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A Surprising Thanksgiving Twist

Posted on November 29, 2014 by Renee Spindle

There’s a certain grandson who just turned nine years old in September. This certain someone is completely immersed in the electronics age. I am sure he has taught me a few tricks about my iPhone apps. When this certain someone came over to his Grandma’s house for dinner on Thanksgiving Day, an idea came along with him. Right before dinner we were setting the table, and certain someone (my grandson, Evan) was helping me get everything ready on the table with all of the silverware, napkins, special glasses, etc.

While Evan was getting the table ready (this year he had graduated to my professional table setter) he told his Auntie Hilary he needed to find a basket to put on the table. Hilary asks him, “What do you need a basket for?”, and Evan replied, “I want everyone to put their cell phones in it.” He did not want any cells phones at the dinner table. And then he added on, “The first person that picks up their cell phone while we are eating dinner has to do the dishes!”

I was completely stunned, wow. Pay attention grown-ups, I think Evan was sending a strong message to all of us that would be seated around the dinner table. Hilary told me yesterday this was all Evan’s idea, no one had suggested this to him at my house. Even Uncle Jim who arrived just as we were sitting down to eat conformed to Evan’s plan. So, no one got their phone back until they were excused from the dinner table. This part of the dinner was a little more formal for us than usual, just so we could make the point with Evan that his planned had worked. I had to excuse the “Big Boys” so my brother could show off his new phone.

As a side note my normal house rule when all of the kids are over for a family dinner is no cell phones at the table. Evan just gave us a friendly reminder not to forget “Grandma’s Rule”. I think an even stronger message here is that the kids do pay attention to what we adults are up to, even if appears they are off in their own la-la land. Just some food for thought while finishing up those Thanksgiving leftovers.

2 comments Posted in Evanisms

Giving Thanks in 2014

Posted on November 27, 2014 by Renee Spindle

This has been quite a year for The Spindle Ranch. Lots of family activities, and always more, and more that we are thankful for. This year will bring a bit of a smaller Thanksgiving dinner at The Ranch, but that’s alright. This year this holiday will mark a change in the family dynamic. It will be the first Thanksgiving that two of my kids (the boys to be exact) are gathering with their significant others and their families for the holiday. I am fine with this. I have always told all of my kids that every holiday and birthday celebration that we have gotten to share together over the years has been a blessing. We’re very lucky to have had so, so many celebrations and holidays together. I always knew the time would come when the kids would be sharing their holidays, and now that time has arrived in full force.

Today instead of sharing with you ALL of the things I am thankful for this year I would just like to zero my focus in on one thing, or I should say one person. This is one of those years where I have been ever so thankful for my Mom’s great advice and counsel. My Mom lives with myself and Travel Man. She’s been staying with us since my Dad passed away in June of 2013.

My Mom has been on what I would call the biggest emotional roller-coaster of her life in the past year and a half. She’s been getting through her own grief, and she has also had to be in Illinois for a few months at a time to help my grandparents with their health issues. Everything going on in her world has kept her emotions in overdrive, and that’s an understatement. However, we do live together which has allowed us to have some great girl time together; watching our favorite TV dramas, trying out new recipes, teasing Travel Man when he’s home, and chasing granddaughter, Madison, around the house two days a week.

No matter what is going on in our house, or what she is dealing with long distance where my grandparents are concerned my Mom will always say to me, “You know you can talk to me anytime, and about anything.” I know this but I do not always listen, because I do not want to cause my Mom to have any additional stresses in her life. I will readily admit that there is no better feeling in the world than being able to share your thoughts with your Mumsie and get her loving, constructive advice in return. That is my Mom, that is who she is and what she does for me. My thankfulness for her wise words of wisdom know no bounds. I am forever grateful to be blessed with her presence in my world, and I know (being a Mom myself) that my Mom will always be there for me, always.

Happy Thanksgiving Day to all. May your world be as filled with the love of a caring family as mine is.

No comments Posted in Holidays

We Have our Weekends Back

Posted on November 24, 2014 by Renee Spindle

There was a time earlier this year where Travel Man would be gone for weeks on end. Weekends really did not mean anything to us because our time together was limited, and never the same day of the week. Now don’t get me wrong I realize there are a lot of couples that go through life together with wacky, crazy schedules. We too are one of those couples. The nature of Travel Man’s work keeps it that way.

In July, Travel Man decided enough was enough and decided to make a job change. He is in the same industry, service technician for food packaging machinery, but with a different company. The company that he is working for now has given him the opportunity to have his/our weekends back. He is now normally travelling Monday through Friday, and home on the weekends. We are so elated with this transition, I am almost willing to say we are giddy, but I do not want to jinx the weekends. I do not think either one of us realized what a tremendous toll his old job was taking on us. It was affecting his health, straining our relationship, and generally making our lives crazy.

Travel Man started his new job at the beginning of August, and he has been home every single weekend since then. Yay!! We can now look forward to making plans for the weekend. This is a new concept for us. Going camping, going to a movie, the sky’s the limit. He’s home for family events, gets to spend time with the Grandkiddies, and me too of course. It has really been wonderful just being able to plan for things to do on the weekends. I did not realize how much I was truly missing our weekends together, until recently when we got them back. I would always feel bad making plans for family events happening at our house knowing that Travel Man would not be home to join us. Just that fact would tug at my heart strings.

We both know and recognize that there will be many times when he cannot be home or get home as planned. That is the nature of the work he does and the business he is in. That’s ok. As long as we both know there will likely be more times that we can make plans and fulfill those plans with a minimum amount of changes and disruptions. We’re so thankful to have our weekends back.

One comment Posted in Travel Man

A Week Away

Posted on November 20, 2014 by Renee Spindle

Can you believe it’s only 7 days until Thanksgiving Day is here? Where does the time go. Weren’t we just passing out Halloween candy. There’s a lot to get done before next Thursday, if you are in charge of the meal planning for your family. Have you already started your planning and preparing?

Guest listing – Are all your invites out there?

Menu planning – Are everyone’s favorites included?

Grocery listing – Did you check your spice cupboard?

Grocery shopping – Will you get the turkey you wanted?

Pumpkin pie baking?? – My oldest son has taken over this task. I love it.

Turkey Thawing – What day does your turkey need to be in the fridge to be ready for baking?

Side Dishes – Have you delegated your side dishes out to family and friends?

Drinks – Did you give someone the task of bringing the wine?

This is probably one of my favorite holidays of the year to be with my family, and just eat, visit, and enjoy each other’s company. No other commemorations or gifts are attached to this day, just counting your blessings and being thankful for the wonderful family members that gather around your table for an amazing meal.

I am in the midst of the planning for our meal for about 10 people this year. I will be looking forward to letting you all know how our dinner turns out. Let me know how the planning is going in your neck of the woods.

2 comments Posted in Holidays

Loving my Grandma World

Posted on November 13, 2014 by Renee Spindle

A certain, special someone is celebrating her second birthday this week. Miss Madison is turning two, and is every bit of that two-year old. She’s head strong, feisty, sweet and loving. Madison spends two days a week with me at Camp Grandma, and we have fun-filled, exhausting days together. Her favorite things to play with right now are Playdough, and her dolls.

Last week Madison had a moment with me that I will always cherish. We have a little routine together in the morning after breakfast. We get dressed, brush our teeth, and then I fix Madison’s hair. On this particular morning I had Maddy sitting up on my bathroom counter. We had to get her hair wet just a bit to get it put up into a little, tiny pony tail. Once we got her hair all situated, I was just about to lift her back to the floor, and I got this huge unexpected hug, and an “I lub you Gwamma”. Oh my goodness, I had to pick my melted heart up off of the floor, and gave her a big squeeze back right away. I told her, “ I love you too, Maddy”. This is one of those sweet, loving, ever-so-short grandma moments that stays in your memory bank for a long, long time. The fact that the “I lub you” was not prompted by anyone else made her saying it to me all the sweeter. I lifted Madison back onto the floor, and she ran off to play, as if nothing had happened. As far a she was concerned, it was just another normal morning. But for this Gwamma, it was a special morning filled with love.

When is the last time you had a “Gwamma” moment?

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