Thanksgiving Thursday

For those of you that don't know what Thanksgiving Thursday is, it is the one time during the week where you stop and basically count your blessings. Even if you've had one of those weeks, I promise you can find at least one thing to be thankful for, no matter how big or small.

This week I want to reflect on my Grandma. She passed away two years ago and was such a huge part of my life.

I am thankful for...

• Mornings at my grandparents house that were filled with pancakes in any shape I wanted and lots of bacon.

• Her blatant attempts to make me a domestic goddess. Playing often included pretending to do laundry (she would make a clothes line for me by tying string to chairs), pretending to iron and pretending to cook in my play kitchen. 

• Days when we would bake. I have the best memories making kolacky with her. I would use a baby spoon and put the filling on the dough and she would pinch them shut. She also gave me the scraps to roll out. I remember how easy she made it look and how not easy it actually is. One Christmas I threw the dough at the wall. I often wonder if she did the same thing when she was first making them.

• The mornings she would give me coffee in a little juice glass with ice cubes so it wouldn't be too hot.

• Playing cards with me. We always played go fish, old maid and solitaire.

• The letters we would write each other when I was away at school.

• Her attempts at teaching me to sew, crochet and cross stitch. None of them stuck. 

• Her always filled candy dishes.

• A gift that she gave me that I will cherish more than she could ever know. She gave me the cross my grandfather gave to her for their wedding. I wore it on my wedding day and hopefully one day Jillian will wear it on hers. 

• The times she would give up her cream of broccoli soup at Venice Restaurant and eat my chicken noodle soup instead.

• Giving me the love of the extra crispy pieces from Long John Silvers. 

• Marrying my Grandpa Ruhling and giving all of us the chance to have a grandfather in our lives (both of my parents dads died before the majority of us were born). 

I miss her every day and try to remember the good times as much as possible. In her later years Alzheimer's set in and made the once fun-loving Grandma I always knew a completely different person. I hope she is living it up with my grandfathers and smiling down on us. 

97

I saw the reminder just after 6 a.m. that tomorrow would have been my Grandma's 97th birthday.

97

She's been on my mind a lot the last few weeks. She passed away February 25, 2013. It's something I will always remember. Cathy, Lorren and I just finished the princess half marathon the day before and were enjoying the park with my Mom. The three of us just got off Malestrom in Norway and my Mom told us the news. We just stood there and cried.

I practically grew up in her house. My Grandma and Grandpa watched my when I was really little and I loved going to their house for sleep overs. I basically got away with murder each and every day in that house.

I also had pancakes in any shape I wanted. Grandma was famous for that. She could spell out your name or make a Mickey pancake for you. Whatever you wanted. Naturally, it was served up with bacon and coffee, with some ice cubes because it's hot.

I also remember lunches that were basically french fries, but I'm not totally sure my Mom knew about that...so...moving on...

I remember her teaching me to crochet (a skill I did not carry into adulthood) and cross stitch. We always did crafts together.

When I went away to college she wrote me letters. I still have some.

When I got married she bought me my Kitchen Aid. She's the only one I would have ever wanted to buy me that. I have so many memories baking with her.

This is when the memories faded, for her. I remember getting a call from the hospital and it was a nurse asking me to talk to my Grandma, she was confused. How they got my number, I have no idea.

Dementia and Alzheimer's was setting in. This was not the woman I remembered and it was hard to hear.

I miss her daily and cherish the memories.

Happy 97th Birthday, Grandma!

Happy 94!

Today is my Grandma's 94th birthday. Can you imagine living to 94? She's lived through two world wars, the Great Depression, Korea, Vietnam, presidential assassinations, and a slew of other things.



She's the person who gave me my love of baking, and my very own Kitchen Aid Mixmaster that's just like hers. I remember spending many days of my childhood in her kitchen making cookies. She also used to make me pancakes in the morning in either alphabet shapes or like Mickey Mouse, Donald, Minnie Mouse, you name it. I know it drove my Mom nuts when she would try and make me pancakes and I would say "That's not how Grandma makes them".

She also gave me the cross my Grandfather gave her on their wedding day. I wore it on mine and plan to give it to Jill to wear on her wedding day.

We may not be as close as we were when I was growing up, but she's still my Grandma and she gave me some amazing memories and helped shape me into the woman I am today. No matter what I will always be grateful.

Happy 94th Birthday Grandma!