1503 Rebecca, continued . . .

Kristy's 4th birthday at 1503 Rebecca.  We are in the dining room at that big lovely table.  I recovered the chair seats.  We had six dining room chairs, I think.  I had never seen a table like it.  At each end, you reached under and pulled out an 18" extension and snapped it into place.  So the 5' table extended out to 8 foot.  Or was it 6' extended out to 9'?  It was nice!  I miss it : ( 

Late 1972 or early 1973.  I had sewed me this robe before Kristy I was born.  I loved the ease of the robe.  It zipped up the front.  It washed up, wrinkle free.  It was pretty and comfortable -- and roomy!  It accomodated pregnancies, I used it for all four. I wore it until the hem and the seams frayed and was falling apart. 

I also sewed up the cafe curtains for the big window in the kitchen.  I adored that blue, colorful printed cotton fabric!  Only the bottom half of the window was curtained, which allowed us (well, Dad and I anyway) a view out but afforded us privacy.  Guess I didn't think about the little ones wanting to see out! 

Here is our formica kitchen table.  We had four chairs to match.  Behind us, basically, is the amount of kitchen cupboards we had in the kitchen -- except for the extra cupboards in the little pantry.  There is a good gas cooking stove too.  Wish I had one like that today.  Okay, maybe the oven was a little hot but a person learned to compensate and turned it down a little and maybe we had to light one burner with a match.  Still, it cooked our meals!

 Kristy and Erica planting flowers at the corner of Rebecca and 15th Street.  Looking south and east.  Probably spring of 1976.  We didn't know the folks that lived in those two houses across the street. 

ahhh.  My little girls and Tiffany . . . or was it Mollie?  washing dishes in the side yard.  All the little girls needed was a pan of water, an apron and something to wash and they were content!  This pic is looking west on 15th street.  Weyer's is across the street, to our left.

Then along came Craig! 

a big bouncing bundle of boy. 

Erica and Kristy took one look at him and were enamored again!  And pretty darn curious about bottles and nursing babies and diaper changes! 

oh yes, there we are again . . . wearing our aprons and washing dishes. 

Nothing like that to keep a girl balanced and in control : )  and that is Tiffany.  Look at Dad's rose behind Erica and our house came with window boxes.  There were 30 or 40 colors of iris on the north property line, there was a wonderful yellow bush rose, there were tulips and dad planted roses and trees.  I can't remember what this big old wooden crate was or where we kept it but it worked great for washing dishes. 

I got that "loaf" pan and the 8X8" cake pan at the _ _ _ _  Store.  If I bought so many dollars worth of groceries each month, I got a "premium", a free gift.  Of course I had to take my own boxes and bags and box and bag my own groceries, but I did and I saved!  And I got many things!  This may have to be a story all it's own.  I got these two baking pans, colored green on the outside. 

Downstairs, small bedroom.  One day Kristy wanted in Erica's crib so I let her.  And Erica climbed up like a champ and slept in Kristy's bunk.  It was about 8" to the floor from the bottom bunk so was ideal for little girls.  And little boys. 
Erica has her home-made Granny Square blanket with her.  She dragged that thing around until it unraveled and shriveled up and decomposed!  And I encouraged it, every step of the way! 

Christmas 1975.  Still a family of 4 (but expecting an additon come February.) 

oh my, yes.  I know this feeling.  Thank goodness we grow out of half of that bashfulness by the time we are adults.   Erica!  where are you? 

Two little pretty Easter girls on Gramma and Grampa's front stoop. 

Aren't they sweet?  When Johanna was about three, I made her one of these little capes.  She hardly wore it and I put it away and kept it.  This spring I gave it to Audri.  I hope Audri wears it for Easter this year.  If she does, someone please take her picture!?!

Boys in Blue

oh boy.  Are we teething, son?  or just sleepy?  lol  Papa and Craiger.  In the front yard of 1503 Rebecca.  Weyer's house is across the street.  I don't think I ever got inside that house!  Wasn't it huge? 

Here!  Kristy was sleeping in Erica's crib while Erica slept in Kristy's lower bunk (above).  Kristy, feeling some sibling rivalry maybe? needed to sleep in her old bed.   So I let her and Erica swap.  All in the downstairs small bedroom.

Kristy, Erica and Nicky Knickerbocker

Isn't this adorable?  This is at the base of the stairway door that took you (me, thee, us) upstairs to the second floor.  I hauled that laundry hamper around with us for years.  I finally spray painted it blue and think it was only here, in Creston, that I finally disposed of that thing! 

Oh, gosh.  Who are these people? 

Strangers in our house!  : )

Easter 1976.

It was a beautiful day and we hunted eggs in the front yard. 

Pretty babies

It wasn't often that my children wore coordinated clothing : ) This is at the south east corner of 1503 Rebecca. When we moved in there was an ornamental sumac tree that had character and was a beautiful orange most falls.  We have planted about three of these at various houses we have owned.  There is one down on a lake lot at Twin Lake but it is not ours, sad to say.  So, soon, I will plant one at our new cabin.