Cookbooks and holiday dreams

So I have had my holiday binder and holiday magazines out thinking of all the yummy things I can make my family during the upcoming weeks of celebration. Although I have to tell you I have created MONSTERS when it comes to traditions....

Step back 30 years...when I had children I was all about the concept of memories and traditions. So when my children were young I did everything EXACTLY the same year after year. This was good in theory, building memories, creating a strong sense of family and traditions...but now however, any attempt to change these traditions considered a direct act of aggression and all out war! Here are a few things I am talking about:

Thanksgiving IS: Turkey, stuffing (grandma Jan's only) mashed potatoes and gravy, Butternut squash, Pumpkin bread, Jello Salad, green beans and PIE PIE PIE pecan, pumpkin, blueberry and Apple. Family football on the lawn and a christmas movie

Christmas goodies include: Toffee, Buckeyes, peanut butter cookies, sugar cookies, peanut brittle & snicker-doodles

Christmas tree goes up on Dec. 8th

One present gets opened on Christmas Eve..BUT ONLY 1

Christmas eve is always appetizer foods, always to include: Stromboli, Grammie Connell's Bacon wrapped water chestnuts, pigs in a blanket, Grandma Jan's cheese ball.

Christmas stockers are a MAJOR BIG deal..and MAJOR BIG

Hot Chocolate & Monkey Bread on christmas morning.

Stockings first, breakfast second and then gifts

Mark passes out presents

When opening presents, it goes one at a time, youngest to oldest.

To name "a few"..

So 30 years later..I am ready for some changes..

The year before Mark and I moved to Honduras full time I put up my first Silver Tinsel tree with apple green & raspberry colored ornaments complete with a rotating light reflecting off of it! I felt so rebellious but so liberated! I had been wanting one for YEARS..but to change the traditional family tree would have caused a disrupt in the earth's balance.

So this year here is my plan... to put a spin on some old favorites, try some ALL NEW, yes all new recipes and of course make some time honored traditions. This is however I fear will be more complicated than it would seem, after all I created these little, but now all grown up monsters!! Wish me luck!