Keeping My Family Happy
My children did not grow up poor, but compared to many of their friends…
they had very little – at least when it came to material possessions.
But my kids were a happy bunch for the most part.
So haw did I keep them happy?
Well, it certainly wasn’t with money, or fancy clothes, and “toys”.
My children wore hand me downs, we only bought new furniture once
during the time that they all lived at home,
and meat (other than hamburger), was a rarity.
They didn’t seem to realize that we didn’t have a lot.
Raising 10 children wasn’t easy. It meant that we gave up
on vacations, eating out, going to the movies…but what
we gave up, was worth everything we, and they, got in return.
Little things thrilled our kids.
The were delighted with $1.19
Tuesday night kids meals from Burger King
(especially when they had M & M’s in them)!
Renting movies on Friday afternoons was a really really big deal.
They would watch one over and
over and over again, until they had the dialogue memorized.
Fresh baked chocolate cookies, waiting for them after school,
made them dance with joy.
Eating dessert first, and breakfast for dinner were other big hits!
A new package of socks was as special to them,
as designer jeans were to some of their classmates.
Oh, how they loved shopping for new school shoes.
Payless employees probably cringed when they say us coming!
Another great treat was Hungry Howies Pizza.
God Bless them for Wednesday night $5 pizzas.
My darlings loved chocolate and strawberry milk.
I used to make a gallon of each, after they left for school each morning.
LOL – it would be gone by bedtime, but it brought big smiles to their faces.
A trip to the dollar store – each child with a buck or two to spend –
was a big big deal, as was after Christmas shopping.
No, it didn’t take much to make them happy.
It was the little things that they remember the most.
Favorite meals on their birthdays, Saturday morning trips
to SAM’s club with their dad.
Corn dogs and fries, tickled them pink,
as did Cherry 7-UP and rootbeer floats.
Truly, what they lacked in new and expensive possesion,
was far outweighed by the love that we had for one another.
They have become very special, kind and caring adults.
They don’t have rich tastes, they appreciate the good things in life.
It doesn’t take a lot to make them happy…
and I’m so grateful that what I was able to give them
made them who and what they are today.
I gave them all my love!
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I wrote t
his blog post while participating in the SocialMoms
his blog post while participating in the SocialMoms
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Thank you for this wonderful post. It brought back such wonderful memories of my childhood. We didn't have a lot growing up also, but we always had the love, comfort and support of our family. For me it is priceless.