Family Traditions

When the holidays come around it stirs up memories for me.  I think about when I was growing up.  How different life was then.  We only had a few channels on TV and we lived for the night when the Christmas shows were on.  Rudolf, Santa Claus and maybe How the Grinch Stole Christmas; if I was brave enough to watch that one.  My mom would always bake a ton of different sweets.  Some of our family favorites are fudge made with marshmallow fluff, creamy caramels (which turned out hard some years), cookies of all kinds, Chex mix, haystacks and many others.  My sister in Oregon made caramels yesterday while her grandchildren were over.  Today I am going to bake with my kiddos and continue those holiday traditions. 

My mother was English.  Her family traveled to California by ship around the horn of South America from Cornwall, England.  When they settled in the foothills of the Sierra's they worked in the mines.  You can image that is was dark and cold so having a warm meal during your shift was a must.  The women would make them a meat filled turnover called a pasty.  Not a pastey, but a pasty.  Click here for more on the  History of the Pasty. 

The pasty was wrapped in newspaper and put in a "lunch pale".  The men would hang the pale over a candle to keep it warm.  My family adds potatoes and onions and seasons with parsley, salt and pepper.  Today you can make a short cut by using premade pastry dough, although there is nothing better than homemade.  It just takes a little more prep time.  

Yesterday I made pasties for my family.  My kids love them.  They are a simple 1 dish meal that makes my heart warm.  Oh and my mother ALWAYS served pasties with a Pepsi.  It really is a must as the pasties can seem rich with the pastry and meat.  Plus we cut ours open and dollop with butter and ketchup.  Talk about comfort food!

As time has passes I long for the things that make me feel warm and comfortable, like when times were simple; when I was little girl.  No worries, no responsibilities, just living life.  When the holidays come around I miss my parents, my Nana and of course my love, Doug.  The little things like baking, decorating with the things that I have seen since childhood and sending/receiving Christmas cards make me feel like I am not just living life, but 

Living Life Out Loud.

Culture for your kids

When I was a kid growing up my parents were patrons of the arts.  They had season tickets to 2 theaters in San Francisco and spent every other Saturday in the "City" (as we call it) going to watch a show and dine out with friends.  Subsequently I also spent a lot of time in the "City".  Whether we were shopping, site seeing or dining out.  All of which are my favorite activities to this day.  

As I am now a parent I find it easy to stay at home with little kids.  I mean, it takes real effort to prepare for the day, load up, entertain and stay cheery with antsy little boys in the car or waiting in line for something.  But what I have come to learn is the more you do things with your kids the better they are at being in public.  Taking them out to eat can be a challenge for a 3 year old.  But if you are consistent with your efforts, they become a very patient 4 year old.

So this year I took the boys to San Francisco for the lighting of the tree in Union Square and site seeing in the city.  We walked to Coit Tower and saw the "City" from a bird's eye view.  We enjoyed the Merry Go Round at Pier 39.  We watched the street performers along Fisherman's Wharf.  Rode a cable car to Union Square; which stalled and we had to get a push start up hill.  After watching the tree lighting ceremony along with thousand's of other holiday onlookers we caught a taxi back to where we stayed the night.  When we awoke we drove across the Golden Gate Bridge and stopped for photo op.  


This was a memory that I will always cherish.  The boys want to go again next year and go to Chinatown and eat in Little Italy.  Sounds like a plan to me!

So the next time you decide to just stay at home, push yourself to go out instead.  Create a passion for culture in your kids.  

Teach them to Live Life Out Loud Culturally.  

MY SPECIAL PLACE

My first trip to Maui was in 1979.  I was 8 years old.  My parents, my Nana and my sister traveled to Oahu for my dad to teach a course at the University of Hawaii, then we traveled to Maui for an additional week.  I don't remember much about that trip, but my parents fell in love with Maui.  We returned in 1985 to celebrate my sister's high school graduation.  My parents then invested in a condo in Kihei Town and we returned every year until my mother sold in 2000.

Every visit I make to Maui I am remember the fun that was had during my visits with family and many friends...

• 1986 Shannon and I visited July.  The winds were strong and a screen flew off of the 3rd story and hit me in the head.  A hot ash landed in my eye on the 4th of July after my dad encouraged me to roll down the window of the car to get a better view of the fireworks.  We took a catamoran to Molokini snorkeling and the waves were pretty big.  I "fed the fish" the entire trip.  (which means vomited)
•   1987 with Stephanie.  We swam in every pool on the way to Hana.  We had drinks with my parents and went night swimming every night.  We learned never to over indulge on the blackened fish dishes.  Poor Stephanie paid the price for that.  Lots of laughter and good times had.  Steph is still a great friend to be around.
• 1988 with Terry.  Boy did we have fun.  Because Terry was used to flying by herself as a kid and I was in Maui for a month with parents, Terry came for part of the trip.  She had to teach me the song girl routine for cheerleading camp so that I would be caught up when I returned home.  We met some cool wind surfers from South Africa which we thought was totally awesome.  
• 1989 with Kerry after high school graduation.  Of course we met some more boys.  That year is was all about how tan we could get.  Kerry won, of course.
• in the 90's I visited Maui with my college boyfriend, my college roommate and spent a summer with a group of my sorority sisters working summer jobs.  We had so much!!!  That was when I learned about being a Kaimaina (local).  We worked in the evenings and partied all night long.  We would cure our hang overs in the sun by the pool or at the beach.  We met so many people.  It was a summer never to forget.  
• 1998 Doug and I were married on March 30 in Waliea.  We had 15 people in attendance.  It was a dream come true.  Love you, Dougie.
• 1999 we returned with our mothers.  It was a nice trip, but not the same without my dad.
• On 10-10-10 Steve and I exchanged vows of love and promise in Kapalua.  Danielle and Ray were present.  It was the first time I had been away from both of children for such a long time period.  It was nice to have time with only Steve.  Something we have come to cherish in our relationship.

Maui is my special place.  I feel peace, joy and love when I am there.  I hope to someday make it my permanent place of residence.  I hope you have a special place where you can 

LIVE LIFE OUT LOUD.  

MAUI NO KA OI! 

 

Holidays Holidays Holidays

No one loved the holidays like Doug.  If you knew him you know what I am talking about.  Really all of our family knows that Doug was the center of all holidays.  Let's start with Thanksgiving; he wanted everyone in the family to be together.  We enjoyed having this holiday at our home.  I love to set a table and cook.  We would have everyone over and of course Betty Ann would bring 20 different dishes and 3-4 cakes with her.  The kids would run around like crazed animals while the men and Sissy watched football all day.  Good times.

Doug and Parker opening their stockings on Christmas morning.

Now Christmas was the BIG DADDY of holidays for Doug.  It was all about Santa Claus.  We would argue every year about how Parker would receive his gifts from Santa.  Doug would insist that all gifts come from Santa Claus and I was raised that Santa brought just a few and mom and daddy gave the rest.  Doug always won.  (I would always ask how his buddies felt when they would see Doug's 20 gifts from Santa and they got 2-3 gifts from Santa?  He would respond by saying "I guess Santa just likes me more.")

As I prepare to host my first Thanksgiving since Doug's passing I am excited and full of joy as I remember how much joy Doug brought to the holiday season.  His heart was always in the right place.  Parker loves his family and there is really no toy that he would ever want if he had to trade time spent with the people he loves.  I admire that about him.  I am sure that Brady will learn to love this time of year too.  

Steve grew up not celebrating holidays due to his families religious beliefs.  Boy did he hit the mother lode when he met us!  The past year had been full of firsts for all of us.   We have celebrated every holiday with Steve and his parents; Christmas, 4th of July, Birthdays, Halloween.  It has been awesome to see them enjoy the fellowship and memories we are making during these special times.  

 This is Parker with Santa on the Polar Express.  He thought we were really going to the North Pole and was so disappointed when he saw the trailer park at the end of the ride.  We laughed so hard.

Parker and Brady pose in front of the tree 2009. 

This holiday season remember to create memories with those you love by Living Life Out Loud.  Happy Holidays!

Seasons of Life

Well since my last posting I have celebrated another birthday.  I don't know why, but this particular birthday was different than all the rest. 

I remember some of my past celebrations...  like Chuckie Cheese's when my dad didn't come home on time and I mom walked the entire birthday party ,which was also a sleep-over, to Chuckie Cheese because she couldn't drive us all in one car and wouldn't leave some behind and make 2 trips.  We only lived a 10 minute walk away.  Or my 21st birthday which was on Easter Sunday and the only bar open was Black Angus and my sister drank more than me.  When we got home my mom said "You aren't even drunk."  Then my bestfriend, Danielle said "your mom is so sweet, cuz you are trashed."  4 days after my 28th birthday my dad died.  I remember asking him not to die on my birthday; thanks daddy.  The Waco, TX cult raid happened on my birthday.  So did the Oklahoma bombing.  I was born on my Great-Grandmother on my moms side birthday and my Grandfather on my dads side birthday. 

I have come to learn that around the 19th of April God gets real busy.  This year I feel as though I am entering a new season of life.  I am a widow and my parents are gone too.  I have 2 amazing little boys that fill my life with love and laughter everyday.  I am getting remarried to an incredible man.  To be a bride at 39 is a little wierd.  I am struggling with how I want to mark this season in my life.  I grew up as Jennifer Tootle.  I have lived a wonderful life as Jennifer Greenway.  Who will I be as Jennifer Taylor?

Seasons of my life remind me that there is only one way to 

LIVE LIFE and that is OUT LOUD.

"Happy Birthday to you whenever your special day is." -Jennifer

Compassion and Kindness

As we prepare for the Easter holiday, which signifies the death and rising of Christ, I am humbled by his compassion and kindness for others.  Especially those who persecuted him.  I don't want to freak out those of you who are not familiar with my faith by going "churchy" on you, just trust me and read on. 

I was asked to speak to the faculty of Ripon Christian School, Parker's school, a couple of weeks ago.  The theme for the year is Just Like Him and each month there is a subtopic.  The subtopic for March is Compassion and Kindness.  Here is what I shared with that day...

My parents were both educators.  My dad for 30 years.  My mom for 25 years.  So I grew up hearing the stories about all the rotten things that their students had done.  They put the fear of God in us about acting or doing the things that those notty children did.  (so we learned how to do rotten things without getting caught)  I also learned when I was pregnant not to share any potential names because they were alwasy associated with a previous student. 

Honestly, the most specific lesson I learned was not from my parents regarding their students, but from the students my parents taught.  Specifically after my dad had passed away, there where several of his students who attend his services.  One in particular came up to me and said "You don't know me, but I was one of your dad's students.  He was more of a father to me than my own dad.  I have always wanted to meet you.  You are one of the luckiest people."  Now at that time I was not feeling very lucky.  I just lost my best friend.  However, her comments changed my emotions.  I indeed was very lucky.

You see, my parents were compassionate.  They made people feel as they were family.  Students, friends, neighbors, collegues.  It was a wonderful way to grow up.  Holidays always consisted of many "family" members. 

Compassion as defined by Thomas Merton is

"the keen awareness of the interdependence of all things."

I think this really sums it up.  We certainly have an interdependence on each other.
Ephesians 4:32 "Be kind and compassionate to another forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you."

Anytime that God gives us the opportunity to role model to children he is giving us the greatest gift.  Children depend on us to not only tell them how to act, but to SHOW them how to act.  How to be JUST LIKE HIM.

One of the leadership principles of Compassion International is "Demonstrate Godly Character"  (you can learn more about Compassion International at the link below)
www.compassion.com

Colossians 3:12 "Clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humilty, gentleness and patience."

Doug, myself, Mom and Dad at the Opreyland Hotel in Nasville, TN 1997

I thank my parents for being such wonderful role models.  I am blessed to have many people in my life that are compassionate and kind.  Please remember our Savior, Christ Jesus, as you put out your Easter baskets and hunt your eggs.  Have compassion, kindness and Live Life Out Loud.

Tater Chips

Many months ago I wrote about my dear friend, Mayonnaise. I had more comments about how many of you enjoy my thoughts. You may not have agreed to loving mayo, but you supported my enthusiasm nonetheless. So I have decided to share my family's love of chips. Potato chips to be exact. One of Doug's nicknames was "Tater". He could eat a bag of Lay's Original Potato Chips in about 2 minutes flat. His best friend, Mark Russell, was called "Scoop" for his efforts in scooping salsa, onion dip or any substance that could be "scooped" up on to a chip. So Scoop, this one is for you.
My sweet little boys just love chips. Parker started at an early age with tortilla chips. Since I love Mexican food these are also the chips that Brady started his chip eating. Now we all have our favorite kinds. I love Twisted BBQ Fritos, Guacamole tortilla chips, Ruffles, Cheetos. Parker loves Salt and Vinegar, Funyons, BBQ potato chips. Brady likes Crunchy Cheetos, plain Lays and like his Uncle Mark, any type of dip; bean, salsa, ranch.
I want to know why we crave chips. They please us in so many ways. I have to eat chips when I have Subway. Chips and salsa are a food group for me. Kids adore them. Ever been to a cookout without them? I bet not.

Did you know:

• That the chip was invented by a Native American (shout out to my Indian friends) who was a cook at a lodge in NY.
• They were sold in bins in grocery stores first, then in a bag.
• Lay's was started in 1932.
• The potato chip industry is a $6 billion business

Visit http://www.catalogs.com/info/history/history-of-the-potato-chip.html for my information about my beloved tater chip.

Eat chips while you Live Life Out Loud. Happy Crunching!