Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Christmas Cards

A funny thing happened to me on my way to the mailbox Saturday, Christmas Eve. (No, I did not get run over by a reindeer.)  I was having a mental debate with myself as to whether or not I should stop sending Christmas cards.  (By the way--if you usually get a card from me and you didn't this year? I failed to notice that the boxes I bought only contained 12 cards!  So I ran out.)  Anyway, I decided maybe Christmas cards were for younger folks and out-of-town friends of us older folks, so maybe I should act my age and cease and desist.

Then...I opened the mailbox.  It contained 4 catalogs.  Not one Christmas card.  On Christmas Eve!  I was so deflated.  I LIKE getting Christmas cards.  They are so fun.  I even like Christmas letters of any length.

I changed my mind and will be sending cards next year. I've even already decided on the picture I want on the cards! I may buck the trend and send more than ever!  That is, if I remember to count the number in the boxes.  It may be down to 10 next year.

Magical Memories of Holiday Magic

For several years Susan was on the steering committee for the Arlington Junior League's annual Holiday Magic.  One of the perks of these jobs was that her daughter(s) got to model in the wonderful style show.  Here is Madeline doing her first gig.  (The photographer pointed out to us that at her young age she knew to make eye contact with the camera!)


And here she is in a later year with her little sister, Susannah baby!


I have two especially wonderful memories which make Holiday Magic magical to me.  Part of the fun of the event to the girls was getting to hang around the market area after the style show.  The first occurrence involved only Madeline.  In shopping around she found something for us that she felt we absolutely must have!  When we arrived, she immediately took us to show us.  Here is her great find, now hanging on my tree.


Yes, it's bride and groom ornaments for her grandparents who were a bride and groom almost 50 years before!  I don't know whether or not you can see it, but these ornaments were personalized.  I wonder if I was able to keep a straight face when I said, "That would be Mimi and Gaga."  Of course, now if I had a fire in my house, these ornaments just might be the first thing I would save! 

The second story came from that collection of memories that I jotted down but never got written in my special album.  It happened in a year that Susan was in charge of all the entertainment for Holiday Magic.  This meant she had to stay for the entire day after the luncheon and style show.  The girls wanted, begged, insisted upon staying also.  Here was the group: Chandler, 6th grade, Madeline, 3rd grade, Cassie, 3rd grade, Susannah, 1st grade,  and a younger girl named Olivia.  They ran around that market all day in a pack shopping, visiting, sampling the food (until Susan told them to quit), and just generally having a ball.  By evening, they were all totally exhausted.  Little Olivia, the baby of the group, broke down completely and was crying her eyes out.  Madeline wrapped her arms around her and said, "Don't worry, Olivia.  I feel like doing exactly the same thing."

 

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Whew!

It may seem strange that I would re-title my blog My Exclamation Point Life, then apparently drop out of action.  But...that was not the case.  It may seem that I was out of action, but I actually became Linda Stovall, Party Machine!  Yes, between December 4th and December 26th, I will have had 7 parties, hostessing a total of 71 guests!

I did not have any Christmas decorations in 2008, 2009, or 2010.  I was so ready this year to be festive again.  And if I had decorations, I wanted to share them.  On December 7th, I had 12 BSF friends here for our Christmas fellowship.  It was a wonderful day.  Such a blessing.

On December 13th, my 3 "friends of longest standing" came for lunch.  We began over a year ago to meet once a month.  I think it is very unusual to still have a friend you had in the first grade, but I do!

Then December 15th was ladies' bridge day, and I had requested December, knowing I would want to show off my long lost decorations!  I fixed a pretty mahvelous lunch, if I do say so myself and I do.  We had a great day of bridge and fun.  The next night is couples' bridge, so I had 4 tables, or 16 participants.  A good time seemed to have been had by all.

Saturday night, the 17th, I hosted my Sunday School department's party.  I didn't know how many to expect, but I guessed about 10 or so.  I guessed wrong.  We had 24 ladies!  They all brought wonderful food and were so pleasant.  We were bulging at the seams, but they were totally adaptable.  I've already volunteered to have that party again next year.

Last Sunday the Party Machine had a temporary malfunction--a rotten cold!  It was attacked with Cold-Eze and driven back after two days of causing minor stalling.  The machine is back in gear, with 3 friends coming for lunch tomorrow.

Jay and Terri will be in Houston on Christmas Day, so the PM will be serving lunch to the 7 of us on Monday, December 26th.  Jay can hardly believe (for good reason) that I am actually cooking. 

I told several people that I would post some pictures of my decorations, but I've been too busy preparing for the next group!  So here goes...











There they are in no particular order, since I'm not the best at making them appear where I want them to!  I have the dated plates for every year since 2000, except the years I didn't decorate.  The picture does not do my exquisite nativity set justice.  And Christmas lights are difficult to photograph, I've discovered. 

I have not forgotten for a moment the true reason for this season.  The Jesus who came to earth as a baby, who lived a sinless life,  and who died for my sins that I might live forever has also granted me inner peace this year--more than ever before in my life.  His plan for my life is still unfolding before me, and the voices of a million angels could not express my gratitude for his countless blessings.

Mimi's Cherished Dollhouse

When I re-titled my blog I think I told you how giddy I was about getting the electricity on my dollhouse repaired.  My exuberance over this has not died down one bit!  Let me tell you about it.

This dollhouse was probably the nicest thing I received as a child.  I can't believe we hung onto it, but somehow it ended up in our attic here in Arlington.  Susan just happened to be here one day when Jack was cleaning out the attic and saw the dollhouse (in pieces).  One corner of the roof was broken off, but somehow still there.  She scooped it up before I even saw it and found a place in Fort Worth to have it restored.  That Christmas I cried my eyes out when they brought it out with a big red bow tied around it--almost like new!



Isn't it just wonderful?  It was furnished in a much different manner from its original little plastic pieces when the family presented it to me.  Jay and Terri had bought the bedroom furniture which looked much like the antique suite we have in our bedroom (and probably cost accordingly!!)  We already had Madeline, thus the nursery.  Her nursery was in a carousel theme, and I later found the little carousel horse for the dollhouse nursery.  (See it in the nursery window?)




The house did not have electric lights when I received it that Christmas.  We used to take the girls over to the place that restored the house to look for new "stuff."  They spotted the chandelier which is now in the dining room, and they wanted it!  We asked if the house could be electrified.  Yes...if we wanted to take out a bank loan...which, of course, Gaga did not hesitate to do!  So...we picked out wonderful fixtures for every room.  Here's where it all began:


Oops.  It looks extremely more glamorous in person.  And here's the living room, complete with fireplace, tools, etc.  "Gaga" is holding a miniature Fort Worth Star Telegram.


Now the disappointing thing about all this was that the lights were never very dependable.  They would sometimes work, often flicker on and off, and just generally frustrate us girls.  The man who had wired it had retired.  I made multiple phone calls.  I hauled the thing to Denton to try to get proper repair.  When I got it home, the lights would not work at all.

I then called my electrician brother-in-law, Jerry.  I was embarrassed to ask him, because this thing is electrified with little tape--not typical wires.  He sent one of his best guys, Joe.  Unbeknownst to me, Joe has a hobby of--guess what?  Building dollhouses!  He fixed it!!!  Better than ever!!!  Hallelujah!!!

This has definitely been a high point of my Christmas.  Every guest has been directed and coerced into looking carefully at my dollhouse!

Saturday, December 3, 2011

A More Approproate Title For My Blog!

When I decided to start blogging, I hastily chose a name for my blog.  But "Life With Linda" was just too boring and mundane for me...so, I'm changing it.

I have a brass exclamation mark which I display (when I have time to polish it.)  Those of you who know me know that I am very excitable.  (Just wait til you hear about my getting the lighting fixed on my dollhouse!  I was as giddy as a little girl!)  Nobody has a better time on a trip than I do.  Nobody loves life more than I do.  I have always said of myself that I lead an exclamation point life!  Therefore, I hereby officially change the title of my blog to:  My Exclamation Point Life!!!

"Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say REJOICE!"  Philippians 4:4