Growing America Stories - Finding Your Niche in Agriculture

Katie and the All Nighters

My favorite childhood Christmas memory has to be all the years that Jeanna and I made a pallet on the floor, stayed up until the wee hours of the night, watched every red glowing minute change on my little white clock, all in anticipation of Christmas morning!!

Every year, after coming home from Grandmama Bentley's, we would head upstairs.  I'm sure we tried to convince the boys to have a sleepover with us but in true brother fashion, they thought we were cray.  Or that we giggled too much.  or actually probably pooted too much. 

Jeanna and I would put down lots of blankets in one of my little room cubbies, set the clock right beside us and literally stay awake staring at that clock pretty much the entire night. 

When the clock struck 7 am (I think that's when we were given permission to get up), we would first head to Matt's room to start waking him up, next to Will's train room.  We stomped around on the hard wood floor a hundred times trying to wake mama and daddy too.  EVERYONE was so annoyed with us.  But we didn't care, the excitement took over and we did whatever it took to get the troops stirring.

Finally Matt and Will would stumble out of bed, wipe the sleep from their eyes, smile begrudgingly for the annual top of the stairs picture and off to the races we went. 

I don't so much remember the presents we received year after year or who got more or less, but the feeling of Christmas excitement is so vivid in my mind. I can't imagine how Jeanna and I made it through Christmas day without crashing.  We had to be exhausted. 

Childhood memories, ahhh....I hope in writing these down, they will never be forgotten!

Merrry Christmas, Siblings!  Anybody want to sleepover with me??

Christmas Eve with the Grandparent Bentley's

Christmas has always been one of my favorite times of the year.  I love the traditions, the family times, and seeing happiness on people's faces.  Most of my Christmas memories revolve around my family and the traditions that we have together.

As far back as I can remember, our childhood Christmases always were very routine and I loved it!  Christmas Eve was always a busy day.  I can remember riding around with my dad and picking up last minute gifts, batteries, etc. in one of his many old farm trucks.  I especially enjoyed it when it was cold.  It just always seems more like Christmas to me when I have to wear long sleeves and jeans!

Our 'official' Christmas activities always started with a trip to Granddaddy and Grandmother Bentley's house.  It is very special to me because some of my early memories with them were held in the house where I now live.  I can remember vaguely having Christmas in the 'front' room (which was only used on Christmas).  It is pretty neat because we have now turned it in to our master bedroom.

I remember vividly the exact menu that we would have every year.  I long for the days of Grandmother Bentley's dressing, butter beans, turkey, ham, rolls, fruit cake and did I mention her dressing?  No one makes her dressing like she did even though it was pretty much just sweet cornbread!  I loved it and would love to have just one more piece today!

I can still remember our last Christmas with Granddaddy Bentley.  Even though I was very young I knew how much he loved his family.  I can not remember a single time he had a frown on his face and I can remember how he spoiled every single one of us.  He loved us unconditionally and it is a love that has carried on to my dad to this day.  Granddaddy was a special man.  Cancer took him from us too soon but his memories and my memories of him bring back smiles of times past.

When Granddad passed away, our Christmas tradition did not stop.  We continued to have Christmas Eve with Grandmomma.  I remember years of having Christmas at her apartment on South Green Street.  Even though it was a small apartment it was always filled with a big portion of love!  I was always excited because Grandmomma always got you what you wanted and usually more!  More importantly, I can still remember just relaxing and 'loving' on her and each other.  I can remember wrestling with my dad on her carpet floor.  I can remember playing with our new toys and maybe even getting in fusses with my siblings like children so often do.

When grandmother got too old to cook a large meal, we began to go out to eat on Christmas Eve.  Whether it was Norris's or Chiles, It was still special. I often say to Jessica nowadays how I would give anything for one more Christmas meal with Grandmom at Chiles.

The end of those meals weren't the end of our time with Grandmom.  It just meant we got to go back and spend some good quality time with her and enjoy her preciousness that we all loved.  Some of the best memories of her are laying on top of her bed while anywhere from 6-10 of us were all piled in to her room at West Village.  I can't remember a single present that she got me the last few years she was with us, but I can remember how proud she was to have us all in the same room together.

Life is short and life is constantly changing.  I love this time of year because  Christmas always reminds me to enjoy life, to enjoy others and to make sure to never take a minute of the holidays for granted.  I am so glad that changes to our family have brought us new spouses and kids.  I love making new traditions and memories.  I'll never forget times with Grandmomma and Granddaddy Bentley and I hope to never lose the memories of our Christmases together.