Christmas Letter Part Two

On many occasions, I've tried to convey to others just how amazing and talented my mom is. While others share memes of growing up in the 70's with moms who watched soap operas, drank Tab, and smoked cigarettes, my mom did none of these. She was busy learning new art mediums, taking classes, and earning her Master's Degree. All the while, spending time with the four of us kids,expanding our learning, creativity and all the things necessary to become responsible adults. As promised in my last post, here is another portion of my Mom and Dad's 1970 Christmas letter. Here is her introduction:(Reminder, she was 30, he was 31. We kids were 6, 8, 9, 11.

(circa 1977)

Dear Family and Friends,

We greet you this year filled with thanksgiving and joy. The Christmas  

season finds us busy, busy, busy.  The children have kept us busy  

attending school programs, and now we are practicing for our church  

Christmas program.  The children have also been helping make Christmas  

decorations, baking cookies and making candy.

We have really enjoyed our trips as a family to such places as old  

ghost towns, Apache tears mines, and visits to other areas of the  

state, such as Flagstaff.  Globe is close to many places of interest  

and in the past six years we have learned a great deal about Arizona.

The girls keep me quite busy making their clothes, but I enjoy  

sewing.  It seems the children are always volunteering me for  

everything that comes along at school. I continue to take college  

classes, active as a 4H leader in charge of a group of boys and  

kindergarten Sunday School teacher.  This summer I made wild grape  

jelly and prickly pear cactus jelly for the first time.  I was pleased  

with the results.  I have really enjoyed oil painting and hope to be  

able to devote a little more time in that area this coming year.  All  

in all, it has been a busy but good year, and I even got Ricky to  

write a few lines.

I loved the many dresses my mom created for me.

(first grade)

(3rd grade)

(4th grade)

In each of these pictures, I was wearing a dress that my mom made for me. I am so very blessed to grow up with a mom who was so very talented, wise, creative, and generous. I will share more of the Christmas letter in my next post.