Reminiscing

I think that is what this wonderful time of the year is for. I was reading another blog and saw a picture of her little girl getting her ears pierced. She was obviously in a store having it done with a little gun like my girls had theirs done.
It took me back to that day over 39 years ago when my Uncle Carl from Georgia was up visiting us. My mother and I (10 years old) and Aunt Mary decided we wanted our ears pierced. He said I can do it, get me a bar of soap, some ice and a needle !!! of course me being the youngest and most obviously the bravest or dumbest said I would go first. Or it might have been in fear of my father changing his mind !!! So I went first ice on the ears "do you feel this pinching? " "No" Ok soap behind the ear. That one is done and then on to the next. I remember my exhilaration !!! Oh I was now "IT" and whatever that implies.
Next came my mother who faints at the site of her children being "stitched up". With a little oohh ahh and go ahead I am ready she got hers done. Wow my Mom was so cool... Now It's Aunt Mary's turn "CHICKEN" "COME ON DEBBI DID IT" after about a half and hour of convincing death would not becoming to her Uncle Carl did hers and wouldn't you know it hers bled !!! I vaguely remember her with her head between her knees and everyone worrying she was going to faint.
Now for those of you who don't know Aunt Mary she was my idol, she was beautiful and funny and she had a yellow bug for a car. What could be cooler than that !!! She was 13 years older than myself and many time through out my life she was my best friend and confident. Aunt Mary passed away in 2005 and I miss her, but know thanks to a wonderful Heavenly Father that I will see her again.
I should thank Molly Tatro for her blog as it brought back that beautiful memory for me.

"Christmas with Conner"

Waiting until almost 2pm on Christmas day was just about all Jacky could stand. But no gifts until Conner and Michelle arrived. I actually think Brandi was starting to get ency. It was all worth it just watching his face with each new gift he opened. He didn't care if it. was clothes or toys.

Everyone was happy with all the goodies Santa brought. Most of all it was good to just spend time with each other.

We missed both sets of grandparents but our new traditions are catching on

MERRY CHRISTMAS

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM THE VAISEY'S

JACK, DEBBI,BRANDI & JACKY

"Shopping Shopping Shopping"

I was tricked into this, I know it was a conspiracy between Brandi and my wonderful husband. Those of you who know me well know I hate stores all together. Well here is how they did it. I had a Dr appointment yesterday and Brandi said she would like to come along as there is one store in Ogdensburg that she would like to run into. Great I thought we don't have enough time together and the company will be good. Off we went !! Only to be called on one or the others cell phone by Jack or Jacky. Jack giving a list of things we needed and Jacky to ask when are you coming after me.

To make along story short the trip to Ogdensburg started at 10:30 am led us to Canton, Potsdam and finally home about 4:30pm. Upon arriving home Brandi had still no gotten all of her Christmas gifts and Tuesday is her only day off, so yes I took her to the MALL !!! We finally arrived home around 7:30pm. If you are wondering why I had to take her Brandi does not like driving on snowy icy roads and that is what we have. Thank goodness for the truck and 4 wheel drive.I cuss to myself every month when I make the payment on that over sized gas guzzling red machine but, boy I love it when it means I am not snow bound. Heck I can drive through the yard with 2 foot of snow and it does not skip a beat.

Brandi thought we should take the "Dart" oh can you see Jack he would probably die of a coronary. That car will never see snow or ice or rain or maybe just maybe not even sun !!!! For those of you who don't know Jack bought his dream car last summer. A 1969 Dodge Dart Swinger (on ebay no less) and to top it of the car was in Oregon. So it was shipped to Massena like a princess. She is bright yellow with a bumble bee black stripe on the back trunk. She gets more attention than I ever will and she has a "440" what ever that means. She also eats more gas than the big red truck. Just give me my Grand Am and leave me alone I tell them every time they say I need a "cooler car" Okay I am 49 years old I wanted that cooler car at 22 not now !!!

Well enough about cars.

Christmas is literally just hours away. I can't wait for Conner to get here tomorrow. I called and talked to him this morning. He is so excited about Christmas!!! FUN FUN FUN...

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL

"Let it snow Let it snow Let it snow"

Oh my it is snowing like a mad man out there. They cancelled Church this morning. The Sunday before Christmas and I was looking forward to the Christmas Carols... I guess Brandi and I can sit here and sing for a while. They say we are to get an additional 15 inches in the next 2 days. Snow all you want now but, on January 7th NO SNOW !!!

Brandi made us each a great big mug of hot cocoa. Sitting next to the fire it was great. Just say that this is the only great part of that white stuff,also thank goodness for 4 wheel drives as our driveway has over a foot now. Snow blower does not want to start and I don't blame it...It's cold,like below zero.

Just let me add that there is nothing prettier than freshly fallen snow every where.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Look out Florida Here We Come

Unfortunately we will not have Conner with us. But see those short sleeves in January !!!!
YES

We're Leaving on a "JetBlue" Plane

Ok I know Christmas is just a couple days away but..... January 7th Jack and I will be departing for Tampa.... YEAH Our first vacation ever without children. Oh a honeymoon after 24 years !!! We are going to my parents who live right above Tampa in Homosassa Springs "Yes home of the Manatees.Jack and I are so excited we might start taking Christmas presents back just to have more fun there. Sorry kids we are going to skip Christmas. NO I could not do that ,but the thought has crossed my mind hehehehehe!!! It was 80 there today and 5 here. Now you understand why I want to go.
Does anyone want to buy our motor home ??? I think I would like to buy something there as Jack is not always able to drive. Last time we looked which was 2 years ago they wanted over 100,000 for a trailer. With the economy the way it is now maybe we could get a good deal. We don't need a lot. A pool is a must, small yard, no 55 and above as I am too young, no parks. Pray for me OK.... I do know how blessed I am to be able to do this. My kids are all going to be fending for themselves !!! Brandi and Michelle will be at our house so we don't have to worry there.
Jacky starts his new job on the same day as we leave. He will be working at Clarkson University in Potsdam in the kitchen. I am so excited for him. he can't wait either. he has job coach that will be with him for a while. He has made so many new friends and loves his apartment. He has the best social life of anyone in the family !!!
To all my friends and loved ones Have a Merry Christmas.

Change is OK

Yes I am writing this for myself more than anyone. My mother in law put on the biggest Christmas Eve buffets probably known to man. The table looking like something out of Martha Stewart. We all loved it so much. SHRIMP SHRIMP AND MORE SHRIMP !!! It was always something to look forward to cookies (pecan sandies to die for) Bread dips, cheese, crackers of every kind, peperoni... On and on.
For years Jack and I have carried on this tradition for our family.Well I am tired and it does not seem to bring the joy anymore just a whole lot of work for 1 hour. Drum Roll Please............This year we are starting a new tradition. Christmas Eve will bring friends and Pizza !!! Easy enough call Pizza Hut. Then Christmas Day will be the munch out all day on a huge breakfast and easy munchies for the day.
We are also inviting Jacky's friend Jay to share our Christmas with us. Jacky and Jay have known each other for years. They both live in the same apartment complex and watch movies every night and generally keep each other company. We are very excited to add Jay to our New Christmas traditions. He is a very sweet man that we love very much.
Michelle gets Conner at 1pm on Christmas Day and we will wait for the little guy to open presents. I think this brings that special joy back into our house. Having a little one and watching their eyes.
If I could send a picture of me now it is of total contentment, as I believe this will be a great Christmas with the Spirit in it. I am so grateful every day for a Savior who is there for me when I need him and to know he loves me through all my faults and shortcomings (witch are many). I am also very grateful for my wonderful husband. Nobody loves me quiet like he does (Unconditional) I am a very fortunate woman.I am grateful for each one of my children. Michelle for her courage to fight the fight she does everyday and keeping the faith in the Lord. Brandi for being an example for me when my faith seems to fail me, she always reminds me that the Lord always knows best. Jacky for his absolutely sweet way of loving almost everyone and for his ability to forgive people who have hurt him. And all my children for their undying compassion for others and their needs.I need to remember my blessings more. Merry Christmas to all who read this and may the true spirit of Christmas dwell in your hearts and homes.

Is this not the coolest picture ever

This is a picture of my Great great grandparents Aderlbert Orlando Fulton and his wife Nettie Elnora Coon Fulton. No smiles I know but back then they were not encouraged by "say Cheese" Adelbert was born in 1856 in Vermont and Nettie 1862 in Pierrepont, New York. Of course those of you who know me well, know that I love Family History and would block out all other responsibilities if given half a chance.
I love learning about these people and their lives. Where they traveled, their triumphs and their losses. I know one thing they all seemed to visit one another a lot and the local newspaper reported every dinner taken at someone else's home. This family was taken to playing the card game "PEDRO" I know I must have heard my grandfather say he was going to play pedro a million times.
I have a diary of my great grandfather who would be this couples son in law, and every day he noted who won at "ped" today along with what the weather and what the temperature was every day upon rising and going to bed.Of course being a farmer that was very important.
When visiting the local Historical Society the archivist asked me if I was aware that my great grandfather Nelson Milo Caswell's diaries had been donated to them. I was in glorified shock and yes tears came as she brought forth 3 large boxes and white gloves. Inside the boxes where his diaries from @1912-1950. Some not in very good shape as the dirt and mold had seen them. I carefully wiped the yuck from the pages and was able to find him talking about his fathers death. The statement always written phonetically said " Pa Died" He goes on to tell of going to Canton to get the undertaker "Lawrence" Then goes on to say who sang, but the most interesting to me was him telling of which horse and buggy carried which brother or sister to the church.Obviously he held different horses and buggies he owned in different esteem. One horse he called "Jow" Joe must have been his favorite and he is mentioned several times.
Ok I will stop most of you who read this will be bored stiff by this moment. These are the people whom paved the way for me, and their direct decisions made my life what it has been ,and what it is today.

VISIONS OFCHRISTMAS PAST

OK tell me that these are not the cutest pictures you have ever seen. Thanks to Grandpa and Grandma Vaisey the kids all had matching red velvet outfits. I actually remember feeling that velvet. Brandi got lucky and got Michelle's dress handed down to her. The girls loved dancing around in their dresses and Grandpa & Grandma Vaisey loved buying them for them.

Yes Jack had hair and I had a figure !! They both left in the 80's !!!

That year Jack dressed up in a Santa costume borrowed from a friend, with the horrible smell of smoke.. and scared little Jack half to death.

The kids were reenacting the nativity and Brandi did not get baby Jesus in the right bed. Michelle laughing hysterically as she read the nativity. We have this on video to laugh and cry at for many years to come.

My children have always gotten PJ's on Christmas eve and this year Michelle and Brandi got PJ's for their dolls to match. Cabbage Patch dolls to be exact. We have every Christmas videoed and I need to take time to sit and watch these.

This is how I feel today "Pre Christmas Syndrome"

This picture taken in Rochester during Special Olympics in October is how I feel today. Like someone dragged me through a knot hole. I am "The Christmas Grinch" today. As most of you who know me I hate to shop !! I know it sounds crazy but you have met the lone female who hates shopping. So I love ebay and half.com and Walmart on line. Old Navy and any other stores that take VISA. Yeah !!! I have done 95 % of my shopping for Christmas that way. Yes I kept everything in bags !! Well my lovable hubby was taking out the trash Thursday night and mistakenly through away a bag of my so called shopping. YES OUT TO THE TRANSFER STATION TO BE SMASHED TO SMITHEREENS !!! I was so depressed and yes I did cry. So back online I got and reordered what I could remember was in the bag. Actually there was mail in there, to us and from us that I had carried from the truck to the house.
To top the afternoon off I went to get into the truck to pick up I don't remember who and my purse dumped upside down in the 6 inches of fresh snow.. you know the light stuff that has no bottom. I quickly retrieved my cell phone a set of earrings, to heck with the change. Many other tiny tiny items (in the dark no less). Then off to take Jacky back home to Potsdam. I finally arrived home around 11:30pm and could not wait for bed. Alas Grandpa had been sneaky and there next to him in bed was the cutest boy on earth. Yes my 3 inches of bed lasted until about 4 am when the sofa looked better. Along with my CPAP machine off I went to sleep there. Now mind you this is the first time Conner has slept in our bed since he was little. He has his own bed and we have one of those baby monitors in our room. I just could not pick him up and move him the little cherub with the footy dinosaur PJ's on. But never again hehehehe.
Brandi woke me to take her to work as the brake pads on the truck started making a noise last night and jack will change them today !!! Last night Jacky dug out my snow covered (over a foot) Grand Am that had been buried for 3 days. So I am determined that today will be a better day. To all who listen to my rambling have a great day. Because through all of this I believe my sufferings will make someone double over in laughter saying that brat had it coming. (I was a horrible child heehehe !!!)

Guess who is visiting Grandma & Grandpa

Your right Conner. This picture was taken on the day that he and I put the lights on the tree ! Little jack is home for 2 nights also, so Jacky and I met Austin in Fort Covington and picked up the sweetest little boy in the world. He has been here for about 2 hours and we have watched FROSTY and he and Grandpa have put together 2 of his puzzles on the ottoman. Aunt Brandi has kissed him one million times. I just love watching him laying on the floor playing with THOMAS. He has on the cutest little fleece Dinosaur PJ's the ones with feet on them. OH my !!!
Conner can stay until Saturday afternoon . YEAH all the fun we will have. "Unky Jack" is out bowling with some of his friends. Conner can't wait for him to come home and talk to him in Cartoon voices !!! Scooby Doo is his favorite. Conner giggles and giggles no matter what Jacky says. They are defiantly pals... So until he leaves I am "Gandma"

Christams Trees

Well I can't get my pictures to upload today so the story continues and the pictures may follow. I am absolutely in Love with Christmas trees. I have been for as long as I can remember. The more lights the better. I love the small twinkling kind. I usually wrap colored and white. I think there are 600 lights this year and if Jack would have let me get away with it I would have had 1000. Actually I had great helping hands from Conner putting the lights on this year. if I would have known how much he was going to enjoy this task I would have set up the video camera. I thought about getting it in the middle but, the moment might have been lost and I shall cherish it forever in my memory. It was just he and I and the brand new Christmas lights. he would walk in front of me round and round the tree tucking where he thought they needed to be and I kept feeding the lights having to stop where the new tie was to be untied, then on we continued.Three boxes of them. After each box and sometimes in between he would just jump up and down and clap and laugh so hard right from his belly. "Look Gandma" I bet you we high fived 20 times. When the lights where up I had fully intended on putting the ornaments on but, Conner was just so happy there was no way I was ruining that moment. Grandpa was laying down and Conner had tried to get him up a few times. When we were done Grandpa came to look. You would have thought that he had just painted the Mona Lisa. Well this tickled Grandpa so much that he has decided that each time Conner comes he will have and art project waiting for him to do. Yes i am serious. This last time it was a snowman, cut out the circles and glue them on a sheet. Brandi said Dad never did that with us !!! Grandchildren are a treasure !!! Obviously those of you who know us know that Conner is the center of our lives. He brings us so much joy words can't explain. the Lord has sent us our own little "Star".
The tree is finally decorated with Styrofoam cups with kindergarten pictures to paper stars with 2nd grade pictures to Baby's first Christmas 3 times 1980-1985-1988. My grandma Pharoah's beautiful crocheted stars and Jack's grandparents little elf heads on the end of some lights. There are a few special bought ornaments from others but mostly homemade from felt to cross stitch.tongue depressors painted and glued to look like stars, tooth picks painted and glued to a gold circle to look like a star.I could go on more but lunch is calling.

Christmas spell check horrible added pictures

Reading my previous blog I spell check early and kept writing sorry. Also here are some pictures to add to it. The first picture is of my grandmother Rose Elizabeth Besio Pharoah. The 2nd and 3rd is of my cousins and I on different Christmases. The 2nd one I am holding my beloved Mrs Beasley (I still have her). The third one I am sitting in the front row 2nd from the right my brother Dan sitting next to me pretending to behave hehehehe. My brother Bill is Top row 1st on the left Quiet and innocent !!! Obviously with us all being different ages and some camera shy, we are never all together in one photo. So to Gary, Wayne, Mike, Scott,Vickie, Marshall, Juli, Steve, Melanie, David, Christine, Lisa, Cory, Amanda Merry Christmas.

Christmas at Grandma Pharoahs

As we enter this wonderful time of the year I have the fondest memories of gathering with my family at Grandma Pharoahs. Family consisted of Grandma 5 aunts and 4 uncles ,until my youngest Aunt was married after I had already married. 16 cousins of all ages.A 17th to be added years later.
There was the adult table in the kitchen and if you were ever fortunate enough to be seated there life was heaven. My fathers family got along famously, with the normal she or he drives me crazy once in a great while. But, as children we would not have known this. Only as an adult does this become apparent to you. The children never knew of this.We rana dn we played and made more noise I am sure then a room full of monkeys. Funny I don't ever recall being reprimanded there for all the noise and chaos. It just all seemed so idilic to me as a child. My Grandmother had been a widow very young and we all knew she worked very hard to support her and "Aunt Barbie" as we called her. One gift would come our way each year from Grandma. I beleive I can remeber almost every gift she gave us. From McDonalds $1.oo dollar certificates (yes money back from you dollar) to the best address labels and stamps with our very own name on them (WOW) ther must have been a thousand address labels Debbie Pharoah Route #4 Canton, New York 13617. That was me and everyone would know how important I was when they received a letter know. I had address labels. There were half moon rugs for beside our beds, towel sets for our hope chest as we got older. Christmas ornaments, the list goes on. all the girls got the same thing and all the boys the same thing. Our Granmother was incredible.
I loved my other grandparents also,but they belonged to a religion that did not believe in celebrating Christmas. My Grandmother there was equally as wonderful but in many other ways. So at Christmas time I don't remember much of what went on in there lives.
Of course Christmas really began at our own homes at the wee hours of the morning with the 3 of us kids, myself and 2 brothers sitting on the stairs begging our parents to get up. This started many Christmas mornings as early as 3am. 3am was a no go at our house, so my brothers and I would all gather in one bedroom and laugh and share what we thought would be waiting downstairs for us. Had Santa come yet ??? The excitement was more than we could stand. Every few minutes we would yell to one of our parents if it was time yet and were told to go back to sleep which was totally impossible for us. My brothers and I are all close in age. Each being 15 months apart from the next. We loved each other very much. Don't get me wrong we did the normal sibling fighting, but don't let anyone else mess with my little brothers or my wrath was great.
Getting back to Christmas and the times I remember. I think it was my 13th or so Christmas and I wanted a new guitar. As the one I had been using had been given to my brother for a previous Christmas and he had handed on to me. When I came down that morning much to my dismay there was nothing under the tree big enough to be the coveted guitar. There was no way I would have let my parents know of my immediate disappointment and opened the rest of my gifts with a forced smile, even though they were great gifts. All the gifts had been opened and it seemed like the excitement was over. Then with the most mischievous smile I have ever seen my mother have she said Debbi there is a card on the tree addressed to you. This had never happened before. Had the card been there all morning, I will never know. My mother handed it to me and with the most confused emotions I remember having I read the riddle inside. Please go to where you eat breakfast... I ran quickly which lead from one part of the house to another ( For those of you who don't know I grew up in a very old Victorian style house). Finally in a room we called the cold room (soon to become the den) I found the most beautiful guitar I had ever seen. Sitting on the piano bench. Yes the piano was also in the cold room. Oh life was good and how I loved my parents for I knew what a sacrifice it had been to buy the $150 guitar for them.
We as children had the greatest Christmases. My mother would make the greatest homemade chocolates that would sit on "the porch" (enclosed) in white Schawn ice cream buckets labeled according to what flavor lay inside. My mother would bake and cook breads, cookies, fudge and every other divinity you can imagine. But I think my favorite is when she would make ice cream balls. She would take the ice cream (strawberry being my favorite) and roll it into balls that seemed the size of baseballs and then roll them in sprinkles of all different colors. She would place them on a cookie sheet with waxed paper underneath and put them in the large freezer out back to freeze back up. It seemed to me at the time that these were the most beautiful things I had ever seen.
Story to be continued...