Traditions Past and New Ones Too

Since I was an Air Force BRAT and we moved a lot our Traditions changed though the years. But as a child I remember Christmas was always special, so here are some of the Traditions I remember of Christmas. I know that the tree was not put up until sometime after Thanksgiving, usually about 2 weeks before Christmas; mom didn't like having to keep us away from the tree for any longer than she had to, and the tree also came down before New Years. I think my mother thought to keep it up longer was bad luck. my mother tells me when I was little she always had to redecorate the tree after I went to bed, because I would hang all the ornaments on it Laundry style, just line them up on one or two branches. I don't think I ever realized that she had moved them. One tradition I remember was that sometime before Christmas my sister and I got sleep under the tree of one night, it was never on Christmas Eve, but mom always left the lights on all night for us. I did this until I moved out of the house, and now I do it quite often now but not out of tradition but because I fall asleep on the couch many, many nights. I have tried to start this with my girls but they are not interested in spending the night downstairs under the tree.

My Grandparents tree always had a light up Santa on it, I believe that it was from when my Grandfather was a little boy, and I know that my Uncle Glenn (Mom's only sibling) now has it. Their tree also had a Lionel train under it, this train was bought my Mothers 1st Christmas and she and her father always set it up under their tree, the train is now set up under my tree, and I just can't imagine Christmas without it.

I also remember when we were in town, Elizabeth City, NC (where both sets of my Grandparents lived). On Christmas Eve my Fathers parents always had a Christmas party, with Santa paying a visit of course. There was so much good food that I was sure I was going to bust from eating anything and everything. My grandmother made wonderful Fruit Cakes (Yes I love fruit cake and if they are sent to me they never leave) the heavy, brick, use it for a door stop kind. I can still remember helping her one year make them and she always had 1 or 2 in the freezer to eat in July if I wanted. My grandfather would bring home a pick-up truck load full of oysters (YUCK!!!) that my grandmother would then fix many different ways but her 3 boys loved to just stand at the side of the truck and eat then raw! Grandma and Granddad had a big house and I know that on Christmas Eve it was busting at the seams, with family and friends from all over. There was always a fire in the fireplace and plenty to eat. Then the best part of the night was when Santa would take time from his busy schedule to come visit us. We also got to open presents on Christmas Eve, all of them that where there waiting for us. I always had wonderful dreams from the parties, Boy! Do I miss them!

Across town at my Granny and Granddad Pollitt's we always had a quite Christmas Eve with just the family. But this is where I learned to Cross-stitch one a Christmas Eve long ago. My Granny taught me by having me make little Christmas ornaments for the tree; (don't know what happened to them). We also had the tradition of on Christmas morning of opening presents youngest to oldest, my Granny always said she wanted to see what everyone else got and see their faces when they got it, but luckily I was one of the youngest and could sit and play with mine while the others were still waiting. This is one that we still do to this day; sometimes we go oldest to youngest though just to make things interesting.

I am trying to start some traditions for my family, my mixing traditions from my husband’s German mother in to some of the traditions I grew up with. We have a small Advent Christmas Tree that has 24 little draws in it that holds an ornament and a scripture that we try to do every night from December 1 until Christmas Eve. I have also started to let my girls help with the baking which is something they love to do, I wasn't much in the baking as a child as much as I was into the eating, but if it was one of my Grandmothers baking then I was glued to their side, sorry mom.

I'm trying to start some new traditions; I have found that with traditions you have to be flexible. You never know when things will change and you have to change with them. Please share some of your traditions with me who knows I might try something new this year.

Memories Preserved

"Preserve your memories - seal them up well.
What you forget, you can never retell.
But a journal that's kept fresh on the shelf
Will help someone through rough times -
Maybe even yourself!"

I am terrible about keeping a traditional Journal/Diary so I have always tried to find ways to help myself, because I know my kids would love to read what my life was like at different times, as I would love to be able to read about my parent’s life. So I thought since this blogging thing seems fun for now I would try to write in it some of the stories of my life that I would like to share with my children. I can't take credit for the Ideas that I come up with; I have stolen them from others.

Several years ago I gave my Father a journal and a jar that was full of slips of paper, it was called a Journal Jar. The Idea was that you would take a piece of paper out of the jar and write about what was listed on the paper. Hoping that questions or statements would jog your memory of the past and help you write. Here are some of the ideas that I put in my Father's Jar, you can use these if you like.

Describe a favorite vacation of your married years. *Tell about home cures or old wives tales: hiccups, toothaches, earaches, or arthritis. *What is your greatest joy? Your greatest sorrow? *Describe the most serious illness or accident that you have had. *Describe your yard as a child. Did you help with the yard work? *Tell about your teen-age social life - your friends, dances, dating, outings, church functions etc.*What would you like to be remembered for? *How did your father spend his time supporting his family? *What were your favorite places to go with your family when you were young? *What were your fears, expectations, and anticipations about getting married? *Tell about a special date you had with a boy/girl friend or your fiancée. *What is your mother's best trait? Worst? The traits you share?*What is your father's best trait? Worst? The traits you share? *Tell a courtship story about your parents - how they met etc...*Tell about your grandchildren - how many- how did you feel about being a grandparent? *Have you met or worked with famous people? Who? Where?*What is the most wonderful thing that ever happened to you? The worst?

That should give you some Ideas and if you need more just Google "Journal Jars" or email me and I can send you more ideas. Now to start writing.

Mad Pictures

Several years ago, Ok about 8 yrs, I decided that my Hubby and I needed to have a new picture done, well that was the easy part. How many of you have tried to dress you family for a group picture? Then you know what it is like to get them all looking the same or at least not clashing. Well this day for some reason my hubby did not want to cooperate and we ended up having a huge argument. I was so mad that I just knew that our pictures would be terrible, But that wasn't the case, I think they are the best we have ever had made and we haven't had any done since then. You be the judge. The one above was not bad I think by the time we go to that one I was not as made at him any more.

As you can tell by the look on his face he wasn't very happy either. I'm thinking if I could only get my hands around his throat? I'm also trying to get as close to him as possible I didn't want the fact that I was 6 months pregnant to be seen in the photos.

Another one that he couldn't hide his feelings.

By the look on my face I think I'm glad that we where almost done. I was almost over my anger with him, and now 8yrs later we are still happily married and still get in those fights but now it just rolls off my back like water off a ducks. Time to go get him mad again so we can have another photo done of just the 2 of us. Now what can I do to make him mad it me this time????

1 "S" please

I have a name that is not very common, my name is Kasandra, now I have seen it spelled many different ways but I like mine with a "K" and 1 "S". In my almost 40 years I have only met about a handful of other Kasandra's. None of them spelled their name the way I do. I have seen the following; Casandra, Cassandra, CaSandra, and so on. Some with K but that is very rare. At different times I have looked up my name to find it's meaning and have found that it has many. One of them is that the soothsayer that warned Julies Cesar not to go to the Senate on the Ides of March was named Kasandra. My Favorite meaning is this: Inflaming Men With Love, that is how I wish I was. Kasandra no matter how you spell it has its origins in Roman or Greek.

I have also notice that of the Kasandra's that I have met, I am the only one that doesn't go by a nickname. I have from time to time had a nickname but for the most part I don't. I like the sound of my name. the only time I will go by a nickname is if someone can't pronounce the name correctly, such as putting "r's" in the wrong place or saying it more like Kasaundra. When this happens my nickname of choose is KC, as a child I had a Kansas City Royals hat that I wore every where and some of the kids in my neighborhood would just call me KC.

The other day I met a 4th grader at school who's name is Cassie, I just had to ask her if she was really a Kasandra, she was but hers was spelled Cassandra (the most common spelling BTW). I asked her if she had met any others by that name and she said "Nope" well then I had to tell her that she had met her 1st and I was it. she is like my number 6th or 7th, I can't remember but I know it's not more than that.

I will add that I have blessed my oldest daughter with the name of Elisabeth, again with an "S" instead of a "Z". Poor child, Oh Well, Been there, Done that and trying to find a the T-shirt with the right spelling on it.

Running with the Deer

Every day I drive through the country… well actually I live the in Shenandoah Valley right outside the city of Harrisonburg… But back to my country… I see a lot of different animals… Cows being the most prominent … Have you ever noticed that when it is going to rain the smart cows will lay down to keep a patch of earth dry for themselves, but these are the same animal that don’t mind standing in poop either so go figure… I also see birds lots of different ones especially now that it is getting colder and they are migrating… there is one that is standing in the middle of this pond in the middle of a cow field everyday when I pull out of the school lot in the morning… I can’t get close enough to it but it looks to be some type of Herron or Crane… But this morning I got to experience the most wonderful thing I have in a while… I was driving down the road and about one quarter of mile in front of me I saw a deer cross the road into a old corn field on the left side… from that distance I could not tell whether it was a doe or a buck… as I got closer to where it entered the field I saw that it was indeed a buck with either 4 or 6 points… about that time it was spooked by the bus and started to run… the path that it took was parallel with the road that I was driving … the field was about eye level for me sitting elevated on the bus… what happened next I don’t think there is any way for me to describe it … the buck and I where racing together at the same speed … I could see the muscles contract and flex as he ran and run with such a beautiful graceful motion… I could also see the look in his eye as he realized that there was no danger… then he decided to head for the trees where he would be even safer… I have always loved to see deer but this was the first time that I got to run with one and watch how it’s body work together… God has truly made some beautiful animals and I think that the Virginia White Tail Deer is one of them.

Christmas Music to My Ears

I know it’s early but I had to get my Christmas Music out and start listening to it… I don’t usually do this until at least the week of Thanksgiving… there has been years when I have it out in September or sometimes I don’t put it away and listen to it year round… you see my collection of songs is getting to the point now that I can’t listen to all of them in during the Christmas season… I just checked and I have about 140 on my Computer alone, that’s not counting the ones that I have on a slave drive that I haven’t pulled up yet. .. I also have a little over 50 CD’s and about 40 cassette tapes… Yes I said cassette tapes… I have gotten rid of all my LP’s though… I hope to add some more to my collection this year, I just found out the Enya has a new CD out for Christmas… I also would like to get my cassette tapes on CD either manually or replace them if I can. … I would like to ask any one reading this please leave me a message with your Favorite Christmas song or Album… or if you don’t like Christmas music tell me why… I would leave a list here but then you would never get to finish ready this blog… a short list would be : Anything MoTab… Mannheim Steamroller… Trans-Siberian Orchestra… Any Celtic instruments playing Christmas music… I could go on but you get the idea… now tell me yours.

Pre-K & the Bus

I'm a school bus driver,I love my job, for the past 2 years I have just been a substitute driver only driving when someone was sick or needed off. This school year I was fortunate enough to get my own bus, this bus was elementary students but at a different school than my girls go to. I loved this bus load of kids, yes we had our ups and downs, but for the most part I thought they where great kids and they thought I was "The Most Awesomist Bus Driver Ever." About 1 month in to the year I was able to get a bus that was at my daughters' school, so I took it. First week was awful the kids hated me, and I wasn't so sure if I didn't hate the kids some too. But we worked things out and now I think they like me, just like, not awesome.

I mostly had problems with the 5th graders at the beginning, but now I'm having problems with the prekindergartens (pre-K) and the kindergarten. Now I know with this next statement I am going to make a few people mad, BUT this is what I believe right now.

"4 year olds should not, and do not need to be riding a school bus"

OK! who's still with me, 1st off I was like those of you that disagree with me. I thought there is free transportation for my child (not the my children went to pre-K) to school so they should be riding the bus.

WRONG, School buses where not designed to accommodate 4 year olds. Some of them can't even step up on the 1st step with out mom's help and most of them don't know how to sit in a seat with out having a seat belt on they still ride in a car seat in the car but not a bus.. They don't understand that if the driver has to watch them in the mirror then they don't have their eyes on the road.

I am blessed with 5 little pre-k on my school bus, I have them all sitting in the seats right behind me so that I can keep them under control, Yeah right who am I kidding. Ok I know I've gone on to long just remember if you have a pre-K child you are better off taking them to school.

While I'm still on the subject of school buses, if you want your child to sit with a brother or sister then take them to school yourself, they can sit side-by-side in the back seat of the car, they will probably get along better for you than for me. Take it from me bus drivers hate it when dad/mom request where their child sits, and most of them have a seating chart and a full bus (3 to a seat). If the bus is full it is not always easy to move 1 or 2 to accommodate the wishes of every parent.

I know I'm the driver, Been There, Done That, and have the T-shirt. Now where's my DUCK tape.

Pre-teen Non-sleepover

I believe that I have lost my mind... No! I know I did... the day I told my soon to be (at the time) 11 yr daughter that she could have a sleepover B-day Party... WHAT WAS I THINKING...3 Friends Plus 1 Daughter equals...I'm not sure yet... OK we are only 1.5 hrs into it they have eaten a whole bag of marshmallows making SMORE'S in the fire pit ... now I have no Hot water as 4 girls decided that they smelled like smoke... I love a smoky Campfire smell... and they had to Shower... now I have water all over the bathroom floor... wet towels hanging anywhere they could find... 4 wet headed girls sitting in my living room watching movies... what will the rest of the night bring me... well I decided I would try to let them settle down and I went to bed... this was after dinner of pizza, chips, popcorn, Caffeine-Free Soda, and ice-cream sundaes... What was I thinking?... I just couldn't keep my eyes open anymore... 1am woken up someone was not feeling well... OK call mom 1:30am sent 1 home... other 3 had not been to sleep... not watching movie either as I thought they would... they had more ice-cream and candy I don't know where that came from... OK I am starting to get upset... It is 1am time to go to bed!!!!... OK fast forward to morning, well later morning... 6:30am Elisabeth got up then 1 friend not long after... the other friend that was left slept until about 9am... OK all have now left but my house will never be the same... time to start the cleaning... or maybe I'll just wait for my hubby to do it.

Great news from Baby Brother

Almost a month ago my baby brother, he's now 21, finally popped the question to the girl he has been dating since he was about 16, Mallory Newman. He did it right unlike his big sister, but that's another story for another time. He asked her father's permission, then went and got the ring she wanted without her knowing, then got chewed out by her because they never got to go ring shopping together before moving to North Carolina, after she had found the perfect ring in Harrisonburg. He took my Mother and my Sister with him when he bought the ring., so they where in on the whole thing.

Then the weekend he was planning to do ask her at the beach where my Dad lives, there was a hurricane off shore so he had to wait until they had another weekend off together to drive down there. He asked her at Sunrise on the Coquina Beach, a more beautiful spot he could not have found, she said yes.

I'm glad because my girls where already starting to think of her as an Aunt. She is the one that took care of him the most after he almost lost his toe last winter. She has been to visit Elisabeth in the Hospital and is at every family dinner/ party, now we have to invite her to the girls night outs that Mom, Christina and I have occasionally.

The date is set October 10,2009, and my girls have been asked to be Flower girls for the wedding. Evelyn was very excited jumping up and down saying yes, yes,yes. Elisabeth on the other hand said "that means a new dress, right!" So Mallory promised to take her shopping for a dress to wear.

Welcome to the Family Mallory, even though you have been with us for years.

New/ Dad

Well this is something new for me. I have been wanting to do this for a while now so I guess we will see how things go. I wanted to talk about my dad and was going through my Dairy and found this talk that I gave Father's Day 2007 and thought why not use it since dad's B-day was just a week ago.

My dad did the usual stuff dads did, he took me fishing, tried to teach me to swim, punished me when I was bad (which was quite often) took me on daddy/ daughter dates, read to me, but my dad was special.

Pres. Monson told a story several years ago about a dad that was special "Some time ago I overheard what I am confident is an oft-repeated conversation. Three very young boys were discussing the relative virtues of their fathers. One spoke out: “My dad is bigger than your dad,” to which another replied, “Well, my dad is smarter than your dad.” The third boy countered, “My dad is a doctor”; then, turning to one boy, he taunted in derision, “and your dad is only a teacher.”
The call of a mother terminated the conversation, but the words continued to echo in my ears. Only a teacher. Only a teacher. Only a teacher. One day, each of those small boys will come to appreciate the true worth of inspired teachers and will acknowledge with sincere gratitude the indelible imprint such teachers will leave on their personal lives.
“A teacher,” as Henry Brooks Adams observed, “affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.”

My dad was not a teacher by trade but in our home he was and until recently I never realized how much he taught me.

1st off you have to realize that my Father was not raised in the church and did not join until I was almost 5. I remember we lived in Italy at the time and my parents where investigating the church. My dad had an old antique English mantel clock that he had bought somewhere I'm not quite sure. Well we didn't have a mantel but a old steam radiator and the clock sat on a shelf that was on the radiator. My 4 yr old curiosity got the better of me one evening and I pulled the shelf down to the floor and as you can guess the clock broke. My father who at that time was not the best controller of his temper came flying to me and picked me up (I was thinking the worse and started to cry) he took me in his arms and made sure I was not hurt and told me that it was OK, he hugged and held me and comforted me never getting angry with me. I now relize that he was forgiving me just as my Heavenly Father has forgiven and continues to forgive me of my short comings. In that simple act he was teaching me something about how my earthly and Heavenly fathers are very much alike. To this day that clock has never worked but my dad still has it and still loves me.

I also remember about a year later I was getting ready to start school we had moved (another thing to know about my dad if you didn't know is that he was in the Air Force so I was raise a military BRAT, and I know I personified the brat apart) this time I was playing and fell and broke my arm again I was picked up and held in the loving arms of my Dad as a friend drove us to the Hospital. I remember no matter how hard he tried to keep me from feeling all the bumps in the road I felt very one of them. But I also remember that my dad gave me a blessing that I would begin to heal. I don't remember the words of the blessing and I don't think it was the first but one of the 1st of many that he gave me through the years as I was sick or injured, or as I began school or went off to girls camp etc. My dad used his priesthood to bless me so that I could once again feel the great love that my Heavenly Father has for me. In those special moments when he was giving me those blessings he was teaching me that I wanted to have that special power in my home at all times. So when I decided that I was ready to get married I wanted a special person that had the priesthood so that I could always feel Heavenly fathers love when I needed it. The night before I was to marry I asked my Dad to give me a blessing thinking that since I was no longer going to be living within his home it would be my last from him how wrong I was because there have been many times when I have hands of my loving dad and loving husband placed upon my head together and felt the love of Heavenly Father bless me.

One other thing I thought of when given this topic was how much time my father gave me. He was busy with his job and all things that he had to do but I remember that when ever I needed to talk to him he was there. Just as Heavenly Father is always there when we need to talk we just have to be willing to call upon Him

I have seen another dad teach his daughters in the same fashion as my dad taught me. My husband continues in the same way to teach Elisabeth and Evelyn that they are special to Heavenly Father. The girls might not realize it now but one day they may be asked to talk about their dad and how he helped them become closer to Heavenly Father and I know that they will think back to the memories that they have and realize that though simple acts their dad guided them too.

With small and simple acts my dad shaped my life so that I would know that I have a loving Father in Heaven who cares for me as much as my dad does. I wish my father was here today so that I could tell him how much I love him, and I know that because of his teachings I have a testimony that my Heavenly Father loves me.

In closing I would like to leave you with a quote from Harold B. Lee that I have modified a little “The most important work you will do for Heavenly Father will be within the walls of your own home.” Fathers remember that you are teaching your children whether you realize it or not.