Taking down the Christmas Tree

Taking down the Christmas Tree can be a leisurely walk down memory lane.  No Grandchildren excited for Christmas, no discussions about where decorations should be hung or the right way to hang the Christmas lights - just us enjoying cups of coffee and tea with an entire day to complete the task.

We make a day of taking down our small tree taking time to remember where each decoration came from and which were gifted to us.  Through these memories specific Christmas'  flood back and we smile, laugh and cry together.

Once the tree and decorations are all down the house feels both empty and refreshed all at the same time and if truth-be-told we enjoy taking it all down more than the chaos of putting it all up.

It that too Grinchish?

Somehow Boxing Day has always felt more like the beginning of a new year with all the large family meals are over, the rich dessert given away, the house cleaned up and our thoughts turning to seed catalogs and the anticipation of spring.

Our friends have often lovingly admonished us for putting Christmas away so soon when others leave it all up until after New Years Eve, I have even heard of some who leave the tree up until February!

When do you take your Christmas Tree down?

Grandma Almeda made this special Christmas decoration.  She went through a bead and pin crafting period where every Christmas her grandchildren were gifted a handmade decoration.  This is my favourite and I can still remember the feeling of her arms around me and the smell of her hair as I thanked her for this gift.

One year she sat me down at her kitchen table and tried to teach me how to make these decorations and tried is the operative word.  I am a patient person and beading onto the head of steal pins was too much for me and my antics reduced my Grandmother to tears of laughter.

I should confess that for a few years after her passing I had this decoration hanging in my kitchen window just to keep her memory ever present.  I no longer need this daily reminder as I can see her in the mirror each morning and I find great comfort in knowing that I look like the woman who taught me to be a Grandmother.

Merry Christmas my friends.

Grandma Snyder

©2014-2018 twosnydergirls

Aunt Marjorie

Aunt Marjorie

Chocolate chip cookies

Sock monkeys

Raggedy Ann Dolls

Grape juice and Niagara Dry Ginger ale

Singing

Practical lace up black shoes

A speeding ticket for driving too slow

Blond hair pulled into a bun lowered in prayer

Celery de-stringed

Onions and cabbage diced so fine all done by hand

Chocolate everything

Painted cards and pictures

Love and marriage at 65

Handwork the finer the better

Dusty rose

Licking her tasting finger

And so much more.

She played a large role in my life and while we did not see her often over the last years we knew she was there and now she is gone.

Aunt Marjorie is featured often in our blog for her recipes, and my childhood memories 

Angels

Great Great Aunt Marjorie's Chocolate Chip Cookies

Home Made Mayonnaise

Four Generation Dresden Plate Quilt

and many more.

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2018 twosnydergirls

Reflections on 2016

2016 started ominously with Great Grandma finding a lump on her breast and ended with us turning in the keys to her on vacant home.  

Was everything about 2016 bad of course not. 

There were many happy moments throughout the year, times that we laughed until we cried.  Great Sunday dinners shared with Great Grandma and Great John, road trips to take in the beauty of the Ontario country side, family gatherings, and vacations.

The rest our family experienced good health in 2016 and we gathered together for Christmas Eve and shared memories of Great Grandma, face-timing with Great John sharing as much of our experience with him as we could.

What have we learned from our experiences in 2016?

1.      Never pass on an opportunity to visit with family too soon the opportunity will no longer exist.  Thus it is that in 2017 we want to continue the tradition of inviting family and friends to Sunday dinner and with each meal we will keep alive the joy that breaking bread with family after church brought to Mother.

2.     We have no control over the future.  We can make all of the plans we want too and believe with all our hearts that positive outcomes will result only to experience the unexpected and tragedy.  We watched helplessly while too many moments in 2016 were wasted in worry, planning, anxiety, and anger.  These were moments that robbed life of joy and happiness unnecessarily.  In 2017 we desire to live in the moments life gives us, to seek joy in the face of tragedy and let tomorrow worry about it’s self.  We will make plans and once they are made relax back into the moment we find ourselves in.

3.     Our stuff is not necessarily important to the next generation.  You only have to dispose of the beloved objects of a family member to realize that what they held as precious, important, worthy of handing-down does not necessarily have the same value to next generation.  What held value were small things that evoked memories of Grandma/Mother, a picture on the wall, a piece of costume jewelry she worn all the time, hand written recipes that she would make when you visited.  In 2017 we will declutter our home asking our children if pieces of furniture, picture … hold value for them these we will keep.  Before we send family heirlooms to a second hand shop we will reach out to extended family to see if value can be found there.

4.     We all have too much clutter in our lives.  We are not referring to items spoken of above, no this is just stuff.  Papers we filed away 10 years ago and never looked at again, cleaning supplies with an inches left in them, old glasses, clothing … just the general accumulation of daily stuff.  In 2017 we are going to declutter our home systematically going through every closet, drawer, cedar chest, book shelf and cupboard.  We started on our pantry and to our horror we found things that were best before dated in 2012!  They had been pushed to the back forgotten for four years Yuck!

5.     The importance of looking after yourself.  Never forgo taking time out of each day for yourself because other need you.  If you are needed then you must keep yourself healthy, well hydrated and rested. We took three weeks in the fall and travelled to Utah those memories held us together during the hardest times of 2016.  We both have daily routines that renew us and in 2017 we plan on moving these forward.  Never underestimate the importance of kiss every morning before you part or holding hands when walking beside someone you love.

6.      We are not indispensable that being part of a family means that others will step up and fill the breaches your absence creates.  The strength of a family can be measured by the flexibility of the members to step up and change roles.  In 2017 we will continue to travel knowing that our children will support each other and as their parents we will start to step back letting them shine as competent adults making new tradition for this family of ours.

So as 2016 slips away quietly in our home, was 2016 a bad year… no it was a normal year made up of moments, new experiences, joy, sadness, family, laughter, fear, work, play, sickness, health, anger, forgiveness, friendship, love, birth and death.  

What will 2017 bring, well more of the same and for this we are grateful.

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2017 twosnydergirls.

Christmas Peanut Butter Crisps

One of the many memory treasures we have come across in the distribution of Great Grandma’s earthly belongs has been a plastic bag stuffed full of handwritten recipes.  The recipes are not written on new sheets of paper, they were written on scraps of paper recycled into recipe cards and these windows into Great Grandma’s life are a treasure equal to the recipes themselves.

Christmas is almost here so we decided to start with an easy none bake recipe, one with ingredients we had on hand.  This recipe did not have a title and taking some literary licence Emily has titled them Peanut Butter Crisp.

This recipe has been written on a Dear Reader advertisement for Maclean’s magazine.  As a child I can remember this magazine sitting on the side table beside my mother’s chair in the living.  The large photographs on the covers capturing my imagination.  As I hold this yellowed piece of paper a memory floods over me and I share it with our granddaughters.  I am sitting on the hardwood floor captivated by the Maclean’s cover picture a skydiver which resulted in an afternoon of imaginative play.  I am that skydiver and for the rest of that afternoon I jumped from airplanes, tumbling in the air until I am caught by the wind and soar high above the earth in search of wonderful things.  With a smile I can remember my father calling upstairs “what is all the jumping about?  Nothing Dad I reply” and continue my play.  I was jumping from my bed onto a soft landing of blankets and pillows.

I have googled Maclean’s magazines and found the issue that resulted in that wonderful day it is the December 2, 1964 cover and was 8 years old.

 Christmas Peanut Butter Crisps

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Rice Krispies
• 1 cup peanut butter
• 1 cup icing sugar
• 2 tablespoons margarine or butter
• Candy sprinkles

Directions:

1. Mix everything together except for the sprinkles in a large bowl. 
2. If you are working with children butter their hands and let them have some fun mixing.
3. Form into small balls (again children love doing this)
4. Roll the balls in the candy sprinkles
5. Refrigerate for one hour and eat. 
6. Store in a container in the refrigerator or a cool area of your home.

From Our Table to Yours 

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2016 twosnydergirls

Remembrance Day

 

You stand proud in the centre of a community park where children are free play.

You kneel supported by your rifle outside the library and families relax inside reading together, free to explore the world through books with no cares for what is happening outside.

You carry a fallen friend forever holding him in your arms, while children laugh and run around the stone base upon which you will forever stand.

You stand head down in prayer as tourists sit on the steps leading up to your memorial exploring without of fear our large cities.

And you stand at ease hands resting on a stone cross remembering forever your friends lost in war.  While traffic moves freely on the busy street in front of you.

Your name is etched in these stone monuments, your sacrifice always present, in hopes that we remember the price that was and continues to be paid for our freedom.

Your heroism is thus remembered in communities large and small.

And

Today your name will be read aloud and we will remember you.

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2016 twosnydergirls

10 Things To Tell Your (Grand) Children in November

The boundaries of any family are fluid, ever changing with different stories to tell, yet all families will have stories that encompass either loss or victory with cancer.

In November we recognize and make time to remember /fund raise for numerous types of cancer. 

Loss is part of the human experience and too often we underestimate children's ability to process death so we protect them from it and in doing so leave them with unanswered question and emotional painful that is every bite as real as our own.

We each have lost family, significant friends or community members to cancer where the loss profoundly affected the family system.  Telling these stories to our (grand) children builds resilience in them in.  It gives them a starting point, a historical reference of resilience from which to begin the process of resolving their own grief.

Start this conversation with hope

1) Provide your (grand)children a story of hope, a story of recovery from cancer.

2) If you or your partner have had or have cancer in age appropriate terms tell this story and if you are speaking with children over 12 talk about your fears and your hopes.

3) Point out how cancer affected you and the family for example: loss of relationship, employment, driving a loved one for cancer treatment.

As a children we always had our birthday parties at the home of two wonderful great aunts.   Aunt Adela made the most amazing Barbie doll cakes and I looked forward to both the new Barbie doll and cake that was always made from scratch.   Aunt Adela died of cancer and as a young child I was kept away, protected from this event the result being she just disappeared from my life.  This remains an empty hole in my life’s story and almost 50 years later every time I see a Barbie doll cake I think of her and questions charge up to the surface of my consciousness about last days her, her death.

4) Describe how your family has responded/changed as a result of cancer for example: change in life style or diet, remarriage after the death of a partner, stopping smoking etc.

5) Discuss how your family fund-raises or supports cancer research and/or cancer patients today.  Remember that doing nothing is a choice and should be discussed as well.

Use this opportunity to join with your (grand)children in getting involved in an event in support of cancer, building in them a sense of community support.

In November we also stop for a minutes silence on the 11th day of the 11th month at 11 am, remembering and honouring those men and women who have and are fighting in wars around the world.

War is unfortunately a part of our reality.  We all have family stories about war.    These stories are often difficult to tell and once again out of a misguided attempt to protect children not told. 

As a Mennonite in my childhood I heard stories of how father’s, uncles, older brothers were sent to take the place of men at war in key industries.  As a Russian Mennonite child I heard stories of my great grandmother’s struggle to bring her children including my grandfather to Canadian religious refugees.

These are stories that require we take time to plan and practice the telling.  Ensuring that at the end of the story we leave our children feeling safe, and able to move forward with their lives.

6) Starting with WWI talk about anyone in your family that went to war as either a combatant, or as part the large infrastructure the traveled with the war.  Take out pictures explain where these people fit into your family system and their war story.

7) Describe the impact on your family’s home and daily life  during that time.

In my grandfather’s home the blackout curtains still hung on the windows and he would talk about that time, young men leaving and never coming home again of the telegrams that needed to be delivered.

We would sit in awed silence at a girlfriends home has her mother talked about sweeping the barn floor for the last of grain to make gruel out of in Holland and the sound of thunder as soldiers march across the wooden bridge by their home.   

And an employer of mine talking about being a child in a prisoner of war camp and how she and her sister survived because they learned to eat bugs for protein.

8) We will be retelling stories that have been told to us, describe who told you, how old you were and what your reaction was.

9) Apply the same questions to all subsequent wars.

10) Discuss with your (grand)children how your family remembers, commemorates those who have been injured physically, psychologically, mentally and who gave the ultimate sacrifice their lives.  Again if this is something your family does not do talk about this as well.

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2015 twosnydergirls

Lest We Forget

Today we stop for a moment  and pause our busy lives to remember those who paid the ultimate price for our freedom.

As you pause think about the freedoms the define your everyday life, 

that are taken for granted on most day but not today.

Today we remember. 

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2015 twosnydergirls

Ten Things To Tell Your (Grand)children in September

September in Canada is the month when children go back to school and presents opportunity to talk about family stories and your memories of school.

1) Talk about your earliest school memory.

2) Describe the first school that you attended; the name of the school, where it was/is, how big the school was, and if you remember the name of your first teacher. 

For a fun family activity go on line to is if there are pictures of the school or take a driving tour showing your (grand)children the school itself or where it was.

Count how many times you changed schools.

3) Discuss with your (grand)children reasons for each move as you remember them.

4) Reflect back on what it felt like to have, to leave friends, social clubs, etc.

5) Children at this time are frequently asked what they want to be when they grow up take this opportunity to let them know what you wanted to be at their age.

Emily wants to be an environmental lawyer and "take to court" business who are adding to global warming while Ruth want to be a marine biologist and swim with dolphins, at their ages I wanted to run a restaurant because I thought it would be fun and Grandpa wanted to be a farmer which he became.

6) Explore with your (grand)children their favourite subjects at school and share with them what subject you liked best.

7) What was your least favourite and/or the subject you struggled with at school talk to your (grand)children about the reason  for your struggle and how you sought help.

Click here to read Great Grandpa David’s story of taking a dog cart to school.

8) Describe your favourite teacher, the reason you liked him/her, how well you did in their class and did you feel they like you.

9) Show them any report cards, certificates, pictures that you have of your public school experience.

10) Share any historical family stories about school.

Great Grandma Audrey attended a one room school house and tells a story of being lifted into the rafters by a much older boys, when the teacher was out.  Only to have the boys have to help her down when the teacher returned and for each of them to be punished for his actions (back then it was the strap)

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2015 twosnydergirls

10 Things to Tell Your (Grand)children in August

Your memories and stories just such seeds for your children.

Ice cream holds a place of prominence on the August calendar with day's dedicated to soft ice cream, ice cream pie and many more ice cream treats.

In August have fun and tell stories about ice cream.

1.  Talk about your earliest memory of ice cream.  Where were you, who were you with and what flavour was it?

At our church picnics after the pies, tarts, and cookies were devoured the minister and church elders put on oven mitts and passed out vanilla ice cream in cones.  The ice cream came pre-cut and roll in cardboard they looked very much like the centre cardboard of toilet tissue.  I now know the oven mitts were because of the dry ice the ice cream was packed in.  At the time though we would make up the most ridiculous stories about how the ice cream would be too hot to touch.

2. If you have ever made homemade ice cream describe this event to your (grand)children.  A fun and easy activity that you can do with children is make ice cream in a bag.  Beware that younger children will tire quickly and you will end up agitating their bag at some point in the process.

3. Do you have a favourite ice cream parlour?  If you do take your (grand)children there to have this month’s discussions.  Thereafter when they drive past the parlor or visit it they will be reminded of you and they may tell your story to their children.  If you do not have a favourite parlour find one together with your children and start new memories.

August for many is the last month of the school break and vacation.

4. Learning to ride a bike is often a summer break activity.  Remember back to that very first time you stayed up right on a two wheel bike and tell this story.  What type of a bike was it, what was the colour, was it your bike or someone elses?

5. If you still ride a bike tell your children why and the enjoyment you derive from riding a bike.

6. Did you ever take a biking trip somewhere?

7. Swimming is also a summer activity take the time to remember back to a very early memory that included swimming and recount this. 

8. How did you learn to swim? Lessons at a pool or in a lake or a pond?

9.  If you do not swim or have a fear of swimming, using age appropriate language explain why.  In your story talk about what you would do differently now to overcome your fear.  By placing our fears in the light of day our children will have a new understanding of our behaviour and be less likely to develop the same fears.

10. If you engage in any other water sports tell your childhood stories and share pictures if you have them.

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2015 twosnydergirls

10 Things to Tell Your (Grand)children in July

In North America the month of July is when both Canada and the United States celebrate the founding of their countries.  July 1st is Canada day and July 4th Independence Day.  So take the opportunity to talk to our children and grandchildren about what it means to be a citizen.

Countries like people change and evolve so the country that you grew up in will be different than today.

1)Remember back to some of your earliest memories of your country and share these with your children.  

It was a family vacation where we drove from our home in Ontario to British Columbia and it was the vastness of the prairies that I remember and from that point on I measured Canada not in miles but in the number of sleeps it took to cross this amazing country.

2) If you were not born in the country  you now hold citizenship in talk with your children about what it was like to move to this new country what had you or your family expected and what did they find?

3) What makes your proud to be a citizen?

 I am proud of the peace keeping the Canada does around the world.  I'm proud that Canada encourages diversity and makes space for the cultural and religion backgrounds  of it's citizens.

4) How would you like to see your country change?  What are some areas of growth, talk to children about this and how together might get involved in changing the politics and social million of the country you live in.

5) If you exercise your right to vote remember back to the first time  tell your to children about what that felt like.  And if you do not exercise this right tell them your reason for withdrawing and the impact you think this has.

6) Have you ever participated either as a child or now as an adult in your local government?   Attended town hall meetings, supported the election of your preferred candidate as a two examples.  Share these memories.

7) Have you ever been so upset with your government or the politics of the day that you protested or wrote letters to the government?  If you have talk to children about that what it felt like, did make a difference, would you do the same thing now?

8) Canada and the USA is built upon the freedom for its citizens and that freedom came at a price.   If a member of your family or you have participate in military service or  in the Red Cross supporting the soldiers overseas talk to the children it is important that we remember.

9) Volunteerism is a vital part of how Canada and the USA provide services to its citizens.  Volunteering at food banks, Habitat for Humanity, in schools, hospitals, children's sporting groups and so many other ways.  How has volunteerism played out in your family?  Do you or other members of your family volunteer?  Share this with your children and think about ways you can volunteer with them, creating new memories.

10) As a child how was July 1 or July 4 celebrated?  Was it a big event with fireworks and picnics or a small family gathering?  Share these memories.

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2015twosnydergirls

10 Things to Tell Your (Grand)children in June

We are a treasure trove of knowledge and it is important to share the knowledge we have of our parents, the families we come from and ourselves.

Father’s Day occurs in June:

1)      Describe to each of your (grand)children what you remember about their birth and how you felt to become their (grand)father. (if in the role of father)

Yes this is the same question from May only this times it applies to fathers.  It is important to remember that each of us will have a unique perspective of all life events and it is key to the family story that all perspectives are provided.

 2) Talk to them about what you remember about your father and how you celebrated Father’s Day with him.

 3) Remember your Grandfather to your (grand)children.  What is your fondest memory of him?

Grandpa John loved to go for early morning drives and my fondest memories of these times.

4) Talk to your (grand)children about the type of (grand)father you are striving to be. (if in the role of a father) 

5) Talk about your greatest struggle as a man and how you overcame it or are working to over come.

June 27^th is the American backyard camping: 

As a child of the 50's summers were filled with backyard camping.  Sticks, rope, Mom's sheets and blankets made amazing tents.  Then there was the trip to the local gas station for a bag of penny candy which by the next day was a sticky mess and waking up to the smell of damp candy and sheets brings back fond memories even 60 years later.

6) Share your memories of backyard camping? Create new memories by planning a staycation with your (grand)children plan a backyard camping trip. 

June also brings the end of the school year:

7) What do you remember of those last days of school?  

Mine are never being sure if the dreaded report card would say pass or fail, the end of school was a mix of dread and anticipation.  

8) Did you go on any end of school trips, (grand)children will enjoy these stories and these destinations can become summer destinations for your family.

9) What did you do with your school notebooks and reports?  If you had a traditional way to dispose of these personal possessions describe these and how you feel about it today.  If you have any of your school books take them out and share them.

Recipe:

10) When you think of the month of June is there a favourite food that comes to mind?  Write the recipe out and make it with your (grand)children.

Strawberries clean and fresh sprinkled with white sugar and swimming in fresh cream bring back memories of June, and my Grandmother.  

 Grandma Snyder

© 2013-2015 twosnydergirls

Grandma Jiggles

Up roarious laughter explodes from the shallow end of the pool.

Grandma you jiggle!

"Yep Grandma jiggles and I love my jiggles"

Laughter spouts once again from our granddaughter.

"Each jiggle is a treasure to me.  

I love my jiggles!"

Laughter is replaced with open curiosity.

"My jiggles remind me that I have three wonderful children 

that I love and who love me.  

That I love baking cookies with my spectacular grandchildren...

Like me she breaks in!

Yes like you.

I love your jiggles too Grandma!

The rest of the day was spent laughing and doing our new jiggle dance.

I am a Grandma who loves her jiggles!

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2015 twosnydergirls