While everyone else is setting resolutions, it only makes sense that I evaluate those I set when the school year started.

Find Balance -

Yes, I think I’ve mostly done this, despite a frantically busy fall. I remind myself often about this post,and think it has been very helpful. I look forward to a slower pace during winter hibernation, though. We’ll see how that goes;)

Get Healthy –

I haven’t regularly met all the objectives I set in September, and my activity level has fallen about as dramatically as the temperature in Wisconsin. However, I’ve lost more than 15 pounds on Weight Watchers since September 8, and my cholesterol is down too. So that’s something to celebrate. I’m staying the course.

Are you working on any resolutions??

As we trimmed the tree earlier this month, I once again shared this story with my kids. It was originally published in the anthology, Poetica Grandmatica, in 2006.

My sweet memories of Grandma are really just scattered slices of life. But together they make up an important part of my heritage.

When I was young, Grandma lived on Delbert Road on the north side of Eau Claire and my house was on Anderson Drive. Sometimes she had a garage sale and I brought my saved quarters to buy trinkets she’d display. It seems crazy now, but I remember riding my bike across Hwy 53 in the summer to visit her. Of course, now this four-lane highway is three-times as wide — and ten-times as dangerous.

I don’t recall much about what we did together, but I do remember her kitchen. Sometimes she made blackberry wine from the sweet morsels Grandpa picked. She’d keep it under the sink with a balloon on the top to ferment the liquor. And she used to vacuum her linoleum kitchen floor. I thought this was funny because I had only seen people sweep hard surfaces. Her house was always neat as a pin, as was she.

Grandma was pretty, and a sharp dresser even in her 80’s. She was a petite woman, and clothes never fit her off the rack. She’d buy something brand-new and take it right to her sewing machine. Her years altering garments at Bartosh Cleaners ensured she always looked like a classy lady.

But she tended to pick on herself — that was just her personality. We all came to expect that she would never quite be satisfied with anything she did. The scrumptious Thanksgiving turkey she baked was met with a worried, “I hope it’s not too dry.” And she’d grumble that her pumpkin pie always cracked. But this never seemed to bother the hungry children and grandchildren that wolfed it down.

She considered herself “homely” and remarked that her perm was too curly or, “this lipstick is so awful.” She’d complain about her “turkey neck” and for pictures she’d stretch her chin as high as she could, trying to pull the skin tighter. I never heard her direct criticism at others, though — only herself. Maybe she was fishing for compliments. If so, it worked, because everyone else always thought she looked great.

Grandma had a sense of humor, but it’s not like she told jokes. She learned funny expressions from her dad. When she had extra gravy on her plate, she’d say, “Pass me some of that bread — I’m not coming out right here.” And sometimes she’d break into song when the conversation fit one of her preferred stanzas. “He’s the rock that I lean on,” she’d sing in reference to Grandpa. Willie Nelson lyrics were another favorite — especially, “Nothin’ I can do about it now…”

Her fixed income in retirement didn’t allow for extravagances, but she and Grandpa kept a nice home and did some traveling. When we’d see each other, she’d bring me little candies or small gifts. And every Christmas, she’d give me a money envelope — the kind shaped exactly like a dollar bill. The card had a hole in it for the President’s face. Each year, I was so excited to open her gift because I knew it would be money and I was always saving for something. I don’t remember anymore which president was on the bill, but without fail, the message would be the same: “Wish it could have been more. Merry Christmas. Love, Grandma.”

It’s been years, now, since she died the winter before my wedding. We reserved a rocking chair for her at the ceremony with a satin ribbon across it. I believe in some way, she was sitting there.

I still think of her often — especially during holiday traditions. We all laugh when my mom or aunt or cousins use one of Grandma’s “isms” — it’s a fun way to keep her with us. And every Christmas, when my kids dig through our stored decorations, I pull out that last money envelope she gave me, tell my children stories about their great-grandmother, and set it on the tree.

And I wish it could have been more…

The Epcot Mission: SPACE ride was impressive, even though we chose the milder “green” ride with less spinning than the “orange” team. Our family of four was a perfect fit for our very own space shuttle, and the Disney geniuses didn’t fail to provide an incredibly realistic and thrilling mission to space.

We got on this ride right away on the morning we visited (in fact we’d already done all the major rides in the park before it opened to non-Disney property visitors at 10 AM.) It’s a good thing. When we went back at noon to get a Fast Pass to ride again, the next available Fast Pass was for 6:30 PM.

Disney Series:
Flashback Part One
Flashback Part Two – Teacup Ride
Flashback Part Three – Buzz Lightyear
Candy Store
Fast-Forward Four Years
Test Track – Epcot
Mission: SPACE – Epcot

If you’re looking for an awesome teacher gift, click no further! You’ve found it. We made chai tea mix last year for teachers, bus drivers, coaches, etc, and everyone LOVED IT! Since the kids have all new teachers this year, I figure if it ain’t broke…

Many of the spices are already in my pantry, and last year it cost a total of $22 for about a gallon of dry mix.

Ingredients:

* 1/2 cup instant tea
* 1 cup sugar
* 1 cup dry milk
* ½ cup dry creamer

Spices:

* 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1 teaspoon ground ginger

* ½ teaspoon salt
* ½ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
* 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
* 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
* 1/8 teaspoon cayenne (careful, careful!)

Spoon a couple of heaping teaspoons into a mug of hot water, stir, and Voila! Steaming chai tea. Works for me!

What’s your favorite teacher gift?

Other dry mixes I’ve tried:
Nightmare before Christmas Cookies
Bean Soup

Visit Rocks in My Dryer for more great tips.

We visited Epcot this year and got a great tip from a Florida resident with an annual pass. We wanted to ride the Test Track (simulates the testing undergone by a GM vehicle for safety), but since our kids were almost 10 and 12, he suggested we get in line for the single riders. We would have to ride separate from each other and fill in the partially-empty cars, but the wait would only be about 5 minutes.

The Disney insider was right – it was a quick walk past those parked in the very long line to ride the Test Track as a family. As we approached the track, we explained to our kids that we’d only be a car or so apart from each other. Both were a bit nervous, but it looked as though we might even be able to ride two-and-two. I shot this photo right after my 12-year-old buckled herself in.

This shot reveals her true feelings knowing I wouldn’t be joining her. The Disney staff lives up to its promise to break up all riders that use the “singles-only” lane.

I’m happy to report we all safely finished the ride;)

Disney Series:
Flashback Part One
Flashback Part Two – Teacup Ride
Flashback Part Three – Buzz Lightyear
Candy Store
Fast-Forward Four Years
Disney Test Track – Epcot