1949
To all of our little olive plants: 

Down on the farm on August 25th 1913, Monday noon, your father and I were married. We had a beautiful home wedding. It was a most perfect day and we were very happy. 

We went to Hutcheson, Kansas for a short honeymoon, then back to the farm where we settle down and began life together. He was the sweetest of young husbands and all I could get done was to tag him all over the farm from early morning until after all the chores were done at night. 

The house held no attraction for me only when he was in there with me. I was his shadow for the first year. Then our first baby came. It nearly broke my heart to have to stay indoors, but I had a new interest now and new duties. 

This little one was our pride and joy. Her slightest wish was granted without any questions asked. If she desired a song to be sung to her at midnight, or any hour of the early morning, or any kind of entertainment that might please her fancy, it was gladly granted. 

As time went on, little ones began to fill the home until our house was like the old woman who lived in the shoe. Children everywhere. You may be sure the night entertainment stopped after the first one. 

Now, Father had to work early and late to get enough food to fill all the little mouths and clothes for them to wear. Sometimes our cupboard was like old Mother Hubbard's and sometimes it groaned under the load of good things it contained. When it was overloaded with good things, he often said, "The children would set up all night in order to eat everything up, rather than have anything left for the next day." But, it was a happy little group. The favorite pastime was CANDY making. Each child learned to make candy almost before they could talk. They were all very sweet. 

The years slipped by all too fast. The young men began to come in swarms and one by one they took all of our sweet girls away. One tiny little girl slipped into the swarm and captured our only boy. Now we are back where we started from, and I guess I can play "tag" again. 

A very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year and God bless you all. 

Dad, "We aren't here Mom." 
Mom, "Where are you?" 
Dad, "Don't know." 
Dad and Florence (under the covers) "Giggle, Giggle." 
Mom, "There they are."

1950
My dear children:

Here it is time for another Christmas letter. How time does fly. Many things have happened since last Christmas, some have made us sad and some have made us glad. The saddest thing was the passing of my dear Mother. It was hard to give her up, but we know she is safe with Jesus where all is peace and happiness. And we know that if we live according to God's plan we can spend eternity with her. 

The most blessed event was the salvation of Betty and Danny. How it made our hearts rejoice to know they had turned their lives over to Jesus to be led of him. May the Lord wonderfully bless and use them in the up-building of His Kingdom. 

And so the days, weeks and months pass on with usual run of things each day. 

Dad had to give up one of his prized possessions a few weeks ago. "Joe". Someone else liked him too, as well as Dad, for the minute Dad turned his back and came into town, someone ran off with Joe and he hasn't been heard of since. If he gets down your way,-- a brown and white spotted dog with a green plastic collar, that's Joe. Send him home. 

We are trying to get a nice new laying house finished up for our young hens, but one of them just couldn't wait any longer, so yesterday she just had to lay a nice big egg on the ground. Wonder if some more of them will try the same stunt today?

We would enjoy our farm home if we had time, but we don't get to see too much of it, only on Saturdays and part of Sunday. Last Saturday, Ruth, Phil and Larry and I dressed out 32 young roosters and put them in the locker. Dad killed them all for us. Some day's work, if you ask me. Anyway, we can have fried chicken now for the rest of the winter, so come on and help eat them. 

Well my dears, I trust this coming year will bring us all great prosperity and happiness and that the war doesn't get any of us. 

A very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to each of you. 

Much love, 

Mom. 

1952
My dear children:

The time has come again when I must get my Christmas letter written. We enjoy reading all of the letters so much. This is Saturday and I am at home alone just now. Dad has gone to town to get a haircut. 

Dad and I are still plugging along. We keep busy enough to keep us out of mischief. He has quite a time with me though, trying to keep track of me here at home. He starts talking to me about something, I listen for a while and then go on about my many duties. He looks up after a while and finds he is talking to himself. For how long? No one knows. So he up and goes to town and buys a nice pair of house slippers with bells on them and brings them home and puts them on me. "Now," he says, "I guess I'll know where you are. I'm tired of talking to myself." So now if I don't happen to have my bells on and go out of the room without him seeing me, as soon as he misses me he and calls, "GET THEM BELLS ON YOU." We have a game of hide and seek quite often of a morning. I'll be busy getting breakfast and when I call him to get up, he will say, "I'm not here." I pull the bacon off the stove and rush in the bedroom, sure enough he is gone, so the hunt begins. Sometimes I have a hard time finding him. I look everywhere even in the bathtub. Other times I look around and there he is big as life, standing right in front of me. We mix a little fun with our work and enjoy each other. 

Thanksgiving is almost here again. We wish we could all be together for the day. Then I could show you our new little granddaughter. She is a very special little Miss. Our little (grandson?) will be making his appearance before long now and then we will have two very special little people. Our family record will have to be brought up-to-date. We had had hopes of having three little specials but it looks now like we will have to wait for a while for the third one, eh Barb? We won't give up hopes though. All of us here will eat dinner together at Betty's and Danny's. Turkey and everything, yummm. 

We are looking forward to next June when Milton and his family will be coming home for a visit. Maybe Tommy will show us some of his fighting ability and Linda will sing us a song. Esther and Paul were down for a short visit last week. We always enjoy having them. They have a fine collection of dogs, of all kinds and description. If you need anything like that, give them a ring. 

Think I better stop so you will have a few minutes left to read the other letters. A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS to you all and God's richest blessings upon every one of you. 

Much love, 
Mom and Dad. 
412 Dewey 
Nampa, Idaho

1953
Dear ones, big and small:

Once again another Christmas is just about here. I love the Christmas season, with the pretty decorated trees, windows and streets and all of the nice things that go along with it. But most of all I'm glad for the birth of our Savior, who loves us and cares for us all through the year. So many good things come our way and I'm so thankful for them all. 

A few more days of school now and we have 10 days vacation. That's going to seem mighty a nice to get to stay home a while. Milton and Tommie will be with us and we are going to enjoy that. We are looking forward to the time when Mary and family will be coming our way. They will move out this way in the spring. We surely hope so. We enjoy so much having Paul and Esther in our home. They are a great help to us in many, many ways. We are just one happy family. Of course I have to read bear stories to Dad and Paul most every night to keep them in good humor. So I'm learning the ways of the wild. But there is a price to this reading, they have to wash the supper dishes if I'll read to them. They get along pretty well, they don't fuss as to who is going to wash or who was going to dry and I don't believe they have broken anything yet, so I guess I'll just let them keep on doing them. Paul is going to sing two or three songs for us at our Christmas program here at school. He gets a lot of calls to sing. 

The students are giving a little play with a few other members. I think it's going to be pretty nice. Hope we have a white Christmas. We never do though. We surely wish everyone of you A Very Merry Christmas and A Happy New year. 

Much love, 

Mom and Dad.

1957
MEET YOUR RELATIVES

Some of you have requested a family history - so, I have undertaken to give you a little glimpse into the past; at least tell you the names of your uncles and aunts on my side.  I shall begin with my Mother and Father's Mother and Father.

(To be continued).

Copyright © 2003-2008 philfrisk
Last modified: March 31, 2008