Deja Vu Christmas Part One

Davis Twenter, 2009

My grandchildren were all here after Christmas and so many of their "activities" reminded me of Christmases Past. At least one person dresses like Santa Claus!

Rebecca Morgan, 1974

Roman Lewis,2009
We have musical gifts.Rachel Morgan, 1987

Brett, Libby, Roman, Eli, Davis, 2009

Cousins help each other unwrap gifts.

Rebecca, Jim, Lynn, Jaclyn, Doug, Rachel, Leah,1985

Eli and Anna Warren, 2009
Someone wears red long underwear.
Brett and Davis, 2004

Rachel Morgan, Doug Provost,@1982

Eli and Libby, 2009

There's an art activity!Rebecca and Lynn,@1980

Eli and Roman, 2009
I hope that playing with trains will always be a family tradition.

Rachel and Doug, 1978

Now lest you think only Long Family Traditions continue, stay tuned. . .

Long Cousin Traditions

Several times my grandchildren reminded me of me and my cousins. This little game of chasing one another round and round never gets old.

I can recall my cousins and I running from the entry hall back to our grandparents' bedroom, through the butler's pantry, into the kitchen, through the dining room which took us back to the entry hall.
My grandchildren have a smaller loop: Sitting Room (formerly a dining room), Entry Hall, Kitchen and back to the Sitting Room.
Roman led this merry chase, but was cautious not to get too far ahead of his cousins who are a year younger. I can remember my grandmother worried that "someone is going to get hurt." But, we didn't care---chasing each other was so much fun. . .besides it was always Steve that got hurt, so. . .
When I led the chase, someone did get hurt---I was so much shorter than my cousins that I could run under the tables, but Bob and Steve got nailed.

The other Long Cousin Tradition was older cousins hiding from younger cousins. Libby and Roman hid under a table in the Dining Room and poor Eli couldn't find them. When he did find them, he joined them in the hide until Grandma pulled the table cloth off!
And no one got hurt!

Happy Birthday, Doug!

Although I'm not sure of WHEN these birthdays were (I have the same date on the back for 2 different years), I do know WHERE they were. So, maybe Jane, Harry, Lynn and Doug can help me here. This photo was taken in Columbia, MO. We gave Doug the sweater, but he seems more interested in taunting his sister with something.
This was another year (note Rebecca's hair), but it still appears to be in Columbia, MO.
This is the same year---same Bert and Ernie cake, but note Doug's shirt---is that a Mork outfit?
This was in Pana, IL. It was hard determining which photos were Christmas photos and which were Doug's birthday.
Despite the red and green of everything, I'm pretty sure this is Doug's birthday. This photo kind of reminds me of the "hog photo" with the people in the background and the emphasis on what is in the foreground. Click here to see the "hog photo".

Recipes---Recycle

I wanted to find a recipe for a pasta dish I fixed many years ago which meant I needed to go to my recipe cards. . .I haven't delved through those cards for years preferring the internet and a few favored cook books. Several drawers were organized, but still just tooooo many recipes.
They are housed in a file box which I inherited from my grandfather Roy Long---he stored tools in it.
If the cards had a product that was no longer made, was anything made with Kool-aid or Kellogg's cereal. . .
Anything with liquor. . .Country Time and liquor?
Anything with shredded wheat and bananas. . .
Recipes that are way too fancy and complicated. ..
Baby juice and Knox Gelatin??? ALL gone.
I remember being on trip, making some of these cards in the car---some weren't really cards but just cardboard I cut.
So, these have all been sent to the recycle bin. I did NOT include any favorites, hand-written ones from close family and friends. And, yes, I did finally find that pasta recipe.

Cousins Respond to Anna

Three of Anna's cousins had interesting responses to her birth. Rachel announced to Libby and Davis, "Your cousin Anna is here!" Libby ran to the window to look outside thinking she was literally at their house.

Upon see photos of her birth, Davis was disappointed that there were no photos of her actually being birthed---thus began a rather uncomfortable question/answer session with his mother.
And, Roman upon seeing her photos shortly after birth told his mother indignantly, "That baby needs some clothes." His mother assured him that with Leah as her mother, Anna had plenty of clothes.

I can't wait for them to actually MEET Anna.

Eli Going Home

Eli and I decided to make cookies for him to take to his mom and dad.
We decorated them. . .

baked them. . .and put them in containers for his mom and dad.
We had some cookie scraps for Grandpa to sample. . .and Eli.
Eli was so happy to get home and see his sister Anna.
Although we decided she didn't look very much like Eli, he pointed out that she had a nose and HE had a nose; she had a mouth and HE had a mouth. . .
I think all of that finger pointing made Anna a little nervous. . . she had her eye on Eli.

Speaking of eyes---if you enlarge this photo you will see the miracle of genetics. I think she will be blue-eyed despite having two brown-eyed parents. She does have 2 blue-eyed aunts: Cara (Warren) and Rebecca (Morgan)!

Outings with Eli

We decided to go on a few "outings" for Eli's third day visiting us. We went to Chick-fil-A for lunch and a little large motor play.


It's a wonderful place for toddlers and there's good food, too.
However, it could be Libby's worst nightmare. . .
But, the "scary" cows aren't a problem for Eli. He even made a new friend with the wonderful name of Roman.
We went home for NAPS (All of us) and then went to Valley Park to the Whittle Shortline Railroad. It's a great little Train Store in an old Frisco RR Hotel.
We had gone with Roman in August and knew Eli would also love it. Click here for Roman's visit. They have Thomas, Brio, but also their own line. They are open Tuesday-Sunday (until 4 on weekdays, 5 on weekends) and are located at 24 Front St. in Valley Park (by the train tracks). The phone number is (636) 861-3344 and web site is www.woodentrain.com