Holiday memories.....
Hey Everyone,
Yes, I am finding more and more time to sit and write down my thoughts. ;)
Since the holidays are coming and going, I would like to share some memories with you. We will start with Thanksgiving, one that me, my mom and dad will never forget.
I was about 4 years old, and we always went to my grandparents for Thanksgiving. My mom is the BEST pie maker, so she was in charge of making the pies for our dessert. This year in particular my dad found this kitchen gadget that peels, slices, and cores apples and he wanted to try a freshly made apple pie that year. So, we packed up all of the items we needed to take with us to Thanksgiving and headed over to my grandparents. As we were getting dinner prepped and cooked my mom was working away on the pies. This kitchen gadget, that my dad had bought, had a suction cup on the bottom to keep it from moving and causing serious injury. Mom had finished making the pies, and was cleaning up. Well, we couldn't get the stupid gadget to come loose to clean it and put it away, so mom gave up but I didn't. I had seen dad deal with this thing so many times and I knew that we were doing everything right to remove it from the counter top. So, me being a very determined 4 year old kept at it, that is until the dang thing came loose and met my left eye. I was hovering over it and using all of my strength to remove this gadget when it came off and up. I don't remember too much, just that my dad came picked me up in a panic and rushed me to the living room couch. After he got me semi settled down, he asked me how many fingers he was holding up. I was crying so badly from the pain that I couldn't quite see how many fingers he was holding up, so I replied I can't see. He panic went from bad to worse. I remember him saying "She's blind. Oh my gosh, she's blind! She's going to be blind!" My mom being as calm and composed as she is when an emergency occurs, calmly said, "Honey, she can't see because of the tears. Just give her a minute to calm all the way down then you can ask." My poor grandmother was right behind my dad and was just as scared as he was, my mom asked her to have one of my uncles get me some ice for my eye. She asked one of my uncles and I got some ice for my little black eye. I was finally calm enough to answer my dad's question. When I answered correctly, the biggest sigh of relief came from him. I love my dad and the fact that he was there to help take care of me. And my mom and grandmother for being calm and helping to calm me down.
So, the next year for Christmas my grandmother wanted to do a live nativity with her nieces and her grandchildren. My little sister was born that November, so she got to play the important role of the baby Jesus. As you can tell from the photos below 1) I was always the wanting to be the center of attention and 2) I was only about 5 years old. With that information, I bet you already know what role I wanted to play in the nativity. Yep, I wanted be Mary. I didn't feel that it was fair for anyone else to be Mary, when it was my baby sister playing baby Jesus. My older cousins played Mary and Joseph, my brother played a shepherd, my little sister played baby Jesus, my younger cousins played the animals, and me and another cousin (we are only 9 days apart) were playing the angels. I was so upset that I wasn't willing to participate at all, that is until my grandmother came over and pulled me aside. The words she spoke to me haven't left me to this day. She said "Sweetheart, I choose you to be an angel. The angel is just as important as Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus, if not more important because they brought the shepherds and wise men to see baby Jesus." Me being a little stinker that I was, defiantly filled my role. As I played my role as an angel, I was more willing because I saw the smile on my grandmother's face and how she was beaming. As time came and went, and we lost my grandmother, I realized just how happy I made my grandmother and how important the role of the angel really is. And now that I am as old as I am, the angel is my favorite part of the story because both of my grandmothers and those who are no longer living, are with me and guiding me just as the angels in the Nativity story.
So, growing up in the middle of the pack of my cousins I had quite a bit of fun with them. The older ones would take me under their wing(s) when needed, and I did the same for my younger cousins. For a long time we would all meet at a church house, have dinner, open presents, and enjoy each others company. Us kids would be running around, going in and out of classrooms, and one year (which is now a tradition in my family.) we got my cousin a pinata to celebrate his birthday. The second year of this tradition was a teddy bear shaped pinata. No one could crack the thing, my turn came and I beheaded it. No candy, I was bummed, but after a few more whacks and no more damage, one of my family members ripped the pinata open and we all dove for the candy, that was once inside this impossible to break pinata. Fast forward to a few years ago, we did a photo scavenger hunt in Temple Square and then headed to a church house for some food and good times. The photo hunt was so much fun!! I remember one of the photos, my family and I needed to find a nativity scene and snap a picture with it. We found one, and at my request we bowed down unto Our Savior Jesus Christ. That's my way to show my Savior my respect. :) As we all finished up and met back at the church house, one of my little (2nd) cousins was getting bored and restless. So, her Aunt put on some Katy Perry, Roar to be exact, and my cousin and I were jamming out, having a blast. My cousin at this was about a year and a half old, so we had fun no matter who was watching. Fast forward to this year, a couple of my amazing cousins had babies, and I got to hold both babies. But I got to hold one baby more then the other, which I didn't mind. But getting to hold those precious babies, made my rough day so much better and reminded me that life can be simple, but I make it complex. So, let's strive to live life simply and grow closer together this Christmas season.
That's it for now.
Warrior Daughter
PS, I know I broke a rule of mine, but these pictures show what the Holidays mean to me.
Yes, I am finding more and more time to sit and write down my thoughts. ;)
Since the holidays are coming and going, I would like to share some memories with you. We will start with Thanksgiving, one that me, my mom and dad will never forget.
I was about 4 years old, and we always went to my grandparents for Thanksgiving. My mom is the BEST pie maker, so she was in charge of making the pies for our dessert. This year in particular my dad found this kitchen gadget that peels, slices, and cores apples and he wanted to try a freshly made apple pie that year. So, we packed up all of the items we needed to take with us to Thanksgiving and headed over to my grandparents. As we were getting dinner prepped and cooked my mom was working away on the pies. This kitchen gadget, that my dad had bought, had a suction cup on the bottom to keep it from moving and causing serious injury. Mom had finished making the pies, and was cleaning up. Well, we couldn't get the stupid gadget to come loose to clean it and put it away, so mom gave up but I didn't. I had seen dad deal with this thing so many times and I knew that we were doing everything right to remove it from the counter top. So, me being a very determined 4 year old kept at it, that is until the dang thing came loose and met my left eye. I was hovering over it and using all of my strength to remove this gadget when it came off and up. I don't remember too much, just that my dad came picked me up in a panic and rushed me to the living room couch. After he got me semi settled down, he asked me how many fingers he was holding up. I was crying so badly from the pain that I couldn't quite see how many fingers he was holding up, so I replied I can't see. He panic went from bad to worse. I remember him saying "She's blind. Oh my gosh, she's blind! She's going to be blind!" My mom being as calm and composed as she is when an emergency occurs, calmly said, "Honey, she can't see because of the tears. Just give her a minute to calm all the way down then you can ask." My poor grandmother was right behind my dad and was just as scared as he was, my mom asked her to have one of my uncles get me some ice for my eye. She asked one of my uncles and I got some ice for my little black eye. I was finally calm enough to answer my dad's question. When I answered correctly, the biggest sigh of relief came from him. I love my dad and the fact that he was there to help take care of me. And my mom and grandmother for being calm and helping to calm me down.
So, the next year for Christmas my grandmother wanted to do a live nativity with her nieces and her grandchildren. My little sister was born that November, so she got to play the important role of the baby Jesus. As you can tell from the photos below 1) I was always the wanting to be the center of attention and 2) I was only about 5 years old. With that information, I bet you already know what role I wanted to play in the nativity. Yep, I wanted be Mary. I didn't feel that it was fair for anyone else to be Mary, when it was my baby sister playing baby Jesus. My older cousins played Mary and Joseph, my brother played a shepherd, my little sister played baby Jesus, my younger cousins played the animals, and me and another cousin (we are only 9 days apart) were playing the angels. I was so upset that I wasn't willing to participate at all, that is until my grandmother came over and pulled me aside. The words she spoke to me haven't left me to this day. She said "Sweetheart, I choose you to be an angel. The angel is just as important as Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus, if not more important because they brought the shepherds and wise men to see baby Jesus." Me being a little stinker that I was, defiantly filled my role. As I played my role as an angel, I was more willing because I saw the smile on my grandmother's face and how she was beaming. As time came and went, and we lost my grandmother, I realized just how happy I made my grandmother and how important the role of the angel really is. And now that I am as old as I am, the angel is my favorite part of the story because both of my grandmothers and those who are no longer living, are with me and guiding me just as the angels in the Nativity story.
After the nativity and opening the gifts. I am with my Uncle, Aunt, and younger cousin.
Me performing for my older cousin, Uncle, Grandmother, and Grandfather.
Okay, so that was my dads side of the family, I did spend time with my mom's family too. My memories of my mom's side of the family are all over the place, because of all of the fun we have. We never did do a live nativity with my mom's family, and that only makes sense because 1) the are a lot of us cousins and disagreements would have occurred, and 2) we were celebrating more then one birthday when we would come together for the Christmas season. Let me explain that last reason a bit more. My maternal Grandmother's birthday is December 23rd, and one of my younger cousins share a birthday with her and with it being so close to Christmas we would wrap it all into one day, the 23rd.
Me, my cousin, and my Aunt showing off our gifts.
So, growing up in the middle of the pack of my cousins I had quite a bit of fun with them. The older ones would take me under their wing(s) when needed, and I did the same for my younger cousins. For a long time we would all meet at a church house, have dinner, open presents, and enjoy each others company. Us kids would be running around, going in and out of classrooms, and one year (which is now a tradition in my family.) we got my cousin a pinata to celebrate his birthday. The second year of this tradition was a teddy bear shaped pinata. No one could crack the thing, my turn came and I beheaded it. No candy, I was bummed, but after a few more whacks and no more damage, one of my family members ripped the pinata open and we all dove for the candy, that was once inside this impossible to break pinata. Fast forward to a few years ago, we did a photo scavenger hunt in Temple Square and then headed to a church house for some food and good times. The photo hunt was so much fun!! I remember one of the photos, my family and I needed to find a nativity scene and snap a picture with it. We found one, and at my request we bowed down unto Our Savior Jesus Christ. That's my way to show my Savior my respect. :) As we all finished up and met back at the church house, one of my little (2nd) cousins was getting bored and restless. So, her Aunt put on some Katy Perry, Roar to be exact, and my cousin and I were jamming out, having a blast. My cousin at this was about a year and a half old, so we had fun no matter who was watching. Fast forward to this year, a couple of my amazing cousins had babies, and I got to hold both babies. But I got to hold one baby more then the other, which I didn't mind. But getting to hold those precious babies, made my rough day so much better and reminded me that life can be simple, but I make it complex. So, let's strive to live life simply and grow closer together this Christmas season.
That's it for now.
Warrior Daughter
PS, I know I broke a rule of mine, but these pictures show what the Holidays mean to me.
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