Twelve Layer Jello and Other Traditions

Every Thanksgiving, I buy 12 boxes of jello, 3 pints of sour cream and I enlist the help of my children.  We start early on Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving, and sweat blood and tears for 12 hours until the jello is finally set up (at least that is what we say to amazed Thanksgiving dinner eaters).  Actually, it does take 12 hours and 12 different trips to the stove to boil the water, to stir the jello and to add the sour cream, but we have fun doing it together.  The excitement builds as each new layer is added to the creation.  This year, Calvin was my right hand man.  He was the one to remind me every hour, "Mom, time for a new layer!"

It is funny to me how this little striped jello has come to mean so much to my family.  It is our little tradition we share.  We eat it and make it once a year and life really would not go on if we didn't have it. 

But I guess that's how Traditions are. 

They are small, but they are expected, hoped for and consistent in a changing world. 

After the jello is started on the Wednesday before thankgiving, we get ready for the family sleepover.  We rent a few good videos and cover the floor with pads, pillows, and sleeping bags.  We watch the movies till late in the night (this year we watched Sandlot and The Best Two Years) and then we all sleep in the family room together.  We've never been a, "Come on kids and sleep in our bed!" kind of couple.  The babies have their cribs and that is that, and so to sleep all in the same room is a big deal in our family. 

However, we never really sleep that well.  One year Cam and I froze because the flue from the chimney was open and a huge draft of wintery air blew on us all night.  This year, Cy rolled off the couch onto Cam's head and so he spent the rest of the night in defense of his body and couldn't really go back to sleep.  But, it is fun to talk once the lights are out and to all be together. 

Thanksgiving day we spend with alternating families.  This year, we were at the Reeves (or should I say, invalid's) house.  This year was crazy because I was healing from my appendectomy, Mom was healing from her foot surgery, and Cynthia's neck freaked out the day before and was bed-ridden the entire day. 

We pretty much don't see our kids on Thanksgiving because there are so many cousins to play with and so many adult conversations to be had.  And so the next day, on Friday, we always have our own private meal.  This gives me a chance to have my own leftovers, as well.   We decorate the table with candlesticks and nice cups and dishes and use napkins for the only time in the year!  We always enjoy some grapejuice from our own vines.

After Thanksgiving, the Holidays have officially started.  Every year we take TRAX up to Salt Lake to see the lights at Temple Square and to take the kids to dinner.  This year we ate at Crown Burger and had to drive to downtown, so we only took TRAX two blocks to the lights, but the kids didn't seem to notice. 

Thank you, Cy, for ruining the only hope I had of having a Christmas card picture! 

Let the decorating begin! 

Every year we find a Monday night to decorate our own gingerbread houses. 

The frosting is the best part.

So intense!

C for Calvin.

Make sure you see every angle of his house!

I love this picture because you can see another tradition in our house right behind us--noodle-sword fighting between Calvin and Dad.  About every hour, Calvin asks, "Dad (or Mom), do you want to sword fight?"  He likes doing it with us, because whenever he does it with his brothers, someone ends up bleeding or crying.  How is that for Happy Holidays?