Christmas Traditions

Momrn2 at My Quiet Corner is hosting a fun Christmas blogging idea. Go here to join in or read about other fun and meaningful Christmas traditions.

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Some of my favorite traditions are of course, passed down from my childhood. We used to get all dressed up on Christmas eve. There was a time when we went out to a restaurant for dinner, but later then, had a fancy dinner, maybe steak and seafood or something like that, at home. Now, we still gather on Christmas eve, but like the times, it is more casual. For the past few years, we have gathered, as many as can, at our home, instead of my parents'.

Some of the traditions have evolved, but we still gather around the piano and sing Christmas carols. It is a favorite thing to do for many of us. My mom plays the piano, usually with a couple little ones side by side on the bench with her, and we sing....some of the men grinches stay in the other room with the tv, of course. My dad's favorite song for us to sing is "Little Drummer Boy". One of my grandfathers used to love "O Christmas Tree" and he would sing in German. My two youngest sisters then thought it was "O Charlie Brown" instead of the words in German!

We have mixed in some of my husbands family traditions, like having tamales..(although I have not made them myself yet...if we don't have some from my mom in law, I'll buy some) and atole ( a hot drink, made with juice from oatmeal that has soaked, evaporated milk, sugar and cinnamon sticks).

We have a traditional (usually) Christmas dinner mid-day on Christmas day.

Our family opens gifts on Christmas eve, which works well for family that we share with inlaws, so they can open gifts on Christmas day...

Our favorite tradition is being with family that we love, sharing memories and hopes, laughing and crying together.

One thing I have done in the past, and would like to do as a tradition is to let balloons go to the heavens in memories of our loved ones who are spending Christmas in heaven with Jesus.

Have a blessed holiday season, everyone...and share your traditions and memories!

Thanksgiving

Hope you all had a Happy Thanksgiving. Ours was rather quiet. My husband and I had decided not to go anywhere, and he worked both Thursday and Friday. Our children all had plans as well... I thought, OK, I will be fine...I won't be lonesome. WRONG! Of course, I got lonesome. I did get a lot done, but still was lonely. However, I had three invitations from co-workers, so I did join my friend at her family dinner. It was loud and noisy and fun, just what I needed.

I finished up most of my Christmas decorating on Thanksgiving day, which is early for me, but did help to pass the time. So much for my being so big and brave.

In addition, Thanksgiving morning I got word that one of my aunts passed away...such sad news. I am still in shock. She will be missed greatly.

Hope you all had a wonderful and safe Holiday weekend.

Ouch!

Last night when walking the dogs, I fell down. It hurt! I scraped my knee and caught myself with my hand, hurting it, and letting go of the leash. The dogs were good, and didn't run away.

No, it was not because of anything. I'm just clumsy. The sidewalk was bumpy, but well lit. I just tripped over the raised cement and fell.

I didn't have my cell phone, so I bucked up and finished my walk. I'm kinda sore today. Poor, pitiful me.....I've always been a klutz.

Pie

My husband likes pies. I don't make good pies. So I just don't make them.

However, yesterday I made a pie..."fruit of the forest" pie. It was really good, lots of fruit (Strawberries, Rhubarb, Apples, Raspberries, Blackberries), deep dish, and flaky crust.

It really tired me out to open that box, put the pie on a cookie sheet and bake it.

Whew...what a job.

Just call me...................

Sammy Sighs-Updated

I don't feel good. I think I have the doggie flu.

I accidentally had to wake up Mom and Dad lots of times last night. Even Silly Sissy felt sorry for me and was worried.

I think I feel a little bit better today.

UPDATE ON FRIDAY:

I still feel yukky. Mom didn't even make me go on the walk last night, I stayed nestled up on Dad's lap. Sissy went and was a good girl, I bet that is because she was soooo lonely. She looks at me and barks and whines, but I just have to rest.

Yummy???

Rice Krispie Treats

Everybody likes them, right? The website for the recipe says:

This classic delicious snack is always a crowd-pleaser, and it takes only 15 minutes to make!

In my blog about jello I mentioned that I can't make jello, but I CAN make Rice Krispie Bars. My mom told me this weekend that she cannot make them. Then, in Tina's blog she mentions making Rice Krispie Treats...too funny. Must be a family trait?

For the original and other fun recipes, check it out at: http://www.ricekrispies.com.

Wonderful Wyoming Weekend

We had a nice wonderful weekend in Wyoming!!

We went to visit my folks and mother in law. In addition to that, then we got to see one of my sisters (the one that hates the wizard of oz....and luckily it was showing on television this weekend, so I was able to tease her just a bit) and my husbands sister, three of his brothers and many nieces and nephews. So, we got a dose of extended family..just what the dr. ordered. We enjoyed good visits, wonderful meals and just that overall wonderful feeling of being "home". We attended the local state championship football game...our little hometown ended up runner up. Our nephew, who is a senior, played and had a great game. We got to give belly rubs to my favorite "dog-niece"...she, a yellow lab, is aging, so I am particularly glad to get to spend time with her. I also got to enjoy going to church with my mother and sister, which is just always such a great comfort to me. I so enjoy attending my childhood church.


Then back "home" on Sunday... Sissy and Sammy and Shelby were pretty glad to see me (I mean us). Ha. Crystal had taken care of them over the weekend, so they were not too lonesome.

That brings me to a question. I went "home" to visit my parents/family and then came "home" to my home...do we ever outgrow calling our childhood home "home"? It will always be home, I think~even though I have been gone from there for more than 30 years and have my own "home". That goes for the church too. I have my own church here that I love being a part of, but there still is just that special feeling of attending my childhood church.

Like I said, sometimes it is still good being my parent's little girl. And, I truly enjoyed being just that this weekend.

No Sense of Direction

I absolutely have no sense of direction. None...zero....I am serious!

I was going to write about this, but my daughter wrote about our latest trip on her blog...and she writes more cleverly than I do. Read her post here.

J-E-L-L-O

Jello

I can't make Jello. Can you imagine that? Yep, everytime I try, I get more like thick koolaid.

It doesn't matter if I do it with the boiling water and then the cold water. It doesn't matter if I try the "quick set" way, with ice cubes.

I only come out with thick koolaid, not fun, wiggly jello.

There is no way I could EVER make those Jello Jigglers...and don't they look fun? My kids would have loved that when they were young. But, even my grandkids won't get those at my house.


The only thing I can do with jello is the jello poke cake. The jello doesn't have to be set, you pour it over the cake while it is still the thick koolaid stage, so it works out good for me.

My friends at work, especially Shawn and Sandy, think I'm just too funny for not being able to make jello. I truly believe it takes a special skill.

I can make rice krispie bars.

Leaves

First of all, let me tell you. My good friend, Sandy, has been whining at me that I haven't blogged. That is true. I haven't thought of anything creative to write about. Guess that means I'll never be writing any novel or anything, huh?

Lately I haven't done anything out of the ordinary. I have cleaned up my yard. Two weeks ago, I got done, and this is what it looked like:

This is what the neighbors yard looked like (and the ones directly across the street):
Guess what mine looked like within the day? Just like the neighbors.

Then, last Saturday, I again spent a couple hours cleaning up the yard. This is what mine looked like:
This is once again what it looked like around me:

Do you get where I am going with this? Guess what I'll be doing this weekend?

Sammy Sighs

Well, I showed Mom. The other night, she got out the harnesses to go on the daily walk. I ran outside and hid. So, she just said to Dad---Fine, Sammy is staying home. Ha. I sure fooled her. I didn't have to go with Silly Sissy. I got to stay home. Well, they walked for about 4 miles, and they even got to go by Laing Lake and see the geese. Hey, she never told me they were going to do all that. Sissy was really bragging about the fun time she had. Mom was all happy and energetic too. I showed them, huh? I stayed home and had no fun at all.