Thursday, December 10, 2009

Thanks for the Memories ~~ Chapter 2

So welcome back to "Thanks for the Memories" Thursdays leading up to CHRISTmas.

My memory today comes from 1976, I was 10 years old and we lived in a beautiful house on Geri Street in Springfield, MO. It was in a lovely neighborhood and we had lots of lovely neighbors who had kids our age to play with. It was delightful.

We had moved to Geri Street from "the hood" so-to-speak, and this felt like a mansion in an upscale neighborhood to me. It was just a lovely time in my childhood. In realty, it was pretty normal, but as a kid, it seemed HUGE to me.

There were five of us kids: Rhonda - my beautiful older sister, Rusty - my very protective andIwasohsothankfulforthat, older brother, me (self-explanatory =o) Dana - my very adventurous younger sister, and Dena - my very adorable baby sis. We made up the Jones 5. You know like the Fab 5, the Jackson 5, the Jones 5 ~~ yeah like that. I digress...

anyway...

CHRISTmas was always a magical time of year for us. We always knew that dad worked hard. Two jobs at that time, and mom worked hard to make a house a home, even if she had to work with limited funds sometimes. My parents were hard-working and loved us.

We had one of those cardboard fireplaces that my mom set up at CHRISTmas time (there are pics somewhere, I need to ask mom ~~ if I can find, I'll share). We had just the BEST time with it.

I was 10 years old and totally ate up with Holly Hobbie.
Do you remember her? Oh she was delightful ~~ OH-YES-SHE-WAS!!!
I so often pretended I was Laura Ingall's Wilder (Holly Hobbie on TV =) and I was always in the wilderness in a blizzard (remember that one), trying to get home from school. I always wanted one of those bonnets, but never had the $7.00 (might as well been $700.00 at that time) to get one at Silver Dollar City, but when we got to go, even if it was when I was in school (when I was older and living in the boonies...another story, another day....) I would always make my way to that store and have a moment in my head with that bonnet. Oh how I wanted one of those.


So on this CHRISTmas my two younger sisters and I were up and downstairs at 5:00 am. But my parents sent us back to bed, but not before I saw my Holly Hobbie crib for my HH doll. Oh the joy ~~ I mean serious joy at 10. So we set at the top of the stairs on the platform (incidently never did go back to bed that morning) and looked down at what "Santa" had brought us. We were soooooooo excited. My parents were up early that CHRISTmas, about 7:00 am. And then we got to go downstairs. It was pure joy!!! I didn't know how he (Santa) knew, but I was thankful. What a wonderful gift for this Holly Hobbie lovin' girl.
My mom started CHRISTmas breakfast, always Biscuits and Gravy and we were happy. Really super happy.
This is such a sweet memory of CHRISTmas for me. It was a sweet time. It was the last CHRISTmas in this house. We were about to be moved to the boonies, and life was about to change; drastically. But this CHRISTmas was sweet bliss.
So please let me know if you post a CHRISTmas memory on your own blog today, or share it in the comments here. And make it as long as you like. I will read them and so will so many of my readers. I would just love to hear some of your sweet CHRISTmas memories.
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It is ssssssssooooooooo cold here today, but not as cold as my friends in the Frozen Tundra or in Colorado are, so we will deal =)
Taking my mom to finish her CHRISTmas shopping today. A fun day planned.
Hope you all have fun planned in your day as well, and if not, plan some, go on right now, plan a little fun =)
Love you,

4 comments:

  1. Love the memories...

    I LOVED Holly Hobby!!! I had a Holly Hobby easy bake oven... it was beautiful... my parents still have it in their basement for me...

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  2. Dawn,

    I think every little girl our age, dreamed she was Laura Ingalls Wilder! What a beautiful precious memory you have shared, and as far as I can remember mine always had to deal with Barbie!

    Love and Hugs ~ Kat

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  3. I have so many of those feelings that you had that Christmas. It was a magical time of year for us, too.

    My sisters and I are taking my mom shopping in Branson tomorrow. I have a few more gifts to purchase myself...along with stocking stuffers.

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  4. I was past the age of dolls when HH was in vogue. I think I was probably in my early 20's. But she was a very cute doll.
    And what a sweet memory.
    I think I will blog about a Christmas memory I have with my son.

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