Laura's Life Day by Day

These are the things that go on in Laura's life. Thoughts, emotions, concerns, and just day to day living in Laura's world.

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Location: Roseville, Michigan, United States

I've been married for thirty years now. I have three grown children and five grandchildren, and another due in November. My boys are both married and my youngest, my only daughter still lives at home. I work at an assisted living place taking care of elderly residents.

Wednesday, November 29, 2006

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas. . .


Not so much with the weather, yet. But we've got our Christmas lights and decorations done outside. I've got my floor decorated at work for my residents and I'm starting to get all of our household decorations up.
It reminds me of a time long ago, when I was a child. I really can't recall the gifts I received as a child. I do remember that they were few and not very expensive because my parents didn't have a lot of money to spend on such things, but that didn't matter much to me. The things I remember most about Christmas, you can't buy in a store.
Looking back on Christmas' past, I remember my mother baking Christmas cookies and how excited us children were to decorate all of them. I remember going out with my dad every year to get the family Christmas tree. Especially one year when we shopped for a tree after dark and didn't realize that the tree had a very crooked tree trunk. My dad had to attach guide lines to the tree and hammer them into our living room walls just to keep the tree from toppling over. I remember going out as a family driving down different streets to see all the beautiful Christmas lights that people put outside.
I remember one Christmas over Grandma's house while we were all watching Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol starring Alastair Sim as Scrooge. I innocently said to my Uncle John that he looked just like Mr. Scrooge on the TV. My father and my Uncle Kenny bursted out laughing. For the life of me, I couldn't figure out what they were laughing about or why Uncle John got a sour look on his face after I made my brilliant observation. I remember how much fun I had with my sibblings and my cousins at the "kids table" out in the utility room at Grandma's and thinking how glad I was that I didn't have to set at the main table where I would have to mind my manners and be quiet amongst the adults.
Most of all, I remember walking into Grandma's house with my family on Christmas. The smell of the freshly baked pecan rolls that Grandma had been busy making all morning would be lingering in the air. I would give Grandma a huge hug, tell her Merry Christmas, and then rush out to the utility room where all the pecan rolls would be cooling on the baking racks. I would pick one up and savor the flavor of it as I went back into the kitchen with a big smile on my face. Grandma would then give me the lecture on how I was going to spoil my appetite for the Christmas dinner she was preparing. Of course, she really didn't mind me sneaking the pecan rolls and I knew this because her favorite thing to do in life was to stuff us with food, but it was kind of like a yearly tradition for the two of us.
Ah, such wonderful Christmas memories. You know, I would give up every Christmas present I have ever received in my lifetime and much more than that, if just once more I could be with Grandma on Christmas day, taste her pecan rolls, and go through our "yearly tradition".
Now I am the Grandma and my Grandchildren come to my house for Christmas Dinner every year. And if my grandchildren love me even one tenth as much as I loved my Grandma, I am one very lucky lady.

16 Comments:

Blogger Erik Donald France said...

Wow, great picture! And a thoughtful post. Three cheers for Christmas gatherings :->

11:54 PM, November 29, 2006  
Blogger JR's Thumbprints said...

I've always been a big fan of posting childhood pictures. They make great writing prompts.

There's snow on the way; I can't wait!

12:48 AM, November 30, 2006  
Blogger ShadowFalcon said...

Oh I love the picture. You have so many nice x-mas memoaries, hope this year is just as lovely.

4:47 AM, November 30, 2006  
Blogger Helen said...

I am the same as jr's thumbprints - I love posting photos of when you were little!
Anyway, I am tagging you (hope you don't mind!). Go for more details at my blog.

12:16 PM, November 30, 2006  
Blogger Laura said...

Erik Donald France said...
Wow, great picture! And a thoughtful post. Three cheers for Christmas gatherings :->

. . . Thanks. Family gatherings make all the holiday hustle and bustle worth it.

~Laura~

4:53 PM, November 30, 2006  
Blogger Laura said...

JR's Thumbprints said...
I've always been a big fan of posting childhood pictures. They make great writing prompts.

There's snow on the way; I can't wait!

. . . Me too. Did you notice tha crazy floor design. Clasic.
You know why it's going to snow? Because this is my off weekend!

4:55 PM, November 30, 2006  
Blogger Laura said...

ShadowFalcon said...
Oh I love the picture. You have so many nice x-mas memoaries, hope this year is just as lovely.

. . . Thank you. I don't think anything will ever top being a child at grandma's. But maybe I'm making holiday memories for my grandkids now.

~Laura~

4:58 PM, November 30, 2006  
Blogger Laura said...

Helen said...
I am the same as jr's thumbprints - I love posting photos of when you were little!
Anyway, I am tagging you (hope you don't mind!). Go for more details at my blog.

. . . Thank you for the comment. I had to go to your blog to find out what "tagging" is. (Remember, I'm rather new at this) Give me a day to ponder the question, I'll post tomorrow after I get home from work. For now my Sheila and I are off to the gym for a workout.

~Laura~

5:04 PM, November 30, 2006  
Blogger Tikilee said...

Love This post. Great piece. I could almost smell those pecan rolls. Your grandma�s house sounded very warm and bright. Who knows what yearly traditions you and grandchildren will share? I hope there as memorable as the ones you remember.

5:16 PM, November 30, 2006  
Blogger Tim said...

Sounds a lot like Christmas at our house when I was younger. I especially remember the "kid's table". With there being nine of us and me the next-to-youngest it was a long time before I could sit with the adults.

5:42 PM, November 30, 2006  
Blogger Laura said...

Wichita-Lineman said...
Love This post. Great piece. I could almost smell those pecan rolls.

. . . You know I have grandma's recipe and I can make these rolls, but somehow, they're just not the same. Everyone likes them, but to me, they're just not like grandma's.

9:09 PM, November 30, 2006  
Blogger Laura said...

Tim said...
Sounds a lot like Christmas at our house when I was younger. I especially remember the "kid's table". With there being nine of us and me the next-to-youngest it was a long time before I could sit with the adults.

. . . I never did get to sit at the adult table. after I grew up and had kids, I was still at the kids table. Come to think of it, the only one who got promoted to the adult table was my cousin Sandy after grandpa passed. I always felt a bit sorry for her, the kids table was much more fun to be at.

9:12 PM, November 30, 2006  
Blogger ZZZZZZZ said...

I don't remember much about christmas when I was a small child but I have always enjoyed having it at our house. I love getting together with uncle dave and grandma and grandpa. It is nice since I don't see them very often. The food is great too by the way.

p.s. don't forget to make my marshmellow stuff!!!! :o)

10:30 PM, November 30, 2006  
Blogger Pythia3 said...

Laura, this is a beautiful memory. We grew up in the same 'fortunate' generation and I have very similar memories. I am the grandma (to one grandchild) and I know those feelings all to well. I miss my grandmas so much!!! I miss my mom too. I have an old-fashioned heart and it shows a lot at Christmas time. (I will post about it tomorrow). Thanks for sharing - I can smell those pecan rolls! mmmmm!

12:42 PM, December 01, 2006  
Blogger Laura said...

Sheila said...
I don't remember much about christmas when I was a small child but I have always enjoyed having it at our house. I love getting together with uncle dave and grandma and grandpa. It is nice since I don't see them very often. The food is great too by the way.

p.s. don't forget to make my marshmellow stuff!!!! :o)

. . . Well no wonder you don't remember, you were only 4 when grandma passed away. After that, I started having Christmas Day with my family over here. And don't worry, I won't forget your "marshmellow stuff".

~Mom~

4:01 PM, December 01, 2006  
Blogger Laura said...

Pythia3 said...
Laura, this is a beautiful memory. We grew up in the same 'fortunate' generation and I have very similar memories. I am the grandma (to one grandchild) and I know those feelings all to well. I miss my grandmas so much!!! I miss my mom too.

. . . So far, I have 5 grandchildren. I also miss my grandma, more than ever around Christmas time. Sometimes I wish I could go back in time, just once, so I could experience Christmas at grandma's just one more time.

~Laura~

4:05 PM, December 01, 2006  

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