagination... 
lasting memories, forever relationships & unending bond. 
When my husband & I moved our young family away from "home", we made sure that both sides of our families would have the opportunity to develop the lasting relationship with our daughter. It was intentional travel for us & the sacrifices we made to be with our families a few times a year. And the bond that is shared between her & our family has reaped many benefits.

My Granny surrounded by just a few of our family (I'm the blonde beside her)

There's always so much to be thankful for... and actually I've just skimmed over some of my family values in this post. So many things I know I take for granted (such as *time* to sit down & write a blog-post)... yet so many things God brings in my forefront daily.  
It's my prayer & endeavor to daily take time to thank Him for the blessings He has given to me... and to also thank Him for the challenges that come my way.  

Yes, challenges & crises come upon all of us and yet at times I have failed to thank God-Almighty for them. It's in these trying times that I grow in Him ... 
that I know I need to praise Him in all things ... 
that I ask Him to continue to mold me & shape me into the person He wants me to be.

What are some of the things you're giving thanks for at this season? I pray with whatever you're thankful for, that God will continue to lay on your heart that these aspects of all of our lives are only on "loan" to each of us here on earth. Time passes quickly.  

Seems like just yesterday I was a teenager ... 
then quickly a young Mommy ... 
and now I'm Granny.  
We are helping shape the values of the generations that follow us.  And this Granny wants her future generations to know the value & importance of relationships ... 
for these relationships are the cornerstones in our lives.

So,
From Lucy, Tag, Grandad & Granny and our household ... 

   ~~~ Happy Thanksgiving ~~~

Oh how my grands love their Grandad!

  

Christmas Past

This time of the year always has me reflecting ~~~
childhood memories of Christmases gone by ... 
Christmas family trips with our daughter ... 
Christmas has always been family.  

And family is one of my most treasured Christmas memories.

 When I was a young girl, my parents & I lived with my Granny and my Mother's youngest sister. Every holiday meant a family gathering with cousins, aunts and uncles (along with my parents, Granny & Aunt K).  We always had a house-full in the grocery-store-converted-to-my-grandparents' home-place.  

My parents & me at my Granny's house.

 
Let's see ... there would be close to 25 of us at Granny's on Christmas Eve.  My Mother would make punch (Canada Dry Ginger Ale, 7-Up, pineapple juice, orange juice & vanilla ice cream or orange sherbet) ... my aunts would bring snacks, desserts ... and there would be laughter, fun and (of course) presents!  We kids had so much fun and never wanted the night to end.  Our celebrations would normally come to a close somewhere before midnight so all of the kids could be in bed to wait for Santa to arrive. 

My sister & me in our "new house" over-looking Granny's house.

And then Christmas Day began ...

Since several of us lived right around my Granny, we cousins would wake up early & go from house to house to see what Santa left for each of us.  I think we enjoyed seeing what the others got for Christmas almost as much as we enjoyed our own presents.  

And then, we all gathered at Granny's for our Christmas Day dinner.  Which meant more good food ... ham, turkey, casseroles, green beans, corn, breads, desserts ... more desserts ... oh yes, and my Mother's famous mashed potatoes.  When my Mother was running late, dinner would be held up until she had her mashed potatoes all ready.  
These mashed potatoes have stood the tradition of time ... 
they were always a favorite of my daughter's and now a favorite of Lucy's. 
(And yes, we still hold dinner until "G-G's mash-a-tatoes" are ready :)

My cousins have always been some of my best friends.

Christmas past brings wonderful memories ...

of laughter ... 

of dinners ...

of family ...




What are some of your favorite memories of Christmas past?