This is a letter from Nanny to my mom and dad that I (Pam) found recently. I am amazed at her great English writing skills. This is unedited, exactly as written (except for a couple of words that I couldn't make out). I love that she even lets us know that "anchiladas" is spelled wrong.
Tuesday, June 23-53
Dearest Ruth & Doug,
How are you? Are you pretty well settled by now? I'm thinking of you everyday. Hope Norma is still allright, and how is Edna? We are really having a wonderful time. Larry is taking us all over. He has a 42 Mercury convertible. Boy, we really go. Yesterday we went to Long Beach and boy did I get sunburned. I'm really black but it doesn't hurt. Yesterday we went to see Aunt Helen. From there we went to Sunset Blvd. and stopped off at the Chinese theater and saw the footprints of a lot of movie stars. Then we drove up to Beverly Hills and Bell-Air where the movie stars live, from there to West Wood where the Mormon temple is being built, a beautiful place. From there we went to Inglewood where Lill's friends live, then home and ate tortias and (anchiladas) sp. Last night we went to L.A. and first to ____ street where the ___ are peddling their stuff. I bought you a bag, not too big, paid 7.35 including tax so you'll owe me some money. It's really a beautiful bag for so little money. Then we went to China Town and looked around, and then home. The freeway goes almost all the way out here, so it only takes 25-30 minutes. If we took the bus, it would take almost an hour. Tomorrow Amy, Lill and I will go to town and Larry will take the boys to the beach again. He will drop us off in town and leave us and pick us up in the aft. Boy, we will really walk around in the stores, (not buying). Thursday we are invited to Larry's sister for lunch. Friday to the beach again. Sat. we will stay home in the evening. Larry, Amy and Lillian will go shopping and I will be the baby tender. Monday Lill and the boys will go over to ___ and stay over night until Tuesday and Wednesday night at 7 we will leave to come home. So now you have our schedule. The weather has been perfect, real hot and cool during the nights. Amy feels fine, they will visit in Salt Lake about the 27th of Aug. for a week only. Well, goodbye kids and be good. Love, Mother

Remembering Nanny

I guess this might be a Yellowstone photo with Nanny , Brad , Doug and Lynda.

Lilly (Amy's sister) and Amy (Nanny)

Nanny ( Amy) holding Pam.

Berger, Amalia, Amy and Lilly with children , first 4 ....Edna, Lillian, Norma, and little amy in Berger's arms.

Lillian, Ruth , Amy(nanny), Edna, and Norma.

Hilly , Lillian, Doug standing, and Lynda and Brad in front Amy is sitting on foreground in front holding her hat Edna, Amy(Nanny),Norma, Roger,and Ginger Amy(Nanny) lighting candles probably at a Christmas eve party

Amy and her brother , Karl Johan who did not move to the USA Amy and Berger mission photo

Brad, Amy ( Nanny), a glimpse of little Stephanie,Lisa sitting and Wendy standing.
Below; Amy far right with a group of friends Nanny , with daughters Ruth, and Amy

Amy holding daughter Ruth. Amy, holding one of her children(does any one know which one?) I think this is in front of the house we all know Amy with her half brother "little Joe" Amy as a young girl in a cooking class . She is top far right.
Little Karl and Amy
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Amy Elisabeth Johansson Lundevall

I remember Nanny, even though I was very young when she passed away. The things that I remember, are little tidbits here and there, and are very likely spurred on from photos or other tangible memories that made a lasting impression on me as a little girl. And , in reflection ,as an adult (...an older one at that...and even a grandma myself) I often go back to the deepest parts of my foggy memory cupboard and try to dust off and retrieve some of those memories to relish.

I think of the hours I spent with her.. sometimes just with mom, others with the family. Often on Sundays when we would come into her home ,we would find her watching" The Lawrence Welk Show" ...she really enjoyed that and would usually have a little t.v. tray in front of her with a pretty tea cup and some other food item on top. We would always be warmly greeted with her cute sing songy voice ( I loved that accent) .

When mom and I would go to her house on weekdays, she would have some chocolate chip cookies in a jar for us( perhaps this helped start my obsession with chocolate). On occasion (because Nanny knew they were my favorite) she would let me eat a whole can of olives... I would of course put them on each of my fingers before slipping them into my mouth, while listening to conversations between mom and Nanny. Very often' we would all sit around a small table in her kitchen while the two of them would stick green stamps or gold stamps in little booklets. Do you guys remember them? we would all sit around the little table while the hours lolled away. When I would have to use the little bathroom which was just off of the kitchen, I was scared spit less... because of the bathtub with clawed feet! I was pretty sure that it was going to turn into a monster at any moment , and that it was going to happen while I was sitting on the toilet! Mom and Nanny would usually just laugh at me and leave the bathroom door a little open.

We would often go shopping "down town"with Nanny and she would always wear one of her best dresses, and some gloves, and usually a hat. I remember her being quite appalled when we would see someone not dressed appropriately for "town" ...like a woman wearing pants.

I loved going to Nanny's house at Christmas time. I liked the smells and and the very crowded house that it became , all festive and colorful . I especially looked forward to the display of pastel colored houses ...a "village of sort "on her old black piano. It was all displayed on "angel hair" and I was of course never allowed to touch it . And then there was the "tree" Pam and I have sinced talked about the funny little trees that she would pick. We still wonder if maybe she just picked the one she felt most sorry for , or the one no one else would likely pick. I remember a couple of the old straw Swedish ornaments ,definately the tinsel, but I mostly remember the tiny candles that were only briefly lit. Everyone held their breath , wondering if the tree would burst into flames like the men in the family promised. Nanny never did want to switch over to the new idea of electric lights on the tree though...she firmly stood her ground. And then, of course there was the singing and dancing around the tree. What a lasting memory for we children who were able to be there and participate. Watching Nanny and the older ones , as we tried to follow the Swedish words and imitate the amusing actions. My favorite one was the pounding on the floor, ( was that the baker or the builder?) and then the one where you were pretending to sniff the snuff? I couldn't wait to tell my friends what we Swedes did at Christmas time!

To a little girl, her house was HUGE (especially when we lived in a one level, flat roof style, home). I was so scared of the upstairs though, The clapboard style ,noisy stairs and everything creaked and was cold. But we loved it just the same.I'm sure everyone would agree thou, that the winning part of the house was the big closet between the kitchen and the dining room. Mom said that it was called the " cuminfunscontorit"(fun pronounced as foon) but Pam and I asked two Swedish girls about 5 years ago ,and they couldn't place that word any where.... anyway , it was a very intriguing room full of hats ,and who knows what else...the younger ones; Haidee , Bobbette , and I were rarely allowed in , and were promised by the older cousins that we might never return if we did.

Outside of Nanny's house was always playful, with Holly hocks in the back , I could never figure out how to make those Hollyhock dolls though. When we had party's there in the summer, Nanny would set out card tables, and cover them with her beautifully hand embroidered tablecloths.

I don't remember any particular conversations I had with Nanny, but I do remember being happy to be around her, and that she was a very caring, and loving person, and worried about us all .

Amalia Kristina Korner Johansson Bloomquist

On most of the posts if you click on the photo( or double click maybe...) it will go to a different page where you can view the larger version of that photo! A right click will help you save it to your computer which we authorise for the family members of this blog.

I have been collecting photos of "Mormor" or Amalia and thought I would just post the ones I have with her in them so far. I do not know too much about Mormor . She of course is Amy's mother. When Amy's father ;Karl Gustav Johansson died, she was a young widow. To provide for her three young children, she was a seamstress . Mom says that she would look in the swedish fashion magazines and then reproduce the fancy clothing for ladies that would pay her. She would design the patterns from the pictures. Another way that she earned money for herself and the children was to take in borders. This is how she met Victor Bloomquist , and they(Amalia and her chidren) were brought into the church through him. The two of them were married, and had "little joe" , their only child together. They eventually all immigrated to America from Sweden. Of course in the genealogy records we have all of the dates...

The Children

Here is a sweet picture of Amy with her first baby Edna

A family photo of Berger and Amy, with their girls; Norma is on amys lap..Lillian is standing between amy and Berger, and Edna is standing in frontof her dad..

Here is an adorable picture of Norma , Lillian and Edna ( from left to right).

All in a row; Edna, Lillian, Norma,Amy,Roger ,and Ruth(tallest to shortest)

This is the harder one to decipher...Edna is holding a baby,top right,I think Lillian is on the far left with a tie, and I think Ruth is in the foreground covering her forhead and Roger is behind her to the right...I am just not sure about the others.....

From top left, Edna, Roger, Lillian, Norma. Second row..Ruth, Amy, Berger, and young amy.

This is a photo of Amy and Berger's wedding anniversary . Ruth is in pink, then Norma, Roger, Lillian, and Edna. I believe Amy was in California at the time.

Berger and Amy

Berger Emanuel Lundevall

Amy Elisabeth Lundevall..this is my personal favorite photo of her.

Here is most of the family ,...I believe Roger was in the service at the time.

Here is Amy and Berger,a page from their mission scrapbook.

I love that it is in Berger's own handwriting.