Middle Child loved his balancing bird....an old school toy. I remember them from my youth......do you?
Once the first cold chill arrives, and he travels to the attic to find his winter attire, my brother in law is notorious for wearing the same, Alabama red clay colored (translate drab), well worn (translate ragged), age old, you could even call it dated (translate it's in prime condition for the goodwill drop box) sweatshirt....EVERYWHERE. It has a picture of sporting dogs on it, maybe labs, not sure, and it was given to him as a Christmas gift over a decade ago. And I do mean he wears it EVERYWHERE.....to every family function from Halloween to Easter....he's sporting it proudly at least one day of each of those weekends we gather together. And who knows how many times he wears it each week while he's home???
He sent me an email sometime mid-October to let me know the "dog sweatshirt was being brought out yet again this season, as it still had some wear in it left to be had".
I had all I could take....so I took matters into my own hands this year and came up with this nifty gift for him. Useful and attractive. Practical and exciting. All in one box. What more could you ask for?
I bet you were wondering if he liked it? Look, he did. In fact, I think he's worn it everyday since opening it. And it may go down as the most coveted item that was unwrapped this season. What? You got something better? Well, don't tell him, he thinks it's the greatest thing since....since that other sweatshirt gift so many years ago.
All the grand kids.....now that's one crew that knows how to have fun.
One of my favorite memories of my Christmases growing up is of my PawPaw and MawMaw coming over to our house every year on Christmas morning. They would arrive and PawPaw would love to look at all our gifts and play with my baby dolls and make me squeal by calling them some silly name I hated...but he always arrived with a pack of bubbalicious gum to give me every single time. (That was a big deal back then). They would stay to eat breakfast with us and it makes my heart melt to think about him still today, that big barrel chested man who gave the best hugs ever.....not just on Christmas morning but every day.
We are blessed that my parents are able to come and see our kids open gifts on Christmas morning. I hope they have these same memories when they get my age....remembering their PawPaw playing with them.
The photo tradition continues on Christmas morning.....we always make the kids stop on the staircase for the "anticipation" picture before rushing into the family room for Santa and gifts. It's going to be so much fun comparing these through the years.....here's the 2009 Christmas Morning photo captured.
Great times, with great family, making great memories.
2 comments:
Kevin, you make our uncles proud! For those of you that don't know, Wallace men refuse to spend money on things they don't think is necessary. My dad still has a suit from the 70's that he's proud he can still fit into. If you are ever at the same funeral as him, you will probably see it. Despite how ugly and old something is, as long as it has "some wear in it", its still good. So Kevin, wear your sweatshirt proudly! It is, afterall, how we were raised!
I just realized I posted my prior comment in the wrong spot. I prefer to think of my sweatshirt as a classic. Obviously, I inherited some of the same gene as Uncle Darrell. And Michelle did confirm what I suspected. When my girls go on the wild spending sprees, I've wondered where that comes from. Obviously, it's something inherited from the Tyner side. Kevin
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