Weekend Adventures

This past year as I study the Family: A Proclamation the the World, and am hosting (with 3 other wonderful ladies) the Celebration of the Family, I have been thinking on family and my ties to them. 

One place I am trying really hard to work on is the ties I have with my extended family.  As a result I was thinking back to something a friend had shared with me.  Every other year (I think) she and all her sisters, and sister in laws, and mom get together for a trip.  They go away without kiddies (except for the breastfeeding ones) and spend time just being girls.  I wanted to that!

On Friday it came to fruition.  My Mom, sister, and one sister in law and I went to Calgary and stayed overnight.  It was such a blast. 

We went to dinner together and laughed so hard.  We sat in the hot tub, laughed some more.  We slept (sort of) and got up to shop together.  We all have VERY different tastes, but spent a lovely day together.  After eating some dinner (with more laughter) we travelled home.

As soon as I got home (and let me tell you, I missed my men!) I was greeted by three of them, but was missing my little one.

Wordful Wednesday - Easter Memories

A few years ago we were getting ready to "do" Easter.  Our children were super excited for the "Easter Bunny" to come visit them and as parents we had done our duty and bought lots of candy and prizes for our Easter hunt.

Then my dh and I were talking about honesty.

Is it honest to lie to our children to let them believe in the secular versions of the holidays?  Do our kids even know what the real meaning behind these holidays are?

That year our children learned about the fact that there is not an Easter bunny. 

That year our children started with a wonderful tradition of learning the REAL meaning behind the wonderful holidays we celebrate. 

Our children have never missed it, and our celebrations have become spiritual events for us. 

We still have chocolate hunts, but that happens as a separate event on Saturday.

We still have a big Easter dinner with our family. 

But, our Easter centers around Christ and the wonderful gift he gave us by dying and being resurrected again so we can return to our Heavenly Father.

What a blessing for our family.  We have enjoyed Easter so much more since this has happened.

How about you?  What Easter memories do you have?  Join us over at Cocoa's.

Cheers

Why I am a Halloween Scrooge...

....OR Why my family chooses not to "celebrate" halloween.  :)

The other day my dear friend momma4 called and was worried about offending me if she invited us to a murder mystery party.  She was worried about not respecting our wishes to not celebrate halloween.

I thought that maybe I would clarify some things so that maybe I can save some others that same feeling.  I really didn't want to write about this because I was afraid of making myself seem preachy or holier than thou.  So, please take this in the spirit it was intended.  (plus, I realized it would be great to keep in my journaling...so it is going to be as straight up as I can be)

My children have grown up dressing up for halloween and going trick or treating.  When they were in public school we really didn't want them to be alienated because their parents were weird.  So we had costumes and took them trick or treating, often having lots of fun in the process. 

(what a totally gorgeous elephant "eh"?! It is his eyes and super cute face!)

About 5 years ago we were realizing how incredibly commercialized Christmas was getting and decided to try to center our Christmas celebration more on Christ and less on Santa.  This lead to celebrating Christ on Easter not the big bunny, then us giving prizes/money instead of the Tooth Fairy.  When we realized that the holidays were becoming MORE for us and not lessening in their importance, we took halloween right out.  We go to the store the day after and buy up candy for the kids (on the super cheap) and get some costumes for our large dress up box.  The only rules?  It has to be nice.  No skeletons, gruesome things, mummies, gross dripping blood, stuff like that.  Anything else goes. 

Our kids don't miss the halloween stuff.  This year my G even chose to stay at home instead of going to his Cubs party.  He really didn't want to go.  His choice, not mine.

This year there is a trunk or treat at our church on Saturday.  P and I talked about it and decided that because it was a primary party type thing, they could go if they wanted to.  They chose not to.  We will be having a family movie and pizza night instead.

We respect others choices to do halloween.  We choose not to. 

We have found that our families spirituality has increased in celebrating the "real" reason for the season.  Halloween just didn't fit for our family.  (although Heather's tradition for celebrating Dia de los Muertos has always held a great appeal for me...maybe we will substitute it sometime...)

Make sense?  I hope that makes it clear to others.  I know that for us it works, just like homeschooling, our religion, or even our eclectic food choices.  Maybe it wouldn't work for you...but if it does, then great, I am glad I shared.  :)

Cheers

Let Them Eat Cake

Ok.  The last tradition I am going to post about is cake.  Most of my traditions center around food!  :)  Every year I let my kids pick a cake they want for their birthday.  I tell them that it is my special gift to them for their birthday.  Right now it is just a fun thing that they look forward to, but maybe later in life they might see it as something special.  (at least I hope so)  When I first started most of my cakes were from a pan...

While that was a great start...some get pretty elaborate over the years.  If I am lucky, my boys pick one that is easy and only takes me a couple hours!  :)  I thought it might be fun to show you a few of my favorites over the years.  (some I am sure you have seen if you have read my blog for a while, sorry)

Spaghetti and Meatballs...and Aliens

Alligator and Pizza

(funny story:  One kid wouldn't eat the "Pizza" because he was allergic to cheese...no matter how many times I told him it was icing, not cheese!)

Dragon

I love to make cakes and have made them for many people over the years, but my very favorite people to make them for are my family!

Cheers

The Zoo...

Another tradition we have is to visit the Calgary Zoo.  When I was a kid we went every year.  I knew that no matter what every summer we would visit the zoo.  Now as an adult with a family of my own, we go alot (not every year) and the boys know that we will spend the night in a hotel (exciting) and walk around the zoo (all day).

There are lots of animals to see and places to take pictures.  I personally enjoy this outing and love to watch my children explore the zoo.

How about you?  Any places you just HAVE to visit every year (or quite often)?

Cheers

Scottish Dumpling

We are going through our adoption process right now and one of the questions that came up in our homestudy was to do with Family traditions.  Do we have any?  And if so, What are they?  I thought it might be fun for me (and hopefully you) to explore some of my family traditions.

I have been thinking about family alot lately, with this process, and with the Family Celebration I am participating in...and in the proclamation it states: Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities.  Traditions, to me can be wholesome recreational activities.

Some of my fondest memories as a child have to do with some simple traditions that we had growing up.  One thing that I can remember as far back as I am able...is that EVERY Christmas breakfast has been the same.  My Dad is Scottish and as a bit of heritage we have Scottish Dumpling for breakfast.

As I have grown up and thought about traditions that I loved, I wanted to continue this one for my children.  I learned early in my marriage how to make one and now we have one every Christmas morning.  I want to share it with you...

Scottish Dumpling:

In a small bowl combine:
1/2 C Molasses
11/2 C Sour Milk
Set aside.

In a large bowl combine:
1 C Suet
3 C Flour
1 tsp Baking Soda
1/4 tsp Nutmeg
1/4 tsp Allspice
1 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1 C Raisins
1/2 C Currents
Make a well and add the milk mixture to it.  Mix well.

1.  Take a large square of cotton (I use a sheet) and rub it with a layer of butter, then dust lightly with flour.
2.  Place the dough in the center of the sheet, tie shut...leaving room for the dumpling to expand. 
3.  Place a trivet (I use a small plate) on the bottom of a large saucepan.  Put the dumpling on the trivet and fill partially with water.  Boil for 3 hours on Med-Low.
4.  Unwrap and turn onto plate.  Bake at 350F for 15 min each side.
5.  You can freeze it at this point, or eat it.
6.  When you are ready to eat it, slice and butter each side and place in hot frying pan for a few min each side until turns color.  Serve with sprinkled sugar.

Enjoy!

Seriously, this is so stinkin yummy.  If it wasn't so darn much work, and a special tradition, I would have this more often.  It is a yummy treat!

Cheers

Nativities

One more thing that I love in our home is our Nativities. We seem to add more every year...but that is a good thing. Here are a few that I have collected through the years:

My Mom made this for one of my last years that she made ME an ornament. This is one of her ornaments that she gave the boys. I found it in the church book store and told her I needed one! :)

Another version. This is one that M loves to put together as it is a little puzzle.

My personal favorite one. I made this one of the first years that we were married. Each one has small gold detailing. I love the simplicity of it and the reverence shown by each piece. (P set it up this year and decided that the small opening in the circle was to welcome any visitors to come and see the Lord)

Do you have a nativity? If so, what is your favorite one? I still am loving seeing what you all post and reading your comments. (Christmas is truly my favorite time of year!)

A new tradition...

This year we are going to try a new tradition to enhance our Christ Centered Christmas. I have been saving it for a while since I saw it on Chocolate on my Cranium blog. The Names of Christ Unit Study that she has looks amazing. So, we are done school tomorrow (officially) so we start it tomorrow. We have finished the Crucifixion in Matthew in our family scripture study so I figure it is a totally appropriate place for us to start.

(BTW, the picture is from Mark Mabry's book Reflections of Christ )

Thanks for sharing your traditions with me so far. I am really enjoying your Christmas ideas and posts!

Christmas Advent

Another tradition we have in our home is to have a Christmas advent. We have gone through a few different types that we have made or bought, but this one sticks around. I love it. We got the idea out of the Family Fun Magazine. (and modified it Jaime style!) :)

The doors open to reveal the activities or stuff to do that day. Here is a list of what we are doing this year. (do you want links? I will try to do as many as I can)

1. Finger print people - I got a book (it is so old) for $0.25 at a secondhand store that shows you how to make a bunch of people/animals/etc all with a finger print.
2. Pretzel Snowmen - large pretzles coated in white chocolate and decorated as snowmen
3. Crystal Christmas Tree
4. Cornstarch Clay Critters
5. Penguins Wanted - this is an ongoing thing. We will put a few penguins out the first day and add to them every day...I am looking forward to this fun thing to do with the boys!
6. Snowball Soap
7. Cookie Cutter Candles - done with beeswax (found at a second hand store, 8 sheets for $2)
8. Cardboard Carolers
9. Retro Ornaments
10. Mini Caramel Apples
11. "Tie" shirts
12. Handprint Lilies
13. Clock Monsters
14. Melty the Snowman
15. Pinecone Carolers
16. Defrosty the Snowman Candy
17. Lift and ice cube with string (Science activity)
18. Pixing - one of my very favorite Christmas activities, more on that later
19. Nativity movie and Scripture reading of the Story (Christmas Eve)
20. Fondue dinner (another post for Christmas Eve)
21. Dangling Snowman Ornament
22. Mice Ornaments
23. Wired Star
24. Scented Ornaments
25. Woolly Sheep
26. The Night Before Christmas - takes you to where you can buy it for less than $3. (I have the Mp3 I snagged it when CurrClick had their "Black Friday" sale...totally free!)

So there is my list. (realized I have collected alot of activities from Family Fun through having the magazine so many years!) Hope you can use some of them. I am looking forward to doing these this year with the boys! We are done school (at the end of this week) so I wanted something to keep us busy until we start again next year!