My inspiration for this record of my days:

“The biggest mistake I made [as a parent] is the one that most of us make. . . . I did not live in the moment enough. This is particularly clear now that the moment is gone, captured only in photographs. There is one picture of [my three children] sitting in the grass on a quilt in the shadow of the swing set on a summer day, ages six, four, and one. And I wish I could remember what we ate, and what we talked about, and how they sounded, and how they looked when they slept that night. I wish I had not been in such a hurry to get on to the next thing: dinner, bath, book, bed. I wish I had treasured the doing a little more and the getting it done a little less” -Anna Quindlen

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Thanksgiving Traditions

 

 Every year, as Jeff grudgingly helps me roll out hundreds of homemade potato rolls, he tries to tempt me into skipping the hard work this year and just getting my rolls from Costco.  It took me a couple of years to put into words the reason why I will never do that.

Making everything from scratch on Thanksgiving is a tradition that makes me feel connected to my family.  I'm making the same recipes that I remember from my childhood.  I plan on teaching my children those same recipes, and hope they will teach them to their children.  Making homemade rolls and pies is a skill that could easily be lost and forgotten in a generation, but it won't be my generation.

 At least once a year I will spend time cooking with my mom, my sisters, and my children.  I will hand down those skills along with the recipes.  And hopefully, in that process, I will hand down the wonderful, secure feeling that I associate with our Thanksgiving feast.

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Grandma and Grandpa Webb, daughters Andrea and Virginia (Mom)

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Thanksgiving 2005 – Descendants of Grandma and Grandpa Webb

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3 comments:

  1. JeffNovember 25, 2009 at 8:12 AM

    I'm afraid it is now tradition to also complain about making the rolls even though I understand the response that is coming :) Thanks for keeping the traditions alive despite the obstacles.

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  2. BethNovember 26, 2009 at 8:04 PM

    Beautiful! I, too, am determined to keep the traditions alive hand down the process to my children. It creates such a lovely time of sharing when my kids and I are all baking or crafting together for the holidays. Thank you for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Lindsey ElizabethDecember 9, 2009 at 8:43 PM

    Aww.. you ARE the cooking sensei! I have such good memories from our ridiculous Thanksgiving traditions. Thanks for all you do.

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