Traditions

DO you know what the best thing about the holidays are??? By the title of my post I bet you can't guess. TRADITIONS! Didn't see that coming, did ya?
The other day my Dad stopped by my office, and we started in on how my mother was the QUEEN of traditions. If we didn't have one, by damn, we would use someone elses. She was always trying to start up a new tradition. Now that I'm older, I wish I would have appreciated her ambition more to create great memories. I'm working on that now.
Some of my favorite... What a better way to start the New Year off with than family and Chinese Sundays? These suckers are my favorite! Some call them Hawaiian Haystacks. Aunt Nan named them otherwise, and I like the name better. Somewhere in time we started eating these on New Years day with my dads family. Jayson has learned to "like" these, otherwise he would not be welcome in the family.
Purchasing a "real" Christmas tree on December 5th. Jennifers birthday was the 5th, so it somehow became the day we would buy a tree. I love a real tree! Jayson and I go to the Merrill Family Tree Farm on the 5th, and buy our family tree. One of our first Christmases together we got us a good 'ol charlie brown tree, just because we could. That poor thing was about to fall over by the time we decorated it.
Each year we purchase a new Hallmark Ornament for each of us. The kids have really started to enjoy this, and like to help pick out the ornament they would like. The first ornament I bought Jos was a little angel. She says that one is still her favorite.
Easter is spent at the Westons for Judys annual Easter Egg Hunt. She usually hides 300+ eggs for all of us to find. Some eggs have money, car wash tokens, or just good old fashioned candy. The bad thing about this holiday...somehow Ashton always ends up wet in the pond. I guess you could call this a tradition too.
Jayson cooks up a mean corned beef and cabbage dinner for St. Patty's. Last year we added "Colcanon Potatoes" to the mix, and that my friends will be a new addition to this holiday! Those babies were the BEST!
Firework Chasing is what I do best, and each year Jayson reminds me how much he loves me for that. I do WHATEVER I can to make sure that we see EVERY show in the valley during the summer. Health Days in Smithfield has the first show of the season.
Pioneer Day is spent in North Logan, and the world best parade. The parade starts on the corner of my grandparents lawn. Gran always decorated a float for the grand kids, so that we could ride in the parade. Now, my sweet aunties do it for the great-grandchildren. We then enjoy a great lunch with the cousins and aunties in Aunt Maries back yard.
"Sometime" during the week between Christmas and New Years the Beutler family gathers for a great day on the Ice. I grew up going to the outdoor rink in Logan. Now we enjoy the comfort of the Eccles Ice Center.
Jayson grilling...this in itself is a family tradition. Jayson is GREAT on the grill, and cooks up a mean Pork Tenderloin that is requested a most major family functions.
I have hosted Thanksgiving twice now, and am anticipating 2011! Thanks to great family, yesterday was such a wonderful day. My kitchen was full of great cooks, and the home was filled with love and laughter. I might add that the Turkey this year was EXCEPTIONAL! Whatever I did...I'm writing it down and repeating it next time.
Memorial Weekend is spent at Camp Cushman, usually in the rain, with great friends and a lot of beer for the men. Kids are usually covered in mud, and have smiles you can't wipe off. A lot of great food is cooked, and late nights around the campfire.
My NEW tradition is the pre-food party held Thanksgiving Eve. We gathered some friends this year, and had a lot of great appetizers. We were "belly stretching."
Most of all, I love tradition for the simple fact that traditions are made of great memories with those you love. I am so thankful to have so many people in my life that I have so many great memories with.
to all my traditions, and more to come...
What's your favorite tradition?