Family Photos – Costumes and Cuties

I continue to go through photos, albums, and other family items in order to document things for future generations.  Next up, a family photo album that was stashed away in my parents’ home.  To start from the beginning, click here.

Halloween 1960 was, apparently, a fun one in the Levy household.  Mom wasn’t particularly crafty but I do remember she spent a lot of time and creativity with our Halloween costumes.  I really don’t recall ever having an “out of the box” costume – no fake masks for us!

1960 Halloween Queen Deb

I vaguely remember this little costume.  What 6 year old girl doesn’t like dressing up as a queen?  It looks like I was allowed to wear lipstick and earrings!  And if you’re following along, there’s the white bench!

And my sister was a farmer, according to my dad.  I don’t know why I remembered this costume as a scarecrow.

Farmer Cary and Queen

Looks like it was my sister’s turn to have her bangs whacked off!


These must have been our school photos. 

Cary Cover Girl 1960

Cover Girl Deb 1960

Apparently by 1960 I had already perfected the art of eating.  Not much has changed since then!

Eats

Mom and Dad used to love to visit Las Vegas and we were lucky enough to go along at times. I will never forget the time I got air sick during landing and had to leave the plane wrapped in a wool blanket on a very, very hot day.  I remember being about 6 years old so based on the July, 1960 date on this picture, this must have been the time.  Looks like I was feeling fine on this day.

Breaking the law at Vegas  July, 1960

Dad, didn’t you know what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas?

And a random photo thrown in. 

Daddy at Y Workshop 1961

Anyone who knew my dad knew that one of the most important activities in his life was Rotary, followed closely by the YMCA.  Even back in 1961 he was active with these two organizations.  That’s Dad on the left but I’m not sure who the others are.  The guy sitting in the back could be Ed Sokoloski and the guy on the right with his hand on his face could be Ron James.  Maybe my brother or sister will chime in with their thoughts.

And the next page is centered almost entirely on me in 1961.  Wonder what I did to deserve that? 

This one is interesting.  When we were cleaning out our childhood home there were a few things here and there that brought back special memories to each of us.  There didn’t seem to be any real reason or memory that we could articulate but we each kept out a few things that we just had to have.  And for me, the pot on the left was one of those items!  Looks like one of my earliest memories of cooking included that pot.



And later that day (looks like the same dress), Dad took me outside and had me pose while sitting on the car.  Strange place to put your 6 year old!  The white bench on the porch is becoming my “Where’s Waldo” theme.



I guess we’ll let my sister into one of the photos.



Wait – what’s going on with your bangs now, big sister?  Or could it be hat head?

I’m not sure what’s going on here. 



What was I drinking?  My parents loved iced tea and we always had it around but I can’t imagine that’s what it was.  And my personal cure for hiccups was sugar water and while my spoon is out and looks like I’m ready to dig into the sugar, that liquid doesn’t look like water.  What I can say, though, is that the kitchen didn’t look all that much different the last time I saw it in 2013. 

Family Photos – On to the 60’s

I continue to go through photos, albums, and other family items in order to document things for future generations.  Next up, a family photo album that was stashed away in my parents’ home.  To start from the beginning, click here.

Now we’ve hit 1960 and it looks like we had a few new family excursions and memories.

Now this is a sweet photo of me with my dad.  Wonder what I was dressed up for – and I still have those black patent leather shoes.

Dad and #2 Daughter

This photo reminds me again that my parents never liked to part with things.  That clock, and the two plates on either side, were still hanging in the same spot above the fireplace in 2013 when we cleaned out the house.  And those two Dresden figurines on the shelves on the wall, or at least some of the others my mother had, are in my curio cabinet today.

Oh look at this cute family photo – Dad even displayed his SF Giants ball cap!  Looks like I had a new hairdo to show off – sure wish someone hadn’t whacked off my bangs.

May 1960

And just the girls.  I don’t look too amused in this photo.


Camile is a striking woman but I wish I knew who she was.

Camille & Deb

And some more posing, here with our Grandpa Sig.

Grandpa

And here’s my mom and Uncle Rob, Dad’s brother.  Mom was a looker!

Uncle Rob on his 1960 visit

I think some of the most fun going through this album has been the captions Dad added.  Some were pretty clever!

Camera Shy	Camera Sly

And for those who have stayed with me while I documented this album – check out the white bench my sister is sitting on.

Apparently my oldest cousin, Vicki, came for a visit in 1960 with her dad.  What’s up with the lei, Vicki?

Cousin Vicki and Men

A little out of order but now we’re back to Fresno.  I’m not sure why a few of these photos are in color – maybe Dad was experimenting with a new camera.  I don’t remember ever seeing this beautiful magnolia tree – I wonder if it is still there today.

Grandma Loraine

The last two photos show us in dance costumes.  I remember we loved to put on shows, plays, and dances so I’m guessing we’d been rehearsing for some big extravaganza.  Dad captioned these More Grins.



Geez, Debi, open your eyes!

Vicki was really playing the part – check out the candy cigarette in her hand.  I remember they had red coloring on the end so it looked like it was lit.



Boy wouldn’t I love to have a home movie of the performance we put on – I’ll bet it was a doozy! 

Family Photos - It’s my birthday, have a party!

I continue to go through photos, albums, and other family items in order to document things for future generations.  Next up, a family photo album that was stashed away in my parents’ home.  To start from the beginning, click here.

Okay, so it’s really not my birthday but the next pages of the family photo album show my 5th birthday celebration – time to party!  Dad titled the next page Debby is now 5.  Huh?  Where did the spelling Debby come from?  So now I’ve seen Debbie, Debbe, and Debby and since then I’ve changed everything to Debi.  No wonder I was such a mixed up kid.

Uh-oh, looks like I might have been getting a little sassy with Dad.  Look at all those patent leather shoes!



Here’s the group.  I can only identify a few – my sister on the left in the back row; to her left is our dear next door neighbor, Mary K., 2nd from the right in the back row was our neighbor across the street, Diana B.; and on the far right in the back row is, I think, Merle.  I’m on the left in the front row (sitting down) and I feel like the girl who is kneeling was named Nancy.  But I could just be imagining that.




Time to blow out the candles!



And what in the heck is this expression?  And why are all the other kids sitting in a line?  I remember my mother always had games planned for our birthdays so maybe this was some game we were playing.



Looks like my sister wanted to help me open my presents.  I’m not sure if I’m agreeable or telling her to keep her hands off.

Birthday girl Deb

It looks like at about the same time we went to visit our grandparents in Fresno as Dad captioned the next page Down on the Farm. 

Not sure where this picture was taken as I don’t remember anything like this on my grandparents’ farm (aka chicken ranch).



We loved to collect eggs and help Grandma and Grandpa clean and weigh them.  I wonder how much we really helped vs. how much mess we made?

Hey, I remember these outfits from last week’s post here. 

My sister and me helping Grandpa Shell Hunter

Looks like Dad got things a little out of order because on the next page we go back to Halloween, which is 6 weeks before my birthday.  I will never forget this costume as long as I live – not too PC these days.  And for my family who knows this house well – there are no white rocks in the garden area!

Cary in Halloween Costume 1959

And just after my birthday was Christmas.  Yes, we celebrated both Hanukkah and Christmas but we typically got most of our gifts on Christmas.  My mom always said she just couldn’t take Santa Claus away from her children.  Worked for us!

Deb gets a store for Christmas

There are a few things in my childhood that I remember vividly and this store is one of them.  I loved stocking the shelves, ‘selling’ things to my friends and family, and most of all, I loved picking up that phone and making calls.  It’s amazing that I can’t remember things from last week but this I can remember. 

If this doesn’t look like one happy little girl I don’t know what does!

Corner Merchant

And one random photo.  I don’t know where we are and certainly don’t know what we were doing – perhaps we were posing for next year’s Christmas card?

What a pair

Family Photos – Travelin’ Fools

I continue to go through photos, albums, and other family items in order to document things for future generations.  Next up, a family photo album that was stashed away in my parents’ home.  To start from the beginning, click here.
 
The next pages of the scrapbook show us doing a little traveling.  I guess I never really thought about it then but we were fortunate to have been able to travel as kids.  Most of it was by car but every once in awhile, we found ourselves on an airplane or train.  Here we are during some of our car travels in 1959.

Mission Santa Barbara Big sis at the top, me at the bottom

My husband loves the pictures where I have that sassy look and I think this might be another one of those.  What the heck was I thinking?  And I remember the “pixie” cut – looks like Mom took it to the extreme with my sister’s hair.

On the trail Me on the left, big sis on the right

Yikes, what is going on here?  It almost looks like we’re in a runaway wagon and I’m trying to rein in the horses.  Wonder if they were real horses or just what this ‘ride’ is all about.  Notice the roller coaster in the background – let’s put on our thinking caps and figure out where we were.  We’ve had some success with that before when we put our heads together.

Big sis as Hap-Pea, me as Pea-Wee

I remember we always made stop at Andersen’s Split Pea in Buellton on our way from San Jose to Los Angeles.  Looks like it’s called Pea Soup Andersen’s now.  I don’t recall really liking split pea soup then (love it now) but it looks like we had fun posing for the camera.  How come I had to be Pea-Wee?  And how come I had to stick my whole body through the hole?

I’ve talked ad nauseam about my memories of visiting our grandparents in Fresno but here we are again.

Fresno 1959

That’s the back porch of my paternal grandparents’ (Sig and Loraine Levy) home.  I can’t believe our outfits – looks like we were ready to go off to school.  But at least our hair has grown out a little.

This has got to be one of my favorite photos from the album – a nice picture of all of us (sorry, little brother, that you weren’t born yet).  And once again in the backyard of Grandma and Grandpa’s house.

Cary, Dad, Me, Mom

Yikes, now it looks like I’m wearing some sort of ‘pearl’ necklace.  I do remember liking to play dress up so I must have carried that over into my everyday wear.  Love the cute little red pants and white tops we’re wearing.

Cary – 2nd grade

Oh boy, now we have a close-up of the pixie cut.  Looking mighty fine!

Dad used to love to pose us for Holiday cards and he liked to take several photos to be sure he captured just the right one.  This must have been his attempt at that for our 1959 cards.

Sing Along

That was a pretty good shot, Dad.  I actually look like I’m trying to sing (probably not too well) and Cary looks so angelic.  Cute nighties, too, which I assume were red and white striped.

I sure hope he didn’t use this shot – we look like we have giraffe necks.  But at least we’re both singing!