Tag Archives: family

A Variety Of Tradition

The Holidays are upon us. We are all thinking and planning out all of our menus and traditions. Some are creating brand new ones for their families.

I asked for some help from blogger groups on social media to share some traditions with y’all. I absolutely love learning about different cultural or regional traditions. I hope you enjoy reading these and I would love for you to share yours with me as well.

Due to food allergies and diet preferences, my family modified our Thanksgiving meal from the traditional to a vegan and gluten-free version 10 years ago. Instead of turkey, I made a lentil loaf or pan seared tofu cubes. Instead of tradition stuffing, I switched to a gluten-free stuffing but that was expensive so I switched again to wild rice. Instead of a green bean casserole, I make fresh green beans sauteed with onion and garlic. Instead of creamy sweet potatoes with marshmellows, I roast a whole bunch of vegetables. Sometimes I add butternut squash soup. This year may may do a butternut squash lasagna. By Jacquelyn Van Sant 

In my family, we really enjoy yams that have candied pecans and toasted coconut on top. No traditional marshmallows for us. By Amanda Davis 

We do a traditional thanksgiving (turkey, ham, dressing, sweet potato casserole, green beans, mashed potatoes, bread, etc.) but we do chocolate gravy + biscuits on Christmas morning and a fish fry at my grandma’s Christmas that we celebrate on New Year’s Eve 😊 By Whitney Eddy

In Texas, we do tamales with sides on Christmas Eve. Yum! Thanksgiving is traditional but simple, and Christmas Day I change up every year. I make cinnamon rolls and bacon on Christmas morning though. By Yvette Lewis 

My family is Polish Catholic.  We grew up with a traditional meatless Christmas Eve and passing around the blessed communion bread before our fish feast.  Then we always went to midnight mass💓  although I am no longer Catholic i still love this tradition! By Jamie Taylor 

We replicate my grandmother’s best cakes. She passed years ago when I was in high school, but she used to make wonderful cakes on Sundays. She would have my aunts do the work when she couldn’t get around easily anymore. If they weren’t right, she’d make them throw them out and start over. And she’d only used we’ll known brands. The mainstays we’re her German Chocolate, Carrot and her Butter Pound cakes. By Ria Sides 

Hm…we have a friendsgiving celebration because we live far from family. It’s become a little tradition of our own. By Eric Nevins 

Thanksgiving:DEEP-FRIED Turkey (if possible)Stove atop is a must-haveGreen bean casserole
“The Godfather” marathon plays on tv non-stop the way “A Christmas Story” is played repeatedly on Christmas. Once the Dallas Cowboys game starts, I’m told to stop making fun of them unless I want to watch the game from outside like when I first married into the family. My in-laws are funny.  By Jerry Dugan 

My family has roots in Minnesota, up by Leech Lake, where wild rice (not actually rice at all) grows, so that’s always been a staple of our Thanksgiving & Christmas meals.  My mom always makes a Bundt cake that never actually makes it to the dinner because everyone snacks on it throughout the day.  Deviled eggs are a must! And the canned jellied cranberry sauce.  One time, I tried to be awesome and make my own. You would’ve thought I ruined the whole dinner.  Lol.  By Magan Dotson Martin 

My family has always made chocolates to give to friends. Three of my sibs have always gathered in my mothers’ basement to make theirs–about 300 pounds all told. Since Mom hasn’t been involved for several years, they also make it for her gift list. They can’t do that this year because of COVID, but they have complicated plans to make certain things at their own  homes and somehow trade so everyone they give to will receive a somewhat normal assortment. By David Guion 

I cook with a fair amount of Bourbon and Craft Beer during the holidays. My Orange, Cranberry, Honey Bourbon Glazed Turkey and Craft Beer Crockpot Mac & Cheese are two of our family favorites. German Stollen, Glühwein and Jaegermeister are also holiday staples. I cook a pretty mean Portuguese-Style Roast (beef) too.
By Joe Chadburn

Now I will share my family traditions with y’all ♥️♥️♥️

Thanksgiving traditions for us are pretty traditional for this area. We usually are at my mom and dads. We have Turkey, cornbread dressing, scalloped potatoes, broccoli cheese casserole, mashed potatoes if we don’t have scalloped, chicken and noodles, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie and whatever extra we do that day. We always eat about 1pm. Most of the time my brother and parents try to hunt that morning and that evening. We are not big football watchers so that is not a standard tradition around here for us lol. Growing up we put the Christmas tree up the next day. I use to do the same but now I put it up whenever I’m in the mood lol. It might be the first week of November or this year idk when. It’s been hard getting into the Holiday mood this year. I’m working on it. Yesterday I got all my Christmas decor out of storage. So today I will clean house and get ready for the mood to hit 🤪

Christmas traditions…growing up we always went to my Aunt Nonnies on Christmas Eve. Honestly I don’t remember much on the foods except my grandma nanny always made cheesecake for Holidays. It’s a jello cheesecake that is light and fluffy. Mmm I will add the recipe link below. My aunt passed away when I was 16 and that changed things up for us. My mom now has Christmas on Christmas Eve since we are grown with families. We get to continue on the traditions. So back to growing up!!! We would get up early Christmas morning and have muffins. We had blueberry 🫐 muffins fresh out of the oven. We always had our Christmas stockings and gifts. I think we also got to open a gift Christmas eve. Just one though. We would do our Christmas at home and then go to my grandparents house for a huge Gilman family Christmas.

Skipping a head to my own traditions for my family. The kids and I (after divorce) have our Christmas whenever was easiest for us. I always tried to work around other schedules so there was no stress. I still do the same now that they have their families. We do snack style foods. Little smokies, cheese ball, cheese, chips and cheese dip, fudge if I get it made lol, one time we made little pizzas…

Last year we did taco themed. I think they like the snack style better. We may mix it up and have small amount of other foods and snacks. Oh and I try to either fix blueberry muffins or cinnamon rolls. We always do 4 things that never change.

1. We always have communion with sparkly grape juice 🥤 or Christmas punch

2. We always read the Christmas story in Luke.

3. Each kid gets a movie for Christmas. When the kids were at home we did that the night before our Christmas. We would have a movie marathon and watch their movies that night. I miss that 😢. Treasure your traditions and memories.

4. Each kid gets a Christmas stocking. I mean grown kids and the little ones. 🎄♥️

Those are things we don’t waiver from. The day and the foods can always change up but it’s important to hold down traditions and memories to pass on to your children if they choose to use any of them. ♥️. There are things that absolutely have to change when your children begin to have families of their own. For example I can’t wake up at my moms and eat blueberry muffins that morning like I did as a kid ☹️😢😭. Life grows and changes and traditions can change and be passed down. 😍🥰.

I hope you have enjoyed this blog. Please send me some of your traditions.

Grandma Nannie’s Fluffy Cheesecake

https://crossgbackyardfarms.com/holiday-recipegrandma-nannies-fluffy-cheescake/

Dreamcatcher320

Cassie

Things To Do While Homebound

Okay so I truly have no clue what day this is on challenge. I barely know what day it is lol. It was after noon before I realized it was Saint Patrick’s Day.

I have made a list of things we can do at home while this situation in our country is being contained. Hope y’all can find peace and enjoy your down time.

If you have board games and cards stashed away GET THEM OUT!


Get out the coloring books and crayons
If you are out at all for supplies and can, run by a Dollar Tree you can purchase some there.


I saw some old fashion cards like go fish at Dollar Tree.
They have cards to teach kids in the school supplies section as well.


Dominos stuck down in a junk drawer? Dig them out.


Those books you have been going to read that you have in a goodwill pile now… get them back out.


Get our recipe books and teach your kids or your self lol measurements and how to make a recipe


Teach a child how to skip
Don’t have a child, skip yourself to lighten your heart and increase your heart rate


Draw a line on the side walk and play that old game we played as kids. Not sure the name lol NOT DOGE BALL, that’s just mean lol. You hit the back back and forth to each other for points


Shoot hoops, play HORSE


Play duck duck goose with your kids or
Jump rope


Stay physical and
don let depression take root.
Don’t let fear take root either.


I’m getting myself a coloring book
Find your inner child again!!!


Sing some VBS songs like Jesus loves me, This Little Light Of Mine, Oh what’s the one that says “if the devil doesn’t like it, he can sit on a tack” lol

These are just a few ideas I had. If you have any to share, I would love to hear them.

Dream Catcher 3:20

Cassie Gilman

3 years WOW

Day 7 of blogging challenge is a look back post.

Three years ago, my heart that was barely holding together from years of hurts, was shattered into pieces. My dream marriage had turned into a year of some amazing times, some not-so-amazing times, to living a full-blown traumatic nightmare.

As the weather and seasons change, I have a physical injury that remind me of the last major waking nightmare. Sometimes when you have an injury it never heals all the way or scars so deep that it is sometimes irritated by the atmosphere or actions it is used in. 

My elbow still gives me fits when the weather changes or I use it too much. My elbow was injured when the man I was about to go do ministry with rung it out like a dishrag. We were packing to go do ministry and ended up in a knock-down drag-out, leaving the dreams and hopes I had of help for us shattered into pieces. It wasn’t the first time for physical abuse; however, it would be the last! It went too far and got too dangerous. The sad thing is I told many women don’t ever let them hurt you twice. Get the hell out! Literally get out of that kind of hell. Did I do this? No! I stayed for a year. The marriage was great when it was great. It was hostile and violent when it wasn’t great. There was no arguing without explosive anger. This created a constant state of fear and hard to breathe or know when to approach things which left me in a constant state of feeling like I had to hold my breath. This alone traumatizes a person and leaves physical, mental and emotional scars. Especially when you loved someone so deep you didn’t know where they ended and you began. 

Just like the elbow injury, there are deep scars that can be triggered by an anniversary date, a memory, a smell, a thought, someone else reminding you of a person or even someone else’s traumatic event, or the good mixed into those years or seasons that you terribly miss. 

Don’t get me wrong I made mistakes in this marriage where I caused some of my own scars; regrets from some of my own actions and reactions, to things said and done. I have had to heal and forgive myself as well as that person and others involved in that time in our lives. 

I know some people don’t understand why I share these things but you SEE… I refuse to allow the hell the enemy tried to destroy me with not be used for Gods glory!  

You say where is the glory in this??

Right here! I survived after my heart was totally destroyed beyond human repair. BUT God is in the Mending business. 

I survived yet another one of my decisions that caused me harm! It’s now made me make life-altering decisions with more prayer and caution. Sometimes I just don’t make them at all and God and I are working on that lol.

I survived domestic violence in a Christian (Ministry) home! I didn’t give up on God when I wanted to give up on Him and me! 

I’m forgiving myself as a person, who is human. I made mistakes as a wife, a friend, a daughter, and as a mom in my life. BUT I am learning I did way more right than wrong. The Devil likes you to keep that scale tipped to the wrong self-hate side. I am learning to forgive others by one second and one memory at a time! It’s not easy to forgive. It’s easy to say the words but the real action is only done with GODS GRACE AND FORGIVENESS. 

There are days I don’t recognize my own self. Some from the extreme grief and hurt that’s stirred up anger in me and reactions I will say were not God. BUT there are days I say who is that girl with boundaries and a boldness to not allow toxic people into my life!!! 

I have been able to help others walking through things that I have survived!

I have been able to be on my own with Jesus. Not co-dependent anymore!  

I spend more time alone than ever in my life before. I used to not be able to handle silence or being alone in my life. (Somedays I still don’t lol. But I am an extrovert). But there were years I couldn’t function without being around people. 

I used to be so codependent on others in my life that I had no idea who I was! 

Guess what… I am Cassie Gilman.

I am a mom and not as bad of a mom as I told myself I was for many, many years!  

I love small towns and back roads.

I love traveling to big cities and drinking coffee at coffee shops, but I am and will always be a country cowgirl at heart and roots.

I love my style of clothing and don’t care what others think about it.

I love my fire pits.

I love grilling outdoors.

I love fishing because I enjoy it AND NOT to impress a man lol!

I love certain ministers and authors and don’t giving a flying rip what others think. I’ll continue to walk the walk I need for Cassie to thrive. 

I love to travel and I am not afraid to do so alone. (I struggled some with this for about a year since I moved back here).

There is so much that I USED to adjust for others and their needs and opinions.

I no longer volunteer so much of me that my kids and grand-kids don’t even know who I am or what I look like or heck didn’t even know myself lol. 

So this is why I know that I have changed for the better. 

Even though I am still overcoming many heart issues and behaviors, I am stronger than ever. 

I may not be where I need to be but thank God I am not where I use to be!

I AM OKAY BECAUSE I AM ON MY WAY!!

Dream Catcher 3:20

Cassie Gilman

Fill In The Blank With Me

Day 7 of my challenge is a get to know me style. I would love for y’all to respond back with 3 of these questions and let me get to know you as well. ♥️

1. My favorite color is____Turquoise.

2. My favorite book is_____ Well I am going to give two answers to this one. The Bible because it is full of God’s love and promises. Then I would have to say any of the Sisterchick books by Robin Gun.

3. My favorite cartoon character is_____ Hmmm this one is not as easy. Okay I am going to go with Spirit the horse. I am not sure if that is considered a cartoon lol.

4. My favorite sport is ____ Rodeo of course.

5. My favorite flavor of cake is____ German Chocolate.

6. If I had to eat one food for the rest of my life what would it be?____ Mexican food

7. I’m really good at ____ encouraging others to pursue their dreams.

8. I love to ____ sit in front of a fire pit early in the mornings or at dusk.

9. The best song to dance to is ____ ROFL I do not dance. I am going to go with Dan Seals song Bop, Rofl. Only song I remember liking the dance moves to. I think it was called the box line dance.

10. If I could be a dinosaur, I would be a ____ Sauropoda

11. ____ is my favorite thing to do ever. Hanging with my kids and grandkids.

12. Everyone thinks it’s funny when I ____try to DANCE ROFL

13. This summer I want to ____ get in shape, lose weight, go hiking, and travel to airbnbs so I can blog about it.

14. The best super power to have would be____ God’s Love flowing out of us. Nothing is more powerful than that.

15. I want to learn how to ____do social media marketing and run a non profit ministry.

16. I wish____I was already doing number 15, because my body is not dealing well with the physical labor on a daily basis.

Okay now it is your turn out there. I love getting to know my readers.

Dream Catcher 3:20

Cassie Gilman

Fall Is On The Horizon

I am so very excited because we are at the middle of August now. That only means one thing to me… Well two lol. One my daughters birthday is coming up and FALL is on the horizon.

Fall is my absolute favorite season. I love the smell in the air of the leaves that are falling and decomposing. I know that sounds weird but I love it. I love being able to wear a hoodie. I maybe a hoodie junkie. A fall firepit is the best ever.

What else about fall do I love? Hmm. Football, chilli, fall festivals, the colors and so much more. My energy level rises way up. I told my sister the other day I couldnt wait until fall. She asked me why. When I told her that I have more energy in the fall she totally freaked lol. She already thinks I have way too much energy.

I went on a hike this last weekend and it was awesome. I want to go back this fall and see the drastic change in the area. ♥️

I feel like I am going into a fall season in my spiritual walk as well. I know there are somethings that will fall off and decompose in my life. This may sound like a painful season, but oh the spring season that will come down the road!

I know that I have deep rooted hurst and leftover trauma from my past. Those things that have caused hardness in me will begin to drop away. I will bloom again, stronger and even more beautiful than ever.

So I say BRING ON THE FALL!

I would love to hear a few of your favorite things about fall. Please leave me a comment and share yours thoughts.

Dream Catcher 3:20

Cassie Gilman