OUR FIFTIETH YEAR OF CELEBRATING CHRISTMAS EVE

AT OUR HOUSE!!!!!!!!!!!!

After dinner Donovan started the festivities
by reading the birth of Jesus from the bible.

When Terri was born Nancy and I agreed we would stay home on Christmas Eve and Day and anyone could visit us. Looks like they are still coming to Grandma's on Christmas Eve. We did give up Christmas day about ten years ago.

In my home of origin I was dragged all of Christmas Holiday week from one relatives home and on to the next. I always felt it was the new year before I ever really got to play with my Christmas gifts.

Kayleigh trying to decide what
to open next.

Grandma and Paul

The roller skates were from the grandparents and were a big hit.

Paul shows one of his gifts

Not sure but I believe Paul took this picture
of James with my permission and my camera.

The erector set is from the grandparents. I always wanted an erector set as a boy but never received.

A little story behind this picture.
The harmonica is from Aunt Terri and is actually Jame's birthday present.

Kelsey shows her mom one of her presents.

Kelsey opening one of her presents.

It was a great evening with family and friends.
This week obviously a little busy as it took me
a week to post the Christmas Blog.!!!!!



MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

FROM ED and NANCY



Our first grandparent photo card
with our six grandchildren
It feels like a long time ago!!!!!!!!!!!

CHRISTMAS PAST PART THREE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Terri first Christmas 1961
at our first apartment 5414 Loughborough.

Christ decorations at my parents home
3137 A Chippewa

I realize this does not look like Christmas however
This was Christmas week 1966 our first Christmas in Independence MO.
Our two girls with their cousins Kelly and Suzie and even thought Terri is holding
Tinker. The puppy is really Sherri's as she convinced us to let her have the Dalmation puppy given to her by a house painter.

Stay tuned for Christmas eve and our last of Christmas past photos for this year.

                                                CHRISTMAS PAST PART 2

There is a story with picture one as it is actually right after Christmas as someone has a birthday close to Christmas. First we had to purchase Miss Beasley on the "will call plan'. Only my older readers will remember buying things by putting them in "will call'. All thought WalMart is advertising buy it on will call in 2011.!!!! What comes around goes around. The store had a hard time understanding why we were going to pick up Miss Beasley after Christmas. Secondly the day of the birthday there was a big snow storm in Independence but I had to get to the store and bring Miss Beasley home.

1967 in Independence MO

Then there was three.

Our first tree 1959 at
5414 loughborough

CHRISTMAS PAST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Our first photo card

Our first photo card with two
at 7315 Lansdowne.

I will not keep you in suspense as there is no photo card with three. The only explanation I have is a guess that our budget could not handle the expense. Only a guess!!!!!!!!!.

More old Christmas past to follow so stay tuned.

YOU SAW IT FIRST ON Ed's BLOG!!!!!!!!!!

Nancy is standing next to 2011
World Series trophy. The National
League championship trophy is the
wood trophy on far right.

Busch stadium tour staff at their holiday party

Last night Nancy and I where at Busch stadium for our annual company holiday party.

Yearly membership for $5.00!!!!!!!!!

CAMP NE O TEZ READERS!!!!!!!!!!!!

DO YOU REMEMBER?

Is it the valley or Cuvier River?

Again I do not know if it is the Desoto pool we rented
are is it Cuvier River?

I wonder who the campers are?

Who are they? I honestly do not know.

This was the steel building when it was located on Chippewa

Who remembers the bus?

                                        HAPPY THANKSGIVING 2011!!!!!!!!!!!!
                         I thought it would be interesting to look at some really great holiday cards .                                                

Our first photo card

!966 from Independence MO

Our first photo card with six grandchildren!!!!!

Nancy and I wish everyone a great Thanksgiving and a joyous 2011 holiday season.

Cypress Gardens 1966 ski show

 FORTY FIVE YEARS AGO------JUNE 1966!!!!!!!
You had to be living in 1966 to believe the story that follows.
Nancy,five year old Terri, three year old Sherri and I left Shrewsbury Mo on a Saturday morning headed for Florida. I had $250.00 in my pocket and three hundred dollars in travelers checks, a Standard Oil credit card and four nights in St Petersburg FL prepaid. We had the following goals.
* If at the ocean we needed to stay in beach front accommodations
* Every place we stayed with no beach had to have a pool

Daytona Beach I drove a 1966 Chevy Impala on this beach

Directly across the street from Atlantic ocean in Fort Lauderdale
We paid $20.00 per night for a two bedroom unit
with free breakfast and a pool. My 1963 Impala is parked in
the front.

Hialeah Race track Miami FL
I wonder who the two little girls are?

St Augustine FL street scene 1966

Marine Land near St Augustine
I was so thrilled with the Dolphin show
I made all set through a second show.

Another street scene St Augustine FL

Sky line of Miami FL from Biscayne Bay


Results of our two week trip

***Arrived home with $9.00 and no traveler checks.
*** Gone fourteen nights
             *** Spent two nights with relatives 
*** Four nights were prepaid
*** All car expenses were on Standard Oil card
We went too!!!!!!!
***Silver Springs
*** Marine Land
*** Cypress Gardens
*** A boat ride on Biscayne Bay
*** The Everglades
*** Circus Hall of Fame in Sarasota FL
*** Drove on the beach in Daytona FL
*** Toured Busch Gardens in Tampa Fl
{but it was nothing like today}
*** No Magic Kingdom or sea World as 
they have not yet been created.
I know if I had not lived through it I would not believe it.!!!!!!!!!!!!!    

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TODD!!!!!!!!

What was the world like in 1988?

*** Gas was .72 to .98 per gallon

         *** Teacher salaries averaged $19,860

*** #1 movie was Rainman

                      *** first time CD's outsold vinyl music albums

     *** First heart pacemaker implanted

1994

*** Olympics held in South Korea

2007

too cute!!!!!

A piece of useless trivia. There is fifty years difference in Todd and my age. What was my life like in 1961?

*** Todd,s mom Terri was born

                        *** Our house payment was $89.17 per month

         *** gasoline prices were .31 per gallon

   ***Nancy was a stay at home mom

Happy birthday Todd!!!! Grandma and I hope you have a great birthday and a really special day with Sara. 

  THE ST LOUIS ZOO A LONG TIME AGO!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The lake near the seals photo taken 11/1959

Bear pits photo taken 11/1959

Bear pits of 1959

A comparison of the bear pits of today

The Monkey show around 1966 and
of course even when I was a little boy.
{a long time ago}

Reasonably certain this is the same stage as the
Monkey show.
When did it change?
anyone remember?


In many ways our zoo has certainly improved. Yet I miss the shows. we had real animal trainers putting on three outstanding animal shows up until I guess the late sixties when we moved to Kansas City. We had a monkey show, a elephant show and a Lion show. All three shows where first class. I have no memory of the seal show even thought I must have been there as I have the picture to prove it.

For comparison this is the
Tulsa OK Zoo in 1967

Yes we had the four youngest
for a night at the grandparents.

THE END of  SUMMER!!!!!!!!!

I wonder who is in charge?

Saying good by

We actually enjoyed the sleep over!!!

Grandpa sure enjoyed this day of grass cutting

The lecture!!!!!!!!!!

The boy loves basketball

I know it is hard to see but Donovan cut his #51 into the grass
Similar!!! to the arch at Busch Stadium

The reason grandma and I stayed in St Louis is our six grandchildren.