Friday, October 05, 2007

Family Traditions

(Thank you God, for my family)

"Oh, the comfort, the inexpressible comfort of feeling safe with a person; having neither to weigh thoughts nor measure words, but to pour them all out, just as they are, chaff and grain together, knowing that a faithful hand will take and sift them, keep what is worth keeping, and then, with a breath of kindness, blow the rest away.” ~George Eliot

*thank you Brandy



Its a tradition that began long before any of us had children of our own. Every autumn, the family and all its counterparts make the trip to Riding Mountain National Park to celebrate Thanksgiving.

We always hike the marsh, and at the end of the weaving plank walkway is a gazebo where we have probably posed for a drillion or more family photos. Then there is the treasure hunt, another hike along the lake that is cleverly disguised as a candy hunt so that the children beg for it every year. Uncle Mel's trail mix has become another favourite legend. It was initiated the year he arrived with a rough tote filled with nuts, raisins, chocolate, and candy. Which works out well for my preferred weekend parenting style. Book in one hand, a magazine in the other, and the dimples of my cellulite holding coffee, dark chocolate truffles, four dozen vintage buttons, some scraps of unbleached cotton, and a gin and tonic. Whenever the children approach something relating to hunger I just glance up and scream at them... GO EAT THE FRIGGIN TRAIL MIX!! DO I LOOK LIKE A CARING, ENGAGED MOTHER RIGHT NOW?!



And then of course, it goes without saying that there are hours and hours of family bonding.

11 comments:

gloria said...

LOL @ "go eat the friggen trail mix". Those would SO be my comments as well. Hilarious!

Sounds like a wonderful tradition, you going again this year?

joyce said...

oh baby! TONIGHT! (not that you now have liscence to come in and rob me of all my lustre ware and enamel...)

Anonymous said...

Ah, yes. The guys playing Monopoly for hours, then the Poker game and cigars outside. Mom handing out her beautiful hand knit mittens, or china cups and saucers from the thrift store. Kathy setting candles out. Carol taking nephews and neices on bike rides. Us girls checking out the sales. Standing out on the freezing dock at night, searching for northern lights. Laughing. Sometimes crying. Watching deer.
Have fun. Laura

it's a gong show... said...

can i please come? PLEEEASE!

~i got that quote off louise's blog, i just love it!

Roo said...

that yellow house is the best.

Anonymous said...

Have fun Joyce, we will miss you this weekend!

Valerie Ruth said...

ohhh that sounds great. this year i get THREE family gatherings and i can eat as much stuffing as i want this year without needing to explain myself. yay!

Bonnie said...

Sounds like a lot of fun. Our family isn't even getting together until next weekend. Some Thanksgiving. I'm finally home and I still don't get to spend time with my family, oh well, life goes on.

Have a great time! You deserve it!

lettuce said...

hope its a great family time - and you-time for you too.

that list has quite a few of my favourite things..... mmmmmm.....

Anonymous said...

Sounds wonderful. I especially love the George Eliot quote. Have a great weekend.

esther said...

happy thanksgiving joyce. i hope you have a great time making new memories, and remembering the old...
love ya.