My Childhood HOUse

My childhood house!

It all started when we moved from St. Charles to Alpha. My parents first moved us into my aunt and uncle’s old house. They had just built a farmhouse by a pond and had not sold their other house yet.  The plan was not to stay there long. My parents were building a house in Skona Lake. It was a good thing my dad was handy because the builder died before the house was complete. It was fun seeing it all put together and helping pick out my room’s carpet. I also got to get a waterbed which I loved! 

I didn’t realize how spoiled I was in that house until Brian and I started looking for a house. My parent’s thought of everything it seemed. My sister and I each had our own room with a walk through closet to each other’s room with a laundry shoot in it. My parents had their room, bathroom and walk-in closet. 

The dining room was right by the kitchen and you could look out at the lake. We had a ton of family meals there. The kitchen had a big island and eventually a sunroom off of it where the deck had been. There was also  a front room that was where we kept our organ and all my mom’s Lladro figurines. When you walked in the front door you could also walk downstairs. The staircase had open stairs that led to a huge family room.  This is where everyone loved to hang out. Downstairs there was also a bathroom, a “Toy” room and a gigantic laundry room/storage area.  Under my the garage which was a two car garage, but had enough room in the front of the garage that you could fit another car or two in. My dad built a cedar closet there for all my mom’s dresses and any special occasion dress my grandma had, baton outfits and our wedding dress. (Another story for another day)  Under the garage was a room just as big where we kept our tractor and sailboat and whatever else we had for the lake. 

This house was where my mom’s family would come to celebrate Christmas Eve every year after my grandma passed away, several of my family’s anniversary parties, showers and most of my sister’s and my friend’s birthday parties. It was where my friends and I would end up after a dance or for new years or just about any time. My parents would give us the huge basement and we loved it. My dad also had his faculty Christmas party there every year after the district sing. Literally k-12 would all get together all dressed in your Christmas dress and sing. Then the teachers all came to my house afterwards. When I taught in Galesburg we also had our staff Christmas party there and set up tables so we could have a sit down meal as a staff! All the girl’s in my class came to a friend’s and my birthday party once and loved it because there was enough room for all of us to sleep downstairs. 

My daughter’s were both hoping that my dad would keep that house until they were old enough to buy it. They also wanted us to try to just move it here so that they could live in it. It was sad to help my dad empty that house and it took as long as I thought it would. My kids and Brian did a great job helping my dad who is now 86 pack up and move. I guess we’ll always have the memories, but my friends, family and I will miss the house where everyone would always be welcome and have room to keep inviting more. It was a house built for entertaining and boy did my parents love to entertain people. 

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