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Welcome to the first in our series of Traditions "Celebrating Day-to-Day"
Please join us by sharing your traditions, ideas, stories and photos. Link up at the end of this post. Mr. McKlinky will be around until Sunday evening!
Some of you might be thinking "I don't have any traditions in my home." That word - tradition - might be intimidating to you.
Let's break it down, shall we?
Tradition = a practice or belief that creates positive feelings and is repeated at regular intervals and often handed down from generation to generation.
There. That's better, right? Thinking of it in terms of creating a situation where family members have fun together and is something that is repeated regularly doesn't seem so difficult or formal.
Most often it is up to us Mamas to integrate these practices in our homes. This shouldn't bring us pressure or added stress on what for most of us already lead a busy life. Rather, this should be something simple that can easily incorporate into our daily schedules. The key is consistency and regularity.
For both my hubby and me, daily traditions ran thick growing up in our homes.
Meals together were mandatory. In my home on special nights, we had TV dinners and sat in the living room with TV trays watching any guesses? Yep, TV.
Mondays were Family Nights. My Sister and I got to make dinner and afterward we would play games. On occasion we'd get to go out for ice cream as a special treat.
I have tried to keep those traditions alive with my own family. We have made new ones too.
My daughters love to help me prepare meals. And I love to have helpers, so it's a match made in heaven! For us Mamas it's easier for us to do all the cooking and tell the rest of the family "kitchen is closed!" Because we are in a hurry, or we don't want to clean up the extra mess made by 5 yo fingers, or we feel like the kitchen is our personal space and is off limits to anyone under 4 ft. tall. Can I be bold and tell you that you're missing out on a wonderful opportunity to train your children? It also provides great teaching moments for Math. But most of all, it is a memory your children will have all of their life.
On this night we made Chicken Enchilada Suisas. Emma was my "cheese sprinkler" and took pride in her job. She's wearing big sister's Diva in Training apron.
We enjoy sitting around the dinner table together. We laugh and catch up on the comings and goings of our day. In today's rat race for some families, eating together is almost an impossibility. However, I guarantee you, if you make an effort to have a meal together just one day a week will make a marked difference in your family life.
Game night is a hit around our house. Our recent favorite is Apples to Apples. A hilarious card game. The sillier the better for our family!
Josh is thinking carefully over his next move. Yes, his hair is really that long.
Birthdays are a fun time of celebration in our home. Starting out with donuts in the morning and ending the day with a special dinner (the guest of honor's menu choice). Our old trusty Happy Birthday sign adorns the dining room wall.
This particular celebration, Brandon requested dancing girls. Well. The best we could do was Mama with a shaker. Never mind. You had to be there.
In order to keep things fresh, we pull ideas from our "Family Time Jar"
For those of you who need help in this area of your family life, I pose a Challenge. Choose just one of the ideas you glean from this party. Try it with your family and come back in two weeks. On August 28th I will have a follow-up post of our Challenge where you can share with us what happened in your home after you incorporated the new idea. Make sure to take photos. My hope and desire is that it will be something you continue to do on a regular basis which becomes a tradition!
Please take some time to enjoy the other participants!
August 13th, 2009 at 3:57 am
Marie, what a wonderful post!!!
love all the pictures, Emma is soooo adorable in that apron! what a great idea that family time jar is....I don't have children yet, but I think it would still work well to use with the husband 
thank you for sharing!
August 13th, 2009 at 6:45 am
Marie, Love your traditions! And the photos are fun. I love the one of Emma puckering her mouth...too cute!
Nancy
August 13th, 2009 at 8:22 am
[...] Celebrating Day to Day at Emma Calls Me Mama [...]
August 13th, 2009 at 8:25 am
Mmmmmm, I love enchiladas Suisas. Haven't had them in forever though, we do lots of taco nights at our house.
It's so nice to see all your kiddos. Can't believe that long hair on your son, looks like another daughter, lol!!!
August 13th, 2009 at 8:42 am
What a great idea for a party! This one is going to take some thought on my part though. I love seeing what others do with their families... it may inspire me!!!!
August 13th, 2009 at 8:44 am
You have such a special family, Marie! I love the picture of you dancing...too funny!
August 13th, 2009 at 10:41 am
Marie, I love your idea about the family jar. These times are so special and will create lifelong memories for our children.
I'm a homeschooling mom, too, and I think the cooking is great to enforce math skills.
Thanks for hosting today!
Jane
August 13th, 2009 at 11:11 am
I really like this blog party. I think it is such a great idea. Can't wait to participate in all the others!
August 13th, 2009 at 12:35 pm
[...] Celebrating Day-to-Day hosted by Marie at Emma Calls Me Momma. I hope you will choose to not only join in on this great blog party, but visit Marie’s blog [...]
August 13th, 2009 at 2:34 pm
Beautiful famiglia and you gave me some ideas. Sorry I couldn't be part of it, we are taking the kids places before school starts, too soon. Ciao
August 13th, 2009 at 4:54 pm
So much fun! And Apples to Apples is our fave game, too. So great for all ages.
August 13th, 2009 at 6:18 pm
I LOVE this idea! It's late and I may have to work on things tomorrow after I've had a couple of cups of java under my belt! Your blog is the best - very cheerful.
~lori
August 13th, 2009 at 6:50 pm
Joke:
The teacher asked each child to stand up and share a family tradition.
One little girl, stood up and said to the class,
"We don't have any traditions. We just do the same old things every year".
I couldn't resist. This is a fun idea for a blog party.
Rhonda
August 13th, 2009 at 6:51 pm
Marie, Love your traditions! And the photos are fun.
just beautiful party!
I hope my English is well in my post!
xoxo
August 13th, 2009 at 9:33 pm
I love that you let the little ones cook with you. I agree it takes a great deal of patience. I am envious of the game night. I love to play games, especially board and card games. The jar idea is clever too. This was such a fun idea for a blog party. It just took me a bit to come up with something. I look forward to the next parties!
August 14th, 2009 at 11:14 am
Love this! The family time jar is a brilliant idea - and the photo of you dancing is priceless, definitely a keeper! I am having a total mind-blank as to my own family traditions though - but even if I don't manage to write my own post, I will really enjoy clicking through the others. Thanks for hosting again!
August 14th, 2009 at 12:51 pm
This is so wonderful that you're doing this!!! I'm on a "blog break" right now, but had to drop by and say hi and get in on it!! I love it and the family jar is great!! i linked in....but I linked into my entire list of traditions... Tuesday Traditions. I have lots of them! ♥ Tara
August 14th, 2009 at 3:27 pm
what wonderful traditions!!
we love games also...
have a great weekend with your family~
chasity
August 14th, 2009 at 6:26 pm
So cool! Glad you guys had fun!! I'm late but I just got a great idea!
Hugs, Lisa
August 15th, 2009 at 4:54 am
such a lovely post! thanks for hosting this - you have the best ideas!
August 15th, 2009 at 7:15 pm
Hi Marie.
The series is off to such a wonderful start. I'm sorry I didn't make it here for the party, but life has just been crazy. I did post about it in my Inspire My Saturday post today though. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend. I look forward to joining in the coming months.
XO*Tricia
P.S. Love the "dancing girl!!!!"
August 17th, 2009 at 4:54 am
Marie,
I'm so sorry I missed out on this great party. I will be checking out all of the wonderful family traditions, which I'm sure will offer great inspiration.
I was preoccupied with my new blog(www.photophit.blogspot.com), trying to get a fitness routine started and the new blog and my husband went back to work. (All new routines) (I'm so not a multi-tasker)
I hope to join in on the next one.
Have a great day.
Cindy