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Math Geek, Word Nerd, PhD Candidate, Computer Scientist, Researcher, Wife, Mommy, Bargain Hunter, Home Maker, Baker, Budding Photographer, Crafter, Domestic Diva Wannabe and 
Posts Tagged ‘Traditions’
December 1, 2011
Winter Traditions
The mild winters in California have really grown on me. I miss the snow from the east coast, but can get used to the lack of cold! Though this is only our second holiday season as husband and wife, we’ve been working on a few holiday traditions.
In terms of Baking I make Grandma’s Cinnamon Rolls and Peppermint Bark.
My secret for world famous pepper bark (or at least colon family famous peppermint bark) is to use old candy canes. Seriously. I know it sounds weird, but older candy canes are softer, almost chewy. The softer texture, and same great taste, allows you to have bigger chunks of peppermint in the bark. I also use two layers of chocolate, dark and white. So yummy!
Sorry, the recipe for the cinnamon rolls is a family secret. It’s my Grandmother’s recipe that has been passed down through three generations now.
I wanted to have a new Christmas ornament each year to represent each of us. Specifically, I was hoping we’d each pick out our own hallmark ornament, since I find them so adorable. It seemed like a great idea in 2009. In 2010 there were no ornaments we liked, so we turned to ebay to find older ornaments for our 2010 tree. This year was another bust. After two years in a row struggling to find ornaments, I gave up. We’ll still do purchase new Hallmark ornaments, but they’re more Christmas theme. So much for my grand plan of one to represent each family member over the years. I did end up making a 2010 and 2011 ornament, so maybe handmade ornaments can be our tradition instead?
Another we tradition for us is that we don’t exchange Christmas gifts. We buy gifts for friends and family, just not each other. It’s partially because we typically shop together, and partially because we’re not usually in want of anything by Christmas thanks to our black Friday adventures. We enjoy the hunting for a deal together, more than unwrapping shinny paper. Once we have kids, “Santa” will make sure everyone gets a present.
We don’t really have spring or summer traditions. I do want to make an anniversary craft project each year, and our anniversary is the first weekend in Spring. However, I have no idea what to make this year! I have been thinking about it for months and I am still coming up blank!
Posted in Life | Tags: Traditions
October 5, 2011
Fall Traditions
I can’t believe it is already October. It’s been raining off and on since Monday which signals the start of the California winter season. Time to break out the fuzzy socks and pumpkin lattes! Living in California pre Domingo I never got excited about the change of season. Since then, my husband’s love of fall has rubbed off on me. We’re still a new family, but we’ve already formed some traditions.
I always try a new recipe using pumpkin for my husband, as well as make some of his favorite pumpkin treats from past years. Pumpkin is his favorite flavor, from pumpkin spiced lattes at Starbucks, to pumpkin muffins. I’m not a huge fan of pumpkin, and Domingo likes thinking of it as a special treat, so we rarely make pumpkin anything at any other time in the year.
In mid November we cook a mini-thanksgiving meal for just the two of us and Lily, our kitty. We spend the day cooking in the kitchen, together. Since it’s just the two of us, we stick to the basics: turkey breast, stuffing (following my mom’s recipe), cranberry sauce, asparagus, and mashed potatoes. Lily gets her annual can of tuna. It’s a lot of food, but the left over’s keep well and are just so yummy! Our mini thanksgiving is a chance to try out new recipes and I experiment with a new fall themed dessert. If the desert works out, I make another for Thanksgiving with our extended family. Otherwise, I go back to a tried and true recipe. (My mother in law things I’m a great cook, in part because she never finds out about my failures *wink*.)
Not surprisingly, some of our traditions center around shopping. We both love to shop and save money, and when can one do that better than the season that has Black Friday? We go usually spend some time leading up to Black Friday “gathering intel” as my husband would say. You can tell what will go on sale on Black Friday by looking around at the inventory. Target especially keeps excess stock in the shelves above the aisles. If they suddenly have 200 of a particular type of vacuum, you can bet it will likely be a sale. We really enjoy our shopping trips together. No one can make me laugh like he can.
Before you know it, it’s already winter. In honor of the first holiday in fall, I redesigned my blog.
Posted in Family Life | Tags: Fall, Traditions