Thanksgiving preparations are under way. Every year I get to host 22 of my husband's family, and it's something I look forward to for weeks before.
Our home is not large. It's actually rather small. But every year, we find a way, to have three tables set for a sit-down Thanksgiving dinner for all of us.
Today was a day to reclaim the house. I cleaned the kitchen from top to bottom, emptying shelves, disinfecting, decluttering, and organizing drawers and cupboards. It feels amazing to have a fresh kitchen ready to cook. A few more fall decorations were added, and the house put in order.
I baked a couple of loaves of bread to use in the stuffing, cubed them up, and have them out to dry. The recipes have been pulled and the grocery list made, and the ham is thawing in the fridge.
The next few days will be crazy. Grocery shopping, pie baking, and cooking. We need to pull up the family dishes, get everything washed, and tables set.
The best part of this week is my daughter returning from college. I love having her by my side throughout the preparation - cooking old family recipes together. And I love that the holiday means as much to her, as it does to me.
So this is my calm before the storm. I'm taking the night to sit on the couch watching holiday movies on Hallmark and drinking eggnog. Tomorrow morning the rush begins. And in 24 hours, I'll be sitting here with my daughter catching up. And in 36 hours, we will be sitting down with our family to remember all that we are thankful for.
I am thankful for so much. My life is so full. We are so Blessed.
Monday, November 25, 2013
Saturday, November 9, 2013
Remembering my grandparents....for my children.
Tonight during our Bible study, some of the questions led us to discussions of memories we have of our grandparents. There were tears shed, as we remembered, and laughed, and cried. And then I realized that I don't talk about my grandparents to my kids. I'm not sure why, but I don't. They know very little of them, and I think that needs to change.
So here is a letter to my darling children, hopefully the first of many, where I will recount some wonderful memories....
On my father's side, I knew only my grandmother and step-grandfather. My grandfather died before I was born. I don't have many memories of them....as they lived about 3 hours away, and we did not see them often. The visits we did have were brief and formal, often over coffee and Finnish cinnamon toast at their home. I do remember the little coffee nook we would sit in as we visited... I can picture it like it was yesterday.
But my maternal grandparents lived in my home town, and we were extremely close. They were quite old (I was a late child for my mom and dad), and with us being the only family still in town, we spent a lot of time with them.
My mom and I went over to my grandparent's house almost every night either after school for dinner, or after dinner, to play cards. I know for my mom, it was a chance to make sure they were ok, and a chance to give my Grandma some company. Grandpa was a big silent German farmer by that time....
I remember playing cards so vividly. By the time I was 8 or 9, I was the fourth player, learning to play Shmear and Sheepshead simultaneously. Amazingly, we would switch between the two at will, depending on which we wanted to play. I'll never forget learning sheepshead. Grandpa was explaining the game to me, and told me that you have to have an ace to bid. So the next hand, I had 4 aces, so I bid 4. Anyone out there knowing sheepshead knows that an Ace alone does not a hand make.... I didn't make it that round, but Grandpa got a good laugh out of it!
I was very close to my maternal grandparents, spending MUCH of my summers with them when I was young, traveling with them to the land in the country to do the gardening. Grandma and I would make sandwiches (typically egg salad), and Grandpa would load the old car. I wonder what year/make that car was? I'd love to see one again. It was an early 60s model I believe.... The ride to the land was only about 10-15 minutes. It was near the old family farm. Aside from a small wooden shed, and the still functioning well/windmill, it was simply a land plot that we planted as their garden. I learned so much from them, helping create the rows with old wooden stakes and twine, hoeing the row, planting seeds.... and working the land. At lunch time we'd sit in the car with the windows open, using well water from the pump to make koolaid, and enjoying our egg salad sandwiches. Honestly, some of the best memories I have...
There are many, many more memories to be written. And they will be. Fun remembering. But enough for now.
So here is a letter to my darling children, hopefully the first of many, where I will recount some wonderful memories....
On my father's side, I knew only my grandmother and step-grandfather. My grandfather died before I was born. I don't have many memories of them....as they lived about 3 hours away, and we did not see them often. The visits we did have were brief and formal, often over coffee and Finnish cinnamon toast at their home. I do remember the little coffee nook we would sit in as we visited... I can picture it like it was yesterday.
But my maternal grandparents lived in my home town, and we were extremely close. They were quite old (I was a late child for my mom and dad), and with us being the only family still in town, we spent a lot of time with them.
My mom and I went over to my grandparent's house almost every night either after school for dinner, or after dinner, to play cards. I know for my mom, it was a chance to make sure they were ok, and a chance to give my Grandma some company. Grandpa was a big silent German farmer by that time....
I remember playing cards so vividly. By the time I was 8 or 9, I was the fourth player, learning to play Shmear and Sheepshead simultaneously. Amazingly, we would switch between the two at will, depending on which we wanted to play. I'll never forget learning sheepshead. Grandpa was explaining the game to me, and told me that you have to have an ace to bid. So the next hand, I had 4 aces, so I bid 4. Anyone out there knowing sheepshead knows that an Ace alone does not a hand make.... I didn't make it that round, but Grandpa got a good laugh out of it!
I was very close to my maternal grandparents, spending MUCH of my summers with them when I was young, traveling with them to the land in the country to do the gardening. Grandma and I would make sandwiches (typically egg salad), and Grandpa would load the old car. I wonder what year/make that car was? I'd love to see one again. It was an early 60s model I believe.... The ride to the land was only about 10-15 minutes. It was near the old family farm. Aside from a small wooden shed, and the still functioning well/windmill, it was simply a land plot that we planted as their garden. I learned so much from them, helping create the rows with old wooden stakes and twine, hoeing the row, planting seeds.... and working the land. At lunch time we'd sit in the car with the windows open, using well water from the pump to make koolaid, and enjoying our egg salad sandwiches. Honestly, some of the best memories I have...
There are many, many more memories to be written. And they will be. Fun remembering. But enough for now.
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
A day off!
I have been MIA! Cannot believe it's been two weeks since my last post. Life has been a bit crazy, but I've really no excuse. I have a couple of blog ideas that are swimming in my crazy brain - but will want pix to go with them, so I will hold off until I can do them well.
It's really feeling like late fall here in Wisconsin. Snow in the north, but none here yet. Cold, rainy, and windy. A typical fall. I headed out this morning to clean up a bit in the gardens, pulling my herb stakes (clay - porous - they have to be pulled or they will crack in our winter), and harvesting the last of the herbs. I was able to snip some oregano, chives, parsley, and sage this morning, so I'll probably do something fun for dinner where I can use them fresh. One last time!
I haven't had a day "off" in awhile. I know what you are thinking - "she works part time!" But rarely do I give myself a true day "off". I always set my alarm, up before six, getting the family started for the day. I decided last night that today would be my day off. I slept in until just before my son headed off to school and my husband was home from work. I'm looking forward to a day of just catching up!
Hoping to get another dehydrator full of apples going, and then I'm off to town to do errands - banking, rental stuff, groceries, etc. I will grab some fun music for the road, and karaoke the entire way there. I'm very much looking forward to a low key day.
I did take time this morning to finish another cowl for my craft sale. The annual sale is less than a month away, which is why I've been MIA. I've been working really hard crocheting cowls, headbands, etc., as well as completing misc. upcycling projects. I've been busy, just not blogging.
I'll work on some of those other ideas. just not today. It's my day off!
It's really feeling like late fall here in Wisconsin. Snow in the north, but none here yet. Cold, rainy, and windy. A typical fall. I headed out this morning to clean up a bit in the gardens, pulling my herb stakes (clay - porous - they have to be pulled or they will crack in our winter), and harvesting the last of the herbs. I was able to snip some oregano, chives, parsley, and sage this morning, so I'll probably do something fun for dinner where I can use them fresh. One last time!
I haven't had a day "off" in awhile. I know what you are thinking - "she works part time!" But rarely do I give myself a true day "off". I always set my alarm, up before six, getting the family started for the day. I decided last night that today would be my day off. I slept in until just before my son headed off to school and my husband was home from work. I'm looking forward to a day of just catching up!
Hoping to get another dehydrator full of apples going, and then I'm off to town to do errands - banking, rental stuff, groceries, etc. I will grab some fun music for the road, and karaoke the entire way there. I'm very much looking forward to a low key day.
I did take time this morning to finish another cowl for my craft sale. The annual sale is less than a month away, which is why I've been MIA. I've been working really hard crocheting cowls, headbands, etc., as well as completing misc. upcycling projects. I've been busy, just not blogging.
I'll work on some of those other ideas. just not today. It's my day off!
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)