Christmas Memories

Indulge me for a moment if you will, as I take a little stroll down memory lane.  Now that I'm a mommy, with girls old enough to "get it" at Christmas and have that wonder and excitement of the holiday shine in their eyes, I can't help but think about when I was a child at Christmas.

My own daddy passed away before I even met my husband.  He was a good dad and I miss him.  Mom and dad made sacrifices for us kids all the time -- more than we ever knew.  I remember the year that mom was in the hospital over New Years.  What I didn't know was that she was supposed to be in the hospital over Christmas -- but didn't want us girls to have that memory of Christmas.  Years later when I learned about it, I appreciated it.  Now that I'm a mommy, I understand it even more.

I remember every Christmas, getting our picture taken, in our jammies and housecoats, taking down our Christmas stockings.  That was before digital cameras, of course.
My stocking had a bit of green along the cuff.  My sister's did not.  Dad's was a larger one.  The dog's was a little white stocking with a red cuff.  There was always one missing -- no stocking for my mom.

As kids, we didn't notice.  For years, we didn't notice that mom didn't have a stocking.

I remember the year we did notice.  We were hanging stockings, and I realized we didn't have one to hang for mom.  I asked mom why she didn't have a stocking -- and she smiled and said, "I don't know -- daddy?"
He said he didn't know -- but that we'd better get her one!.   We got her a white one.

So why, for so many years, didn't she say anything about not having a stocking?  Didn't it upset her? I didn't understand that part for a long time.  How come she wasn't upset and didn't feel left out?  Because she knew then, what I learned as I grew older.  Christmas isn't about getting, it's about giving.  It started with God giving  His Son for man.

Mom knew the joy I know now when I watch my girls at Christmas.  They get so excited about seeing Christmas lights and decorations.  Watching Kayla run up to Santa and hug him was indescribable; especially when she leaned up and kissed him on the cheek spontaneously.  Listening to them sing Christmas songs makes my heart happy.  Their eyes get so big when they get excited about a present.  Watching them share their new toys makes me smile. Their joy shows in their faces as they rip the paper off each present.  The ear-to-ear grins and gasps of delight when they find what Santa left for them delight me, too.

I told them to get their stockings from the fireplace, and they squealed when they saw there was a stocking for each of them full of goodies.

And just like when I was young -- I doubt they noticed if mommy had a stocking or not.

Balloon Clown at Farmer's Market

We went to the Farmer's Market one Saturday morning.  The girls wanted balloons from the clown.  They watched intently while waiting in line.  When it was their turn, the clown asked what balloon they wanted.  Megan didn't hesitate at all -- she wanted a bunny rabbit!  I don't know where that came from -- no one ahead of us had gotten one!  He made her a purple bunny rabbit.

Kayla and Megan with her bunny rabbit balloon

When it was Kayla's turn, she said she wanted a bunny rabbit, too.  Taking a cue from their clothes, the clown asked if she wanted a pink one.  She nodded, and he went to work!

Troubles the Clown, making Kayla's pink bunny rabbit

They were shy, but still thanked him for the balloons, and were happy with their bunny rabbits!

After wards, we went to lunch.  The always like going to a "rest-au-rant".  It's always a long three-syllable word when they say it.

Megan carefully dipping her french fry

Megan, with Kayla eating her french fry

 

Circle Day

Sometimes at Miss Kelli's daycare, they have themes.  These pictures were from Circle Week.  The girls and their friends got to be "Circle Detectives" outside.  There were circles hidden in the yard, and the kids got to find them.  Megan found the first one!  She was SO excited!

Circle Detective Megan, finding the first circle!

A little more detective work, and Kayla found one as well!

Circle Detective Kayla

Another picture from daycare -- where the girls are sharing a glue stick and gluing circles to their paper.  They LOVE glue sticks!

Kayla and Megan's Circle Art

They were so excited when they got to bring home some circles that day!  Circles are exciting when you're three!

Jelly Pizza at Denny's

Every once in a while, we "divide and conquer".  One of the girls will go with Mike, and one of the girls will go with me.  On this particular occasion, Kayla stayed home with daddy because she was tired.  Megan went out to lunch with mommy and Grandma.

We went to Denny's, and Megan picked a pizza off the menu.  Grandma had a breakfast plate, with toast.  When she put jelly on her toast, Megan insisted she needed jelly, just like Grandma.  Grandma was happy to share some jelly toast -- but Megan INSISTED it be jelly on her PIZZA!

Grandma and Megan

We didn't think she'd eat it.  We were wrong!  She ate it, and asked for more!  and more, and more, and more!

Nice lady and her daughter, behind Megan

At one point, Grandma said she was almost out of jelly, and the nice lady at the next table over immediately handed her some jelly off their table.  Couldn't have Miss Megan eat her pizza without jelly now could we??

Megan and her jelly pizza

At least she ate most of her sliced apples, too -- without jelly.

Shopping with Grandma!

A lot of times I go to the store with the girls and my mother.  It gives Mike a break and gives us girls a chance to spend time together out of the house, while getting some necessary chores done, as well.

On this particular shopping trip, we were on a quest for a particular brand of butter that came in cinnamon flavor, for mom.  My sister, Karen's mother-in-law, Janice, had given us a heads-up that Leeker's grocery carried it.  Leeker's is a smaller grocery store that has a couple of centers, usually located in suburbs of Wichita.  So we went to one!
Mom had Kayla, and I had Megan in my cart.

I was looking for a particular Lawry's seasoning packet that is also not carried at the major chains in Wichita.  I scanned the shelves, and when I turned around, Kayla had made a tower in mom's cart, and she hadn't even noticed!

Grandma and Kayla

Grandma and Kayla

She was very proud of her tower!  I'm not sure how architecturally sound it is -- but it stayed up quite well!

September Zoo Trip - Los of pictures!

Last September, just before the girls' third birthday, we took them to the zoo.  It was the first time we'd done so, even though the zoo is just across town.   We met up with our friend Tricia and her daughter, Emma and toured the zoo with them.

Megan and Kayla

We'd planned to do it before, but never quite got around to it.  We thought it was warmer than it was when we ventured out, so the girls were a tad underdressed for the weather.
Daddy rectified that situation quickly by buying each of them a long sleeved blue Sedgwick County Zoo t-shirt!

Megan and Kayla

First we went to see the giraffes.  Grandma Ruth Bingham really likes giraffes, so I'm including lots of giraffe pictures!

Baby giraffe running over to the momma giraffe

Daddy and Megan watching giraffes

yeah, I don't know either.  Let's go with Kayla and Megan since Megan had polka dots on her bow earlier.

Kayla

 Let's stick with Kayla and Megan.

They had fun getting up close and personal with some of the animals.

We tried to get them to pose with the sculpture, but couldn't get their attention at the same time.

Emma, Megan and Kayla watching a gorilla

Emma, Kayla and Megan with the bear

Megan, Daddy and Kayla, watching penguins

A Peacock -- wandering around near the penguins

While we were at the zoo, we also stopped at the playground area.  The girls LOVED climbing and sliding!

Kayla

Megan

Megan

Kayla

Kayla

Megan

We had a great time, and look forward to doing it more this coming spring!

Found on a Camera from July 22, 2011

I remember this well.  I was taking pictures of the girls, and they started asking me to take pictures of things, like their crackers.

Then Megan stood up.
She looked at me and said:
"Mommy, take a picture of my mouth!"
And she opened her mouth as wide as she could and waited.
So I did.

20 Questions -- Minus a Few

There are a handful of blogs I like to follow.  The handful changes from time to time, although some endure.  There's one I follow that posted that she asked her 3 year old 20 questions and saved the answers so she could see how her interests change over the years.

I tried to ask the girls the questions, but they weren't as cooperative.  Megan gave me a lot of "I don't know" answers, that I left out, and got tired of my questions quickly.  Kayla did better, thinking about them and saying "ummmmmm" before giving an answer.   So I didn't get 20 questions asked -- but I thought I should save the answers anyway.

• What's your favorite color?
• Kayla: Pink and pink.  Two pinks.  And purple, too.
• Megan:  Blue.  And I like purple.
• What's your favorite song?
• Kayla:  Jesus Loves Me 
• Megan:  Jesus Loves Me [I expected Mary Had a Little Lamb]
• What's your favorite TV Show?
• Kayla:  Movies [I expected Dora]
• Megan:  Jesus Loves Me show.
• That's not a tv show--what do you like to watch on TV?
• Megan: Dora the Explorer
• Who's your best friend?
• Kayla:  Megan!
• Megan:  Kayla and Megan!  
• What's your favorite fruit?
• Kayla:  Grapes! and Apple
• Megan:  Apple
• What's your favorite drink?
• Kayla:  Juice
• Megan: Juice
• What's your favorite thing to eat?
• Kayla:  Peanut butter sandwich
• Megan:  Peanut butter sandwich, too
• What's your favorite game?
• Kayla:  Jesus Loves Me game.  [??]
• Megan:  beans!  
• How do you play beans?
• Megan: You move it with your hands! [??]
• What's your favorite animal?
• Kayla:   Jesus Loves Me.
• That's not an animal
• Kayla:  kitty!
• Megan:  Monkey
• What's your favorite toy?
• Kayla:  Dolly.  And red teddy 
• Megan:  I don't know.  I like legos
• What's your favorite book? What story?
• Kayla:  I don't know.  Animal Big Words!
• Megan:  I like princess stories
• What's your favorite blanket?
• Kayla:  my Tinkerbell one
• Megan:  I don't know.   My froggy blanket is my favorite. [I expected pink teddy bear]
• What are you going to be when you grow up?
• Kayla:  A princess pirate piggy! [Pirate Piggies are characters on Dora]
• Megan:  A Princess!   Mommy? what are you going to grow when you be up? [sic]
• A mommy!

I guess Megan got tired of the questions.  And yes, she did mix up the words...but I knew what she meant.

On Looking Back

So the big news that can now (finally) be revealed is Ralph and Cathy's 40th anniversary celebration, which took place this past Saturday. Most of you reading this blog were there, so I won't bother to go into too many details, but we wildly succeeded in keeping the party a surprise, and everyone seemed to have a good time. A special note of thanks to Jeff and Chris, without whose help the party would not have been possible.

More interesting to my topic, in prep for the party I scanned in most of Mom's old photos for use in a slideshow. It's been interesting to me to think about, comparing all of these familiar photos with the ones I now take of my family.

I didn't scan every picture, but got most of them, the total ending up somewhere north of 1,100 (not counting the digital pictures Mom and Dad have taken themselves the past few years). By comparison, I've collected over 7.700 pictures of the girls in three years.

And why wouldn't I? Digital cameras are essentially free once you make the original purchase, the only surprising thing is that the total isn't higher.

Yet another example of how technology changes our lives I suppose. I recognize a lot of these pictures from growing up, we'd occasionally look through the photo albums, but certainly not on a regular basis. Kayla and Megan see our family pictures on the TV screen saver; they're pretty decent at recognizing themselves as well. When they get a bit older they'll be able to pull them up on any one of a half dozen devices in the house. They'll find this blog, look through my Facebook, etc. How will this affect how they remember/view their childhood? Will their memories be more vivid? Will pictures lose some of their inherit value to them?