Happy Birthday to Me- 51 (Yesterday)

Making another year- shoot I will take that.  That's happy.

Happy Birthday to Brother Steve today.  He is 10 years older.  Which makes me reflect.  Our family had quite a week from the 24th to Jan 1st.  Here is what I mean, and just some fond memories for each day.

December 24th.  (Early years)  Grandma and Grandpa Kitty would come over and provide a gift on Christmas Eve.  I was young- and I just remember getting my first Mr. Potato Head.  Life was simpler at that time.  (Later years)  Family dinner at our home, bless my mom.  She really tried to make it all special.  She found a recipe for Swans (a big chicken breast with shrimp for the head, and quite honestly I forgot what the tail was).  That was the tradition for at least 5 years.

December 25th.  I grew up in a large house, and we had to sit on the steps going down stairs singing Christmas carols until everyone was awake, and then we opened packages.  I do remember one year my brother Jim and I probably woke up at 5AM- and the singing wasn't well received.  We had a large living room- and a large tree.  Very fond memories growing up.  But we weren't done.  We had to drag ourselves away from all the new gifts to Grandma and Grandpa Carlson's house.  That was a big group of 30+.  We all got a gift from Chippy Santa.  (Who?)  Chippy was the dog. 

December 26th.  Grandma and Grandpa Kitty's anniversary.  I only mention this since this day confused me.  My parents had a ton of people at my house for a anniversary party, but shoot it was my birthday the next day.  We were told to stay upstairs, but not me.  I went down convinced it had to be something about my birthday said hi to everyone in my pajamas.  Wrong move.  Oooops. 

December 27th.  Happy Birthday to me.  I give my parents a ton of credit.  All these days of get together, they still invited a big group to our house for a birthday party.  This I split with brother Steve when he was in town.  My moms favorite activity was burning the garlic bread, since she was pretty lit up at the time with my aunt Karen Nelson.  Too many fond memories, but one sticks out.  Grandma Kitty found me useful on my 21st birthday.  She had one more person to buy her some bourbon.  She gave me a birthday card with $100 in it, said that it will buy lots of beer.  With my eyes lit up- she added bourbon on the trip to the store.  Glad to do it.  She had one drink during wheel of fortune, and I think Golden Girls deserved one as well.

December 28th.  Happy Birthday to Brother Steve.  It was a treat to have him home during this time.  It didn't always happen, but when it did it was sure nice.

December 29-30-  Would you believe nothing?  I guess all families need a rest. 

December 31st.  Here goes my mom again.  She really did try to make things special.  For a few years she just cooked appetizers, (my first discovery of tiny hotdogs), we filled up on those and went to a movie.  One most memorable was Snow White at the Lombard Du Page theatre.  Why is that.  I enjoyed the show, but brother Jim got too involved in everything that he started throwing up.  Again my Mom was a saint.

Have a wonderful year ahead.