But I Digress...: traditions

Showing posts with label traditions. Show all posts

Thursday, December 16, 2010

All about updates

The year is winding down and so I thought I should give you a few updates.

It is snowing again after almost a week of warm 40 degree F weather. Miki loves watching the snow. I wonder what is going on in her head.

The Sprout is a full fledged bipedal tiny human. He has a kinda zombie walk as he toddles (and it really is toddeling) around. Every once and awhile he makes his car noises as he walks along...so cute. He doesn't crawl much, because he found out he can carry things if he walks (and also swing things around).

I am going to try a little of the "cry it out" method for the Sprout. In the past, I have been deeply opposed (in a personal sense, if anyone else wants to do it, go for it), but I feel that he is old enough for it now. The past two days got me trying it for the morning nap time. In the days of nursing, morning nap time was automatic, in the past couple of months he has fallen asleep on his own for the morning nap, but the past two days, he has decided not to nap eventhough he had fallen asleep in my arms. Upon transfur to the crib, he wakes up. This gets me sooooo annoyed. I thought "fine, that's it. You are so tired that you are asleep, it is the act of being put down that you don't like. Well tough." I place him in the crib and quickly leave the room. It only takes about 15 minutes before he has SCREAMED and whimpered himself to sleep. I don't know what the big deal is? He knows we are only doing boring things. But since I started work, he has been more clingy to both Richard and me. It annoys me to all ends, so for now, if he falls asleep but wakes upon me droping him in the crib, he gets to cry.

Another problem we have been having is night time waking. I am thinking of applying the "cry it out" for this too. At first we moved him into our room, if anything just to make it easier for me to get him, because he was waking up screaming (it was a scary screaming). Having him in our room has not resolved the problem. So I think we are going to move him back into his room and when he wakes up, just let him get himself back to sleep. However, this would result in the total weaning from nursing, since I only nurse him at night.

The Sprout has 5 teeth now. 3 on the bottom and 2 on top.

I finally went back to work at the end of November. I have been getting along really well. My back has actually been allot better. It is nice to have something else to do, and as long as I don't get too involved in the workings of the place, I will be happy.

We are going to have Christmas Eve at our house. We are going to have a free range chicken dinner and hopefully a flaming Christmas pudding with the song for dessert. We will open our presents and watch "It's a Wonderful Life" and "A Christmas Story." In the morning we will open our stockings and Santa presents and have a full English Breakfast before heading over to Richard's parent's house.

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Random things

We had our first major frost this morning. Boy am I glad I cleaned up the rotting pumpkin on our porch this weekend. Everything was frozen, making walking down the hill pretty torturous.

I got my second request for a Christmas list. I guess I had better get on it. I am feeling a bit guilty about having a Christmas list seeing as I am pretty sure no one will get a present from me except the babies. I will be making cookies for everyone else.

My Christmas Tree arrived! Even better, I haven't put it up yet! I am going to wait until next Friday.

I was searching the internet for rocking chairs, because I really want one, and I came across a Nanny rocker.

Isn't it cool?

We went on our first Family Christmas Outing on Saturday. We went to watch the Bradford Christmas Lighting Ceremony. It was pretty lame, but there were Disco Penguins, a snow machine and fireworks, so it wasn't all bad (video of the Disco Penguins will follow shortly). Needless to say, the Sprout was awake for the boring part and asleep for the good stuff.

More about the Reindeer Dust.

Many people liked the idea of Reineer Dust and I found that it is actually a popular Christmas Eve tradition. Ehow.com has a site on how to make the dust. I found many people mentioning that glitter is bad for birds and so coloured sugar is a good alternative for the glitter, that was something I had not thought about. There is a peom that goes with the dust:

Sprinkle on the lawn at night

The moon will make it sparkle bright

As Santa's reindeer fly and roam

This will guide them to your home

Friday, November 12, 2010

Christmas traditions

see more Lolcats and funny pictures

This will be the first year that Richard and I don't have to travel for Christmas. It is also the first year that the Sprout can help us celebrate (he is still small, but at least he will be awake and can take part in the eating). It got me thinking about family traditions. I haven't lived at home for almost 12 years, but it seems that the A-S-B traditions applied until I moved countries, and even then, I would travel over land and sea to take part in any little morsel I could.

Stockings
In the past, I have talked about the A family Christmas stockings. This is the first part of the new tradition I have to address. After much thought, I have decided that it is not necessary for the Sprout to wield an A family stocking. In fact, I don't even need Richard to put out his A family stocking. If I ever got around to making a stocking for the Sprout, I might try to combine Richard and my stocking styles. It would sort of serve as a family tree.

The Tree
The next tradition I have to decide on is the tree. When will we put up the tree? How will it be displayed? My family has always gone to find the tree the weekend after Thanksgiving. In England, we have a fake tree and therefore have no need for a hunting party to find the perfect Christmas Tree. In the past I have put up the Christmas tree as early as the second week in November and as late as the last weekend in November. I think I will continue to put the Tree up the weekend after Thanksgiving so I can have it up for my English Thanksgiving Dinner. We still need to buy our tree for this year, last year's tree got moldy from being stored in the cellar.

Christmas Eve
How will we celebrate Christmas Eve? My family had a regimented Christmas Eve tradition of eating crab, opening our presents, going to church and watching "It's a Wonderful Life" while we all fell asleep. Somehow, 4 years ago I became allergic to crab, something I discovered on Christmas Eve. I have always wanted to eat Salmon for Christmas, a kind of homage to the Pacific Northwest, but everyone else hates fish. We may just have to have a thick steak for dinner. I like opening presents on Christmas Eve, because it makes the Santa presents that much better and more pronounced. Our Santa presents were always wrapped in sparkley paper and fancy boxes (Fredrick & Nelson boxes to be exact). Because I have a baby, I get to think up how I would like to handle the Santa issue. I think Santa is important, and therefore there will be a Santa, and he will have flying reindeer and he only gives presents to GOOD children. I was reading up on some traditions that other families have regarding Santa and I like the idea of magic flying reindeer powder that Santa gives out in his letter to the children. I guess you take glitter and spread it outside the front door so that the reindeer know where to go. I just thought that was really cute.

Christmas Day
Christmas Day is tricky for me. For more than half of my life, I spent Christmas Day whizzing from one house to another, the product of having divorced parents and grandparents who still had Christmas dinner at their houses. There is no more whizzing. I only have one family to visit. It almost takes all the fun out of Christmas, to be allowed to settle and relax. I like the idea of a nice breakfast and presents from Santa, then letting the rest of the day be up to the in-laws.

I am new to Boxing Day, but I am sure there are people with traditions for that day too. I am sure I won't be one of the ones scrambling to the shoppes.

I am sure establishing traditions has allot of trial and error, but I am excited to start new ones and keep old ones going.

Friday, September 17, 2010

It's that time again

It seems that for the past 3 years I announce my plans for my October Horror Movie-a-Thon. Because I can't seem to get much done with the Sprout around and I go to sleep between 8-10 pm, I have am having a limited movie-a-thon this year. I have a list of movies that must be seen every year, so I am sticking with them and I will try to fit in horror movies I have missed throughout this year.

Movies that must been seen every year:

Just a note: we only have limited internet, so I will be posting a full recap of the move plus photos when we get our internet back.

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

More on traditions

My mom's side of the family has a huge sense of tradition that is especially prevalent in the way Christmas is celebrated. Mom's side of the family's traditions are so deep seeded that they tend to take over any new comer's family tradition and this is especially relative to the Christmas stocking.

EVERYONE has to have this stocking. If someone marries into the family, guess what?, you get a stocking. If there is a newborn, guess what?, you get a stocking.

When my mom got remarried, the strangest thing occurred. As a wedding present, she got OUR stocking from someone she didn't know! So I began to wonder how common is this stocking pattern? Some searching on the internet after a fear that our pattern maybe lost came up with some interesting results.

For one thing, this is a popular pattern, and for some reason it has a hold on families all over the place being a permanent fixture on countless family's mantels generation after generation. The pattern is known as Personalized Christmas Stocking from 1945 by Rae P. Burbank and was advertised in Woman’s Home Companion in November, 1945. (Page 25), and if you look on Ravelry.com you will find many people testifying to their family's tradition involving this stocking. Karabosse on Ravelry writes:

Everybody in my immediate family has this stocking, made by a friend of the family. A few years ago we realized that my aunt, uncle and cousins had the identical stockings, but made by my uncle’s mother. Well, now my cousin’s getting married and her fiance has (gasp!) only a store-bought stocking. My aunt suggested/demanded that I make Kyle one as a wedding present so he and Stacy could have matching stockings. What a slog this was! My cousin’s stocking was duplicate stitched instead of using intarsia, so that’s how I made his. Now I’m just praying they don’t want matching stockings for their kids-to-be!

And oh my God, how true this is for my family.

SpiritWings on Ravelry wrote:

I have a story to tell you about this pattern… My grandmother knit 216 of these personalized Christmas stockings. She started the year I was born, and knit one for my dad, my mother, and then me. It was 1956. Over the years, she knit a stocking for every grandchild and great grandchild and many of her friends’ children and grandchildren.

Anyway, I just thought this was the coolest thing. And though it is kind of a shock to see that something you thought was a unique and special tradition in your family isn't so unique and special...it is nice to see that there is a connection amongst families that you don't know that is made through a Christmas Stocking.

Friday, October 2, 2009

Friday funnies and some bits and bobs

I wanted to add some random stuff as well as deliver the Friday Lolcats.

Anyone looking for some crafts? I came across a great blog called The Long Thread, they have some pretty cool projects that look pretty easy. I really need a sewing machine.

I found out why our cellar is so damp...the neighbours have a leak. The water guys were out to fix it yesterday (that is why I know what happened), so I am hoping Richard calls the property management people to at least let them know it isn't our fault and we may find that the landlord has a dehumidifier we can use. If not we may buy one...I like them because they help my back..

Has anyone checked out the new FOX show Glee? It is on FOX Wednesdays at 9. Hilarious. It is about a high school glee club, adult humour and worth a look.

I am very excited for the movie Zombieland to come out. It comes out here in the UK next weekend, I think it comes out this weekend in the US. We are definitely going to have to spend the money to go see it. Infact I am so excited I am adding the trailer below:

At the end of each week, I am going to try to give reviews of the horror flicks I saw as part of my Horror Movie-Thon. I will be rating the originality of the villain, killings, and story; the continuity of the plot; the horror, gore and creepiness factors; and the sequel potential: and of course how watchable it was. I may have some gaps. I haven't decided if I should review classic horror flicks and movies I have seen a million times. I might just write a little on why I decided they should be watched every year.

And now the moment you have all been waiting for...man this week was difficult, too many good ones:

It's Lolcats to the rescue:

Thursday, October 1, 2009

Thankful Anyway Thursday and the beginning of the halloween movie-thon

It's easy to be thankful for the good stuff, can you be thankful for the not so good?
(as serious or light-hearted as you like)
Finally October 1st! Now I can begin my horror movie-thon...it has been so hard to wait and I haven't even decided on what to watch first.
I don't really have anything to say that doesn't involve the typical whine about how much my body hates me and how I am thankful anyway because of the Sprout... I am a little tired of using the Sprout as my positive focus when I hurt and feel it becomes the politically correct thing to say. So this week I am not saying it (although I just kinda did).
I am interested in the fact that I didn't receive any comments on my gay marriage opinion piece. Very interesting...either no one agrees, everyone agrees or I have more people not talking to me than I thought...or it could be that the issue is worn out (kinda like healthcare...although I don't think either issue could EVER be warn out).
This last weekend Richard had to move all of our storage from the cellar to the living room because it all began to mold. Richard said he found black, white, grey, orange and yellow mold. Fun times.
I guess I can say I am thankful that I have a husband that could take care of all that because I wouldn't have been able to bring the boxes upstairs and I shouldn't be inhaling that stuff (neither should he, but he has a strong immune system). What bit I did breathe in made me want to vomit it was so strong. I have had the doors open for 4 days now, luckily it hasn't been too cold. Now we will just have to see how long it takes for us to contact the property people to tell them about it (this link is good for people who rent in Washington State). You'd think it was something they would want to know, but property management people are a strange breed.

Here are some things I am thankful for (not thankful anyway) this week:
Scented Candles...thank you Ms. Molly for the reminder that candles smell good.
People who said they are sending me packages
Richard's paycheck and job
LolCats
Halloween
Zucchini Bread
Peep Show (a really funny British TV series)

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Halloween movie announcement 1

Around this time last year I announced my horror movie list for my month long movie marathon. Here is this year's list.

This year's "movies I haven't seen" list:

This year's theme movies: Hammer Horror. This was a bit hard because many of the movies are hard to find:

Movies I have seen and must been seen every year:

So far I have 22, so I need some help. Does anyone have any suggestions? Keep in mind I have seen a ton of horror movies, but I am willing to watch good ones again.

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Halloween excitement

Yes, it is a horrible thing that I am thinking about Halloween...I don't even think the stores have their stuff up yet. This year, however, it will be extremely exciting because I am throwing a Spooky Thanksgiving party on Halloween. This party will make October the most festive month I will probably ever manage and it will celebrate the 5th Thanksgiving I have hosted. I am having Thanksgiving on Halloween for a couple of reasons: A) The Sprout is due to arrive on t he 25th of November; B) No one in Britain seems to celebrate Halloween so my friends seem to be free; C) Halloween is on a Saturday.

I don't know if anyone remembers, but I have a strict October/Halloween ritual of a daily horror movie for the month of October and specific festivities on the day of Halloween. This year my Halloween day traditions will be different but the month long movie fest will not be. I am still working on which movies will be incorporated into the marathon, but luckily I blogged about it last year, so I have a list of movies I managed to forget about or would like to see again.

Every year I have to find a horror series (i.e. Nightmare on Elm Street or Halloween) to incorporate into my film festival. My choices are getting a little thin so this year I am making it a Hammer Horror October. I will watch selected movies that were made by the Hammer Film Corporation that brought us such classics as The Horror of Dracula (and many other Dracula movies), The Curse of Frankenstein (and many other Frankenstein films), and the Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll. These movies usually star Peter Cushing and /or Christopher Lee and many of you have probably seen at least one of them. I know that people my parent’s age were raised on them at the theatre.

I am excited that I am having a party because I will get to decorate, make party favours and cook food. Last year I got a Martha Stewart Living magazine for the month of October, so I have been looking over it to see what cool ways I can decorate the house. Her website has tons of stuff on it too.

I already have the menu planned (which wasn't hard because I usually make the same thing every year):

Turkey with sausage, apple and cranberry stuffing (I don't usually eat stuffing, but this was really good last year)

Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Gravy

Winter root vegetables

Waldorf Salad

Pumpkin pie

Pomegranate and apple crisp (this is a new one)

After dinner I am going to offer a horror film marathon if people are up to it, and while we are waiting for food to be ready we are going to carve pumpkins and turnips (because I don't have a TV to watch sports on.)

I am so excited!!

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Christmas Cards

I just wanted everyone to know that we will be getting cards out late this year because we can't afford postage for 40 people (yes 40 people will be receiving Christmas cards), so most of you will be getting your cards with your presents at Christmas, but in the mean time, here are our Christmas pictures:

As we were doing these pictures I was wondering...why do we take pictures of ourselves in front of the Christmas tree? Almost everyone does it, and when you start to ponder it, it is incredibly strange. We don't only take the picture but then we share it with everyone...very strange indeed.

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Thanksgiving festivities

This year's 4th Thanksgiving anniversary

The Guests:

Emma (not pictured as per request)

Richard

Ben

Johnny

Me, Johnny and Ben

This year's Thanksgiving menu will be:

Turkey
Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Awesome Sausage, Apple and Cranberry Stuffing
Yam Casserole
Waldorf Salad
Winter Root Vegetables
Richard's Pumpkin Pie

Richard and Me

I don't know what the others are bringing, if anything. This will be the first year I will be doing a stuffing. I don't really like stuffing and in the past years, stuffing balls made from a mix has been popular. This will be the first time I will make a Yam Casserole, my friend Johnny is pretty excited about that.

I am very excited that we will be have the party at Emma's new house in Bentley.

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Monday, September 15, 2008

H-A-double L-O-W-double E-N spells Halloween

I can't spell Halloween without singing that song...

I have a long running tradition that I came up with years ago that in October, I would watch at least 1 scary movie a day for the whole month. A pumpkin would be carved a week before Halloween while watching It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown. On All Hallows Eve a candle will be lit in the morning and extinguished at midnight, spaghetti is consumed (as per the Barnett family tradition) and the pumpkin will be lobbed out the window before bed.

Now, every year I have to come up with a list of ghoulish movies to watch...a whole month's worth. I like at least half to be movies I haven't seen. Because this is a long standing tradition for me, I have seen a heck of a lot of horror films and as such I am not picky as to the quality of the film (they can't all be Night of the Living Dead).

This year I have gotten off to a head start. I have a pretty good list going, an because this is a blog, I am going to share it with you.

Movies I haven't seen:

Movies I have seen:

Movies I have seen and must been seen every year:

TV episodes:

How I Met Your Mother- "The Slutty Pumpkin"
The Simpson's Tree house of Horror Series
South Park Halloween Episodes: "Pink Eye," "Spooky Fish," "Korn's Groovy Pirate Ghost Mystery," "Hell on Earth 2006,"

So as you can see, I have a pretty good list going. Richard gets really bored with my Halloween movie tradition...but I don't really care, it is my favorite one. This year I am going to start a binder with movie lists and DVD pockets that will hopefully make the years to come much easier.
Now eventhough I have this list, I always like to get ideas from everyone else.