The Terrible Catsafterme

Brad’s Musings and Meanderings

random acts of quoting

"Yay Eli, you're a tree sloth." - Julie Burton, "It's Your Move"

Archive for the 'Christmas' Category

CHRISTMAS 35 – 2005

Saturday, December 18th, 2010

My 35th Christmas on earth would come to represent many things. It was the last Christmas that Carolyn and I would spend together. It was the last Christmas that I would spend with my Grandma Murphy. It was the last Christmas that I would have without a nephew. And it was the only Christmas that I would spend with my purple furniture. Although Carolyn and I were going through a lot of problems, we managed to cope with the holiday quite well, decorating extensively complete with lighted garland hanging over our sliding door blinds. As we put up the tree and I looked at her under it, I wondered if this would be our last holiday season together. Read the rest of this entry »

The Holidays Before the Boy

Tuesday, December 14th, 2010

No matter how difficult it is to see just how, my parents did in fact have a short life together before I was born. In fact, they spent two Christmases together before I was even conceived: one as a newly dating couple who had only been together for a couple of months, and one as a married couple who had yet to set the wheels in motion of creating me and forming our family. There is a home movie that exists along with a small batch of photos showing my parents during this holiday. Read the rest of this entry »

CHRISTMAS 11 – 1981

Saturday, December 11th, 2010

The Christmas of 1981 was another one of the really, really good ones. I was inching my way out of childhood and toward adolescence. But whether I wanted to admit it or not, I was still a kid susceptible to the magic and allure of Christmas. Still full of excitement and anticipation of the moment that the gun would signal the opening of the gifts. This was a very pleasant time in my life. As a fourth grader, I was kept very active by my Mom, participating in several extra-curricular activities. December was a busy month, as it yielded the fruits of these many clubs. Read the rest of this entry »

Christmas Newsletter 2005

Sunday, February 21st, 2010

The newsletter that Carolyn, Ashleigh, and I (with special assistance from Briana) put together for Christmas 2005 was the last one that would include the original ABC Crew. It was a rather difficult one to write, especially where the introduction was concerned. As always, I wrote this intro, and I wanted to convey a sense of ‘we’re not a perfect family’ – even if we were in the midst of trying to work on it. With all of the beating we had taken as a family, I think we all were able to put a positive spin on this, our third Christmas Newsletter. Read the rest of this entry »

The Murphy 2009 After-Christmas Party

Thursday, December 31st, 2009

Like the previous year, our family broke tradition once again by not having the Murphy family Christmas gathering on Christmas Day itself. This one was much more palatable than last year as it took place only one day after the holiday itself – rather than two, and it did not take place in the unseasonably warm weather of the year before. In short, it just actually felt more like Christmas. I think I had the best time here out of any of the Christmas celebrations I attended this year. Read the rest of this entry »