Christmas Traditions

In my elementary-school years, I could set a clock by our Christmas traditions. (Go back to a favorite memory of delivering presents with my Dad here.) On Christmas Eve, we spent the afternoon at Grandma and Grandpa's (where the tree had large, multi-colored lights), then off to 5:00 children's Mass at St. James.  Then we'd spend the rest of the evening just across the street at my mom's parents' (where the tree always had silver icicles!) I'll always remember the peppermint sugar sticks Mom Elmore put in a fresh orange as a treat.  Then the next morning, we'd find that Santa had come and we'd have to open up quick and then clean up quick before both sides of the family came to have a country ham breakfast and spend the day at our home. 

Now that I have my own children and we don't live so close to the grandparents, we've come up with our own traditions. (Mostly stolen ideas from friends!)  For one thing, Santa brings the kids a box of super-sweet, sugary cereal each year -- one of their favorites! Another is that we let the kids sleep in our room on Christmas Eve. They think it's really fun, but we really do it to keep them all in one spot so we can go in for surprises together. I don't want to miss ONE look of joy! I remember sitting on the steps when we were young waiting for Mom and Daddy to get their coffee before we were allowed to go in the living room. I've kept this part of Christmas intact!

We have other traditions, but I recently stumbled upon a writing assignment of Sammie's on this very topic.  I'm so happy that these have found meaning to her already. Enjoy a couple of other traditions in her own words. I know I did!

Holiday Traditions

Every Christmas, we have our own special traditions. the first tradition is every Christmas Eve, we always have yummy Chinese food. We get sweet and sour chicken, steamed dumplings and kung pao chicken. It's a fun tradition because it's delicious.

Another fun tradition is we hide the pickle. We hide a lime-colored glass pickle ornament in the tree and whoever finds it first gets to open the first present. Families around the world have made this tradition for many years. A couple of my friends said they do this every year too. It's very interesting and fun to see who finds it.

The last tradition is we put baby Jesus in the manger. In our large nativity set, there's a dirty manger for baby Jesus. Before the Christmas holiday, we wrap Jesus up and put him under the tree. On Christmas morning, the youngest in the family gets to place him in the manger. This is a valuable and precious tradition because it represents our families Christian religion.

As pleased as I am that she loves these things. I hope that being with family is the most important and meaningful tradition of all.

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Ava Turns 4

Ava turned 4 on September 30th.



She helped make her own cake. White cake with strawberry jam between layers and pink frosting.




You can always tell the favorite gift by whether or not they sleep with it. This was a Playskool digital camera -- virtually indestructible -- from Grandaddy.



Grandma and Grandpa Scheurich came over the weekend to celebrate again and brought this beautiful cake.


Much loved by her sibs...

Easter Bunny Stories

This story is better told by my dad with the twinkle in his eye at the thought of his firstborn and the exaggerated moves of an actor. My sister was born in August of 1968.  At the time, Daddy was an actor playing the lead role in the Legend of Daniel Boone at the outdoor theater in Harrodsburg, Ky.  When he got word that my mom was in labor, he took off in his costume to get to the hospital…coonskin cap and all.  Somewhere along the way, a state trooper pulled him over and Daddy got out of the car to explain things.  In his haste, he said, “I’m Daniel Boone and I’m going to have a baby!”  

The trooper didn’t miss a beat and said, “I don’t care if you’re the Easter Bunny, you were driving too fast and you’re getting a ticket.”

Apparently, once he slowed down and explained more clearly why he was driving so fast in a Daniel Boone costume, they came to an understanding.       

So Much for Valentine's Day Secrets

With Valentine's Day falling on a Sunday this year, and hectic Friday, Saturday and Sunday schedules this weekend, my best opportunity to get flowers for Kristin was Friday after work.

I had another Kristin-approved errand to run on the way home Friday, so that bought me a little time to run by a locally-owned florist called Mary M's. I picked up a dozen roses there and then headed home for our first date in ages.

Katie the baby sitter was already there when I arrived. I walked in the house and noticed that Kristin was helping one of the kids with something. So, I took the opportunity to hide the flowers in the laundry room. Then, I told her to go on out to the car while I went to the bathroom. After hearing the garage door shut, I ran back into the laundry room, grabbed the flowers and then called Katie and the kids together. They were more than happy to put the flowers into one of the crystal vases we got as a wedding gift. (My mother told her every bride needs a vase big enough for a dozen roses.) I asked Katie to put the flowers in Dell's closet when the were done.

Kristin had a meeting Saturday morning. So, after she left, I brought the flowers out of Dell's dark closet to get some sun. I asked the kids to help me remember to put them back when she got home. We saw her turning into the drive way, so I ran into Dell's room with the flowers while the kids went to greet her. As I'm hiding the flowers, I hear Ava open the door and say in one of her screaming whispers, "Don't see the flowers, Mommy!"

I went ahead and brought the flowers out, and Kristin loved them. She thanked me and said something like, "This will give me another day to enjoy them." So, all's well that ends well. However, am I ever going to learn that three year olds aren't very good with secrets?

Christmas '09

Yes, I know most of you are spending today taking down the decorations and hauling the Christmas tree to the curb.  I'm just not quite ready for it to be over.  It's the fastest Christmas break on record for me.

We waited until after Samantha's birthday on the 5th to even put up the first decoration.  So many of the decorations we have were handmade by my grandmother and her family.  Like this ice skate ornament...I can't even count the sequins and beads and pins, but we have several in this category.  

Several more in the category with silk threads and more beads.  

I'm not terribly crafty in that way, but when my Mom passed onto us the family advent calendar I went to work replacing two  missing ornaments. What's cut off at the bottom is a dated pocket for each of the ornaments on the tree. Can you tell which ones we made this year? Honor, you can guess, but you don't win the prize, if you get it right!

Our Thanksgiving trip to Arkansas yielded one new decoration for us. I might even leave it up year round.  Anyone else have one of these?  

When you light the candles.....some scientific thing happens that makes the angels go round and the bells ting as they go.  (I won't really do science like this until 3rd or 4th grade, so don't judge my ignorance.)

We don't do a lot of outdoor decorations, but we've lived here almost five years and I've still not decorated the outside of our house like I want. I was raised with candles in every window, which I love, but we can't do that here since our dormers are fake. (Thankfully, our neighbors decorate their house just like I want, so I have a great view!)  I did decide to make new bows for the garland on our porch rail as the first step toward upgrading the outdoors. I thought this ribbon was just darlin'.  All candy cane striped and Christmassy and all.

Turns out, from the road all six of them look baby pink.  And stupid.  We're like the breast cancer awareness holiday house or something.  

This winter wonderland is across the tracks from some of your fancier models, but it tells some of the story of our holiday celebration.  

Again, Mrs. Claus was made many, many years ago.  (As evidenced by the joy detergent bottle that gives her fine curves.) The big house in the middle is the one Samantha made with my mom when she spent the first week of December in Kentucky.  It's been a great tradition for them to put up GiGi's decorations together and get to put together a gingerbread house without the "help" of her siblings.

The other houses were made when our adopted college friends came to visit.  If they hadn't come, I would've given up on those (&^$*^()! things.  One of the girls was going dress shopping for a big law school shindig the next night.  We rummaged through my old cocktail dresses for her and found the perfect red dress.  What she didn't know is that the shindig was a ruse for her boyfriend to propose!  I love that.  If she ever sends photos, I'll post them here.

The cereamic reindeer was from Samantha's birthday. She chose one friend to go with her to the pottery place to paint anything they wanted.  It was a terrific touch to our winterscape.  It was also a lot cheaper than hosting a dozen squealing girls at our house for pink icing and well, pink everything!

And, the little marshmallow looking snowmen and reindeer came from our small group Christmas party where the kids did crafts, ate snowman ice cream and the grown ups swapped white elephant gifts.  We walked away with the best gift...a pair of IU tickets to the Big Ten opener.  I don't know who ended up with the flying monkey. 

The lone tree in the scene is from the day we learned about the tradition of the Christmas tree.  We used sugar cones, green icing and mini-M&Ms to make the trees. You can imagine why there's only one there now.

So, you guys just box and wrap and vacuum away.  I'm going to reminisce a few more days about our very fast, very full, very fun Christmas holiday. 

Trick or Treat '09

How many Dads would dress three kiddos in costume, take them to a neighborhood hot dog roast and escort them on a trick-or-treating hayride without the momma around?  Not many! But that's what my man did this past weekend while I was away.  I think it helped that none required fancy make up like last year.

Toothless, Blonde Flamenco Dancer (there's one on every street)

Pirate (complete with hot cocoa stains on the shirt)

Ladybug (wasn't it just yesterday that Sammie wore this in the Oxford Halloween parade?)

Neighborhood Hayride (Thanks Feagans!)

Grandaddy, dressed as himself, stayed back and passed out the candy at our house.

The kids came back with so much candy for our little street.  They each got to pick five of their favorites and the rest is going to the homeless shelter.  We figure they like to have treats, too!

Chase's "Just Because" Party

Some people have big birthday parties. Some people have big costume parties or Christmas parties. A few years ago, we started a fun tradition in our house: a party for no reason at all. No one needs to find special clothes or bring gifts or anything. We make up the theme, the decorations and games as the whim strikes. 

A couple of weeks ago, Chase invited our buddy Darian, whom we've known since HE was about Chase's age, to a "Just Because" party. I was convinced he was saying the wrong name, thinking he was getting all the brothers in that family mixed up, but he pointed to his picture and said, "That one!" Darian is 17-years old and found time out of his busy life to come hang with Chaser for a while.

Chase chose the decorations, the craft, the snack and the games. And, they had a ball. I'm not sure Chase took his eyes off Darian for more than a few seconds at a time.

A little icing, then a little coaching.

It was hard for the girls to stay away from the action.

Real men wear party hats.

The kids were so excited to ride down the street in his new car.

A party is not complete without a craft and a little wrestling.

Storytime with Dare.

Turns out the party was "Just Because We Love Darian."  

Birthdays, Cousins and Mr. Roboto

The First Week of Summer

Cousin AJ and "Baby" Marie came for their first summer visit.  I don't think they'll want to come back any time soon, but we're hoping they'll be ready again by next summer.  We loved having them!

Chase turned a whopping four years old and picked out an Iron Man cake to celebrate.  

This is the picture that makes Marie look so much like her pretty Momma.

Grandaddy gave Chase a Spiderman fishing pole.  Look how excited Sammie is about it!

GiGi got Chase a gift he's been talking about for over a year:  Better Batter Baseball.  His sisters got him the fancy helmet, which protects him from what I don't know, but it's still cool.

Marie tried everything, too!  Isn't she precious?

Here's some baby pool fun.  I really included it because it's the only evidence I have that Ava was actually here all week!  I guess most of the big fun happens when she's napping.  Sorry, baby.

Ava and Sam prepared two dozen eggs for scrambling one morning when Honor and Adam came to get the kids.  The pictures on the cabinet are still left over from our welcome home from Spain.  I finally took them down yesterday.

The boys got along so well and played and played.  

Sammie's new flying trick.  (Don't be scared Grandma, but Ava does it, too!)

Take a look, Scheurichs!  We finally got our own Crazy Daisy.

Fun in the sun is a great start to summer, but it's not summer to Chase until Mr. Roboto makes an appearance at VBX (our church's version of vacation Bible school.)  He talks about him year-round and looked forward to seeing him everyday. This is him waving at Mr. Roboto and Mario at the VBX closing program.  

We had so much fun all week, there was even a day when all five kiddos took a nap.  And, we even wore out the biggest kid of all.

More pools!  More swinging!  More cake!  More naps! More summer!!!!!  Bring it on....