Tradition

I've been thinking lately about traditions. It all started with a conversation the beginning of this month about my family's 2nd annual Girls Night, and whether or not it was already a tradition. I'm still pondering the question of what makes something a tradition - is it the length of time it's been going on? Is it the amount of emotional value placed in it? Is it the amount of people who view it as tradition? Is it something that's passed down (after-all, the word comes from the Latin traditio which means handing or passing on)? Or is it, as Tevye says in "Fiddler," something that helps us know who we are and what is expected?


I still haven't come up with any brilliant insights or decisions for myself on this topic. But what I have determined is regardless of what makes something a tradition, I love them! For a long time I've known I hold onto traditions and have a hard time letting go or changing them. I'm not sure why that is - because I'm such a sentimental person, because of my anxiety which makes me not like change/the unknown, or just because my family has so many traditions that it's hard not to like them (well, at least I think we have a lot....but again that could be because I'm such a fan that I think of things that others don't consider traditions as traditions). Regardless, I think every family should have special traditions, and am so grateful for ours!


And no time reminds me more of this than around the holidays. So, this Thanksgiving, I am grateful for my family's Thanksgiving traditions:
- Gathering together as an immediate family
- Making a meal where EVERYONE makes something to contribute to the meal (makes for some interesting meals at times...and always for an interesting kitchen before-hand, but I wouldn't have it any other way!)
- Everyone taking turns saying what they're grateful for during our before-meal prayer
- and even the more recent "cheating" on one of our other family traditions (not listening to Christmas music, watching movies, decorating, etc... until the day after Thanksgiving), by "sneaking" a Christmas movie in late Thanksgiving night :)

Thank you GOD for my beautiful family, for our traditions, for Mike and the chance to start family traditions of our own, and for Thanksgiving and the reminder to tell you how much I am grateful for these and so many other blessings!

GOD bless you all this Thanksgiving - I hope you have as much as I do to be grateful for!

Halloween Heaven

Mike and I hosted our second annual Halloween party - and it was a blast! Check out some of this year's guests...

The bow-hunter

The elderly couple (our contest "best couple" winners....who also made the best dip...yummm!!)

Hannah Montana & Billy Rae

Little Red Riding Hood (our contest "best individual" winner, even without the hood)

The Cat & Mouse (despite the intoxicating noses)

The Princess Bride & Dread Pirate Roberts (and their R.O.U.S)

And last-but-not-least, the (however inappropriate) "Smart-ass" & "Dumb-ass"

In addition to laughing at our creative & CrAzY friends, we also had lots of fun bobbing for apples...

And you're never too old for....TWISTER!!

Thanks to everyone who came & made it a fun (and at times scary) Halloween night! Can't wait until next year!!