A Pioneer Christmas

The ghosts of Christmas past…

2020. This year we’ll travel to Oklahoma to spend a few festive days with our kids there then rush back to celebrate with our kids who are traveling to spend the holidays with us.

When you have 5 kids with families of their own, it’s just harder to get together and a rare thing to get them all together at the same place at the same time! But, I know that the joys of this holiday season, will be the memories I’ll carry with me to the next….from joy to joy.

Christmas: 2019

We are spending our first true pioneer Christmas at my daughters house in Illinois.
They live in an 1877 schoolhouse, with additional living added to the back. The home is located on Stagecoach Trail which was the actual stagecoach route, established in the 1830’s. This two lane road, curves through the hilly, scenic countryside that once carried passengers and the mail between Galena and Chicago.

I immediately fell in love with it’s charm from the wide plank hardwood floors to the barn wood walls, the woodburning stove, soaring peak of the trussed ceiling and the deep set, original wood framed windows. The schoolhouse section is completely heated by a wood burning stove so my son in law is busied chopping wood and stoking the fire, keeping us all cozy and toasty.

There’s an historic plaque that has been placed above the door and travelers stop by to take photos from time to time and sometimes ask to come inside. An elder lady recently stopped by who had attended this very school in the early 1900’s!

It is so special to get to spend Christmas with family and with the joy that grandchildren bring to the season.

My daughter, Krista and her husband, Justin were in the kitchen filling a stockpot with a turkey, vegetables and fragrant herbs & spices for a turkey gumbo that is now stewing on the wood burning stove.

The sweets are baking and little hands decorating.

Our grandson, Ezra & his best bud, his PawPaw, sit together in their own little world, chatting quietly and laughing together.

Our granddaughter, Adalie whispers love secrets into Mimis ears. They travel from my ears, all the way down to a special place in my heart where I’ll keep them safely tucked away, forever.

Oh, it is my hope for you, that this season brings you days such as this, surrounds you with the love and warmth of family and your hearts are filled with the joy of Christmas. Merry Christmas, my friends! Always with Love, Laura💕