Happy Halloween!

We finally finished decorating the front yard, putting the Jack-o-Lanterns in our windows and assembled about 95 bags, each containing several pieces of candy and a few trinkets. Then we fasten the bags shut, put a cute sticker on each bag, and then place all the bags in a very big basket that sits on the front porch. Wow! Our family does this every year and honestly look forward to it. But perhaps you ask what does Halloween have to do with creating a family museum?  Good question. Answer is that the Halloween holiday, like most holidays, conjure up memories, and memories, momentums and memorabilia are what creates and is displayed in a family museum. Most likely, these recollections are in photographs which are framed or hopefully in an album or scrapbook that resides in the museum achieves. On Keith’s and my side of the museum, sad to say neither of us have anything from our Halloween Days. However, we do have a few photographs and they are fun to look at. Our kids museum side it is pretty much the same. Photographs of them in costume when they were little. I think the reason for the lack of physical things is because Halloween does not produce things to keep. The holiday is all about the candy and we know where that goes. Therefore, this nonexistence of memorabilia leaves nothing behind to display.

However, I do have some memories to share with you of a time when our son Charlie, worked at Busch Gardens as a member of their Scare Squad during their Howl-O-Scream event.  And boy! Could he give you a scare. With his loud resonating operatic voice, he would bellow out a great Bela Lugosi howl, making you jump and shiver with fright. One year he dressed up like a zombie and would quietly creep behind the park visitor and when they least expected it, he would bello out his spine-chilling howl. He even scared me! Keith and I would stand back and watch him. We laughed and enjoyed this actor in him come live. When we entered his scary world, Charlie tried to scare me, but I wouldn’t have any of it. But fun was had by all.  

Halloween is also a great time to watch scary movies, however, we are not fans of the gory ones. We like the funny and sophisticated movies. Like Bell, Book & Candle, Arsenic & Old Lace, and The Ghost & Mrs. Muir. Another movie we love watching is Hocus Pocus and listening to the song Sarah Jessica Parker sings while fling on her broomstick, "Come Little Children." Did you know that song was written by poet Edgar Allan Poe?
As you know from previous posts, I always like to add some edifying tidbits FYI. Here is some on the history of Halloween. Enjoy!                             http://www.halloweenhistory.org

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our Family Museum Collections from A to Z - "C" for Childhood Clubs

Awana (derived from the first letters of Approved Workmen Are Not Ashamed as taken from2 Timothy 2:15) meaning, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who doesn't need to be ashamed, correctly teaching the word of truth.”

Awana is an international evangelical nonprofit organization founded in 1950, headquartered in Streamwood, Illinois.  The mission of Awana is to help "churches & parents worldwide raise children and youth to know, love and serve Christ. Awana is a non-denominational program and licenses its curricula to any church willing to pay for and use the Awana materials consistent with its principles.   

Pictured here is Keith’s hat, membership cards from 1958 & 1961 & merit pins.     

 

Keith recalls little about his days as a Pal & Pioneer with Awana. His mother was a devote Baptist and raised her family of five boys and one girl to be good Baptists. As Keith was her last child, she doted on him and made he take part in bible studies. What I find interesting is that Awana was founded the same year Keith was born and that its headquarters were in Streamwood, Illinois which is not very far from Keith’s childhood hometown of Midlothian, Illinois. I can also imagine that there was much ado about this organization and those who ran it must have had a fairly large alliance that promoted Awana throughout the state of Illinois.

What Keith does remember of his days with the group was getting together with  the other boys and playing baseball in the church yard. He says he didn’t mind learning the bible stories and liked when the class drew pictures and sang songs.

 

And being of a fair mind and very conscientious of the world about him, Keith is a true Awana. I am sure he is just as proud today as he was back then when he was a member of the club. And it really is quite remarkable that these few things from those days were saved and now are in the family museum. 

Do you recall being a member of a club during your childhood?

 

Our Family Museum Collections from A to Z - "B" for Baseball

 

Oct. 26, 2014 – The Giants are one win away from their third World Series championship in five years after topping the Royals in Game 5 on Sunday night.

My hubby Keith loves baseball (and football & basketball. Soccer, a little). His favorite team, being born and raised in Chicago is, of course, The Chicago White Sox.

As this week is the continuation of the 2014 World Series, I thought it would be fun to share some thoughts and pics on baseball. To start out with, here is some FYI’s for you. Six things you may not know about the World Series, however, they do not complete the statement. Can you?

1.     An unofficial championship between leagues predated the World Series.

2.     The outcome of the first World Series may have paved the way for Major League Baseball.

3.     The World Series has only been canceled twice.

4.     Only one “world champion” team didn’t come from the United States

5.     One team has won 27 World Series, while two hapless franchises haven’t appeared in a single one.

6.     Before the era of championship rings, triumphant players took home timepieces.

                                         American Association’s New York Metropolitans, who played in                                       (and lost) the first unofficial World Series in 1884. (Library of Congress)

 Here are the keepsakes from Keith’s baseball days in our Family Museum.

      Little League Ball;

      Baseball card of Jack Christy Mathewson (1915) found in a Cracker Jack Box;

     Tickets stubs from a White Sox’ game. What a bargain in 1970 at $3.50 compared todays price of $125.00.

 

      A give-away-bat from a past White Sox’s game Keith and I attended. Are small baseball bats still given away? Last major league game we went to they didn’t. So I guess this little bat is a rarity, therefore, belongs in our family museum. Do you have any memento’s such as home-run balls, autographed pictures, etc.?

 Little League's roots extend as far as baseball's history itself - even into the 18th century. Though Keith did not play in a little league, he played with the neighborhood kids in the empty field next to his house until a new house was built there.

The history of Little League is very interesting. Find it here are this website:  http://www.littleleague.org

 

 

     Keith’s 1958 Little League Ted Williams Glove from    Sears Roebuck & Co.

     Ted Williams and Sears Roebuck partnered up with and introduced the Ted Williams brand of sporting and recreation goods in 1961. Sears distributed over one million gloves between 1960, and 1980. A Ted Williams Sears Roebuck glove is worth about $40.-$75 in excellent condition. A glove in mint condition will sell for more. Keith doesn’t remember how much was paid for his glove and that really isn’t the point here. What matters is that he still has it and when he slips his hand into it (the glove still fits) fond memories of playing ball out in the field next to his home are still vivid and cherished.  

 

      Baseball Food. Yum!

     Not only going to a game is great,   but the food is wonderful. No matter how one tries, the taste of a ballpark hotdog can never be replicated at home. And the beer. Oh how it flows. Cold and foamy, perfect with whatever you eat, like the hot pretzels with mustard. Again, you can’t get this taste at home. As for the cotton candy, our daughter loved picking at this sugary confectionary, licking her fingers after every bite. It hurts my teeth just thinking about it. For some great info and stories about baseball food, visit this website and drool. 

 

http://www.history.com/news/the-history-of-ballpark-food

So let’s all sing now . . .

Take me out to the ball game,                                                                                       Take me out with the crowd;
Just buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack,
I don't care if I never get back.
Let me root, root, root for the home team,
If they don't win, it's a shame.
For it's one, two, three strikes, you're out,                                                                      At the old ball game.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Take_Me_Out_to_the_Ball_Game

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

                                             



                                                  

Updated reviews

Hi to all those who enjoy my blog. I have received a few comments but would enjoy receiving more. This past week has been a busy one for me and I was not able to post. As soon as things settle down a bit, I am going to repost several previous stories for your review. With our lives filled to the brim with little time to enjoy the things we  want to, I hope these re-posts will give you that opportunity.

Until next new post, have a great weekend and do let me hear from you. What is the measure of success if not being told that what is being offered is edifying and entertaining.

"Our heritage and ideals, our code and standards - the things we live by and teach our children - are preserved or diminished by how freely we exchange ideas and feelings."     Walt Disney