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Friends
From
Home
Owner
With
feet of
Ashley Woodworth Doshier helped build her two-bedroom, 950-square foot, house through Muskogee Habitat for Humanity..
Photo by Shane Keeter
BEARD-GREGORY HOME
Have a Christmas merry, cozy
PARHAM HOME
ROBINSON HOME
Muskogee Habitat for Humanity takes up mantle of Christmas home tours
It seems fitting that Muskogee Habitat for Humanity will conduct this year’s Christmas homes tour.
“Habitat is about building homes,” said Dana Kellner said Muskogee Habitat director.
This year’s homes tour will be 1-4 p.m. Dec. 7 and 8 at seven sites:
— Ashley Doshier, 535 S. Virginia.
— Lois Beard, 402 N. 14th St.
— John and Valetta Parham, 3206 Phoenix Drive.
— Larena Robinson, 2608 Williams Ave.
— V.R. Coss House, 1315 W. Okmulgee Ave.
— Fite Estate Inn and Spa, 443 N. 16th St.
— Three Rivers Bed and Breakfast
— 2601 W. Broadway.
Tickets are $10 each.
Kellner said Habitat picked up the homes tour from the Kelly B. Todd Cerebral Palsy and Neuro-Muscular
Center. She said the center had been looking for an organization that had a similar mission and “could do it justice.”
“Since it is a tour of homes, and Habitat is about building homes ,they asked if we might be interested,” Kellner said. “To have event that’s already been going on in the community, that people recognize and to just be a part of that, we are excited about that.”
Habitat for Humanity offers new construction homes, at 0% mortgage for people who qualify.
“Habitat wants to be integral in the community in terms of revitalizing, providing housing for people who cannot afford traditional homes,” Kellner said. “Where homes are there for people, there’s stability for their families, children feel better about having their friends over. It changes lives.”
Beard-Gregory Home
Only a portion of Steve Gregory’s vast Christmas village is on display, but it nearly fills the room.
Family invites visitors to step back in time with decor
Shiny Brite brand hand-blown glass ornaments with vibrant hues and glitter galore, pink aluminum trees, and bubble lights—dreamy memories of Christmases past are sure to bring a smile to all.
For Steve Gregory and Lois Beard-Gregory, the 1940s-era of dazzling decorations is much-loved, but so is the 1890s era of trees trimmed in popcorn and cranberries, sleigh bells, and hard candy.
They also appreciate the 1920s Art Deco style of décor — St. Nick with twinkling eyes, a plump middle, shiny black boots, and happy smile seemed to adorn everything in sight back then.
By Wendy Burton • Photos by Mandy CorBell
ABOVE: Vintage Shiny Britebrand ornaments adorn a Christmas tree in the home’s parlor.
LEFT: Santa Claus serenades Mrs. Claus on the grand piano in the parlor.
In fact, all of these Christmas decorating styles can be found in their lovely home at 402 N. 17th street on this year’s Christmas Home Tour.
Each of the large home’s rooms is filled with trees and ornaments, wall hangings and delicate glassware, sculptures, Nativity scenes, and tiny Christmas villages. Visiting their home is sure to evoke a sentimental yearning for Christmases past.
Lois and Steve have been collecting Christmas decor and antiques for many
years — so long, in fact, they have a vault in the basement devoted to storage of their vast collection of geegaws and baubles, place settings and furniture, and a multitude of trees ranging in size from 3-feet to 12-feet tall.
Lois says before COVID, they always hosted their family for Christmas in their home, and much of the decor has a special place in the heart of their children and grandchildren, to be sure.
“They’ll say, ‘Oh, Grandma. I
remember the Ferris wheel, can I have it?” Lois said. “The pink tree, my granddaughters just love the ballerinas on it. They’d say, ‘Grandma, I love that skating doll. Can I have it? And, of course, they can take it home with them.”
When the grandchildren were small, they’d spend a week with their grandparents around Christmas, and when they became teens, they’d bring their boyfriends and girlfriends over to make cookies with Grandma at Christmas-time.
CLOCKWISE FROM BOTTOM LEFT:
A small room off the main living area features antique furniture and decor.
The parlor is perfect for Mrs. Claus to put her feet up after a long night of keeping Santa Claus on time.
The green room has never been opened for the Christmas Home Tour before. The antique furniture and period decor bring to mind the Victorian era of stringing popcorn and cranberries and kissing under the mistletoe.
The Gregory family’s collection of porcelain Christmas figurines perch on original built-in shelving and fireplace mantels throughout the 1920sera home.
Lois Beard-Gregory’s “pink tree” is one of her favorites, featuring ballerinas and rosey glass balls.
A downstairs guest bathroom is ready for friends and family for holiday visits.
ABOVE: Holiday candlesticks and poinsettias grace shelves and nooks throughout the home.
LEFT: The main living area is ready for Jo and Laurie to step out of the pages of Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women and sit in the courting chairs.
BELOW: The dining room looks as though the original owner, Mariane Darby, decorated for a party herself.
Sometimes Lois would dress up like Santa Claus and sit in the 1890s sleigh they display on the porch each year. “My grandkids would sit in my lap and it was just grandma, so they wouldn’t cry,” she said, smiling at the memories.
Any number of items in Lois and Steve’s inventory of Christmas glamour could invoke fond memories for just about any generation. There’s a strand of popcorn and cranberries adorning one flocked tree, replete with aluminum bulbs and frosted
globes.
The “pink tree” is brimming with dainty ballerinas and sparkling icicles. Another tree features old-fashioned bubble lights and white bows. The parlor is abundant with St. Nick-inspired decor, including red velvet bows and cushions, art deco lamps featuring drops of crystals, a settee fit for the most jovial Mrs. Claus to rest her laurels with a cup of eggnog, and holly sprigs galore.
Stockings hang from every fireplace
CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE LEFT: A tree in the dining room features ruby red balls, beads, and poinsettias.
The balustrade is draped in holly, lights, and pink strands of glittering beads.
The Gregorys display their nutcracker collection on the grand staircase. The details on the fireplaces surround and plinths are the epitome of Art Deco styling.
mantel, and Nativity scenes abound in every room.
The couple recently finished another room that hasn’t been displayed for the Christmas Home Tour before. The vintage seating, wood-paneled walls, brocade drapes, and holiday decor evoke images of young ladies from the Victorian era in full skirts and petticoats clustered around a crackling fire, exchanging tiny packages wrapped in brightly colored paper, laughing and singing carols.
CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE:
Nutcrackers and elves peep through the bannisters on the second floor balcony.
A porcelain Christmas train chugs across an antique table.
Nativity scenes are displayed throughout the home.
All of the home’s six bedrooms include smaller trees and holiday decorations.
The upstairs landing features deep red carpeting, antique furniture, and a vintage chandelier.
The dining room is festive with rich red fabrics, crystal trinkets, vintage plates, saucers, and gravy boats. Poinsettias and ruby red cut crystal goblets adorn the table alongside an antique buffet with a collection of antique knickknacks and dishes.
Dozens of wooden nutcrackers line the staircase, holly and pine boughs drape over doorways, and every room features a Christmas tree bedecked in a different theme.
The Christmas decor isn’t the only reason
visitors will find the Gregory’s home inviting and curious. The house was built in the early 1920s by the late J. Fred Darby — probably best known as the benefactor of the Boy Scout camp in Welling named after him, but also a banker, real estate mogul, and oil and gas investor. One 1925 newspaper article calls him the “father of Porter, Coweta, and Broken Arrow.”
The Muskogee Phoenix reported in 1925 that “Mrs. Fred Darby plans to keep open
house in her beautiful new home on North Seventeenth.”
Mariane Poole Darby and her spouse were avid travelers who evidently never had children. Early newspapers regularly reported their travels across the country and venturing to exotic locales several times a year.
Lois has a beautiful cedar-lined closet that Mrs. Darby reportedly kept all her fanciest dresses in over the years.
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HOME TOUR BEARD-GREGORY
TOP LEFT: A decorated guest bedroom has beautiful antique furnishings.
MIDDLE LEFT: Another gorgeous fireplace takes center stage in one of the home’s bedrooms.
BOTTOM LEFT: The sitting area in one of the home’s bedrooms is spruced up during the holidays with colorful throw pillows and vintage dolls.
ABOVE: A bright red Christmas tree.
BELOW: Another miniature village is tucked into an original built-in cabinet.
“One day someone who used to work for the Darbys stopped by the house and told Steve all about her and her cedar closet,” Lois said.
Despite the home belonging to a family of just two, the Darbys built a sprawling estate, including five bathrooms, six bedrooms, a two-bedroom apartment over the garage for servants, a full basement and an indoor pool.
Original crystal chandeliers remain in place, solid wood doors and flooring have survived the decades, and elaborate woodwork is to be seen in abundance.
Ironically, the Darbys didn’t celebrate every Christmas in their new home — old newspaper articles indicate they often traveled to Chicago to celebrate the holidays.
But they did host lavish New Year’s Eve dinners that greatly resemble the dining room decor visitors to the Christmas Home Tour will see at the home on Seventeenth Street.
“Gay and colorful balloons and red roses decorated the long dinner table, which was lighted by red tapers in silver holders,” the society page in the Muskogee Phoenix reported in 1931, which sounds a lot like the home’s vibrant dining room today.
TOP:
A tiny, porcelain family sets the table for Christmas dinner.
MIDDLE: Miniature Santas, angels, and trains are found throughout the house.
BOTTOM:
Vintage ornaments and fabrics turn this bedroom into a holiday retreat.
Doshier
Ashley and Justin Doshier join their goldendoodle, Duke, in celebrating Christmas. They also have a dog named Bruno, who is hidden behind Duke.
Home owner builds her future
Ashley Doshier is no stranger to building houses.
She said she grew up making gingerbread houses on Christmas Eve, a family tradition that continues to this day.
She also helped build her two-bedroom, 950-square foot, house through Muskogee Habitat for Humanity.
“It changed my life,” said Doshier, who works at Green Country Behavioral Health. “Six years ago .... I never would have envisioned being a homeowner, having a career, living a life that I can be proud of.”
She and her husband, Justin, live with their two goldendoodles — big white Duke and scrappy little Bruno.
By Cathy Spaulding • Photos by Shane Keeter
BELOW: The tree has many decorations, including (left) bright ribbon, (center) a big Santa bag and (right) a white Santa topper.
A tall Christmas tree was the first holiday decoration Doshier bought for her newly built home.
CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT:
A video fireplace warms the Doshier home, where Christmas decorating is in full swing.
A display of photos tells of the importance of family to the Doshiers.
Family photos, Bible passages and decorations create a gallery of joy and love in the living room
Doshier said she used to have addiction problems, but overcame them through recovery programs. She is a graduate of Muskogee’s Bridges Out of Poverty program. She said she read about Muskogee Habitat on Facebook and applied for a house.
Habitat for Humanity offers housing at 0% interest to people in need. Prospective homeowners must help build their houses.
Doshier said she helped build her house
“from the beginning to the finishing.”
“We poured the foundation,” she said. “In the frame, I put the wood that goes on there. I stapled it onto the cement. I helped do everything, the drywall.”
Putting up siding was the hardest part, Doshier said.
“I’m scared of heights,” she said. “I had to get on the ladder and put the siding up. It was hard, but it was also scary. Once you start doing it, then it gets easier.”
Doshier said she designed and made her bedroom closet, which has shelves in the center of four closet rods.
“The house is small, and I have a bunch of clothes, so we came up with this,” she said.
She also got to select her vinyl floor and other decor.
The house has two bedrooms and one bathroom. A porch stretches across the front.
LEFT: A wooden decoration glows on top of a living room table. BELOW: Ashley and Justin Doshier are shown celebrating inside a picture frame.
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steel appliances.
Kitchen cabinets and stainless steel kitchen appliances come from Lowe’s. Doshier said the appliances are part of the mortgage payments. Countertops came from Sutherland’s, she said.
The open space for the kitchen, living and dining areas offer all sorts of Christmas decorating opportunities.
Doshier said the first Christmas decoration she bought for her new house is a 7-foot prelit Christmas tree from Lowe’s. Other decorations include a wooden snowman and a big red bag that says “do not open until Christmas.”
She recalled family Christmas gatherings growing up in Fort Gibson.
“I remember Christmas Eves — and we still do this to this day — we’d all go to Mom and Dad’s house and make gingerbread houses,” she said. “Everybody stays the night at Mom and Dad’s. Now there’s a lot of us and Christmas morning we all get up and open presents and have a family dinner.”
The family also played games like bingo, Family Feud and charades on Christmas Eve.
“Then we had a cooking contest that I’d always win,” Doshier said.
She shares her cooking skills with others. She said she helps with Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners at faith-based recovery houses.
The Habitat house Ashley Doshier helped build features a spacious kitchen with stainless
“I always make their sides,” she said. “I make really good mashed potatoes. Everywhere I go, that’s what they want, homemade mashed potatoes.”
Christian wall hangings in Doshier’s home carry the message of Jesus’ birth through the year.
She said the message and her recovery go hand in hand.
“If I haven’t done this, it would have
LEFT: A snowman boasting an Advent calendar hangs on the front door.
BELOW: Christmas pillows add warmth to the couch.
been a long time before I could have been able to get into a position I could do this,” she said. “At Green Country, I work with a lot of people who are where I used to be. It gives them hope, knowing that if they stop using and turn their life around good things can happen. Hard work does pay off. People do forgive you. God changed me and restored all my relationships.”
She said working toward
homeownership changed her life.
“I think a lot of people don’t realize it’s not a handout, it’s a hand up,” she said. “You have to work for it. I pay my mortgage every month. It’s not like something that’s given to you.”
She said the house “is something that will be able to stay in my family forever.”
“When I’m gone, it’s something that we as a family will have plenty of memories.”
Parham Home
Valetta Parham’s house is decorated with more than 600 Santas and countless snow people, gingerbread people and trucks.
From Santas to Snowmen: A collector’s Christmas paradise
Expect to see Santa a lot at John and Valetta Parham’s house.
You’ll see him wearing chef’s hats in the front hall, dancing on the TV console, peeking through cabinet windows. He’s on pillows, on books, on bowling pins. He fills shelves, the mantel, the floor.
“I just started liking them for Christmas and kept going and going,” Valetta Parham said, adding that she has a collection of 629 Santas.
By Cathy Spaulding • Photos by Shane Keeter
Snow people of all sorts fill shelves in the dining area.
The dining area boasts a tree dedicated to Frosty and friends.
FEATURED HOME PARHAM
ABOVE: Santas representing different cultures stand by a front chest.
RIGHT: Holiday dishes await a big feast.
Snow people watch over a table spread for the holidays.
TOP: Try counting all the Santas and Mrs. Santas on these family room shelves.
LEFT: Snow people cover walls, buffets and a tree in the dining area.
RIGHT: Santas of all styles crowd a family room display.
All the Santas — plus a good collection of snowmen, gingerbread men and little red trucks, can be seen during the Habitat for Humanity Muskogee Christmas Tour of Homes.
John Parham recently was elected Habitat president.
“A man at church asked me to be a board member,” he said. “I always wanted to see a house built and help with a house.
Parham said he admires how Habitat
builds houses for people who cannot afford one.
“We want to get our advertisement out there to say Habitat is still in business and hopefully build some more houses,” he said.
Valetta Parham said her collection began in 1988.
“We were in Bella Vista, Arkansas, at craft shows, somehow my next door neighbor was there and she found us at the campgrounds,” she said. “She found the Santa,
and she had our names written on there. It says ‘John, Valetta, Jennifer and Leslie’ on a scroll.
And, yes, she still has that tabletop figurine.
Parham said she usually starts putting her Santas out around the first of October, “because it takes a while.”
All the items she displays the rest of the year goes into the storage bins where she keeps the Santas.
ABOVE: It takes two shelves to show off all these jolly old elves. LEFT: Kris Kringle takes on an outdoor look on this shelf.
BELOW: A smorgasbord of chef-hatted Santas whets the appetite for a Christmas feast.
“I put them in as the Santas come out,” she said.
This year, however, she started decorating in September because she joined her husband on an elk hunting trip in Wyoming.
“When we got back, I put them out,” she said.
Most of the Santas fill the front hall and living room.
Her collection includes four painted
wooden Santas, lined up like a picket fence.
“My friend, Paula Christensen made them one year,” Parham said. “We had a craft fair one year at school and she made those.”
A crescent moon Santa, framed by a wreath and and old white window pane sits on the mantle.
A lit curio cabinet shows Santa by the baby Jesus.
“My husband gave it to me one year for Christmas,” she said.
A variety of Santa mugs fill one table.
The Parhams display three Christmas trees in the living room.
One is festooned with red and white has red trucks.
“I love trucks,” Parham said. “My brother had a construction company. He had trucks all the time.”
CLOCKWISE FROM RIGHT:
St. Nicholas takes on a rustic look in this nook.
Mr. Claus is ready to wrangle some reindeer.
Guess who joins an array of gingerbread men in the kitchen.
A smaller tree honors Parham’s mom and dad. She said her father died in 2009 at the age of 96.
“He died three days before Christmas,” she said.”Afterwards, my sister and I cleaned out the house I said ‘I want that tree.’ I brought it home.”
And, of course, there is a Santa tree.
“When my kids go on vacation, they bring me ornaments,” she said.
Stockings for children and grandchildren hang on the walls. Greenery with red bows hangs from the mantel.
Scores of snowmen fill shelves and cabinets in the breakfast area. Many hang from a corner Christmas tree.
“I started collecting the snowmen, and all of a sudden, I started liking gingerbread,” Parham said, adding that she started the gingerbread collection a couple of years ago.
She said she hasn’t counted how many characters she has in her snowman or gingerbread collection.
A new collection, little red Christmas trucks, is growing in a hallway.
The Parhams have lived in their Muskogee house since 1981. He was an OG&E plant manager. She’s a homemaker.
Valetta Parham said she loves
RIGHT: The Parhams’ family room is filled with comfy pillows, stockings, a colorful quilt and other signs of the season.
BELOW LEFT: Snow people stand around a bowl awaiting treats.
BELOW RIGHT:
A Polar Express chugs through snowy cotton.
Christmas because it is Jesus’ birthday. She cherishes a special gift from her childhood.
“When I was growing up, we didn’t have a lot,” she said. “We lived in a small town in Arkansas. I remember going into Morrilton, which is 8 miles from where we live and they had a toy shop. We went in there and looked around and I found a doll that I wanted. They wrapped it up in the box.”
She recalled seeing her father with a wrapped box
“I said ‘Daddy what’s in the box,’ and he said tools,” she recalled. “Christmas Day comes around and there was that doll in there. I still have it. It’s a porcelain doll.”
John Parham said his most cherished Christmas memories involved making his wife happy. He recalled how he searched
to give his wife jewelry depicting the North Star.
He said the bright North Star remains fixed in the night sky.
“I was working at Stillwater and I kept looking for the star,” he said. “Nobody had a star like that, I went into a jewelry store and found that star.”
His wife has a tiny North Star that glistens from a necklace.
ABOVE: Antlers add a rustic touch to a corner, while crosses tell the reason for the season.
LEFT: Sooner Santas join their comrades dressed as fishermen, skiers, golf pros and others.
Larena Robinson basks in the elegant glow of a tabletop tree. Pink and silver add a softer palette for the holidays.
Home decked out with spirit
Christmas spirit fills nearly every room and porch at Larena Robinson’s house.
Santas fill the living room, where even the curtains are holiday colors. Snowflakes top table settings in the dining room. Greenery garlands the bannister. Reindeer graze in the backyard.
“This is actually low key,” Robinson said. “People who know me know I usually go, like, wow! I like people to come in here and feel so comfortable and so relaxed, not like ‘I can’t touch this.’”
Robinson goes all out for holiday decorations. This year is even more special because the house is part of the Habitat for Humanity’s Muskogee Christmas Tour of Homes.
By Cathy Spaulding • Photos by Shane Keeter
ABOVE: Multiracial Santas adorn the table and tree in the Robinson home.
LEFT: Robinson’s front porch declares there’s no place like home.
ABOVE: Round silver mirrors border a joyful banner while a train toots along in the living room.
RIGHT: Garlanded bannisters beckon people to see upstairs decorations.
ABOVE: Robinson’s front porch declares there’s no place like home.
LEFT: Strings of lights create an invisible tree on the front porch.
“I love the city of Muskogee, and any opportunity I get to actually help the community I’m gonna do it,” Robinson said. “Being on the Habitat board, we were looking to find people who feel comfortable allowing strangers into their homes.”
And Robinson loves having people in her south Muskogee home, where she lives with her 18-year-old daughter, Amari.
“I decorate in a way that represents my personality,” Robinson said.
Robinson boasts an eclectic, creative personality.
The living room is her Santa Claus room.
“You can see he is chilling on the couch, he is everywhere,” she said.
Robinson made a Santa from a picket
fence slat a few years ago. A ceramic bust is on the coffee table. The Christmas tree has Mexican, Black, Chinese and white Santas.
“I like to represent all the nationalities,” she said.
Other tree ornaments are friends’ creations, she said. One Santa is made from a light bulb made by Aanje Gaines Wilkerson, owner of Momma C’s restaurant.
ABOVE: Black and white checkerboard, accented with black tableware and glasses create an elegant Christmas spread.
LEFT: A dining room cabinet shows an array of Christmas spirits.
BELOW: Candles and a tea set are on a side table.
TOP: Red curtains and white pillows accent black furniture in the living room.
BOTTOM LEFT: A tiny tree with an elf hat guards the cookie jar.
RIGHT: A silent Santa wishes Merry Christmas from a corner.
TOP: Red cabinets and black appliances offer the perfect backdrop for Christmas decorations.
BOTTOM LEFT: A Santa set is ready for cookies and cocoa.
RIGHT: A reindeer in green pajamas holds a red tree.
“Every year, she would have an ornament gift party and everybody had to bring an ornament,” Robinson said. “It was at least 12 to 15 years ago.”
“Every
she
— Larena Robinson
”
The kitchen and dining area are festooned with red, white, gold and black. Red, black and white tea sets are displayed in a hutch.
A back room has a warm, family-like holiday setting. Handmade peppermint ball ornaments hang from the mantel and Christmas tree.
RIGHT: Angelic candleholders grace the floor and a poinsettia pillow graces a chair.
BELOW: Stockings are hung with care in an upstairs bedroom.
One ornament has one of her daughter’s hand prints, white against a black bulb. Each finger is a snowman.
“I love the personal touch,” Robinson said. “I love having things that we made.”
The room has two child-sized bentwood chairs for Robinson’s grandchildren. One is decorated with a unicorn, the other with an elephant.
“I do their blankets,” Robinson said. “I crochet each one a blanket, and I add different stuff to it every year. It grows with them.”
A downstairs bathroom has a unique look.
“I keep it black and gold because my mom, when she was alive, I always gave her sunflowers,” Robinson said. “This is a Christmas tree made into a flag, and I added some gold to it.”
“I crochet each one a blanket, and I add different stuff to it every year. It grows with them.”
— Larena Robinson
Upstairs bedrooms show elegance. A white pillow with a poinsettia accents a red Queen Ann style chair. Robinson has two goldpainted wooden trees she said are “very, very old.”
Wire angels can hold candles.
TOP RIGHT: A sled and a small tree accent a bathroom counter.
BOTTOM RIGHT: Santa bathroom rugs offer a warm place for feet.
BELOW: A white countertop tree adds a red splash of glamour to a bathroom.
A Black angel was a Christmas tree topper she bought for her oldest daughter.
“She’ll be 27 in March,” Robinson said. “We always try to keep angel tree toppers.”
Robinson said she adjusted the decorations in her bedroom to match her champagne color scheme. Hanging white plates have gold stars.
The backyard has a red-and-green setup with wooden reindeer.
“We have a little fire pit. We have guests that come and enjoy the fire pit.”
Robison recalled building Christmas memories growing up. She said her mother had psychological problems.
“For a number of years, we lived in
“That’s my Christmas memory, being able to showcase my personality, whether it’d be making gifts or sharing and spreading the love of Jesus.”
— Larena Robinson
foster homes,” Robinson said. “And even when we got with her. She was so deeply religious, she wasn’t into Christmas. Because she wasn’t into Christmas, I really was.”
Robinson said her mother ended up enjoying Christmas and got a little tree each year.
Robinson said cherished memories came when she started having grandchildren.
“Because I would go over the top for them,” Robinson said. “Not in buying gifts. I like making them. They think I can lasso the moon. Each year, they get at least two or three handmade gifts.”
Creating and decorating is another way for Robinson to serve.
“That’s my Christmas memory, being able to showcase my personality, whether it’d be making gifts or sharing and spreading the love of Jesus.”
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Place settings ready for variety of food.
Every place setting has note of thanks.
Friends gather for a toast. From left, Kim Williams, John Williams, Andrew Eaton, Kelcie Eaton, Brandie Russell, Matt Englebrecht, John Englebrecht.
Beyond THE fourth Thursday
Eaton family open home to celebrate togetherness with feast with friends, family
Friendsgiving doesn’t have to occur on the fourth Thursday in November — or even in fall.
For Andrew and Kelcie Eaton, it happens when family and friends gather for something good from the oven. When there’s a diverse cheese spread on the table. When there’s lively conversation.
“Generally on
Thanksgiving, we have a massive group of family that can range from 30 to 40 people,” Andrew Eaton said.
Kelcie said “our record is 54.”
Friendsgiving, on the other hand, is a more intimate opportunity to sit and have a meal with friends, they said.
Even the children are welcome.
By Cathy Spaulding • Photos by Mandy Corbell
Kelcie and Andrew Eaton, plus their children — from left, Beckett, Gentry and Kennedy — and their goldendoodle Barry.
“We try to keep things to let the kids be involved,” he said, “She’s got cream cheese cupcakes to decorate, Kim Williams made an apple charcuterie.”
“We enjoy our kids being part of this,” Kelcie said. “No one feels like they have to bring a baby sitter when they come to our house.”
The Eatons recently hosted five adult friends and four children at their Country Club home. Their 3-month-old, Beckett, slept through most of the event, cozy in his living room cradle. Barry, a goldendoodle, also hung around.
Kelcie said they love to cook and entertain. The back yard is an extension of their entertaining, regardless of the season.
“Depending on the season, we are out by the pool or out on the back porch, having dinner whenever we can,” she said. “It tends to be a bigger part of our Friendsgiving than the family-giving. People tend to stick around longer.
Andrew said they try to do as much of the cooking as they can, but potluck dishes are welcome. For example, he called John Englebrecht a “charcuterie extraordinaire.”
ABOVE: The Eatons have places set for eight in their formal dining area.
LEFT: Barry prowls the living room while Brandie Russell, left, and Kelcie Eaton sample cheeses.
ABOVE: All sorts of cheeses, crackers, nuts and eggs are arrayed on the charcuterie table.
RIGHT: A salad features dried cranberries, shredded carrots and orange vinaigrette.
BELOW: Challah bread loaves add a Middle Eastern flavor to the feast.
Englebrecht spread a table with cheeses including havarti, champagne cheddar and cranberry cheddar, plus all sorts of crackers and feta stuffed green olives.
“The main thing is having something sweet, something savory, really making it look pretty,” Englebrecht said. “We have a white cheddar popcorn mix, that’s got some sweet. Savory with your crackers. Cheeses that are paired with the wines we got. We have our fruits, nuts. With it being fall, we threw the gourds in, the pinecones in. Matt (Englebrecht) made a cranberry jalapeño
dip, which is a fan favorite.”
Kim Williams added deviled eggs and an “apple charcuterie.”
“I just wanted something that was fun and maybe a little bit healthy, with the apples, “ Williams said. “We have a hazelnut spread and caramel. The kids can dip it in the candy.”
The main course featured a 20-pound turkey, brined for four days in salt, sugar, rosemary and black peppercorns,” Andrew said.
“We try to put the rosemary in the gravy
as well, a little red wine,” he said. “It may be a little pink, that’s because it tastes good.”
Kelcie said Andrew is “not allowed to make the gravy without the rosemary and the red wine.”
The meal also included roasted Brussels sprouts and roasted carrots, a favorite of 8-year-old daughter Jentri. Also on the menu was a tossed salad with dried cranberries, shredded carrots and orange vinaigrette.
Kelcie made braided challah bread, commonly used on major Jewish holidays.
The feast is served for adults, from left, Tony Corbell, Brandie Russell, Matt Englebrecht, John Williams, Kim Williams, John Englebrecht, Kelcie Eaton and Andrew Eaton.
Stuffing, left, and corn casserole are examples of lovin’ from the oven.
An
TOP LEFT THEN CLOCKWISE:
Turkey is ready for carving.
Gratitude is shown for the Oklahoma State University Cowboys.
array of desserts include large and small cheesecake cupcakes and an apple crisp pie.
“We like eating food from all different kinds of cultures, so I learned to make this a few years a few years ago, and it kind of became one of our special items,” she said. “It’s made with honey and olive oil, so that makes it different for me than any of the other breads.”
Preparing challah takes a lot of love and patience, she said. “But it’s pretty on the table, great for soaking up gravy.”
The adult friends enjoyed the feast with a pair of Cabernets — yes, a red wine with turkey. Youngsters got favorite soda pops.
The youngsters had their own table, with their own place cards — cookies with their names on it. The cookies were baked by JD’s Custom Cookies. They also got to decorate their own cupcakes.
Tynlie Russell, 9, said it’s fun to spend time with friends and family
Tyson Russell, 11, said “they’re pretty fun, and the food is always good.”
The friends find ways to be thankful in the midst of the festivities.
“We have everybody fill out cards that say ‘I am grateful for ... ‘” Kelcie said. “One of our family traditions is to stand around and tell everybody what you’re grateful for before we eat. We do that with our friends too. It kind of gives you a moment to just recognize that you’re thankful for something.”
Youngsters gather around their table. They are, from left, Tyson Russell, Tynlie Russell, Gentry Eaton and Kennedy Eaton.
Reflecting on CHRISTMAS PAST
Custom-built home, personalized Christmas trees celebrate family’s legacy
Christmas is a time of memories for Valerie Moore.
“I love it because every year, I get to pull out my Christmas decorations,” she said. “I get to remember my grandmother, when I pull out my ornaments. They’re not
random bows and plain ornaments. My trees represent what was important in our lives.”
That’s kind of like the custom house Moore and her family lived in for three years.
She and her husband, Mike Moore, had the house custom built on 20 acres south of Muskogee.
By Cathy Spaulding • Photos by Mandy CorBell
Valerie and Mike Moore offer a warm holiday welcome on their 20-acre spread south of Muskogee. They had their house custom built.
“We loved the area, we bought the land and built the shop first,” she said.
Valerie Moore said the family wanted lots of windows and lots of light.
“I feel like my style is a mix between modern and traditional,” Moore said.
The entry offers a warm welcome with wood beams supporting a vaulted front porch.
“I feel like my style is a mix between modern and traditional.”
—
Valerie Moore
Inside opens onto a spacious living, dining and kitchen area.
“We have an open concept, too, because we like to entertain,” Moore said.
White bookcases accent both sides of the living room’s red brick fireplace.
The living room Christmas tree shines through the large front window.
Valerie and Mike Moore rest in their family room with their son Ryan.
Christmas trees glow through wreaths around the Moore’s front entrance.
FEATURED HOME MOORE
“Most of my ornaments on my tree have special meaning,” Moore said. “My grandmother made some. My kids made a lot throughout the years, they also picked some out of things they were into, like sports.”
She loves putting such decorations on the tree.
hung by the
“I get to reminisce about when the kids brought those home from school or vacations we’ve been on,” she said, adding that she sees value in creating those memories with your own families and your own children.
Moore’s grandmother Marie Hutchens, also made a ceramic Nativity scene,
“
I get to reminisce about when the kids brought those home from school or vacations we’ve been on.”
— Valerie Moore
A ceramic sheepdog sports a Christmas bow.
Colorful ornaments adorn a tree.
Moore’s grandmother created the Nativity scene
Stockings
fireplace, presents under the tree and garlands on the mantle and shelves herald Christmas at the Moore house.
ABOVE: The spacious kitchen features an island large enough for casual dining.
Three Wise Men, and several ceramic table-top Christmas trees. She made a Santa and Mrs. Claus. One of her grandmother’s poems, “Christmas is,” hangs in the dining room. Other examples of Hutchins’ artistic work include a ceramic dog, ceramic elephant and a braided rug in a half bathroom.
Cherished ornaments, belonging to Mike’s grandmother, Lucille Garner, are in glass containers throughout the house.
The Moore kitchen has Kitchen Aid stainless steel appliances, plus a variety of storage spaces, including a massive drawer for Moore’s Tupperware sets.
A built-in white hutch by the kitchen displays her grandmother’s Franciscan apple dishes and heirloom Christmas glasses. Moore said they used the glasses for her grandmother’s Christmas punch. She recalled drinking the punch on the evening of Christmas, after the family opens gifts and eats dinner.
LEFT: A built-in hutch by the kitchen displays heirloom glasses and dishes.
RIGHT: The hutch features a counter and storage options.
FEATURED HOME MOORE
ABOVE: The main dining room combines elegance with a rustic look.
RIGHT: An antler chandelier and an evergreen spread bring the outdoors inside.
FAR RIGHT: Nutcrackers guard a locally made Santa banner.
FEATURED HOME MOORE
A Christmas tree in the formal dining room is more family oriented, Moore said. “It has ornaments with our names and our pets’ names on them.”
An antler chandelier hangs over the dining room table, which features a big bowl from Mathis Brothers.
Muskogee artist Hope Farmer
painted a canvas Santa banner that hangs in the dining room. Nutcracker soldiers of various sizes stand by corner shelves.
The master suite is on one side of the kitchen. The bathroom has a separate shower and tub, plus a spacious walk-in closet.
Two other bedrooms are on the other side of the house. One is a guest bedroom. The other, which has a bathroom, is for 13-year-old son Ryan. One of its decorations is a reindeer he painted when he was 5, Moore said. Another one of Ryan’s reindeer paintings hangs in the kitchen.
Merry throw pillows top a festive bedspread in one bedroom.
Sports blend with Christmas decorations in the son’s bedroom.
A garland with colorful ornaments highlight the third bedroom.
TOP LEFT: Ryan’s reindeer decorates a bathroom.
BOTTOM LEFT: Silver decorations accent the artsy half-bath.
BELOW: A ceramic tree tops a ceramic elephant.
The Moores display a lot of local art throughout their house. Modern art by Tulsa artist Madison Summerlin contrasts with red wallpaper in the half bath. Moore also has works by Alicia Fowler, Samantha Jezek and Hillary McQueen.
Moore said her mother, Pat Isbell, gave her Hummel figurines and Roseville pottery displayed on living room bookcases.
“A lot of my stuff is very sentimental to me, including an old school cookie book,” Moore said.
Moore uses a cubby space off the living room as a home office. She is a quality review specialist for the U.S. Department of Veterans’ Affairs. She also sells real estate for ERA CS Raper & Son.
A back porch has space for conversation and dining. Further in back, a deer feeder keeps four-footed visitors well fed.
“We call them our pets, too,” she said. “My husband is a hunter, but not here on the property, those are our babies.”
DREAM GETAWAY passed on to longtime neighbor
Mings craft timeless retreat on Lake Fort Gibson with stunning waterfront views
Beautiful Lake Fort Gibson touches three counties and touts 225 miles of shoreline. Every year, thousands of people take to the lake for fishing, fun and relaxation. And that’s what the Ming family has done for more than 50 years.
“This was our family getaway,” said property owner
Mike Ming. “I have been waterskiing out of this cove most of my life.”
In 2010, the family built a new lake house within walking distance of their original spot and worked with an architect to craft a home specifically to fit the landscape and terrain.
The end result: a timeless retreat with views from every room.
By holly roSSer-Miller • Photos courtesy of VaSt Media
Designed to fit the natural terrain, the Ming family’s lake house blends modern elegance with timeless charm.
BEYOND THE LISTING
The first thing anyone notices when they come through the front door is what’s beyond the walls. Two stories of floor-toceiling windows let in the light and bring the outside in with incredible views of the water. If you prefer to take your coffee in the morning air, the back deck or screened-in porch is there to enjoy.
The Mings wanted a place to accommodate all generations of their family, and built the house with that in mind. The first floor features an open concept with the kitchen, dining and living rooms all together in one space.
Lake Fort Gibson’s stunning 225 miles of shoreline provide endless opportunities for fishing, fun, and relaxation.
Nestled near Lake Fort Gibson, the house captures the serene beauty of its surroundings.
HappyHolidays
ABOVE: Two stories of floor-to-ceiling windows offer breathtaking views of the lake and bring the outdoors in.
RIGHT: An openconcept design creates a welcoming space perfect for family gatherings.
ABOVE: The woodburning stove adds vintage charm while keeping energy efficiency in mind.
LEFT: .The dining area’s rich wooden table and cozy chairs create a welcoming space for family meals, complemented by an open view of the loft and living area.
With its expansive countertops, warm wood cabinetry, and a clear view of the dining and living areas, the
A focal point in the living area, in addition to the full lake view, is the woodburning stove, which marries vintage charm and energy efficiency. The primary suite includes a luxurious private bath, and a door to the back deck. Across the hall sits a wheelchair-accessible guest
suite with a beautifully tiled barrier-free shower. Most of the bottom floor is open and has wide pathways making it easy to navigate.
At the top of the stairs and immediately to the left is a bunkroom/gameroom. To the right a catwalk overlooking
the room below leads to two more bedrooms and a full bathroom. The bedrooms are identical in size and both have a built-in bunk for more sleeping space. The custom ladder tucks away when not in use. The house sleeps 13 comfortably, a must for family get-togethers.
The primary suite offers direct access to the back deck and includes a luxurious private bath
kitchen is designed to be both stylish and practical.
If the old real estate adage of “location, location, location” is true, then this property hits the mark three-fold. Located in the premier Sportsman Club on Long Bay, the home is walking distance to The Canebrake Resort. And, it has 990 feet of prime waterfront.
That 990 feet is mostly shoreline but also includes a cove with a covered boat dock and private slip with Hydrohoist.
The Ming family’s 50-plus years enjoying Lake Fort Gibson wrapped up in October. But their longtime neighbor couldn’t pass up the opportunity to own this one-of-a-kind lake home, so the house sold before it ever hit the market.
“It’s not easy to walk away from this cove and the decades of memories made here,” said Mike. “But it’s special to know that our friends will get the opportunity to love this house as much as we did.”
The spacious back deck is perfect for enjoying a morning coffee while taking in the peaceful lake views.
ABOVE AND BELOW: Custom-built bunks in the upstairs bedrooms maximize sleeping arrangements for family gatherings.
A unique catwalk connects the upstairs bedrooms while overlooking the spacious living area below.
Small Town Welcome Fort Gibson
NATIONAL NIGHT OUT
National Night Out is an annual community-building campaign, which aims to promote police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie.
Photos by Cathy Spaulding
MERLE HAGGARD TRIBUTE EVENTS
Community gathered to hear Ben Haggard sing "Okie From Muskogee" at father's tribute concert. Celebration kicked off with statue unveiling of Muskogee legend.
Photos by Cathy Spaulding
THIRD & BOURBON
Guests taste and learn about different bourbons, while making connections with other business professionals in the community.
by Mandy Corbell
Photos
MOONLIGHT AND MONARCHS
Community raises money to benefit park improvement projects and seasonal butterfly costs through dinner, drinks, music, and a garden auction on the Papilion event lawn.
Photos by Cathy Spaulding
PUP CRAWL
Residents journey with their dogs to gather tickets and treats from businesses downtown.
Photos by Ronn Rowland
OKTOBERFEST
Civic center transforms for German celebration and featured a variety of Oktoberfest and American beers for sale.
Photos by Ronn Rowland
back stories: 'Ring of Fire' lights up holiday playlist
How a song mishap, childhood brings warmth each year
By Ed Choate
Sometimes, I lack focus. My mind wanders.
That’s how “Ring of Fire” by Johnny Cash wound up on my Christmas playlist. I listen to Christmas music in car almost exclusively beginning with the ride home from my mom’s house on Thanksgiving until the ball drops on New Year’s Eve.
I could delete it from the list. But it amuses me and that’s what I like best about my favorite Christmas memories — I smile.
My Christmas season begins when I change the profile photo on my Facebook page. My niece, Holly, wrapped a present for me and ran out of one roll of wrapping paper. She used other designs of Christmas wrapping paper to form ED and I have been using that photo ever since.
I admit I am not the best at wrapping presents. Sometimes I have taken shortcuts. One year, I used the same Christmas bag and tissue to give all my gifts. As soon as one person “unwrapped” their gift, I would retrieve the bag and paper and retreat to the bedroom and place the next person’s gift inside.
When my nieces — Holly and Kari — were children, I asked each to wrap the other’s gift. They were the same watch and I liked watching them realize that Christmas morning.
My cellphone wallpaper is a photo of my grandniece, Briony, with Christmas lights around her neck and what I think is a furry bear-looking hat covering her head and ears.
Her grin is what makes that photo special. My daily goal is to be as happy and content as she looks in that photo.
I had about two decades to have Christmas dinner with my mom and dad and siblings — Jackie, Janie and Bud. We’ve lost a
couple from that list, but gained Holly and Michael and Briony and Kari through the years.
From Christmas Eve tacos and games to Christmas morning unwrapping gifts to our Christmas dinner, we make many memories and traditions.
My dad had a bunch of mechanical Christmas Santas or animals. A few danced or made music. We propped up Bri next to these to sort of measure her from her first Christmas and every year since.
I dressed as Santa for a couple of years to take photos to try to extend Briony’s belief in Santa last another year.
My favorite present? It’s nearly impossible to narrow down the generosity of others, but one memory sticks out. Every few years my mom and dad would buy my brother and I wallets as part of our Christmas haul.
I probably have bought a couple of wallets for myself in my life. The rest came on birthdays or Christmas from my mom and dad. Christmas is magical because of the memories we make.
I loved waking up to Christmas lights dancing on the wall outside the bedroom door Christmas morning. My father turned on Christmas music the Christmas tree lights.
I remember the lights twinkling. I remember the mix of classic Christmas carols and fun songs such as “Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer.” Now “Ring of Fire” is cemented in my playlist because it makes me smile.
I hope you add more memories and traditions with your loved ones this year.
