TRADITIONS 2: Ideas to help you get started

This is TRADITIONS part TWO: In case you didn't see part one I will repeat the beginning.

If you are working on starting some new traditions, let me tell you traditions don't have to cost a fortune. They are memory makers. I would suggest you not start a new tradition that is going to be so complicated and stressful. You may be excited this year but think about how much work it is taking and can you keep this up as your children get older. I'd also suggest new traditions that involve the whole family. If you are going to start having family come over for a dinner or party let everyone bring something. You have fun decorating and making your one or two favorite foods. And let others bring their favorites.

TRADITIONS 1 blog had a few ideas: New Year's, Valentines' Day and Easter. 

PICNICS: When was the last time you went on a picnic? When I was growing up my parents would take us on picnics. I can remember my daddy saying, "Nellie is dinner travelable." That was usually on a Sunday. Dinner was in the middle of the day. I grew up with breakfast, dinner and supper. Mom would pack the pots with potatoes, beans and meat in boxes, and plates and silverware in the trunk of the car and we would go to a park. Sometimes we would pick my grandma up about 5:00 in the morning if it was a Saturday. We would be asleep in the back seat. Grandma would bring country ham biscuits and mama had fried chicken for dinner. We could smell the biscuits and chicken all the way to the mountains. We loved going on Skyline drive in the mountains. We would eat, talk, and stop at the overlooks. Good memories. (Cost of gas and food. But we would have a blast!)

When Arielle was three to six years old we lived in Onancock, VA. I couldn't find a job so while being a stay at home mom I decided to make some good memories. Arielle, our dog, Naomi and I walked around the block most everyday. Now we lived on an incredible block. We would walk out the door and go to the left to the intersection, down the block to the bakery. We couldn't afford to buy something everyday but we still went by to say Hi! to the bakery ladies and to the men who were usually there getting breakfast. Then we would go to church to see her daddy for a few minutes. We left him and walked thru town to the wharf. Once at the wharf, we would see who could find the first crab. I would sometimes make us a sandwich and pack something to drink and we would have a picnic before heading home. All we needed was a couple of sandwiches, napkins, a drink and a piece of grass.


HALLOWEEN: When Arielle was growing up the churches we were apart of would sometimes have "Halloween Happenings" Everyone but children dressed liked hobos. Some years Kev, Arielle and I dressed like clowns. Our church now does Trunk or Treat to give families a safe place to take their children.  A couple of years ago Rev Kev, our dog Sandy and I dressed like the Stick Family. (Black sweat suits with white duck tape. After Halloween we took off the tape and wore the sweats. The faces are white foam core boards cut into circles with a black mesh type fabric taped on the back. We could see through it but at night others couldn't see us.)

The Stick Family (Like on the back window of car)

THANKSGIVING: Parades! Family time! Hunters! Football! We like to start the day with the Macy's Day parade. We still do. Now we text or call when something we think was amazing happens, or of course the cheerleaders are about to come on. Our family and Kev's sister's family took turns hosting the Thanksgiving dinner when the kids were growing up. Now that our daughter has gotten married and we have a grandchild we are in the redesign phase.

CHRISTMAS: First and foremost _ JESUS IS THE REASON FOR THE SEASON! That should be taught at all times. Jesus is real and is a part of our lives everyday and in everyway!


Christmas is one of my most favorite times of the year. Probably because it is a time that my family has always gotten together. I have several previous blogs on Christmas so I won't reinvent that wheel. If you would like to read my Christmas blogs you can follow these links.
www.danettemoen.blogspot.com/Our New CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS
www.danettemoen.blogspot.com/Mama D's Childhood CHRISTMAS
www.danettemoen.blogspot.com/Rev Kev's Childhood CHRISTMAS

People remember moments in time, so make your traditions moments that will be happy memories.

Have a Blessed Day,
Mama D

Joel 1:3 NIV
Tell it to your children, and let your children tell to their children, and their children to the next generation.

A WALK ON THE BEACH

A WALK ON THE BEACH

 Kev and I love to get up and go walk on the beach. He loves to go real early and get pictures of the sunrise. Since the salt air isn't really good for electronics, he will come back and get me and leave the camera in the room. We still take our cell phones to capture pictures during the day. One morning we got up early and went to the beach. It was overcast but the ocean is always beautiful. We started looking for Sharks' teeth and shells. Immediately,  I found a shark's tooth and then a second. We had never seen it when the shore had so many of them.

Kev asked me, "Did this really start by you sitting on the beach as a child." I told him,"Yes it did." My mom and dad love the beach. We would drive from Hamlet to Myrtle Beach stay a little while and then go home. With five kids we weren't allowed to go too far. Mom would pick out a building in each direction as our boundaries.

Large area of shells

I've never liked to just sit or lay in the sun, so mom would say "See if y'all can find any shark's teeth or pretty shells." We would sit in one of those large areas of shells and the search was on. I've always had a nack for finding shark's teeth but shells are also awesome. We don't just pick up perfect shells. The shell doesn't have to be in "perfect" condition to be beautiful to us. We pick up broken ones, pieces of shells, whatever catches our eye. We even have one we call "the bottle cap shell". I tell the kids that visit, "It has to be a shell. We found it on the beach and since you're not supposed to throw trash on the beach, it has to be a shell, right?" Needless to say I get some strange looks from them.

Shark's teeth

The love of looking for shark's teeth and shells has never stopped. A few years ago, we hit the jackpot! We found about 60 shark's teeth. We taught several kids along the beach to find them. As we walked a little way from one of the families, we heard, "Mom, I found one." I believe a new tradition was born in that family.


Leave your electronics in the room and explore the shore!

I put our shells in baskets, bowls, jars, shadow boxes, etc. We have them sitting around the house. The name of the beach is displayed on one of those name tag holders (made for a table) shaped like shells. This reminds us during the year of when we were there and the fun we had.

If your kids want a souvenir but you don't have alot of extra cash after paying for a trip to the beach, collect shells and make a memory. You don't have to dust memories.

I was told once from a family that also loves shells that they have a large clear container at their home. Each time they come home from the beach they put their new shells in the container. I like that idea. I think I would put a label either inside the cylinder or on a label on the outside, with the Beach's name and the date of the trip. And I think the child(ren)'s favorite shells should be next to the side so they can see them. That way when someone comes over or just at random times they can say, "That's the shell I found".

Memories are just moments in time. We don't remember whole days or weeks. We remember moments.

Have A Blessed Day!
Mama D

Psalm 97:1
The LORD reigns, let the earth be glad; let the distant shores rejoice.