The Cotton Bowl - 1996

Margaret Upton Waning and Marcia McCoy

Dallas, TX

The Cotton Bowl 1996

Thank You! It was a Good One.

Happy in between the holidays. Just thought I would share some moments from our day (actually just the morning). I also wanted to send big thank yous. Auntie, I absolutely love the Santa! He is perfect and unlike any of my others. Tom was impressed that he was real wood. Beth, the books are great. Quinten has already asked to read the Hockey one with me. The first dog one is very cute too.

Lex, love the Honora (but how can you go wrong with Honora?). Shirts good for Kierstyn, but the look on her face when she thought you gave her the electronic crossword was priceless! Mikaila liked her books, but she will probably "borrow" Quinten's, too. Again thank you all.

Notice that our pets are very involved in the holiday celebration. Murphy spent most of his time sleeping under the tree. But once we started opening gifts, he and Abby were right there watching.

Afterwards, Murphy found a box and slept the rest of the day in the box. I'm still trying to clean up after it all. Tom took this picture when we had opened everything. Yes, I got a new garbage can (Tom had broken the lid on the old one) but lucky for me there was another gift inside.

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Beth's Christmas Creative Effort circa 1963-64

Wishing all Waning Family members near and far,

the Merriest of Christmases!

Uptons and Greenwells - Harry and David - Christmas 1945

George and Adah Greenwell

Given the number of family members who have worked for Harry and David in recent years, I thought this thank-you letter written January of 1946 would be of interest.  The gift of pears - from Harry and David - was the perfect gift for Christmas 1945!

"2 January 1946

Dear Elsie & Otto,

'Happy New Year'.  You see, I had to make a six over the five, after all, but I do wish you & yours a full year of health & happiness.  We spent a quiet day yesterday, resting, with simple meals.  Took our tree down.

We want to thank you for those delicious pears.  It is so very generous & kind of you to give us such a fine gift.  Of course we had pear salad for Christmas dinner.

I hope you had a lively Christmas season.  We did, the happiest for many years.  It was so good to have Dortha home.  She is her normal self again now & enjoyed being home, has gained back a number of pounds.  Esther and Welly both had colds, but not sick.  We spent Sun 23rd with them in McMinnville, Dortha sang for them, sang here in our home church the first Sun.  We brought Welly home with us Sunday night and kept him until they came for Christmas a.m., then we all took Dortha to train in Salem, at 7:00 Christmas night, & they stayed until Wed. a.m. 

Eleanor & her new husband, Maurice Seibert, came this Sun & stayed until Mon. with us.  We enjoyed having them.  Glen has discharged - Thanks Glory - & is home.  Eleanor and Maurice may move to Dallas. 

We are wondering of the floods have done you any damage this time. Did it come into your basement?  I am sorry for all the harm and loss of life it has cause.  It is too warm for this time of year.  The tree buds are swelling and daffodils all through the ground.  Can Otto rest a little in this rain, or does he keep right on?  George worked this Mon., but did have the day before Christmas off.  No more holidays until Decoration Day. 

Hope we can get together for a visit before another year rolls around.  Write & come whenever you can.  We will not try to travel on bus anywhere until better weather.  We missed the Dallas bus, that eve from Oregon City & had to stay in Salem until ten o'clock.  Will stop now & get busy.  My throat is bothering me again so hoarse can't talk & that's awful for me!

Love from us both Geo. & Adah"    

Christmas 1923

Front of Christmas Card

Back of Christmas Card

Who were the Pattons?  I will speculate a bit. In 1920 the Upton Family lived in Cherry Grove in Washington Co., Oregon.  Close neighbors included the family of Pem and Edith Patton and their young daughters Mary (6) and Eldra (3 1/2).  These girls certainly could have been playmates for Margaret (4 1/2) and V'Ona (1 1/2). Perhaps they sent the Christmas card.

Christmas 1916

Christmas Card 1916

This post card has a Garland, PA postmark of Dec 23 2pm 1916.  It was written by Ellen (Nellie) Carter Upton, the mother of Otto D. Upton. She sent it to her son and daughter-in-law, Elsie Greenwell Upton, and her young granddaughter, Margaret Upton.  I've transcribed it as accurately as possible - Nellie was not a big believer in punctuation!

To:

"Mr & Mrs Otto Upton

Portland Oregon

c/o Gen. Del.

Dec 1916

To our loved ones

Just a word or two to wish you a Merry Christmas & happy New Year I hope you are all enjoying the best of heath We are all well but Me & I am a little better but not at My best yet Glad to know you have found such a good place to Move on to hope you will do well on it   it will seem good to you to get settled I bet for you have been so unsettled for a long time  I will write a letter in a short time  With lots of love to all & kisses for Margaret

from Mother"

  

Christmas Card 1916

Christmas 1937

Can you picture a young bride of a year and a half as she organizes and prepares to host the Christmas dinner for her husband, her sisters, and her parents?  I can!  Below are some mementos of that Christmas saved by Margaret Upton Waning.

Margaret's Place Card - Front  

The Waning / Upton Christmas celebration of 1937 is nicely documented with this place card.  It belonged to Margaret Upton Waning and she signed it, along with her sisters V'Ona and Ellen Upton, her husband James Waning, and her parents Otto and at Elsie Upton.  I especially like Elsie's fond comment "Good time was had by all".

Margaret's Place Card - Inside Signatures and Date

While I cannot be certain the precise year of this Christmas card, I do believe it dates from the earliest years of Jim and Margaret's marriage. 

Card from Margaret to Jim - Front

 

Card from Margaret to Jim - Inside

Happy Birthday Cameron!

1968

1970

1981

1985

Christmas 1969 - Part Two

Waning Boy Cousins and Connie

Christmas 1969

Waning Girl Cousins...and Eddie's Tonka Trunk

The War for the Roses

Okay, enough already about Oregon Football!

No more posting until the Rose Bowl! I promise!

 

What a game, what a night!  

I'm not sure what the productivity for Lane and Benton Counties was Thursday, but I'm sure it was at a low.  Everyone was busy preparing for the

"War for the Roses".

The game lived up to its billing - it was a hard fought battle to the final series.
  

  

Oregon / OSU Spirit Button                                                  Celebration with Rose Petals 

Oregon / OSU Game Ticket

Here are the spirit buttons from the 2009 football season.

All the home games.

All of them wins!

Oregon Football Awards Banquet Program

Christmas Memories - 1961

Eddie, Connie, and Chuck (in background)

Christmas Memories - 1965

Beth, Kevin, and Eddie - Christmas 1965

Christmas Memories - 1962

Eddie, Chuck, Beth, and Skoal - Christmas 1962

The Civil War

Thursday night all of Oregon and all of the Nation was focused on Autzen Stadium for the Civil War. For the first time ever, both teams had the chance to earn the Pac 10 Title and advance to the Rose Bowl with a win. The game lived up to its hype. Four times the Beavers led, but each time the Ducks fought back. On their last drive the Ducks went for it twice on fourth down and secured the victory. The students rushed the field and the Duck was held aloft holding a bouquet of Roses. Congratulations Ducks and props to the Beavers for a hard fought game on the road. It was a pretty cool game for the State of Oregon.

Mikaila's Birthday Wish

All week Mikaila has said she would like snow on her birthday. It started to snow last night and it was forecasted that we would get 3-4 inches. Instead this is what we woke up to.

10+ inches !!!!! With more snow showers during the day.

The birthday girl was happy, although school was canceled so her class cupcakes will have to wait.

Good snow for snow angels.

Happy Birthday Mikaila!

Wishing you the Happiest of Days Mikaila!

December 2003

August 2005

The 2009 Civil War Football Game

The Waning Family has been passionate about Oregon Football for decades now!  Take a look at the drawing Lexa made for Grandmother Waning many years ago. 

Lexa - Drawing For Grandmother Waning

This year the Civil War is HUGE with the winner representing the Pac-10 in the Rose Bowl on New Year's Day  2010.  

ESPN is airing a 15sec promo for SportsCenter called "Duck Out of Water" - very cute!

Three U of O Students have posted a music video called "I Love My Ducks".

Take a listen - it is all the rage here.

There is also a teeshirt with the same sentiment:

The weather today / tonight - clear and cold!

See you at Autzen Stadium!!!

Christmas Cards

Sandie - Cover about 1954-1955

Sandie - Inside of Card about 1954-1955

Beth - Christmas Tree about 1964

Thanksgiving Waning Style 1947

Wishing all the Waning family near and far the Happiest of Thanksgiving.

A bounty of food and blessings!

What a great holiday!

Barbara - 2nd Grade 1947

Barbara - 2nd Grade 1947

Waning - unknown artist - Sandie? - 1st grade effort?

Barbara - 2nd grade 1947

Beth - circa 1964

Oregon Football - Past and Present

Can any of you remember a time (in the not too distant past) when Oregon Football home games were not held at Autzen Stadium?  Do any of you know where those games were played back in the day?  

Well, once upon a time, Hayward Field was the venue!  We have documentation from the final Oregon football game - Washington State at Oregon - the 5th of November 1966!

Cover from the University of Oregon Football Game Program

Washington State at Oregon

5 November 1966

Flash-forward to the 2009 football season.  Thus far in my informal poll, I have yet to find a single person who will admit to giving-up and turning off the Oregon / Arizona game when late in the 4th quarter it appeared that Oregon might lose!  Hmmm ... no fair weather Duck Fans!  That is most remarkable!

For an eight minute video recap of the incredible game just click here.

"The Register Guard" has an article that recaps the final drive in regulation time, and the "Oregon Daily Emerald" has an article titled "Holy Masoli".  Enjoy!

Remember the Oregon / Oregon State game will be on ESPN, Thursday December 3rd 6:00pm West Coast time.  


           

Oregon Football Update

University of Oregon Student "Super Fans" 

Barbara (aka Auntie Dearest) and dUckbOy

Okay, I know we don't want to talk about the Oregon / Stanford football game, but...I think it is worth mentioning, if only because Barbara had her picture taken with one of the more famous U of O "super fans" - dUckbOy!

The "Oregon Daily Emerald" recently published an article about several of these unique individuals...the link is below:

http://www.dailyemerald.com/sports/game-day/section-8-1.835208

Oregon / ASU Game Ticket                               Oregon / ASU Spirit Button 


Last night's game began in the cold and dark at 7:20pm and finished about 11:00pm - with a win!  Cannot complain as no wind or rain, so with a stadium blanket and lots of layers of clothing we stayed reasonably warm.