Friday, January 9, 2009 - Flashback Friday

I know Kellianne has been so busy with Little Jack she hasn’t had time to Flashback Friday(although she may be having quite a few with the schedule she’s been keeping) but I wanted to take a trip back in time to New Year’s, 1997.  I was nine months pregnant with my daughter and a week overdue. Her due date of arrival was Christmas Day and we were totally prepared for it. We even had received ornaments that said “Baby’s First Christmas 1996” but she didn’t show up.  Now believe you me I was totally ready. I felt like I was going to pop but there was very little sign that she was ready to join us. I saw the midwife and she ran an ultrasound to see what was going on. Everything was fine, but if she hadn’t arrived after New Year’s, we would need to induce labor. I was not looking forward to that. So I took her advice and did what I was told to try to bring labor on. I was supposed to rest with eleven-year old and three-year old sons running around and drink lots and lots of water. My parents came over on the 31st and took care of the boys for me all day. My mother made sure that I did what I was told. Nothing seemed to be happening so later in the evening my parents went home and I settled my mind to the fact that this child was never going to come out on her own. Then the contracts began. They really weren’t bad at all and I just went about my business. But then I noticed that they were getting closer and closer together, so I called the midwife. She told me that I needed to get to the hospital. I was quite skeptical because the boys had taken 24 hours each to be born so I was thinking that this was going to be a long night and that I had plenty of time.  I called my parents around 11:00 and asked if they could come and stay with my youngest. We had decided that my older son would come with us to be there for the birth. My husband, son and I loaded up in the car and drove the half hour to the hospital. The contractions began to intensify quickly. When the midwife said that it was almost time to push, I know I must have looked at her like she was crazy. My babies took their sweet time being born and I figured it would be hours. Boy was I wrong.  At 1:17 A.M., January 1st, 1997, my 9 pound 4 ounce baby daughter entered the world.  She was the second baby born in that hospital that night, the other arriving about a half an hour before.  We stayed at the hospital for a few more hours and then I was ready to go home. I do not like hospitals and knew I would rest better at home. They did their tests and we were out of there. 

Flash forward to 2009. We just celebrated my daughter’s 12th birthday. I still remember vividly the moment I laid eyes on her and the joy I felt holding her in my arms for the first time. I still feel that same joy when I hug her today.  I adore my boys but I think there is something different about having a daughter. I can’t quite place my finger on it, but I am so glad that God decided to add her to my life. I wouldn’t trade a moment I spend with her for anything, even when we are at odds. She both challenges me and inspires me, and I look forward to what the future holds for her. What an awesome way to start a new year.

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Friday, September 26, 2008 - Flashback Friday & Sew Crafty Friday-Scarecrow Family

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Shereen at Waiting for Him hosts Sew Crafty Friday and Flashback Friday is hosted by Kellieann at Hilltop Academy.

A recent project brought to mind a fall many years ago.  My oldest son and I had decided to create a fall display representing our family.  We gathered old clothes from each family member and set to work.  We made scarecrows to represent my husband and the 2 boys.  When we made my likeness we included a slightly larger belly because that year I was pregnant with my daughter.  We received many a comment from passer-bys.  Making these with my son is one of my fondest memories of fall.

 

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Friday, August 22, 2008 - Flashback Friday- Saturday Afternoons

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Kellieann hosts Flashback Fridays.  Swing by and join us while we stroll down memory lane.

When I think back over my childhood days, I often remember Saturdays with fondness.  Growing up we had only a few TV channels, 3 or 4 I think.  There was no cable so whatever signals our antenna on the roof could pull in, that’s what we had.  One particular channel was our Saturday afternoon favorite.  WVLI, channel 56 from Boston came in like a charm.  So, most Saturdays, after doing our chores, I remember settling in, my dad in his chair, my mom reading her book, and we kids, sitting on the floor, waiting for:

Some of you may disagree, but I enjoyed those old monster movies.  The good guys always won and it was so surreal, who would take them seriously.  Two series of movies were my favorites.

and

I still enjoy a good monster movie every now and then, but today’s movies are way to scary, so I’ll stick with the old ones.

 

 

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Friday, August 15, 2008 - Flashback Friday- Birthdays

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Kellieann hosts Flashback Fridays.  Join the fun and share your favorite memories.

The middle of August is filled with birthdays in our family.  Today one of my sisters will be celebrating hers.  In this picture she is about 4 months.  Check out the adorable matching sailor outfits my brother and I are in. 

Next my sweet sister-in-law has her birthday on Sunday.  I just adore her and couldn’t have picked a better SIL if I had tried.  She is such a blessing to us.  This is such a cute picture of my husband holding his baby sister. 

We have one more special birthday coming up this week.  Wednesday, my husband will turn 29, again, for the who knows how many’eth time. The guy never seems to age.  He’s just as handsome now as he was then, although a bit taller and thinner and a whole lot more hair.

So Happy Birthday to them all.  I love you all very much!

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Friday, August 8, 2008 - Flashback Friday-My Brother

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You have to go over to Kellieann’s blog for Flashback Fridays to see what she and others are reminiscing about.

My only brother will be celebrating a birthday tomorrow. I wrote more specifically about him last year. It has been so many years since I’ve seen him.  He lives what seems a whole world away and we have lived very different lives so that we hardly even know each other.  One thing that I know for sure is that even with the miles and the limited conversations, I will always love him and I know he loves me.  We grew up sharing so many things.  Even though I was the oldest he always had my back and I know he still does today.

 

 

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, LITTLE BROTHER!

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Friday, July 18, 2008 - Flashback Friday-Leisure

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Kellieann at Hilltop Academy hosts Flashback Friday.  You have to swing by her blog and see what she has written about.

I love this picture of my daughter when she was 2 years old.  She is the picture of a leisurely Southern Lady.  If you look closely you will notice not only is she on a float with a swim ring around her belly, but she also has a life vest on.  We didn’t take any chances. 

 

 

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Friday, June 6, 2008 - Flashback Friday-Cars

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Flashback Fridays are hosted by Kellie Ann.  Be sure to stop by and join in on sharing a walk down memory lane. 

(Pictures with an ***** are not mine)

Who remembers these vehicles?

*****

This is the first vehicle that I have memories of.  Being raised in the 60’s and 70’s this seemed a practical choice for a family with four children.  What other vehicle could everyone have a window seat? It was great for the weekend trip to Grandma’s and if the engine blew it was small enough to change fairly easily, which my dad had to do on occasion. I remember one winter I was sitting in the back seat with my feet a bit close to the heater and it melted the rubber on my sneakers.

We had other vehicles, but I was unable to find pictures that looked like the ones we had.  One I remember fondly was a station wagon that had a rear facing ‘way back’ seat. 

Flash forward a bit to the cars I learned how to drive in.

******My dad taught me to drive in Ford Supercab.  Talk about having a hard time learning to parallel park.

At this time we had two cars.  The other was my mom’s Ford Mustang.I learned how to drive stick shift in this.  She would take me out to practice and make me stick to it until I got it.  For the longest time after getting my license I wouldn’t go out alone in it.  I’d take one of my sisters with me.  I don’t know why. They were two and three years younger than me and would be of no help if I got stuck.

A few years later, my brother was in an accident with that car and totaled it, so I bought my first car for $300.It was huge, but it got me around for a few months.  I had two other cars after that, a 1970’s Chevy Malibu SS and a Ford Comet. In 1984, my dad helped me get my first brand new car.And I chose to get a standard.  By this time I was an old hand at driving a stick.  I had this until after my first child was born.  It was hard to shift with the car seat in middle, so we traded in for a Mercury Station wagon(another standard vehicle). We had that for years until we moved down here.  I was dropping my son off to school one day when it caught fire in the drop off lane.  Needless to say, it was totaled.  After that my parents very kindly gave us a Marquis to use until we could get another vehicle, which ended up being mini-van. Life had come back to where I was way back in the 60’s only I was the one hauling three kids around who, too, were glad to have a window seat.

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Friday, May 30, 2008 - Flash Back Friday-Generations

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Flashback Fridays are hosted by Kellie Ann.  Be sure to stop by and join in on sharing a walk down memory lane. 

I have very fond memories of my grandparents.  When I was young we lived close enough to have regular visits.  I remember when my Pepérè, (my father’s father) would visit he would always bring those soft pink peppermints.  My Memérè passed away when I was only 6.  I still remember that she was short she in height (At 6 years old I was as tall as she was) but she was big on life. This is the only picture I have of her.  She is with my Pepérè and my dad before I was born, but that is exactly the way I remember her.

 I remember she would always give us those jelly-in-the center cookies from the cookie jar that has graced my counters since 1990 after my Pepérè passed away.

4 years before my Pepérè died, I had this generational picture taken.  My younger two children never knew their great-grandparents, but my oldest was blessed by the privilege.

I remember many visits to my mother’s parents’ house also.  Their house was always neat as a pin, but we got to eat on TV trays in the living room and they let us have ‘tonic’ (what we call soda).  That was always a treat.  Often times when we visited, other relatives would be there, too, so I was able to know a lot of my great aunts and uncles.  It was always an experience.  This is my grandmother, mom, my son and I for a generational picture.This is one with my grandfather.  I wish I had thought to try to get everyone in one picture.  My grandfather died when my oldest was 6, and my grandmother passed when my second child was about 6 months.  None of my grandparents ever knew my daughter.

Looking over these pictures reaffirms my conviction of the importance of family.  I am very lucky that my folks live close by so that they can be a part of their grandchildren’s lives, learning from them and creating memories that they, too, will look back on with fondness as I have.

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Thursday, May 22, 2008 - Flashback Friday- Hair

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For your listening pleasure and to set the mood for this post, press the play button.

Kellieann hosts Flashback Fridays.  You really ought to try it.  Be sure to stop by her blog to see what she's been reminiscing about.

I have had a love/hate relationship with hair for what seems like forever.  Long, short, straight, curly, dyed, natural, I’ve probably done it all. So for this weeks Flashback Friday, I thought I’d share the looks I have sported through the years.

You have already seen me in pigtails circa 1970. By 1972 I had gone to this.

By 1973 it had grown out again.

In 1974 I was back to short.

And even shorter by 1976

Then I guess I got brave because by 1978, it was long again.

Apparently I had had enough and by the end of 1979 I went to this.

The year I graduated I had begun to let it grow out yet again.

Fast forward to 1990 when big hair was the thing and I went for tons of curls.  To be honest I really like having curly hair for the most part, but hated it when it began to grow out.

Then I was talked into dying my hair in 1991. Oh my.

In 1992 I went for broke and blonde.  I look sickly. Who was I kidding?  The things we do for our husbands.

When I began teaching in 2000, I wanted something that was easy to fix everyday so I got another perm.  I had long since abandoned the “dying” phase.  Every now and then, just for a change, I would use a temporary dye, but only to add reds or golds. No more blonde.

My kids are following in my footsteps.  Last week my son went from this:

to this:

(He just had to try out a Mohawk, at least for all of a minute)

He ended up with sporting his usual summer hair.

And not to be outdone by her brother, daughter went from this:

(I remembered to take the picture just before we left for the hair dresser and  after she had just washed her hair)

To this:

She loves her new haircut.

I’ve since let the perms and the coloring grow out and have been keeping the hair to shoulder length, but I am now working on growing it long again.  I think though this time if I get a hankering for something new, I’ll just go shopping. (Sorry no recent pics.  This is from September 2007. I’m usually on the other side of the camera.)

 

 

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