Kaleidoscope Memories!

Valentines Day Box

2012-02-07T23:29:00.002-05:00

Each year our class would celebrate Valentine's Day at school. It was a big time and took a lot of thought to which Valentine would go to whom. You had to make sure you included everyone in your class, including the teacher. Then you didn't want to send the wrong Valentine to the wrong boy. Heaven forbid.
I think, however, that the best time was preparing our crepe paper boxes so it would be ready for the day. We were allowed to drop our Valentines into the various boxes just before we had some treats from the teacher. It was fun to open our box and see how many Valentines we got from our classmates and which one came from whom. Sometimes you'd get lucky and find a lollipop valentine in your box. It was always great fun and we were happy to take our filled box home to show our siblings and parents.
Fun times.

Our Christmas Tree - 2011

2011-12-28T17:07:00.002-05:00

This is our tree for 2011. It was done in gold and silver with a white angel on top. It was very pretty, we worked hard to make it so. I like it a lot. It came out beautiful and everyone was happy with it. I love the bigger ornaments, how they show up and glisten. Thought you might like to see this years tree.

I have no clue how my siblings trees look, but it would be fun to take pictures and put them side by side to see how each of us decorate our tree and the memories they hold.

Blessings all.

What Does Your Christmas Season Look Like?

2011-11-29T10:22:00.002-05:00

The Christmas season is upon us. We made it through Thanksgiving and Black Friday. Now we get busy and decorate the house and tree. Buying/making gifts for everyone is the best part of the season. I grew up in northern Illinois and Christmas meant cold weather, snow, sliding and having fun spending time outside. Those are memories I cherish, but I moved away from the area twenty-five years ago.

Christmas now is warm weather, green grass, sunshine, and palm trees and sometimes beaches. What is your Christmas season like - weather included? Are you someone who thinks Christmas isn't Christmas without snow? Does Santa come down your chimney or does he arrive through your patio door?

Sinnissippi Park

2011-08-25T12:03:00.003-04:00

When we were growing up, our family went to Sinnissippi Park often. It has beautiful rolling hills leading down to the Rock River and there are some caves at the bottom also. We were not allowed to go to the caves as small children.

The west end of the park was a lookout area on a bluff that allowed you to view the bend in the river and it was always a beautiful area. On the bluff was a series of mounds that later were excavated and found to be graves from the Hopewellen Indian Tribes. The National Historic Park District put them on the Historical Register. Our family still spends time at this park. It is the park mentioned in our book, "Kaleidoscope Memories: Childhood Stories That Celebrate Family Life."

As a little tidbit - author Terry Brooks is from Sterling and has set his book, "Running With The Demon" in this town and the park. You might like to check it out also.

Our Reward -- Drive-in Movies

2011-06-01T16:49:00.001-04:00

At the end of the school year we would put our report cards on the dining room table. When Dad came home from work, we'd all gather round to watch his face and see if he was happy with our grades for the year. We knew we had passed, but as small children do, we needed his approval. After checking the last one, he'd look at each of us and give a big smile.
"Well," he'd say. "I guess this means we'll be going to the drive-in as soon as a suitable show comes."
"Yeah!" we shouted, looking forward to claiming our reward for woking hard at school. We were a happy, excited group of kids. Then on top of that excitement Dad motioned for us to listen to him.
"Because all your grades were so good this year, I think we can manage getting everyone a milkshake on the way to the drive-in. We'll stop at The Ice Cream Shoppe." He turned and winked at Mom. We just stood in the dining room looking at each other, smiling from ear to ear. This was a very special addition to our reward. We were all in our own little heaven.
A few weeks later at the supper table Dad caught Mom's attention. "I looked in the paper for the movies at the drive-in and there's a couple that will be playing all weekend," he said. "Do you think the kids would like to go tomorrow night?" The room immediately got so quiet you could almost hear a pin drop. We couldn't believe our ears. All eyes turned to Mom.
"I don't know, you think we should ask them if they'd like to go with us?" she winked at Dad.
The six of us called out, almost in unison, "Yes, we'll go, we'll go!"
Our parents chuckled at our enthusiastic response. "Then I guess it's settled, we go tomorrow night," Dad said. We were so excited to be going that it just didn't matter what the movies were we would be seeing. No one even asked.
About an hour before dark the next night, we all piled into the car. I do mean piled in, as there were eight of us total. Off we went to The Ice Cream Shoppe. All six kids tumbled from the car and went in with Dad. They had so many flavors to choose from but we usually got our favorite.
"What kind of shakes do you want?" Dad asked us. He heard a chorous of chocolate being called out and one lone vanilla. After getting our shakes, we got in the car. As few minutes later Dad came out carrying shakes for Mom and him.
At the drive-in, Dad would back the car into the parking space, open the tailgate and let down the back seats. Jen, Cin, Kel and me would lie on the tailgate and Gabe and Gwen would sit behind us. All was quiet as we settled in to watch the show. I don't remember if everyone stayed awake for the second movie, but the next morning we agreed that everyone had a great time enjoying our reward. Those were wonderful times for us. (Written by Vicky)

Our Christmas Tree

2010-12-27T10:44:00.003-05:00

I thought you might like to see how our tree looked this year. We used the same decorations back in 2008 and decided to do so again this year. The purple and green make such a pretty tree. I hope you like our angel on top in her green robe.

While going through my boxes of decorations in the garage earlier before we decorated the tree, I was pleasantly surprised to come across a carefully wrapped item that brought tears to my eyes. Inside the wrapping was the old, hand carved metal star that my dad had made years ago that we used as the topper for our tree. It's glitter had long ago diminished but still clung to the metal. The hand fashioned clip on the back was still strong and sure. Holding it in my hand I could feel the love we shared from the Christmases long ago when I was small as we stood looking at and praising the beauty of the tree. The star was always there reminding us what the holiday was really all about. Every now and then the light in the room would reach the glitter and it would sparkle holding us in awe at the beauty.

My parents eventually stopped using the star, but lucky for me, I was the one to choose it as a memento when they passed.

I'm thinking I'll do a second tree in 2011 and use that star making the tree with the multicolored lights so the star can sparkle anew and hold my family in it's spell. I may even use all the ornaments from my childhood and my childrens to make it a generational tree. One thing for sure is I have almost a year to work on it. Merry Christmas to all of you.

Our Parents!

2010-12-02T11:57:00.002-05:00

The picture on the left is the closest one we can find of my parents shortly after they were married. My mom was 21 and my dad only 19 years old.

The picture on the right was taken in celebration of their 50th wedding anniversary. How different they look.

These are the parents that taught us how to be the people we are today. My dad was a painter all his life. My mom was a stay-at-home-mom until my twin and I were in our second year of high school when she went to work in one of the local factories.

They took us to church and instilled in us our faith, how to be parents, what a loving home was all about, being a family and respecting each other. Love was the most important element in our home. There were six children and we all knew we were loved by both of our parents. We had rules to obey, chores to do, bedtimes to be observed and homework done nightly. We always had the evening meal together and it made for a cohesive family unit.
You will find stories about our lives in our book, "Kaleidoscope Memories:Childhood Stories That Celebrate Family Life". I hope you'll read more posting in this blog and then pick up one of our books and share in our stories. It is our desire that by reading our stories you will remember some of your precious memories and want to share them with your family, friends, or the world.

I wanted you to see the beautiful people who were our parents and know a little more about them. I hope you've enjoyed this posting.

The Pumpkin Patch

2010-10-24T15:56:00.004-04:00

Everyone looked forward to third grade because our field trip was to the pumpkin patch. During October we studied about pumpkins in school. We read books about pumpkins, did arithmetic word problems that included pumpkins, wrote stories about pumpkins, and even drew pictures of pumpkins for Art class. We knew everything we thought we'd ever need to know about pumpkins.

Mrs. selmi's family ran the pumpkin patch. It was just about a quarter of a mile from the school so the whole class would walk there. We knew we had to be extra good on that trip.

"All right class, today is pumpkin day," Mrs. Selmi said, and everyone shouted with joy.

"When we get there each of you will pick out a pumpkin for yourself. Remember, you must pick one that you can carry back to school, then later to home. So don't get the biggest one you see," she said, looking at the boys in the class.

The pumpkins were piled high in the front yard and spread out in a circle. Everyone just stood there and stared at the huge pile. Some of the workers told us again the many facts of how the pumpkins grew. But all we wanted to do was find one to take home. We tried to lift different sized pumpkins and if they were too heavy they were returned to the pile. Most of the students found a pumpkin they could carry and were chatting with others in the class. However, some boys still thought they could carry larger pumpkins and chose them.

Mrs. Selmi saw them struggling to carry the pumpkins and said, "Boys, I think you'd better choose one just a bit smaller. Let me help you find some." Each boy reluctantly put down his large pumpkin and began searching for one that the teacher would accept. After a short search they all found pumpkins that passed Mrs. Selmi's approval. They were happy because theirs were still bigger than most of the others in the class.

When we returned to school, Mrs. Selmi talked again about pumpkins. She told us we could have our moms bake the seeds for us to eat or have pumpkin bread or pie made from the pumpkin. I'm sure we weren't thinking of eating them but about the faces we would carve on them.

Our field trip was a success and it turned out to be a good day in school. When we arrived at home we proudly showed our parents the pumpkins we chose. Our older brothers and sisters had already seen them and passed judgment as to whether they were worth carving or not. But Mom and Dad thought they were nice. We drew faces on them and with the help of our older siblings cut them out. It was a wonderful third grade field trip and a great Halloween as well.

A Delightful Journey - Review

2010-09-07T10:18:00.002-04:00

A delightful journey into the hearts and minds of three authors, who write about their home lives, in the form of creative non-fiction/memoir. It is a narrative filled with love, loyalty, and growing up in a small town. Six siblings and their parents, relatives and friends experience different events from routine days, elaborating on daily incidences in life, and family holidays at the Stees family home.

Cindy retells her feelings of failure of not being able to play Jacks, but learns gratitude towards her Aunt's patience in teaching her how to play. She also learns a lesson on overcoming her fears in one situation, when faced with a greater danger. Vicky learns about teamwork and competition, as well as the sheer joy when rolling barrels, when she and her siblings, and neighborhood children create a rolling game. She also tells a lesson on how other's misfortunes can be a learning experience for us without us going through it ourselves. Jenny has a lesson in loyalty when her dilemma of helping her twin sister with classwork creates a confrontation with the "meanest teacher."

These stories are not merely memories of the stories themselves, but of what is learned by children when they interact in a family setting, with their parents, throughout the community, and the institutions we all have to visit and deal with one time or another. Family life, in the various day to day experiences and which endear the readers heart's, remind us of our own childhood memories and events that made us who we are in the midst of our own family dynamics, and how we were taught to understand the larger world in the microcosm of the family unit.

The book is seperated into 7 chapters of rembrances, such as School Days, Family Pets, Playtime, Eating Times, Special Moments, Childhood Fears and Miscellaneous incidences that make us wiser, kinder, more understanding, and appreciative of those with whom we grew up and come to know and love.

Cindy and Jenny are twins and the youngest of the six. Vicky, is the next older, and Gwen is the oldest of the girls. Gabe is the eldest of the brothers and Kel, is the younger brother. All these siblings partake in these wonderful instances, through the memories of the three authors.

This is an excellent book to read in family events, holidays, or just to your children at bedtime. It is also a helpful book to initiate games from the book, set up a family plan of organized space and preference, and it will surely delight one's whole attitude about the validity of family and home life, especially what it means to your children while they are growing up.

L. Nolan-Ruiz, Founder/Creator
International Books Cafe'
www.internationalbookscafe.com
lnolanruiz@ibcafe.net

Kaleidoscope Memories_0001.wmv.wmv

2010-08-20T00:10:00.000-04:00

Book Trailer Coming Soon!

2010-08-10T11:21:00.003-04:00

I've received a pre-publication copy of the book trailer for Kaleidoscope Memories that will be available soon. A couple of editing issues remain but will be finished shortly. I hope you will stop back and take a look at it.
Please scroll down and read the various postings on this blog, get familiar with the authors and a couple of the stories posted here. Then click on the left and hear one author read a few stories from the book. Hopefully you'll enjoy the book enough to purchase it. If you do, you can click on the book cover to purchase it from the publisher. Enjoy and thanks for stopping by.

New Book!

2010-07-08T17:08:00.002-04:00

The authors are gathering their stories together for the second book in the Kaleidoscope Memories stories. They leave Yeowardville and move to the country and attend a two-room country school. The kaleidoscope is turning in their lives and their adventures will make you laugh, be thoughtful about your past and possibly cause you to think you just might want to write your own stories down for your family or the world to read.

Meet the Author -- Cindy Stees Oldham

2010-04-24T14:48:00.002-04:00

Cindy Stees Oldham has been writing fiction, nonfiction, and doing freelance writing publications for over fifteen years.

Mrs. Oldham has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Administration. Throughout her life she has been in leadership positions within her church, in the political arena, for a national writers organization, and nonprofit government programs.

She lives in the Central Florida area with her husband and is surrounded by her daughter, son, daughter-in-law, and grandson.

You may contact her at cindysoldham@yahoo.com

Meet the Author -- Jenny Stees

2010-04-24T14:42:00.002-04:00

Jenny Stees started her writing career working on Medieval novels, but frequently branches into other genres.

Ms. Stees has a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education and has taught countless students since 1994. Her fourth grade classes have inspired her to create a line of children's books that occasionally features her pet poodle. A resident of Central Florida for over twenty years, she held the position of Editor for a political newsletter, and taught religious education within her church. She is a member of Who's Who of America's Teachers for 2005. You can contact her at jeyelle1@yahoo.com

Meet The Author -- Vicky Stees Ennis

2010-04-24T14:30:00.003-04:00

Vicky Ennis was happy to join her two sisters in the venture of writing some of their early childhood memories.

Mrs. Ennis attended Bible College studying religious and church leadership. Throughout her life she has held positions of leadership within her church.

Vicky and husband, Cliff, still live in their hometown in northwestern Illinois, spending their winters in Alabama and Florida. They are the parents of four children and ten grandchildren. She enjoys staying home writing, doing needlework, and being around her family. You can contact her at sissykay47@yahoo.com.

Our Parents - George & Edith

2010-04-16T10:42:00.002-04:00

This is one of many pictures we have of our parents from the 1950's. I think it shows the times very well. Our Dad was an interior/exterior painter all his life. He eventually started his own business and was successful at it for many years. He later turned the business over to one of our brothers and went to work painting for one of the hospitals in the area. That's where he was until he retired.

Our Mom was a stay-at-home mother for many years. I guess during our early years. She didn't go to work anywhere outside the home until my twin sister and I were in our second year of high school. She went to work at a local factory and worked until she retired sometime in her mid to late sixties.

They are the reason we wanted to write and share our childhood memories with everyone. We had good times growing up and shared our lives with their siblings and families. Our Dad came from a family of eight children and our Mom came from a family with nine children. So there were lots and lots of cousins for us to play with. We recently counted that we had 52 first cousins at one time. So we always had someone to play with if our siblings were busy. Family was very important to our parents. We spent time together learning as a family and that gave us the blueprint we took and developed our families from.

New Review of Kaleidoscope Memories!

2010-02-18T21:02:00.005-05:00

"As I read Kaleidoscope Memories: Childhood Stories That Celebrate Family Life, I couldn't help but think that these authors were surely paying it backwards by collecting and sharing their childhood stories. So many people take life a day at a time never allowing the sweet memories of yesterday to come forward, linger a bit, and fill them up. Not so in this reading journey.

Author Cindy Oldham and her sibling co-authors, transport the reader to simpler times where innocents and child-like wonderment abound. Through many stories of school, pets, childhood fears, and other golden mements, the reader will be coaxed gently into relaxing and remembering their own youthfulness.

As I read the chapter, 'The Path To Lego Town', the simple analogy that life can be exciting as we make it and that the possibilities are limitless, was not wasted on this reader. Sometimes it takes seeing it, and living it through a child's eyes to bring this truth home again.

School days, drive-in movies, traditional home-cooked meals we all learned to hate (i.e. liver and onions) and stories like, 'Napping With Mama', will bring a sigh and a smile to any reader's face; and maybe even tug at the heartstrings for buried memories of their own. It was a nice journey; and pleasing. Truly it was about two of the most important things in the world - family...and love."
Reviewed by: Georgia Richardson, author, humorist
http://www.queenjawjaw.com/

Our Publisher

2010-02-09T10:40:00.003-05:00

If you'd like to know more about our publisher - Tide Dancer Publications - click on the Facebook icon to the left and check out their FB page.

Then you can take some time and visit their website at http://www.tidedancer.com/. Read about their authors on the Authors page and read about the books Tide Dancer Publications has for your enjoyment. They are a new innovative company that provides 'personalized publishing for today's author.'

They work one-on-one with each new person helping them accomplish their goals and dreams for their writing careers. If you are interested in or need help writing or working on your manuscript, we have a writers group that is by invitation only, so leave an email requesting information and we'll get back to you to add you to the group.

Want Another Edition of KM?

2010-01-08T12:24:00.002-05:00

The authors are penning the second book in the Kaleidoscope Memories Series. We are hoping that it will be completed this year and ready for publication next year. It is about a time when we lived in the rural countryside and attended a small two room school. There are stories about the happenings in the school and also about our family times at a house my Aunt used to call the "Long Branch" after the saloon in the TV show Gunsmoke.
It has lots of laughter, sweetness and family times in the stories. Keep checking back for more information on the next book.

CHRISTMAS MEMORIES -- by Vicky

2009-12-15T01:48:00.006-05:00

Christmas was a happy time for our family. We always spent Christmas Eve at home. Mom would put the turkey in the oven to begin its slow cook overnight. While Dad played board games with us, Mom made the pies. Soon the smell of roasting turkey made its way throughout the house.
"Would anyone like a snack of homemade fudge and a bowl of popcorn?" Mom asked as she started handing out our treats. A little while later we went to bed with the excitement of Santa coming to our house and leaving presents for us.
"One year, after we'd all gone to bed, Gwen thought she'd get the twins to go to sleep early.
"Vic, watch this. Let's trick the twins into thinking Santa's on the roof." She had found some jingle bells and began shaking them under the blankets. After a minute or so Jenny sat up in her bed.
"What's that noice?" she asked. "Cinny, do you hear that?"
"Yes, it sounds like jingle bells." They both looked towards our bed. "Sissy, do you hear that?" The bells had stopped ringing as Gwen put her hand over her mouth so as not to laugh aloud. A few seconds later she said,
"I heard it, what do you think it is?"
"Sounds like jingle bells, huh Nin?" Cindy said.
"Who do you know that has jingle bells and would be outside?" Gwen asked the twins as she started the bells again.
"Oh, there it is again," Jen said turning towards Cindy. "Maybe it's Santa and the reindeer."
We could tell these two little six year olds were getting pretty excited about this. I leaned over and whispered into Gwen's ear,
"You'd better end this before Mom and Dad hear the bells."
"Okay," she whispered back. "Cin and Jen, you know if it's Santa, you'd better get to sleep fast because he won't come here and leave toys if you're awake."
"You mean we won't get any presents?" Jen asked.
"That's right, now go to sleep," Gwen told them. I never saw the twins move so fast. They lay down in the bed, pulled the blankets up and closed their eyes. We never heard another peep out of them. Gwen turned to me chuckling, "That was fun." I agreed. We talked quietly for awhile then fell asleep.
We woke up early and began getting dressed so we could go find our gifts. The one fast rule on Christmas morning was no opening presents in our pj's. Gwen and I would get up and dressed, then help Jen and Cin, the youngest of the bunch, get ready. Our big brother, Gabe, would get dressed then try to wake Kel. He was never an early riser and Christmas morning was a hard time for him. It took some coaxing from Gabe to get Kel ready.
"Come on, Kel, you have to get up, it's Christmas morning. Everyone's ready to go downstairs."
"Leave me alone, I'm tired," Kel said.
"Put on your jeans and shirt. Then you'll be ready, too," Gabe told him. Finally, after much encouragement Kell was dressed. We lined up by ages. Cindy went first, followed by Jen, then me and Kel, finally Gwen and Gabe.
The lights from the Christmas tree spread a warm, special glow around the living room and once we saw it, all the turmoil that had gone on upstairs was forgotten. The camera started flashing from Mom and Dad's bedroom as they caught us unaware. Our parents had been listening to the discussions upstairs and waiting for us to appear.
"Merry Christmas, kids, " they called out as the flash went off. We'd all smile for the picture then gather around the tree. Santa's gifts were sitting unwrapped, so those were discovered first. The oldest child usually handed out the gifts. It was fun to sit and watch everyone open their presents and see how they liked them. Happiness and love were felt throughout the house.
Our main meal on Christmas was at noon. After eating, everyone agreed they were all stuffed from the turkey, dressing, baked corn, cranberry sauce and pies. Then we'd spend the afternoon playing with our new toys and other gifts.
About supper time we'd go to one of Mom's sister's house for the big family gathering. Everyone would bring some of their Christmas food to share. The adults would sit around the table chatting, whilde the children would be in the living room playing. When the evening was almost over, all of us would gather in the living room. Mom and her sisters would play their musical instruments and the entire family would sing Christmas carols until we were tired and ready to go home.
The day closed with our families enjoying each other and the good feelings Christmas had brought. Those were special times and memories that still make my Christmases warm and touch my heart.

Thanksgiving Day!

2009-11-26T12:54:00.006-05:00

Sitting here on this Thanksgiving Day, I remember those precious days spent with my siblings and parents as a child.
The day was usually spent at home with mom making the turkey/dressing and all the trimings. Dad would usually sit with us and watch Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade while the turkey sent its smell throughout the home. The pumpkin pies would add their scent and we'd all find ourselves so hungry that it seemed like the meal took forever before it was done.
The dinner consisted of turkey and dressing, potatoes, baked corn, cranberry sauce, gravy, rolls, sweet potatoes or yams, and green beans. Normally we'd have to wait awhile after dinner before we had dessert which usually consisted of Lemon Meringue, Cherry, and Pumpkin Pie. It was a treat if we had ice cream on the pie, but either way, we enjoyed our dessert when the time was right.
Depending on the weather, we either had some time to be outside playing in the snow if there was any, or stayed inside playing board or card games with our parents. The day moved on and we had leftovers for our supper. The day ended with either television or finishing our games.
We didn't usually go anywhere on that day but occasionally some of our cousins came to visit and spend the evening. Those were nice times that we all enjoyed as it was the prelude to the Christmas season and the excitement was high in anticipation.
It's nice to remember!

Powerful Nostalgia

2009-10-10T11:05:00.005-04:00

"I really love the stories! They are like little vignettes that not only shine light on your childhood and that of your sisters, but create a powerful nostalgia for the reader that reminds them of their own warm memories."

Jarrett M.Love -- Musician/Composer

Great Memories Of How It Really Was

2009-05-26T16:37:00.004-04:00

"The clever cover and title immediately caught my attention. I enjoyed remembering various scenes of my own childhood as I looked through this kaleidoscope. My favorite story was about the fox fur stole of the 1940's. Oh, I remember the animal pelts complete with heads, feet, and tails. Who could forget saddle shoes of the 1950's? Serious moments and delightful moments are recreated in stories of school days, family pets, playtime, mealtime, church activities, childhood fears, etc. How many of today's children can imagine 6 children and two adults in a house with only one bathroom and no air-conditioning? How many of their toys run on imagination? How often does a group enjoy the action games described in this book? What did kids do before TV and computers! Mealtime was always family time. Values were taught largely by families, church, friends, and interacting with each other.

This is a great book to share with children, teens, parents, and especially grandparents. Perhaps more of us should jot down a few notes or even stories to share with our own children: the first time we saw a microwave, what we were doing when we learned about 9-11, our experiences with teachers, friends, etc. as we grew up. I'm glad these three sisters have let us look into the kaleidoscope of their memories with this collection of short stories by each of them."

Betsy B. Lee of Learning Abilities Books. http://learningbooks.net/

A Trip Back In Time - Fun Read!

2009-05-25T17:04:00.006-04:00

"Kaleidoscope Memories is a heart-warming collection of childhood memories written by three sisters which gave me a good feeling that I found refreshing. It is uplifting, amusing and hlight-hearted. I liked peeking in on this family with six kids. Parents could certainly learn some tips from these wonderful parents who were strict, but not mean and responsible but also fun loving. I especially liked the tales about the monster dog, the blanket trap, the family pets and napping with mama. Reading this brought back similar memories but barrel racing was new to me. I recommend this to anyone who likes family stories and is looking for something wholesome and entertaining to read."
Submitted by Karen Arlettaz Zemeck, author of "My Funny Dad, Harry."

Memories of Childhood

2009-03-08T14:01:00.003-04:00

This picture is of the Sinnissippi Park Hopewellan Indian Mounds. We spent many hours of our childhood at the park. It was during that time that the state did the historical digs to determine that the mounds were historic. Good memories in our lives come from this park. There is a story in Kaleidoscope Memories titled, "Suppers At Sinnissippi" that I hope you'll enjoy.

When you think of your childhood I hope you have good memories of a special day or time when all seemed right with your world. We wrote the book to share with our children, however, we felt there was something special that everyone shares and decided to make our stories available to you. Our hopes are that you'll be able to share your memories with either your family or the world. We all have stories to tell and share.

Please leave a comment if you've enjoyed this site and/or remembered a special time in your life that you feel like sharing.

Book Available For Sale!

2009-02-16T00:29:00.005-05:00

Kaleidoscope Memories: Childhood Stories That Celebrate Family Life is now available for purchase at http://www.amazon.com/ or http://www.barnesandnoble.com/, also http://www.booksamillion.com/. I'm sure you will enjoy the stories and perhaps they will help you remember some good times you've had. Please stop by the site and check it out.

You can also go to http://www.tidedancer.com/ and order it through the publisher. Thanks!

Update!

2009-01-24T11:32:00.003-05:00

The book has now been sent to the printer and will be available soon.

Please take some time to browse about and look at our pictures and read the story from the book. I hope you enjoy yourself here and contact us if you'd like to pre-order the book. The selling price is $14.95. I would enjoy hearing from you.

THE PATH TO LEGO TOWN

2008-08-17T16:44:00.005-04:00

One afternoon a week our second grade class went to Mrs. Evans room for current events with the Weekly Reader newspaper. Each of us would get our very own copy. We were always impressed because it made us feel like grown-ups since our parents read their newspapers.
"Come in class and take your seat," Mrs. Evans said. "don't forget to pick up your Weekly Reader as you go by the reading table." Once we were settled, Mrs. Evans had different children read some of the many articles from the newspaper. Then we discussed several of them with her for a short time.
"All right class, I'd like you to do the quiz on the back page. When you're done, place them on my desk." Occasionally she assigned a one-page story to write from the newspaper.
As much as we enjoyed the Weekly Reader session, the brightest spot for my sister and me was getting to work on the Lego Town. We were always excited when she'd tell us we could go to the other side of the room. This never occurred, though, until we had finished our assignments.
Sitting on sawhorses was a huge board that held about a zillion red, white, blue, black, yellow, and clear Lego pieces that were lying about. We would stand and stare at the board trying to decide what we could make that would add to the town.
"Cinny, what do you want to build?" I asked.
"How about let's build a house this time? she responded.
"Okay."
The possibilities were endless. We could add to the buildings already being built, make cars, swings for the parks, people, or anything we imagined. We build everything from skyscrapers to regular houses. They were beautiful to our eyes. Sometimes we simply put the pieces in place and made new roads that led to the neighborhoods. They were made with red Lego's because they looked the most like bricks. We worked together so our project would be completed before it was time to go.
One thing we always had to remember was that Mrs. Evans didn't allow any fighting at Lego Town. She would make you go back to your desk and you'd be done for the day, no exceptions. Nobody wanted to lose the time spent in Lego Town.
Mrs. Evans class was a place filled with excitement. Not only did we learn about other people and places from our newspaper, we also got to use our imagination to become builders of a town - our very own Lego Town.

Jenny is the author

Journey Through The Kaleidoscope And Meet Three Sisters!

2008-05-14T10:17:00.008-04:00

We invite you to meet three sisters who share their childhood memories of growing up in a rural, midwestern neighborhood.

*Vicky - the painfully shy, easy-going, middle child.
* Jenny - the spunky tomboy, tender hearted, older-by-twelve-minutes twin.
* Cindy - the playful, constantly scared, official baby of the family.

Don't miss a single spin of the kaleidoscope in this exciting new collection of memories.
ISBN # 978-0-9797079-0-2. On sale summer/early fall 2008 at http://www.tidedancer.com/.

REVIEW - Kaleidsocope Memories A Delight To Read

2008-04-27T02:06:00.011-04:00

Early reviews for Kaleidoscope Memories state it is a delightful read!

"Three sisters share memories of growing up in a large family. Their stories revisit the fears, fantasies and happy childhood events and places that baby boomers cherish. Heartfelt recollections of school days, unforgettable teachers, favorite pets, backyard fun, hand-me-downs, and lazy afternoons under a willow tree transport the reader back to a simpler, less complicated time. They reminisce about holidays, picnics in the park, and the consequences of disobeying authority. Parents ruled and everyone ate what was on their plates.

This book is a delightful read that will evoke pleasant thoughts for anyone who has ever worn a pair of saddle shoes or ridden a bicycle on a summer day. "

Lina Rehal, author of Carousel Kisses.

Final Manuscript Ready To Go!

2008-04-21T09:58:00.000-04:00

I received the manuscript from the typesetter and it's ready to go to the printer. We are so happy that it's finally going to be published shortly. It's been a long journey but worth it all.

We hope that you will like the book and remember precious stories from your life and family that mean so much to you.