Traditions

My family never really had traditions for the holidays when I was growing up.  (I am not complaining, Mom and Dad, you know we didn't.)  I sort of had the impression that traditions were too hard to keep up in this fast paced, chaotic world.  Who had time to remember what they did last year, and how can you know what your schedule will be like this year and does anyone really want to do the same things every year, year after year?  I mean, that's soooooo predictable, you know?

Devin on the other hand, is like Mr. Tradition.  He talks about our traditions and you can always hear the word forming, shaping itself into all capitol letters because THAT'S HOW IMPORTANT IT IS.  The idea of tradition, to Devin, is beautiful.

Still, we don't have a lot of traditions, I think we have just enough. Just enough that they don't become overwhelming, exhausting, and overshadow the actual event they are supposedly celebrating.

We do the family run the day of Thanksgiving, we do gingerbread houses the first weekend (or thereabouts) in December, and we make candy - fudge, caramel, taffy, etc.  Also, we never, ever, ever, ever, ever open presents before Christmas morning.  No matter what it is, or who it is from.

Side Note < I did cheat this year. Devin's mom sent a package with some presents, and she always sends socks.  Not just socks, we're talking the macdaddy, the whopper, the socks that should be talked about and written with respect, Socks.  She didn't really wrap the socks though, they just had a ribbon tied around them with a tag for who they were for.  And did I mention these were really nice socks?  And Devin was at work, hardly the place to be if he wants to actually enforce his "don't open presents" agenda.  I've totally already worn those socks.  I love them. > End Side Note

I have traditions now! And they're fun! And it is fun to look back and see how the family has changed, and grown, each year that we've done them.  Which yes, means that we actually take pictures! That's how sacred the tradition is in our home - for Tradition we will actually get out the camera, check to see it is charged, charge it if need be, and then use it!  So much effort!

Here you go! Pictures of our 5th Annual Rose Family and Friends Thanksgiving Day Turkey Run.

 I jog with Hanna.  I like her pace.


 Hallie ran 2 MILES.  My four year old.  2 Miles.  And I am not kidding, she's faster than me.


 Devin jogs with Hanna, pushes Heather in the jogging stroller.


 Heather gets a pass this year, but watch out next year, we'll lace up her shoes and off she'll go!


 Thanks for coming to run with us, Erin (and Craig)! You guys are so great.


How cute is she in her little running shorts and running shoes?
Admit it, she's super cute.
Devin keeps going on and on about her "running form"
I think it's becoming clear our girls got more than just their eyes from Daddy.

Altogether we did 17 miles.  Obviously that's when you add up all of our collective mileage.  Not bad though, not bad.  That's guilt-free pie eating, that is.

Comments

  1. AlisonDecember 18, 2012 at 1:43 PM

    I was just wondering if you did your run on thanksgiving and if you took pictures and if you would make a post. Nice work guys!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Mimi CollettDecember 18, 2012 at 4:42 PM

    It's true. We didn't really have any traditions. I kind of don't understand all of the traditions and decorating that people do. Jeff doesn't seem to care either way, so we haven't really started any. I was talking to a friend the other day who had huge, elaborate ones, and it sounded fun, but like a lot of work. Ha. :) I was telling someone the other day about how we would have presents under our tree that said from Santa on them like way before Christmas, and how I have many memories of filling the stockings or putting up Christmas lights by myself. I do like, though, that our family never lost sight of the real reason for the holiday (and I'm not saying that people with traditions do forget the other reasons). I really liked how we did Christmas when we were older: choosing one person to give a gift to, donating money to a charity of some sort, and going shopping together after Christmas with our money from Grandma. That was a tradition, just not a traditional tradition. Ha. And oh hey our parents did always hide our Easter baskets. Most parents only hide eggs, but ours hide the whole baskets. And you could say we had a tradition of having a huge party on New Year's Day rather than New Year's Eve.

    HALLIE DID TWO MILES?! I am so impressed, and she looks SO cute and serious when she is running.

    I wonder if it will be too late to start traditions after I'm done being in my pregnancy years . . .

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Amy RoseDecember 18, 2012 at 4:45 PM

      It is never too late to start traditions, some of those that you mentioned we only did for a few years just before we all got married off. Go traditions Go!

      Delete
  3. UnknownDecember 18, 2012 at 10:27 PM

    I think you are all very cute in your running attire!!!!!!!! By the attire you are all wearing, I think it was almost as warm as in California. We followed your example and did our own Rose/Hardy version in California.

    ReplyDelete
  4. UnknownDecember 20, 2012 at 6:59 PM

    Love the pictures! Sorry we missed out on the run :(

    ReplyDelete
  5. Phil BolingDecember 21, 2012 at 11:39 AM

    OK. Thank you Mimi for remembering the hiding of Easter baskets and subsequent basket hunt; which I don't believe we ever missed till you guys left home. Vic should you and I do it to each other?

    Also drum roll, your Mom always insisted on oranges and nuts in Christmas Stockings because that was a big deal for her grandparents or some such. So we had a tradition of odd oranges lying around the house the week after Christmas, I think because it was not a tradition to actually eat the orange, the nuts usually got gathered back up and put in a bowl. Funny how you kids didn't get over excited about oranges and nuts.

    If it was not a tradition is was almost a tradition for Mom and Dad to wrap most of the Christmas presents on Christmas Eve and have you kids shuttle them from Mom and Dad's bedroom door to the Christmas tree, this tradition was mostly based on how disorganized your parents were/are.

    Another tradition was the family photo in late fall or early winter, I think we have a great family picture for every year from Peter's arrival to you kids all deciding to get married and jump ship. note: we seriously need to focus on the family photo at Shenandoah this summer!

    So yeah, we really didn't have so many traditions, that was my best shot :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Amy RoseDecember 21, 2012 at 8:59 PM

      Oh yeah, those are totally traditions we had! I am happy to be corrected!!

      Delete
  6. Phil BolingDecember 21, 2012 at 12:04 PM

    It sounds sort of normal to say, "Yeah my grand daughter can beat me in a two mile run", accept for the part about she's four.

    ReplyDelete

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