First Date

Happy Childhood Days

My Favorite Drink

"Reflections By Michelle" 2012 birthday cards to friends and family

Santa Mugs

From my Christmas Book "A Fair View of Fairview"

A

unt Carmen was my hero.  I have tried to emulate her character traits all my life.  Her house was meticulously clean – always.  She could multi-task and work with a constant burst of energy.  Even before others knew there was a need in the ward, she would respond with fresh bread, goodies and charitable service.   She always seemed to have the most popular and trendy items of the time.  I was totally fascinated by her electric ironing machine.      Every holiday she decorated her rooms with the latest centerpieces and figurines.  Aunt Carmen was the first lady in Fairview to purchase the latest fad, an aluminum Christmas tree.   Even though the aluminum trees soon became a common feature in most of the homes, Aunt Carmen’s tree seemed better than the others.  She had a multi-colored plastic wheel that could be plugged in so that it would turn and project dazzling lights on the aluminum tree.  She always had a way to be creative and classy to the greatest detail in everything.   I spent a lot of time at Aunt Carmen’s so I am thinking that she must have tended me quite a bit.  One time I was sitting at the kitchen table in her immaculate kitchen drinking hot cocoa out of a Santa Mug. That was an ultimate holiday experience.  As a young mother I had the opportunity to make a ceramic set of my own which was the beginning of my own holiday traditions.  I have since brought to life and incorporated many of my childhood fantasies regarding Christmas.  I give the credit for those desires to my Aunt Carmen.

Tender Memory

"Reflections By Michelle" 2012 birthday cards to friends and family

Link To The Past

"Reflections By Michelle" 2012 birthday cards for friends and family

THE MAGIC OF SNOW

From my Christmas Book "A Fair View of Fairview"

C

hristmas and snow are synonymous for me.  Whenever I see snow lightly fall in the evening I am taken back to all sorts of events:  Christmas shopping in Salt Lake City when I was a little girl.  We did a very unusual thing and stayed at a motel.  I remember Kim and Pam having a bed but there was only a crib for me so I must have been very small.  Walking on the streets outside of ZCMI, viewing the snow falling outside the elaborate window displays and seeing people carrying sacks and wrapped packages is a perfect storybook memory.

I loved to go outside in the evening when it was snowing.    One time I worked very hard to make as many snowballs as I could before my brother, Kim, left the milking parlor to finish his evening chores.  I lined up as many snow balls as I could on every manger stall.  When Kim came into view I started throwing the snowballs as fast as I could.  I do remember Kim being very surprised and me getting the better of him for just a little while.  He quickly made his own snowballs and I imagine that I ended up crying and screaming to Mother.

I don’t think we had the warmest clothing for living in such a cold climate.  I had some fleece-lined white rubber books with a zipper up the front.  I can only remember knitted mittens that would get sopping wet out in the snow.  When I would come in from playing outside I would sit on the top step in the furnace room and try to unzip my boots.  I just couldn’t get enough feeling in my fingers to get my boots off.  My fingers and toes would hurt so badly as they warmed up.