Let's begin with Christmas 1980

All of the following photos are from Christmases past starting with 1980. Back in the day in Monroe, there was one place to buy a Christmas tree and it was on the corner of Forsythe and 18th street, choices were a Scotch Pine or a Douglas Fir. We always went with the Scotch Pine. As you can see, little bitty Brooke is helping in the decorating and whoever that is with the Christmas balls is headed to put on the traditional pink and purple ornaments. Leave it to Billie June to find pink ornaments in the 60's and carry them on til now. I have a pink ornament on my tree every year courtesy of the BJ. The lighting for the old school trees were massive bulb lights that had to be snapped to each limb and they heated up like fire. Each and every year, Dale would get the Christmas decorations out and get Melanie, Carrie and I to check the lights. Our method of "checking" consisted of stretching the lights out on the carpet through the length of the living room and have an impromptu fashion show using the strings of lights as our runway. We did it EVERY SINGLE YEAR. It was brilliance except for the fact that an occasional burn spot might have showed up on the carpet from the hot lights...if a runway bulb sat too long in one spot. We choose not to share that information with Billie June or Big Frank but rather kept such happenings between ourselves. But, we were fashion forward fantastic and providing a service for the family at the same time. We were so ahead of our time.

1980. These pictures bring back so many memories.


I actually think that's me in the gray sweater, Big Frank and Grandma in the background. Meredith and Brooke are decorating.


Brooke apparently took a break from decorating to put her father to bed in the hallway, I'm not sure why this was considered the best sleeping spot.


Then it was my turn....again...in the hallway....all comfy and cozy.


But then the girls took a break from putting people to bed in order to fight over pom poms. I'm thinking Meredith's swiped one from Brooke. You can tell by the look on Brooke's face that she feels she's been wronged.


This is really all we ever did when the girls came to town.....they performed and we were entertained. We were a very willing audience.


Becky and Meredith look as if they were up to something. That's mine and Carrie's magnificent room. It really was magnificent.


Brooke looking cute with her little bear.


And again.


Brooke's hanging onto that bear. Randy's taking a break from football to check on the cute kid.


Young love...Dale and Lydia's first married Christmas together. If I didn't know for sure, I'd swear Dale was from an Arabic country. His nickname could have been Akmed.


But you can tell he still loves his mommy.


Bessie Louise came to town for Christmas. God love her she used a blue rinse on her hair until Gran talked her into stopping it. It was a good decision.


Truly in his khakis in Monroe. He always thought he should wear his dress clothes when traveling but we always loved him best in his khakis. This man was the best ever.


Love this picture...family just being together snuggling.


Brooke maybe looking for somewhere to take a break.


Looks like she found the right place.


This is an excellent look for her. It's called adorable.


Meredith and Brooke's Santa Claus. Tea sets and bunnies and that dolly's been through many grandchildren.


We always had to have the mood lighting Christmas tree pic. I still do this.


And the normal lighting to document Christmas 1980.


Fantastic times