Thursday, December 20, 2012

It all started as April's journaling challenge

over at SNC. So yup, I'm blaming April for the creation of this adorable album.
Her challenge was to journal about Christmas.
Well in plowing through the way-back box I found random photos
of Christmas that may or may not have been scrapped at some point as prints.
Well these are the originals. 
*gasp*
 I know.
I could've made separate pages but there was kind of a theme when I pulled these.
Most of them are me and my brother from childhood with
ancestors we were blessed to know. 
Really get to know.
This photo is 4 generations. If you look at my brother and I's body
language we're leaning into our great grandmother because
we  were so priviledged to know her. It helps to have kids
early not so much for photo ops (which I'm not above loving)
but I felt very enriched knowing grandmom.
So of course, my grandpop and mom are in this too.
And my grandparents. This photo was taken after we had moved
to Florida and left them behind. And when gram sent that 
photo, even as an adult teen (if there is such a thing)
I was taken aback that they were enjoying
life while I had been taken to Florida.
It's a great photo of the two of them as gram hated to have her picture taken.
It was getting mussed up in the box so now it has a good home.
And there's my brother as a toddler getting up to Christmas morn
and a wonderland of goodies.
So these next two are my brother and I with our gifts but it also talks about 
the tradition my parents had of not doing any kind of deccorating until
after we went to bed on Christmas eve so that when we woke up
it was to an awesome sight of a Christmas wonderland.
That continued until junior high.
Another tradition was always having awaken to stockings stuff to the max
hanging on the door to our rooms.
So that's my brother's head peeking up in the photo of our
retro tree when the parent's decided to be cutting edge.
This was also after we had moved into our new home in the country.
This is mom's tree in our Florida home and a
present she cherished.
So the book ends with my kids - now grown.
And how blessed the holiday was when Nick as able
to make it home on leave. 
I also point out that I have become a tree nazi.
NO ONE touches the tree EVER.
I have been known to decorate the tree, not like it, take
everything down and start again.
Except when they were kids and I'd rearrange all the ornaments
that they hung on one poor branch.
Because we lived in Florida it was hard to continue the tradition of
decorating on Christmas eve. The weather didn't lend itself to the whole
winter wonderland thing and
it seemed that people in the south loved the holiday
 they'd start early.
Really early. 
Like after Thanksgiving.
So thanks April - I have this all in one spot.

5 comments:

April Says... said...

I CANNOT EVEN BELIEVE THAT YOU DID THIS. All because of a teensy little challenge...well, and the challenge to drag yourself up to the attic for decor and finding a wonderland of pics you'd forgotten about...okay. I'll take credit for the shove, but you did the plunge on your own and this turned out friggin' AWESOME!!! Great job my friend - a treasure for kids to argue over later ;)

Lisa Rukin Swift said...

This is a beautiful treasure, Lynn. Wow! Merry Christmas to you. I've enjoyed your blog and fun dialogue throughout the year (and getting to know a bit about you too). :)

Connie Mercer said...

I can't either but so proud of you!!! And you used orginal pic's:):)you just made sure the kids won't throw this one out:):) Awesome work Lynn!!!

all the days of our life said...

Absolutely BEAUTIFUL!!!! what a great album. I love that you used the original pictures you are my kind of gal.

nfaband said...

Wow Lynn ... you so totally know how to rock a challenge, the book is gorgeous, and what a treasure for your family. Great job girlie!