{Maddy and her cousin ZuZu}
I am a lover of history.
I guess I am a sucker for what was and what is out there….maybe even a little of the story we will never know.
I love knowing that things have as much of a story as people sometimes.
I love traditions, family, memories.
I grew up in a family of five but my mom’s side of the family was much larger.
We would all get together at Christmas time at my Grandma Jeanne’s home in Montgomery, Alabama.
These are some of my favorite memories.
I would give almost anything to slip back in time this Christmas and be a child again at my grandma’s. Almost anything.
To me it was magical. My grandma didn’t look like anyone’s grandma that I knew.
My grandma was beautiful and thin. She was stylish and graceful. Her home was full of beautiful art and music was always playing.
She was a composer and if she was sitting she was working on something…always busy.
She was very petite and when my cousin and I were around 10 we could fit into her high heel shoes and play dress up in her performance gowns.
We thought we were the luckiest girls in the world.
With all of us there every room was full and at bedtime we are all spread out in bedrooms, couches and all over the floor.
Christmas morning was a roaring fire, music playing, excitement over all the gifts under the tree, yummy foods and truly the deep down knowledge that I was so very, very loved.
The day would be full of playing in the yard, picking pecans off the ground, sneaking candies and cookies off the counter, drinking “Russian tea”, taking walks as a family.
The evenings were spent at the long dinning room table that was always set with pretty china and sparkling crystal.
{My mom on the right and my three aunts}
My grandma would look at all of us and tell us that her “cup runneth over”.
I feel like that.
I now know what she meant.
When you have family you have everything.
It doesn’t matter if you have tons of gifts under the tree, pretty dishes on the table, how fancy your home is or if you have art on your walls…….it is family.
My grandma has been gone for four years now. Those big Christmas’ won’t happen now without her and I miss them.
She did what every head of the family does….she brought us together. Maybe she even kept us all together a little more.
This Christmas as I look at my own little family I already know what I will say….
My cup runneth over!
{In the summer of 2010 my mom and her three sisters came to Colorado to visit my sister and me. These are some of the photos I took}
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Thank you, Jeanne. This is precious! Brings back so many wonderful memories…recent and many years ago:) Love you!
What a lovely post, Jeanne. And such beautiful family photographs!
Lovely Post, lovely photos – your so right, there’s nothing like family. The biggest house, most expensive car, every material thing in the world is worth nothing without family who love you just the way you love them. Your family is beautiful. Thanks for sharing.
I agree…your cup runneth over! Beautiful family!
So sweet — loved this post and your wonderful photos! Made me cry a little this morning thinking of my Mom and the first Christmas without her this year.
Merry Christmas to you and your wonderful family.
jeanne, that last one of maddy exudes christmas to me.=) so cute! amy
what a beautiful post!
you are such a lucky girl to have those cherished memories,
what an amazing woman your grandmother must have been.
your family is lovely.
you are lovely.
merry christmas!
Oh {sigh}…a beautiful post! Memories of Thanksgivings at my Gram’s house…similar to your Christmas ones…and so very cherished by me:) Yes, our “cups runneth over”! Merry, Merry Christmas Jeanne, to you & your big, beautiful family. 🙂
Honey Bun, Your mother and her sisters are beautiful. I can see where you and your sister get your looks. At Thanksgiving at my house, I made everyone go around and say what they were thankful for and my youngest who is 15,said “My cousins!!” Since he was surrounded by 9 of them at the time, I thought it was the sweetest thing ever…Here’s to us making memories for the next generation. One of my nieces at same Thanksgiving party said that I reminded her of Kristen Wiig, so I will take that memory that I am the funny, goofy Aunt. I can live with that…
Merry Christmas!!
I ditto all that has been said…love goes on and grows…it is from Heaven itself, like the One who came because of LOVE.
What wonderful memories. I remember Christmas of my childhood, gathered together as family. We are indeed so very blessed. Wishing you and your family a very Merry Christmas.
I love, love that shot of your sis and her kids. Her beauty blows me away. ALL of you–good grief, Jeanne…such awesome DNA! ha!
Great shots all around.
love you-
L
jeanne, 1) she looks just like you doll.
2) your photos are pure and so lovely and clear
3) I want my name to be Zuzu !! 😀
marry Christmas, Connie
jeanne, 1) she looks just like you doll.
2) your photos are pure and so lovely and clear
3) I want my name to be Zuzu !! 😀
merry Christmas
Grandma’s certainly have a way of keeping us together. My own grandma also died four years ago, and we don’t get together the same way at all. I miss having all 40 of us cousins together, taking shifts at the dinner table and fighting over our turn in the bathroom (well, don’t miss the bathroom line THAT much…) and listening to past escapades of our uncles.
What a wonderful cup you have that runneth over! May you and your sweet family have a blessed Christmas season!
What lovely pictures!! Jeanne I wanted to thank you for all the hard work you put into your blog styling, photography, writing in order to share and inspire others. I have a few of your designs and am enjoying those you have given a style that is modest but yet very hip and I feel wonderful wearing your things. I just wanted to let you know how inspiring you are and that your time is obviously appraised by many. Have a very Merry Christmas with your family and I look forward to all that you do in 2012. Thanks again. I had started my easy and picked up a copy of artful blogger over a year ago and have found an endless source of inspiration in your blog! Thanks!
Sherry