Christmas 2011 - Angel Figures

Today I set out these angels that Mom gave me a few years back. They appeared in the house on Stevens for many, many Christmases. Mom says that Grandma Jean gave them to her in the early or mid-1970s.

December 1969

By December 1969 the family was settled into the new house on Stevens and getting ready for the holidays. (Top photo developed Feb. 1970 but taken in December 1969)

Christmas 1969 - Joe and Sam

Sam and I at the house on Stevens. Sam was plagued by ear, nose and throat problems and cried a lot. I didn't mind because I loved having a little brother.

Christmas 1969 - December Snow

The house on Stevens in December 1969. At this time the family had only been living in this house for a few months.

Christmas 1993 - Dale and Joe's First Christmas

Christmas 1993 was our first Christmas together as a couple. Here we are celebrating at the house on Stevens - Mom and Dad's house.

Christmas 1994 - Winter Greenery

Mom dated this photo 1994 and you can see the house on Stevens spruced up (pardon the pun) with some winter greenery.

Christmas 2006

In the fall of 2006 we found out that my dad had later stage lung cancer and that he only had about 7-8 months to live. The holidays were very bittersweet that year. On the one hand I remember feeling so thankful that we'd have him with us for another Christmas. On the other hand I felt so sad that it would be the last Christmas I'd ever spend with him. I remember going over to the house on Stevens to visit shortly before Christmas. He was in the basement working on putting together some photo albums. Another project involved assembling collections of the state editions of the U.S. quarters to give to the grandchildren. My partner Dale remembers that the two of us spent Christmas Eve with my Mom, Dad, and Uncle Dale. We did fondue and opened presents. One little present that Mom got Dad was a booklet about tying knots. Dad laughed when he opened it and joked that tying knots would give him something to pass the time after he passed away. We actually interred him with it. It was placed in his shirt pocket.

This Christmas is notable because it was the first Christmas for Cashel (Sam and Becky's second child), and Abby (Pete and Stephanie's, first child). Both were born in 2006.