Can't wait to see these faces and more!!!
16 more days til I arrive in the states!! I am SOOO excited. Pretty much I become a useless mess when it gets this close to seeing my family so it's always a good thing that there on things on my calendar that keep me focused:) Right now I am listening to Christmas music and baking pumpkin bread! I know-you might think it's past pumpkin bread making days- I mean thanksgiving is past BUT I didn't get to make it even once this year so I am making now. PLUS I am still babysitting(have been for almost 2 weeks) and they have an actual stove(as you might guess) and counter space so i was feeling inspired. As a matter of fact- if I had the other ingredients I would consider making Christmas cookies!! But for now- Pumpkin bread it is. So thank you Mrs. Dovan-one of my second grade teachers-for your awesomepumpkin bread recipe- It has literally made it around the world!!
TRADITIONS
So when I arrive in America I have some traditions. Like the fact that my dad picks me up and always has a few of his famous oatmeal raisin cookies for me to eat on the way home. No one else in the family likes or eats them but they are my FAVORITE cookie in the world and the fact that my dad makes them and remembers to bring them to me makes them that much more precious! Then we drive home and mom has usuallyplanned a home cooked meal that includes lima beans-again you may not be interested in them but they are my fav and they are also grown by my dad:) Can you see why my expectations for a husband are so high?:) Now this year when i arrive home Trisha's kids will be out of school already so I will not be able to surprise any of them at school BUT that does mean we will get to go to Chick-Fil-A together at least 5 times in my first week home:) We will also have our annual cookie baking extravaganza!! This involves a FULL day of baking all sorts of cookies and baked goods while listening to Johnny Mathis on the record player. This has been a tradition for as long as I have been alive and I can not listen to Johnny without wishing I was in my mom's kitchen baking cookies! Sadly Wanda and the girls will not be with us this year because Kari doesn't get out of school until the 23rd- REALLY people??? what if people have baking traditions they have to uphold?! BUT there has been word on the Hunsberger street that Devonand Alexis are quite the bakers these days so I think we will be able to fill in the gaps!
I LOVE traditions- they have a way of making me feel at home and I think it's an awesome way to connect and give a sense of community. I love that my nieces and nephews know and love the traditions as much as I do. I love that I get to SHARE them with so many amazing people. I love that my family appreciates the fact that though we may spend most of the year so far apart, when we are together we get to make awesome memories TOGETHER! New traditions are born every year- like homemade frappachino's on new years:) and the Christmas mice:)
What will it be this year?!!! Can't wait to see!
When there is snow- sledding is ALWAYS a must! this is from last years sledding day! Can you guess which one I am?
