Family Traditions

I love the month of November. I remember as a child sitting down at my aunt's big dining room table with all of my relatives on Thanksgiving, eating good food and listening to the grown-ups talk. I remember corn pudding, sweet pickles and olives on the table, and little mini corn cobs that I liked to play with more than eat. As a family tradition, we always took some time before the dinner began to share what we were thankful for. Sometimes it was too hard for me to just name off one thing I was thankful for, so I remember sharing multiple things. Of course my number one response has always been family.


I am grateful for family traditions. They were definitely the highlights of my youth and childhood. I loved looking forward to traditions. My grandparents kept many traditions alive for their children and grandchildren. I loved going to Family Camp every summer. I loved going swimming at the lake, going deer watching, playing "Store," and making camp movies every year. I loved the way my grandparents would dress up as Mr. and Mrs. Claus at Christmas time. I loved the little baby corns on Thanksgiving day. I loved my grandpa's never ending joke of "Sorry, the garage door fell on the birthday cake." All of them are cherished memories now. I hope that my children will have many fond memories of their family traditions as well.


It's not always easy entering into an already established family, but I'm grateful for the traditions Brad already began with Scott and Emma before I married him, and for the traditions I was able to start with them afterward. I think family traditions are very special and important. I love my family. I love creating memories with them.