Christmas Time

When did you open Christmas presents when you were growing up?
Christmas presents were mostly opened on Christmas Eve.  My niece and nephews (my age) always made my holiday special.  I couldn't wait to get to their house.  My brother would start teasing with us early in the day that we needed to probably wait until Christmas morning....... 
Christmas Eve or Christmas Day?
All of our family presents were opened on Christmas eve.  One big presentt was held back for Christmas morning.
If you traveled, did your parents take the gifts, or did you open them early or late?
My parents always took the presents with us.
Did your parents have Santa leave presents?
I can vividly recall one of my first Christmas' walking into the living room and being surrounded by toys. I remember a life size doll that was just staring at me.....kinda scared me at first.
Were they wrapped or unwrapped?
The toys from Santa were always unwrapped........as a parent and grandparent there is nothing like watching the faces of my children as they walk in and spy something really special......
Did you have stockings?
I did not have stocking when I was a child.  However, during our first year of marriage my husband and I began a stocking tradition that still continues today with children and grandchildren.
What was generally in those?
Were gifts simple and practical or more extravagant?
My mom and dad (especially my dad) always surprised me with something special that I had really wanted.  This usually consisted of skates, a bike, dolls..... (huge baby doll fan).........etc.
Did you give presents to your parents and siblings?
Presents to my parents usually consisted of something that I had made at school. 
Were they homemade or purchased?
homemade
If purchased, did you pay with your own money or did your parents pay?
Store bought gifts were paid for using money from my parents.  At age 11 or 12, I got my first job wrapping Christmas presents at a local deparment store...........it was so nice to buy presents using my own money.
What are memories of special gifts you received?
I remember my mood ring.........I knew I was getting one and I couldn't wait to get my hands on it.  I slipped it on and, of course, it began changing color..........loved it.
I remember a lime green bicycle with a banana seat and flag.  It had hand breaks and I could change speeds.  We all received bikes that year and we thought we were "bad" to the bone.  hehe
One of my favorite gifts was my skates........every child in our neighborhood got a pair and we played many, many hours.
Did you ever peek and find out what your gifts were ahead of time?
It seems like I remember being very sneaky.   
Did presents gradually appear under the tree in the days leading up to Christmas and were you allowed to touch/shake them?
Presents would gradually appear under my tree.  I love my childhood memories of Christmas.  It was such a special time.

Participating in The Random Dozen, hosted by 2nd Cup of Coffee

OK, So There's No Number 4. I Got Lazy & You Got a Break.

1. Is there a word which you initially mispronounced? Were the circumstances in which you made the faux pas embarrassing? By the way, that's not "foax pass." (I know you know that. Just jokin' with ya.)

 

     I do not "memember" misponouncing anyting........joking.............I really do not recall an issue pronouncing words.  I was the only girl, in the family,  with two grown brothers who had children of their own.  So, I actually did not get the opportunity to have much peer based conversation unless my nieces and nephews came over to play......;-D.....I have, however, noticed how many people say "pacific" instead of SPecific............just sayin'

2. How do you feel about the use of texting shortcuts and trends? (ex: "I've got ur notes. Get them 2 u 2morow.")

     As an educator, I am convinced that text messaging using shortcuts has empaired the minds of our youth...........on the other hand, I find it very useful and utilize it often........"dnt do as I do".

3. Tell me about your high school senior picture. Please feel free to post.

     My high school picture was standing next to the love of my life wearing a long white dress.  I could not wait to graduate........took my GED and "bolted".  (Later went back and got my B.S. and M Ed.)

To my 5 grandchildren:  refer to #2........;-)

5. Share a high school or college homecoming memory.
     refer to #3
6. Linda at Mocha with Linda wants to know: "Do you prefer sunrises or sunsets?"
     Love sunsets...........

 

I took this one on the way to Cozumel, Mexico..........ahhhhhhhhhhh 

 

7. Lea at Cici's Corner asks, "What is something you have not done that you desire to do?"

    

      I would love to have the opportunity to teach at the college level.

8. Carol at Wanderings of an Elusive Mind ponders, "If you could come back [in another life] as an animal, which would it be?"

    

     A gator on the University of Florida campus...........seriously, no idea.............

9. Joyce from The Other Side of the Pond is curious: "Where were you 10 years ago?" Please feel free to elaborate more than just your physical location.

     Ten years ago I was in South Florida.  My oldest daughter had been married for 4 months and I was in mourning over the "loss" of my first baby.  This was NOT a great time in my life in many respects.  I am glad we have moved on...............

 

10. When you are proven to be correct in any contentious discussion, do you gloat?

     I don't call it gloating, I prefer to describe it as a  "learning" moment...bahahaha

11. What is your favorite food which includes the ingredient "caramel?"

     

     A nice ice cream dessert made with Klondike bars layered with cool-whip, chocolate sauce and drizzles of caramel..........hmmmmm

12. From my 17 year-old daughter to you: "If you could be part of any fictional family, which family would you choose and why?" (She's so cute. And clever.)

    

     The Partridge Family............I loved to watch that every day............"I think I love you" ♫♪

 

Participating in the Random Dozen by Mocha with Linda

What toys do you remember from your childhood?

          One of the earliest toys that I remember was my red fire engine pedal powered car complete with a real dinging bell…….ahhh the envy of the neighborhood for sure.  Thinking back, I must have been a little spoiled because I also had the blue sports car version ……to ride home in after the fire.  Another one of my favorite toys, from when I was a child, was my beloved Cindy doll.  She was a soft body doll with real hair and closing eye lids.  She was so special that I didn’t want to take her on the plane with me because I was afraid something would happen to her. See!!!  The insanity began at an early age………J.  I still have her in my hope chest by the way.

What did you like to do to entertain yourself?

     Ummmmm……put out fires and play with Cindy.

 Did you mostly play inside or outside?

     Most of the memories that I recall as I got older are of me playing outside…….football, baseball, basketball, skating, bicycle and horseback riding.  Oh, and don’t forget the skateboard……….EVERYTHING!

Did you ride a bike all over the neighborhood?

     Absolutely…….…….I had the coolest neon green bike with gears and gnarly banana seat.  Good Times!

Play baseball in the backyard?

     I loved to play baseball however it only seemed to be during baseball season. I was the only girl in the neighborhood that could actually play as good as the boys.   

Basketball in the driveway?

     All the time….

Did you have to "get permission" to play at a friend's house, or were you and your friends back and forth between houses all the time?

     I was never allowed to go in someone’s house without my parent’s permission. Playing in someone’s yard was no big deal though.

If you had siblings, was there a distinction between your toys and theirs?

     No siblings at home………..I guess you might say I was a “change of life” baby. 

 Did you "inherit" any toys from older siblings?

     No inheritance here……..<sniff>….

 What were the "fad" or "must-have" toys of your generation?

     The dating game and a weenie whistle……..naaaa, that was from the Santa Clause.  I absolutely needed EVERYTHING that came out on the market.  I do remember Baby Chrissy dolls with the growing hair, clackers, paper dolls, Water Babies (you filled them with water), Trouble, Rubik’s Cube, skates, skateboard and Barbie.

 Did your parents buy them?

     Yes, I was the last child and the only girl.  I was blessed……

 Was there a toy you always wanted and never got to have?

     Not really………….

      I have many fond memories of running and playing without a care in the world.  I didn’t care what the politicians were doing or not doing.  I only wanted to finish up my piano lesson so I could get outside and play.  My mother would often walk in the living room to find me with my feet propped up on the piano instead of practicing…..I’ll never forget the “you aren’t going outside until you practice for 30 minutes” speech.  I am so thankful, now that she made me learn to play. 

A Moment of my Impending Insanity

    
     I begin this blog today by recalling yet another humorous story that occurred while I was at a "scrapbook" retreat (yeah, right) a couple of weeks ago.  A few of my friends and I often like to frolic off to the coast of Florida with numerous bags of stickers, papers and adhesives in tow to spend a couple of days away from the craziness of our truly beloved everyday lives.  We relax with the sound of the crashing waves outside of our nice hotel and often gaze at its beauty from our high and lofty balcony.  Ok, this year we did not have a balcony but you get the idea.  We make it a point to eat when and what we want, stay up as late as we want and get up whenever we deem it necessary. This brings me to my latest moment of insanity which seems to always provide the opportunity of the weekend for my crew......my friends.......to bust their sides in laughter.
     Picture in your mind a forty-something grandmother of five deciding, on my own, that it was time to retreat to the room and get ready for bed.  It was, after all, 11:30ish and I felt like I should go on up before everyone else so that I could give my sleeping meds time to react before everyone got to the room and had the opportunity to use my "I'm not quite asleep " antics for their humor.........<gasp>....would they do that???....YES, they would.  I'm not bitter. 
     Anyhow, I had taken my shower and my meds as well as done my face and my hair.  I had just picked up my cell phone when I heard a sweet little knock at the door.  Knowing that it was one of my friends who had come up without a key, (we always get 2 keys for 4 people???) I bounded to the door to let them in.  The hotel that we were staying in happened to be "swanky" enough to have two entrance doors and therefore required a Chuck Norris full 360,  non-medicated double swipe move to open.  Well going in the room I had somehow managed to pull that off but when I went to let someone else in I was not so lucky.
      I confidently opened the first door and listened for a familiar voice. I am a stickler for safety after all.  So, after hearing my friend answer, I jerked the second door open all while balancing on one leg and holding the other door open with a perfect toe point that turned out to be NOT so perfect.  (Did I mention I've had numerous knee surgeries?)
      I will never forget the look in my friend’s eyes as she and I both realized that the door had softly and mockingly closed behind me.    Her snicker was hilarious as she quickly turned on a dime and headed towards the front desk to get another key.   As the other door closed behind her I could hear her voice chuckle an "Oh Dear" probably due to the fact that  she was somewhat concerned about leaving me alone, medicated and all, to fend for myself until she could get back with a key. 
     So, there I stood, in my gown in a little foyer with nothing in my hand but a cell phone.  As I checked my email I remember thinking that I REALLY needed to come up with something clever to say to the person that walked up on me.  Instead of being afraid or worried about being arrested, I was trying to figure out a way to make this humorous to the perfect stranger that was going to find me.
     I am extremely happy to proclaim that my friend is very fit and was back to the room in a matter of hours minutes.  I could hear her flip-flops "rat-a-tatting" as she came around the corner to rescue me from my self-induced imprisonment. 
    Yes, we all had a good laugh and proclaimed the incident as another hilarious moment of my impending insanity.