Happy Birthday, Alexis!

Ten years ago I became a Grandma to the sweetest girl! Happy birthday to our Alexis Maree. She laughs at me, and helps me with everything I need. She has patience with her old granny, and always puts her head on my shoulder. She is a sweetheart and we love her so much. I can't believe she is getting so tall. She is such a big helper and such a great student. She is the student every teacher dreams of having in class. Happy birthday, sweetie! We love you! (I don't have a picture of Lexi on this computer or I would put one up on this post. I will look for one to add later.)

Four Girls, Mom, and a Bathroom

Living with four daughters must have been quite an experience for our dad. I am sure that is one of the reasons why he lost his hair so early in life. We weren't too far along in our development (notice I didn't say "too old") when a bathroom was added in the basement, along with two more bedrooms. However, the main bathroom was still upstairs. As you can see by this picture, most of our primping was done with everyone trying to fit into the bathroom. I'm not sure why Dad took a picture of this. He probably just wanted to capture this wonderful moment so we would never forget it.

This picture had to be taken during the 1973-74 school year because I am wearing that "PepClub" uniform we had that year. Yes, back in those days we had a pep club that wore uniforms and we all sat together in the student section and cheered loudly together. We had organized hand motions and everything. We were the loud-mouths in school. I was known as the loudest yeller in the school. This year I was even given an award from the cheerleaders for being the best pepper in school.

Now, just look at me back there in the corner....short gray jumper, long-sleeved gold turtle-necked sweater, and I even look a little bit tall compared to my sisters! Of course, Linda and Julie are still in their infancy, but hey, I am tall!

But this isn't about me....What I want you to notice is the RED bathroom. If you could see the floor you would see RED SHAG carpet, red and black....In a bathroom? What was Mom thinking? And pink walls. The white draped lights were very popular then.....We really thought our bathroom as pretty. Is it any wonder why I can't decorate now? Not complaining, Mom, but really red shag carpet in a bathroom? At least the toilet was private behind the red screen-window. (Point of interest here: See that white thing in Ruanne's hair? That is a "steam roller". Do girls even know what rollers are these days, let alone a steam-roller? Oh, the burned fingers, but better than sleeping on brush rollers all night.)

Another thing, can you imagine four girls in a bathroom at one time? I say this because we really did have two bathrooms to share. Fast-forward 20 years and you come to the house my children grew up in. (I know, grammatically incorrect, but....) We only have ONE bathroom. Yes, ONE for all six of us. That is why I got the habit of waking up at 4:30 before school. Someone had to start early and it was always me. And we lived through it. And we survived. There were several times when we refinanced our house to get money to put in another bathroom downstairs, but the money then was used for other emergencies. Bathrooms are just not my priority, until I need one. We survived with one bathroom. I know it would be great to have another one downstairs when we have family come in. And we would really like to get one. But for some reason, other things become a priority. Besides, why would I want to clean two bathrooms? I don't like cleaning the one I have now. Maybe some day we will have another one. Maybe, maybe not. My children will always be able to say "You don't have it as bad as I did growing up. We only had ONE bathroom."

Happy Birthday, Josh

A quick Happy Birthday to my son-in-law, Josh. We hope you have a great day today. It seems like each year just rushes past faster and faster.....Maybe we will see you this weekend.

Another Look back

Here is another blast from the past. This picture shows the four girls. Why were we always known as the four girls? Because that is what we were. It must be Christmas time because we are holding the "dip and drape dolls" that Mom made for us one Christmas. Back in the "olden days" Relief Society kept Mom busy with projects she made for us. This was one popular project back then. The dolls are formed over a soda bottle body with special muslin fabric that was dipped in a solution kind of like modge-podge and draped and shaped over the body. The faces are painted on a large ball that was covered with the same fabric. The hair is like a fake fur that was curled and pinned into place, then the hats were molded from the fabric and placed on top of the hair and head. After drying, the entire project is then hand painted. I am sure each individual doll took several hours to do. I am also susre they were each done at the same time, all the dipping and molding done at the same time, then painted individually by hair. Mom was always a perfectionist at her crafts so they were done perfectly.

I'm not sure exactly what year this is, but since I am in contacts it had to be at last my sophmore year in high school, so at least Christmas of 1971. We are a nice looking family of girls, don't you think? I remember that outfit I am wearing. It was always one of my most favorite, also one of the first that wasn't made by Mom. That isn't what made it my most favorite, I just really like the outfit. For some reason I really liked the high turtle-necked sweaters. The layered look was really in style then, and I loved this little sweater over the red one. It was a shorter vest, called a bolero. The pants that went with the outfit were gray, wide-legged, high-waisted really neat pants. Because of the high-waist I felt so much taller. My hair was also naturally wavy. I had to use steam rollers to take out some of the waves. I don't think I look too bad in this picture. Too bad I didn't stay looking that way.

The rest of my sisters also look really great. I think this is one of the few pictures when we aren't all lined up according to age and standing straight and tall. It is nice to see a natural pose now and then. Anyway, a memory of clothes, hair-styles, and Christmas gifts.

Happy "Special-Age" Birthday

Happy birthday to my sweet daughter-in-law, Chantel. Thanks for putting up with us these past years, and for making life great for my son. You deserve a medal for all that. I hope you have a great day. Take a break and do something for yourself.

In a few days it will be my "baby" sister's birthday.I always thought her birthday was in the spring, but not so this year. However, I hear it might be almost spring weather on that day, but we will have to wait and see. I'm not counting on it, but would love to be surprised.

I was looking through my pictures to pick on to write a memory about, and with her birthday coming up I thought I would post this picture. Yes, this is Julie with Kristi and Tammy on her lap. Tammy is the bald one, Kristi is the one with the white hair. Julie is the old one. Yes, she is getting older than she was in that picture. I love her large glasses and the not-too-happy look on her face.

The outfit Tammy is wearing is still in my cedar chest. It was corduroy pants that my mom made for her. It has large pockets along the bottom of the shirt that Tammy used to fill with cookie crumbs. It looks a lot like the clown outfit I later made for her.

So, Julie, I won't say any more about how old you are getting, because you are still younger than me. Have a happy birthday in a few days anyway!