Valentine's Day:
We didn't do much for Valentine's Day this year (as it was only 6 days after we got married), but
AJ did take the day off (actually he took the whole week off). We spent the morning just relaxing, we went and got some lunch and then made dinner together. Since we'd been together all week neither of us had gotten a Valentine's gift for the other, so we went to Wal-Mart, set a $20 limit and split up. I got him a card and the movie "License to Wed". Neither of us had seen it and had wanted to, but I think I ended up liking it better than he did. He got me roses and the movie "Footloose" (I think he may have gotten a card too...). We then splurged on tart candy hearts (our fave v-day candy) and went home and watched Lincense to Wed". It was fun trying to be sneaky (Wal-Mart is really not that big and he eventually ran into me before I bought the movie... I mean there are only so many V-day cards and they put them all in the same place...). Enjoyable nonetheless. We may just have to do the same thing next year.
St. Patrick's Day:We didn't do a whole lot for St. Patrick's Day either, but I did want to acknowledge the day. I wore green (AJ did too... lucky for him it's Army Green and not yellow or something... lol). And we had a Green Dinner. I made green rice, salad, and green jello with kiwi in it. It wasn't a big deal and it was pretty easy, but it still made the day memorable.
Easter:
Alright, so we didn't do anything for Easter this year. AJ was out of town and I didn't do anything to celebrate. However, next year I plan on making Resurrection Eggs. There are 12 plastic Easter eggs and in each of them there is a simple object that somehow represents Easter. For example: a piece of bread to represent the Last Supper. Or a rock to represent the boulder that was rolled in front of the tomb. There are scriptures that go along with each symbol and tells the Easter story. We did that in Young Women's one year and I really liked it. I want to share that with my family. And of course, a traditional Easter Egg Hunt once the kids get old enough.
Mother's Day:I sent my mom her gift with her birthday present in April... to save on shipping. That's right, we're cheap newlyweds. AJ called his mom and wished her 'Happy Mother's Day'. And he did make me breakfast in bed. This year Mother's Day was more about our moms than me, as I am not yet a mother...
Father's Day:
Along with sending my dad a book by President Monson, I also got AJ some things. A couple books and things. AJ had been gone the previous two weeks to Annual Training with the Army, so I also had a bit of a homecoming for him. I typed up 150 reasons I love him, then cut them apart and hung them ALL around our kitchen. I also bought him some roses and wrote a little poem that went with them. He walked in the down and loved it. Well, after he kissed me... he'd missed my lips over the past two weeks. Lol.
Fourth of July:
With my birthday on the 2nd we kinda stretched the partying over the 2nd-4th. My family was in town here on the 2nd for the birthday and then AJ and I went down to Grace for the weekend (and start of my family reunion this year). We went on my Grandpa's Goldwing and bought some fireworks in Soda Springs. We had dinner with my grandparents, uncle, and aunt and uncle. Then AJ, my sisters and I went and watched the fireworks back in Soda. AJ and I didn't get to play with the fireworks we bought, but the cousins got to play with them and it sounded like they enjoyed it.
Halloween:We did our Halloween Date Night, where we carved pumpkins and ate spider web nachos for dinner (see previous post for more details). We also started a "BOO chain". We made up four baskets of goodies and secretly delivered them to four friends. In the baskets, there was a poem and a sign. The poem instructed them to make two goody baskets, secretly deliver them to two neighbors/friends and keep the Halloween spirit going. The sign they then hang on their door so people know they've already been BOO-ed. We ended up getting BOO-ed and had to make another two baskets, but I thoroughly enjoyed all the baking and creating I got to do in making all the baskets.
Thanksgiving:
So, we haven't spent Thanksgiving together as a married couple, but last year AJ did come to
Thanksgiving last year. I've never had a 'Wolff Thanksgiving' yet... but on my side of the family we all get together and have a big potluck meal at my grandma's church in Grace. We just spend the day together, playing games and talking. There is usually an intense, competative basketball game which I am very content to just watch. It's a good day with family.This is the holiday most of my dad's family makes the trek to Grace and to take advantage of that we have McCurdy Christmas the day (or two) after Thanksgiving. We set up a Christmas tree, sing Christmas carols and exchange gifts. The kids draw a cousin's name and give to that person. The adults rotate names. It got a little thrown off this year, because apparently when you get married you are then considered an adult?!? So, we were added to the adult rotation.
Christmas and New Years:
We haven't had a Christmas together and I don't know what we're going to do yet. But I promise to keep you all posted. We did spend New Year's together last year but we just attended the university's party. I'm not sure what we'll do this year. But I'll keep you posted on that too.
I did just purchase our Christmas decorations and really can't wait to decorate... however, I think that Christmas shouldn't be set up until after Thanksgiving. Christmas may be my favorite, but that doesn't make Thanksgiving any less special. (We did have to listen to a few Christmas songs after our first snow this year, but shhh!)
My mom gave me a super awesome book for my birthday this year. I absolutely love it. It's called Traditions: Creating Memories to Draw Your Family Close by Kimberly L. Bytheway and her mom Diane H. Loveridge. They go holiday by holiday and share some of the traditions they have in their families. It's a really neat book. I highly recommend it. The label on the back of the book says $16.95 and I would say it's well worth that.
I would love to hear some traditions everyone else has, so please share. Hope this helps and that you enjoyed it. Traditions are what we remember, they are what make us smile in the sadness. Traditions are a way to keep our families connected and alive. Traditions are the memories we make and the moments that bond us together. Traditions are what makes our families ours, forever.
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