Happy Thanksgiving

I thought I would take a little turn from the normal blog posting that I’ve shared in the past. I wanted to wish all of you a “Happy Thanksgiving.” This is that time of year that we gather at a loved one’s home and give thanks to those around us.  We also take time to remember the wonderful things that have happened this past year, years past and we must remember to be thankful for what’s to come.  So remember in our busy lives to stop look around and remember to be thankful for what you have and thank those around you.

                                          HAPPY THANKSGIVING

Wordless Wednesday

This is a photo that I bought off eBay; I don’t know the name of the couple. Maybe they are at New Year’s celebration; they look like they are enjoying it.

Merry Christmas

    Ahh! Just broke away from the “Christmas Twister”, the tradition of Christmas wonder carried on this year. With every year there seems to be a new tradition that is added to your old ones. I wanted to take a quick break and recognize a new tradition for me and that was wishing all of you a safe and wonderful “Merry Christmas”.

Advent Calendar - Christmas Eve

     The Christmas Shuffle has begun; no it isn’t some kind of hoe-down dance. Not really, this is the dance that every parent does right before the paper shredding event takes place.

     First thing in the morning we quietly sneak in to grab a cup of coffee, it might be the only peace and quiet we have for two days. I love my kids don’t get me wrong, but we ALL seek silence in the house before the “Christmas Twister” hits. Once all the gift seeking sweethearts get up the Christmas tree attack begins, so to speak. You can catch each one of then sitting on the floor crisscross applesauce style, gazing at the gifts below the tree. The conversation will consist of many different points of interest for all parents to hear.

 

     ….”lets count how many presents are under the tree.”

     ….”that’s too heavy.”

     ….”this one makes sound when you shake it, hey mom this isn’t breakable is it?”

     ….”someone tricked me with this box.”

     ….”I know exactly what this is.”

     Once their legs go numb from sitting on the floor the number one question will be asked, not only once but multiple times, “When are we going to open the presents?”

     Once the kids are entertaining themselves we begin our Christmas Shuffle. Running around making sure we remember where we hid everything, it never fails something is always missing. Then we do a quick double check to make sure we didn’t leave anyone out, or short anyone I should say. We know how they like to count and compare.

 

     Quick kitchen run through making sure all of the Christmas Eve and Christmas Day dinner ingredients are on hand. Prepare the sugar cookie station with icing and sprinkles, spread the wax paper out and lay out all of the cookies. Now it’s time for the decorating chefs to come in and create.  Mom and dad now have a few minutes to set back, watch, enjoy and remember our childhood past at our cookie stations.

 

     Our Christmas Eve consists of all the fun activities discussed, the tradition and activities continue on into the evening. Once the cookies are done it's time to make the homemade pizzas, that's right on Christmas Eve we have homemade pizza for our dinner, no were not Italian. Don't worry on Christmas Day it's the traditional prime rib with all the trimmings. The stomachs are full, dishes in the dishwasher and now it's time for the wrapping paper to fly.

 

     Ah, the smiling faces, giggles and joyful conversation are now taking place, while we, mom and dad, set back wondering what just happened. Then laugh and realize it was the "Christmas Twister". The evening has come to an end and now it's time for bed, they try real hard to get all snug in their beds and go to sleep for they know Santa Claus is on his way.

Advent Calendar - Christmas and Deceased Relatives

This Advent calendar post is one of the hardest for me. There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t think of my grandparents and the holidays are even harder. These are the times when the family comes together to celebrate so many wonderful things, love, memories, accomplishments and a time to reflect on the past. There is always a special toast in honor of them, a special ornament that we hang on the tree to remember them and a special prayer that we say.  It wouldn’t be out of the ordinary that during the time we are preparing a meal, eating or opening presents to hear us reminiscing about them. Something that they might have said, done or what they might be thinking at this time. Only to be followed by a laugh and maybe a tear or two of joy.

     Physically they might not be here with us now but their spirit, their love and their memories are with us always. When we take a moment to look in the mirror, at the decorations, even some of the baked dishes on the table or even look at the smiling faces of our children, they are there smiling back at us. We love you.

Advent Calendar - Christmas Shopping

     I remember Christmas shopping when I was younger, no wait that was making out my wish list for Santa. Every year right before Thanksgiving the Sears catalog would arrive, along with JcPenny catalog. My brothers and I would take turns going through the catalogs, circling what we wanted then folding the corners of each page that had all the good stuff.  Why did they stop sending out those catalogs, those were the best things ever, oh yeah the internet. I guess you could say that tradition continues on here in the Rodesky house. Except the catalogs look more like flyers and each child uses a different colored highlighter. I guess with a neon highlighter we have no excuse to miss anything circled.  

     Growing up I remember when the PTA would open “Santa’s Workshop” in the library. You would walk into room with all of these wonderful small gifts sitting on tables. Some for your parents, grandparents and even siblings, there were so many choices. After we carefully picked out all of gifts we would then go back to the classroom and wrap away.   

     Christmas shopping, what a fun activity that we all try and do with smiles on our faces and holiday warmth in our hearts.  I know that with good intentions I try and start early, but it never fails that the minds of the young ones change. But I think over the last few years we have it down pretty good. We wait until the week after “Black Friday”, things are usually calmer then. Both my husband and I take turns with each of the kids. We take them out to various stores and let them pick out what they want to get for each other. It’s surprising to see how well they know each other and seem to pick just the right thing.

Advent Calendar - Christmas Stockings

     A few years back my mom made Christmas stockings for my brothers and me. If you’ve ever been to any craft store or craft department in a large retail store I’m sure you’ve seen these kits. The ones that were felt appliqué with tons and I mean tons of sequins and beads, that all had to be hand sewn. Mom could have picked any kit and I’m sure at one point, okay maybe at a couple points, she wished she would have.

     Each of us had a different Christmas holiday character on the front of our stockings, mine has Santa. As you noticed I used present tense, I still have it. I’m pretty sure that both of my brothers’ do, I think on one was “Frosty the Snowman” and the other one was “Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer”. My mom is a very crafty lady and loves to make things with her hands that hold meanings and memories, these stocking do that and the tradition carried on. I remember when my mom would sit in her brown plaid chair and open each little plastic packet of sequins and beads, then work to separate them by color in a metal muffin pan. We were instructed not touch that muffin tin, no matter how pretty and shiny everything was inside of it. We listened and didn’t touch it; we were playing around and bumped it, so that’s not technically touching it. Boy did those sequins fly and make a pretty rainbow of color on the living room floor. Problem is mom didn’t think it was that pretty, once we finished helping her clean them up and separating them by color we didn’t care to see another rainbow of sequins again.    

     Remember I said that I still have mine and the tradition carried on. Well it has, once my oldest son saw my stocking he wanted one so I did as my mom had many years ago. I believe I have finally completed that tradition and now have the same felt appliqué, sequin and bead covered stocking for everyone in the Rodesky household.

Advent Calendar - Grab Bag - Big Blue Cat

     Is your family one of those families that has a “ham bone” or simple goofy Christmas tradition? Well the Langston’s do, my dad’s side of the family. Correction my dad’s sisters do, or they did. That’s where the “Big Blue Cat” comes in to play, or exchange I should say. I’m not sure who really started this tradition if I were to look at the gift I would have to say my Aunt Sally since she is the big lover of cats.

 

     Every year we would gather to celebrate Christmas and all of our blessings. Everyone would take turns hosting it at their home and it usually took place the first weekend after Christmas. Trust me this was a house full, not everyone could make it to all of the gatherings but when we did you had to make room for eighteen bodies both young and younger. Everyone would bring some baked goods and a side dish or two, just like a regular family reunion. Once we finished with all the hugs the kids would give the parents a brake, short brake and go entertain ourselves till the dinner bell would ring. After we finished eating and enjoying all of the sugary sweets it was time to gather around the tree for a paper ripping good time. This was when we would discover who would be the new owner of the “Big Blue Cat”. It sat about sixteen inches tall with its pink eyes, long eyelashes and full of bubble bath. Yep that’s right, “Big Blue Cat” with bubble bath inside. I’m not really sure if anyone ever used it or not it was just a fun tradition that was passed around every year. Funny thing I don’t know where that cat is now but the memory I and others have of it will last for many years to come.

Advent Calendar - Holiday Travel

     Traveling during  the Christmas holiday is something that most families due; either by car, plane, bus or even train. We did a lot of traveling during the holidays while stationed in Germany. One year we flew to Paris during the Christmas holiday. Some might think that would have been the most memorable; sure we enjoyed it but nothing like Garmisch.

     When traveling through the mountains in Germany it takes your breath away. It was an endless picture of nature at its best. The closer we got to Garmisch and the German guesthouse it only got better. There were blankets of white as far as the eyes could see.  The kids would even stop arguing and watch the snow fall. We couldn’t believe how big some of those flakes were. When they would hit the window you could see each flakes design.  It was about a four to five hour drive that the kids would do again and again. That should tell you how much we enjoyed those trips.

     We do miss it and plan on visiting the same area again. Who knows maybe in many years to come we will travel that way again with our kids and grandkids.  

 

Plastic Bread Bags + Soap = Snowtime Fun

     If you’ve been following my blog this past week you would have noticed a pattern, Christmas traditions, and memories. I don’t know about the rest of you but when this time of year comes around you can’t help but think of the “soft white fluffy stuff,” that’s right snow. I love some of the memories I have as a kid playing in the snow and enjoy creating even more with my kids. 

     When you’re younger the cold wet weather never seems to bother you, you’re tough, and it’s just snow. When my brothers and I were younger we couldn’t wait for the snow to fall and pack the gravel road in front of our house. See we had the BEST hill in front of our house, the best hill for flying down on our bikes during the warmer months, and sleds for the winter months.

     Dad would grab the bar of “Ivory” soap and begin soaping our sleds. He always said that soaping the skids on the sleds helped it to run smoother and faster. Those sleds had to be ready for non-stop sled runs down our road.   I guess it’s the same as waxing your skies before hitting the slopes. But there is one big difference between sledding and skiing when it comes to my childhood, empty plastic bread bags. That’s right I said plastic bread bags. It didn’t matter if it was Wonder Bread, Blue Bunny, or the general store brand any bag would work.

     See while dad was getting the sleds ready mom was in charge of making sure we had all of our gear. You know the typical coat, gloves, scarf, hat, snow boots, and plastic bread bags. Okay, I’ll explain the bread bags. Some of you might know about this and others might be surprised. You know how when you’re out playing in the snow, rolling in it and getting clocked in the back of the head by that white cannonball.  It never fails you end up with snow in places that can make you uncomfortable and that’s part of the fun. But mom and dad told us that keeping our feet warm and dry was very important, so that’s where the plastic bread bags would come in.  

    Once we had all of our gear on, minus our boots, we’d park it on the couch in front of mom. She would slide one bread bag on each sock-covered foot; slip a large rubber band around the top. Then help us get our boots on and pull our pant legs down over our bags and boots. Sounds strange I know, I use to complain about having to wear bread bags on my feet, but it did work. It would keep your feet completely dry and warm. So Mom and Dad you were right, but I still thought it was strange.

      It’s funny now when I share memories like this one with my kids they think I’m going to tell them about walking a mile to school. No, I didn’t walk a mile in hand-me-down boots in snowdrifts up to my knees, I just wore empty plastic bread bags on my feet while playing in the snow. The looks on their faces are priceless. Maybe that could be a Pinterest pin, “Additional uses for empty plastic bread bags.”

Winter Time Winner

Setting here going through some photos of "Winters" past and found this one. It's definitely a "Winter time Winner". Oh the memories that we have from this trip. 

Advent Calendar - Christmas Gifts

     Oh yeah! Look at all those Christmas presents under the tree. Please, oh please, let that one present that I’ve always wanted be there. How many times do you remember saying that as a child, or you might even catch yourself saying that now. Be honest, we have all thought that at least once in life. Or you might even have the same thought when it comes to that “Jolly Red Elf Santa,” you hope he brings you the first thing you had on your list. Because this first thing listed was always the most wanted gift.

     Here in the Rodesky household we have all said that a time or two, or three, well you get the idea. Anyway one of the funniest traditions that we have when it comes to exchanging our Christmas presents might seem, strange to some. But honestly it can be funny and quite entertaining. With four children in the house you hear, on the average of three to four times every two days, “I hope I get…” or “you did send my list to Santa…” Once everything is wrapped and under the tree all four of the kids and the big kid, my husband, feel as if they can tell you exactly what’s in each package. About four years ago my oldest decided to shake things up a little. He would wrap small gifts in larger boxes and even add additional weight so you would have no clue. We have even taken a gift out of its original packaging and wrap it in a strange shape. It was so funny the first year that it has caught on and now all of us will do the same thing but not with every present. That way it keeps everyone guessing, you have no idea which one is the prank gift. I know it’s not the usual tradition but is there really a rule for tradition, not one that I’m aware of.

Advent Calendar - Grab Bag

     Back many years ago growing up we use to do this thing called, window shopping. Where you would drive down town, not to the mall or large chain store, get out of the car and stroll around. You would look in the store front windows and dream about all of the displays and things that you want. Most of the time we would do this on Sundays and Holidays, like Christmas. I know this is a foreign concept now since everything is open seven days a week and there are so many malls and the windows, those windows don’t always have that warm Christmas holiday feeling.  

     When I was much younger I remember all of us getting into our car and driving down town, Cape Girardeau, Missouri. When I say down town that’s what I mean, all of the shops were along the river and you had parking places in front of each store or a medium sized parking lot at the end of the street. Dad would drive around trying to find a parking space, while we were jumping around making sure all of my winter gear was on. Plus some of my jumping was pure excitement because I could see the crowds and hear some of the music playing softly in the distance.

     This was always the place that all families would go to kick of the Christmas season, Hutson’s Family Furniture store. I don’t ever recall meeting this family but if I did or could I would want them to know what wonderful memories they gave me during my childhood. See they had some of the most wonderful Christmas and Winter Wonderland displays. Each window would depict a different scene; some were out doors with singing animals, dressed, singing and dancing. My favorite was the one with the elves in Santa’s workshop hammering away on the toys and singing “Santa Claus is Coming to Town.”  

     While stationed in Germany we had to opportunity to take our kids to see the same type of displays. I will remember the smiles and giggles on their faces forever. I wish all children had the same opportunity to experience such a wonder like that, just like I did and our kids.

Advent Calendar - Christmas Cookies

     Christmas cookies are a staple in the Rodesky house hold just as they were in the Langston house. Both my mom and grandma would bake like there was no tomorrow. I remember mom would always bake a variety of goodies. Everything from haystacks, peanut clusters, and divinity to sugar cookies and trust me I could go on. With Grandma and Grandpa it was always fudge, they would cut into one inch thick squares, and then warp them in wax paper. I don’t know exactly why they would wrap each piece, maybe they wanted you to feel like you were unwrapping a present of yummy goodness.  My fudge till this day looks like sticky mud; they had a secret, wish I would have asked.

     My favorite cookie was and still is sugar cookies with homemade powder sugar icing. I can clearly remember the first time I was able to help mom make the cookies. She pulled out all of the ingredients that we would need along with the brown and milky white glass mixing bowl. Then she wrapped this yellow and brown apron, with brown rick-rack on the edges, around my waist. She would then but her matching apron on, both of them were made by her grandmother, one was moms and the other one was her moms, my grandma. I still have both of those aprons, I think this might be the year my daughter wears it while making cookies.

     I was allowed to place all of the ingredients in the mixing bowl minus the eggs. I guess the idea of me cracking the eggs on the counter top and floor wasn’t festive. My favorite part of making the cookies was when mom would pour the flour into the sifter and I got to sift. I don’t know what the big deal was with that, it wasn’t anything fancy a metal sifter with a red painted wooden knob that I would turn.

      It never failed once everything was mixed you could find my dad eating some of the cookie dough. He and both my brothers had their favorite part of making the cookies and that was it, eating the dough.  We would roll out the dough and use our Christmas cookie cutters in shapes of stars, Santa, holly leaf and I believe a Christmas bell. Once they were baked and cooled it was time to for the icing and sprinkles. Now this was and still is the “BEST” part. We would lay the paper bags out on the counter top, space the cookies out evenly then begin icing. See I would always add a little extra icing on the cookies so it would run off onto the paper bags. Once the cookies were picked up I would take my finger and wipe up all the icing that accidently, yeah right, dripped off the cookies and lick it off. Yes, this was one of my favorite parts of making sugar cookies and still it.  

     Here in the Rodesky house we still bake all of the Christmas goodies including the sugar cookies. As tradition would have it my husband and sons have taken the place of my dad and brothers. As soon as everything in mixed in the bowl you can always find them grabbing a piece of cookie dough and eating away. My daughter and I can be found dragging our fingers in the icing that drips off the cookies, like mother like daughter. Yummy!

Passing On the Tradition

     Christmas traditions are something that we all have. For some of us it’s going around the neighborhood singing Christmas carols, decorating cookies, stringing popcorn or even putting up the Christmas tree.  The last couple of blogs I’ve posted have been about my Christmas traditions growing up and I have really enjoyed sharing those. I can’t believe I forgot one of my favorite traditions; it was also one that my brothers enjoyed. Now notice I didn’t mention my parents enjoying this one.

     Whenever we spent Christmas at my grandparents’ house my grandmother had her version of “The Elf on a Shelf”. Once we arrived at their house we would all roll out of the car. Dad and grandpa would grab the luggage while the rest of us hit the bathroom, what it was a long drive. Then all of the grandkids would give the usual hugs and kisses to both grandma and grandpa. Then immediately run no walk fast, no running in the house, to the white Christmas tree decorated with blue lights and silver ornaments. Yeah, it kind of makes you think of Elvis. Okay back to the tradition, in that tree was a special ornament that was a silver ball with a small bird trapped inside. At least that’s what we were told and it was our job to find it. See this ornament had a special bird one that would actually chirp and chirp and chirp, until we found it. Once it was found grandma would unplug it and the bird would stop singing.

     I never could figure out why the adults in the house were so anxious for us to find the bird. But as most traditions go, you pass them on and I was the lucky one to continue that tradition with my family. Let’s just say I loved it as a child and enjoy watching my kids try to find the bird. But I now am anxious for them to find that chirping bird.

Taste so good.

     Well http://geneabloggers.com  did it again they listed a blog prompt that I couldn’t pass up on. This prompt was about traditional dishes or unusual dishes your family served during the holidays. The traditional turkey or ham didn’t enter my mind, something unusual did.

     During Christmas we would alternate between our home and my grandparent’s. If I remember correctly, this dish made its first appearance while we were at my grandparents. It was a side dish, a festive color of red with a soft, fluffy white topping. No it wasn’t a red velvet cake, remember I said side dish. It was cold with a crunch yet salt bottom crust topped with a rich red strawberry Jell-O and the final layer was a cool whip topping. I don’t remember what it was called but I thought it was the strangest dish I had ever seen. But oh…my…gosh… it was delicious and I’ve tried and tried to make it hoping to add it to my family’s traditional holiday dinner.  I haven’t got it down yet my pretzels seem to lose that crunch and become soggy pieces of pretzels. I’ll get the hang of it and if it looks yummy I’ll have to take a picture and write down the recipe.

     I just had another quick thought about writing down those recipes. I know we are always looking for the documents and letters. Even the family bibles and journals that hold our families secrets but one of the best secrets are those made in the kitchen. Let’s not forget those and remember to write down the ingredients of those special dishes you prepare this holiday season. Our children even or grandchildren might what to carry on that family tradition, dish.

Christmas Tree Traditions....

     We all have our Christmas holiday traditions; some are unique while others are so similar you can’t tell them apart from other families. One that almost all of us have in common is the Christmas tree. We might have different sizes, shapes and even colors. Let’s not forget some of us have artificial while others have the real sap dripping trees.

     Some of you might be aware of this blog; http://geneabloggers.com, if not I would recommend if you do blog and enjoy genealogy pay it a visit. On their blog they are posting prompts for December so I thought I would give this prompt a try. It was a prompt about Christmas trees and your family’s traditions around them. So without further ado here we go with mine, let’s see if I can remember that far back.

     The tradition that I currently share with my family is pretty close to the one I had growing up. From what I can remember we always had an artificial tree, I don’t know why exactly. Hey mom if you’re reading this maybe you can clue me in on why we never had a real tree? Don’t get me wrong we had a beautifully decorated tree that we would wait until after Thanksgiving before putting up. Dad would drag the box out of the attic, along with all the other festive decorations. It was always put up in the same place in our living room, so when you walked in the front door that was the first thing you would see. For some reason we, my two brothers and I, were never allowed to hang the lights. I bet it had something to do with our inability to cast a fishing line without wrapping it around a tree branch, love you dad.

     Mom would pull out all of the breakable ornaments and hang them in just the perfect places. Then we were allowed to hang up the remaining, some were handcrafted that we made the previous years and others were gift ornaments we had received from our grandparents.  We would step back take a quick look and make sure the tree was balanced with equal ornaments on all sides of the tree.  Next was the   fun of throwing the silver tinsel. Just kidding that was one thing we couldn’t do; we would each take a handful. Then with around three to four strands of tinsel neatly place it on the tree. But no matter what you could ALWAYS find a golf ball size clump of tinsel somewhere on the tree. The decorating wasn’t complete until we placed the Christmas village with the ice skating rink under the tree. Then FA LA LA LA LA the tree was finished and now time for the rest, hang all stockings, more lights and place the rest of the decorations throughout the house.