Friday, December 17, 2010

Ducks In A Row

When we were kids, every year on Thanksgiving Mom and Dad lined up their 6 girls like little ducks in a row for the annual Christmas card photo.

In the beginning, it was easy . . .

Ann, me, MB, back in the good ol' days of '63.
We were happy to oblige for the good of the cause . . .

Me, MB, Ann, 1964.
. . . and frankly, in the early days, we didn't have much of a clue about what was going on . . .

. . . until the fateful year Mom and Dad woke me up from a nap for the Christmas-photo-taking-session. I was not pleased:

This is my favorite photo -- bar none -- ever taken of me.

This one's pretty great, too, with our matching red footie pjs, and my big lumpy diaper.

Anyway, things got a little more complicated when Julie joined the group shot . . .

1966
Please notice Ann wearing the dress MB wore the year before. We all wore that dress, and then my nieces wore it too.

. . . and then Jane joined the show . . .

1967
. . . and then Jacquie came along . . .

1968
(There's a really great Christmas card photo of all of us in Korea just a few weeks after Jacquie was born. It's the only photo -- out of all the thousands and thousands of them -- where Dad actually looks overwhelmed. It's hanging on the wall in Mom's bedroom and I don't have a copy of it. That, however, will soon change.)

And then, well, the years went on.

We had the Year of All The Hair . . .

. . . and the Year of the Groovy Collar . . .

. . . and the Year of the Short, Short, Short Dress . . .

. . . and then we had quite a few Year of the Dork. Well, except for Jane who had apparently just graduated from flight school.

I can't even make fun of this one. It's just so cuuute.

Oh yes, the Dork Brigade back in action.

This isn't a Christmas card, but it is Christmas, and Dad looks just so entirely content. This one is for all those silly people who say, "Six daughters? Oh, your poor Dad."

Yeah, poor Dad.

Finally in 1990 we got smart and left all that Northeast nonsense behind and spent Christmas on St. John. That was a shining moment in this family. And we were all completely smitten with our first niece. Quito Girl!

We also got smart in 2001 and all went to San Diego for Christmas.

Oh, we were very smart in 2001.

The sisters were all together . . .

. . . and for the first time in our history we made a pyramid. Why did it take us 30 years to figure out we have the perfect number of sisters for a pyramid??

Oh, of course the boys got into the fun too.

But the best thing about 2001 was all the wee nieces and nephews were together for the first time in their wee little lives. Which they are going to do again next weekend.

Dad would love it.

12 comments:

Pickles and Dimes said...

Oh, great photos! That one where you'r super grumpy is the best.

Your Dad looks so happy in all of these.

Hsin-Yi said...

This blog makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside. You guys are such a beautiful family. Have a wonderful Christmas, and I eagerly await the blog(s) depicting all the mayhem that occurs!

unmitigated me said...

The best one of you is the cranky-girl shot. Are you the same age as me? I was a 1963 baby. 50 is coming fast! Second best is that St. John photo of Mistah Shecklah! What a youngster!

MB said...

I love this, Ellie! Great photos, great memories. Can't wait to see you all next week! xoxo

P. Orozco Cronin said...

I know all about that 'poor dad, six girls..' comment.
Ours were the luckiest Dad's ever...

Me, You, or Ellie said...

Oh my God, this is beyond awesome. I have so much to say, I need to open up another window so I can reference each photo.

First, that lumpy diaper is atrocious. What the hell was IN there? Ew.

I love that Korea photo that you speak of. I stared at it for so long last month when I stood there making copies of your Westy manuals. Dad looks shellshocked, but mom just takes it in stride.

I love how MB shoots up a foot taller than anyone with her fierce hair and collars.

There was one year when Julie, Jane and I ALL donned the flight suits with cowl necks. I remember taking the photo in Kev & Sheri's backyard, we were standing on rocks.

The one that is too cute to comment on? My comment is that Julie always got the perfect feather to her hair, that bitch. Suffice it to say that I did not.

The one with Dad's contentment? Could be called the year of overindulgence. Geez, look at all of those moon faces!

Love that first cousin shot, that was mere moments before "the incident" involving my baby girl's bowels.

Love, love, love, love. And love.

xoxoxxo

Jacquie

Me, You, or Ellie said...

The year of all the hair -- my favorite, by far. You're all so gorgeous! It trips me out how much your girl looks like you did when you were wee, Jacquie. It's uncanny.

So fun looking at the progression of you Corey girls. And your parents ;-)

I too love, love, love and love.

Nice one, Ellie.

Beth

Mom C said...

I too love love love this Ellie, I keep looking at it again and again, ach..... mom

enjoyed the pics in PA said...

I SOO love this Christmas montage!!

Love the angry baby waken from a nap picture!

Love the Year of Winged Hair! (thank-you Farrah)

Love the Flight Suit!

Loved seeing Jacquie hold her baby twin, I mean her daughter!

Loved seeing Mistah with short hair..he looks GREAT!

Loved what a happy and LOVED man that dad of your was!

Love that you will (almost) ALL be together in a nice COLD place this year.

Merry Merry to YOU ALL!

Me, You, or Ellie said...

Love love love love and love you people.

Dang, where *is* that triple flight suit shot? Why do I not have it? I *love* that year's photo because I'm wearing the most awesome green corduroy jumper *ever*.

I talked to Mom this morning -- she called me and yelled at me for making her cry so early in the day -- and I said "They're all so cute, but you look so glamorous and calm in every photo. How did you do it??" She did not know.

I know about the moon faces, Jacquie. But I figured I'd include it so for as to make us look that much more, um, thin now.

And finally, yes I am a 1963 baby, Unmitigated. So is Mistah. And 50 is miles away. Miles. We're 47, for the love of pete's sake!

xxEllie

p.s. Love the luckiest-Dad-with-six-daughters Club, Patti. xx

Mom C said...

I have that pic Ellie - it's 1976 and your green jumper is truly awesome. xoxo mom

Captain Dumbass said...

That red plaid jacket is so full of awesome.