TV Debut-Thanksgiving Traditions-Why I Have Been MIA

I feel like I have been Missing in Action.

Why? Well, on Monday I had a fun opportunity to be on Studio 5, here in Utah. I shared some Thanksgiving Traditions that encourage gratitude. It was a blast, but, there was a lot of preparation. Hence being MIA. Any spare time was spent prepping and planning.

Not bad for my first shot at live TV. Although there were a few things I didn't get to say, but that is how TV works. You role with it.

Give it a watch. Tell me what you think. Tis the season of Gratitude and the video will give you some great ideas just in time for your Thanksgiving Dinner. Especially the "Gratitude Rolls".

p.s. Watch the Studio 5 video and you can see the headband trick in action. The video is working again, with no charges. I wrapped it very tight, tighter than usual, but still loved the way it turned out. Here is how it looked last time I took pictures for you.

And So It Began...Our New Year

I really look forward to New Years. Our families New Year Tradition is one of my favorites. It is also one of the few times of the year I am really relaxed, less stressed and unplugged. This year was no different. 

If you are looking for a wonderful place to spend time with your family, let me suggest. 

The La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club

La Jolla, California

I grew up just a few miles from this magical place. Going back I am always flooded with memories. 

It is very family friendly. Kids are encouraged to be kids. Adults are encouraged to be kids.
Warning: There are lots of pictures in this post.

Let's talk amenities. 

Private Beach

Swimming Pool

Tennis Courts

On-site 3 par Golf Course

Restaurant

Great Gift Shop

Playground

Ping pong

Croquet

Library

Game Room

Work Our Room

Laundry Room (if you want to wash)

Spa services on Site
1-2-3 Bedroom Suites
Rooms with Kitchens

My Only Suggestion... If you are interested in staying at The La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club, you need to book about a year in advance, depending on what month of the year you are interested it.
Other suggestions, with no pictures...Don't forget to walk along Prospect, Eat Mexican at Alfonso's, and eat breakfast at Harry's

All of this said, I can't emphasis enough how accommodating the Club is. If ever their was a place for families, this is it.

Sounds good right, but lets get to some details.

The Club is a 15 minute drive from the San Diego Airport.

Your room is on the beach. Literally a few steps. You don't have to load up the car and drive to the beach. 

Situated on La Jolla shores (known as one of the shallowest and family friendly beaches in California), the club has its own beach. Each morning they clear it of seaweed and groom the sand. It is not crowded and as parents you don't have to be as nervous about keeping an eye on your kids like you would at a public beach. (I am not suggesting you don't watch them. :))

 They set up your beach chairs. Whatever you need, chairs, lounges, umbrellas, blankets, tables. Just let the "beach boys" know and they will set it all up. It makes things so much easier when the kids are already running into the water and you are trying to set up a spot.

They provide the towels. You don't have to pack them. Instead, You can sit on the beach all day and use as many towels as your family needs. Get them as sandy as you want. Leave them on your lounge chairs and they take care of the rest. Heck, take them to your room and they will take care of them also. As you will see in the pictures, the clubs towels are all white with blue strips.

You are perfectly situated to walk the beach. Miles of it. Consider it the best, most beautiful and relaxing, free entertainment your family could have. Run through the water, head to the pier, and don't forget the tide pools just steps away.

The swimming pool is heated. Need I say more. Again, towels provided. 

On New Years Eve we have the club set up a bonfire for us. We also have them set up a grill and a table and chairs. They supply plenty of wood and coals. We buy all the fixing for a BBQ at the local grocery store, complete with s'mores and head down to the beach. We spend the evening grilling and sitting around the fire. We finish with s'mores and more s'mores. If you don't want to go get your own food? No problem, the club will provide all your food. Don't want to cook, no biggie, they will even BBQ for you.

You are very close to everything. Sea World, The San Diego Zoo, Disneyland (and hour and 20 minutes), Legoland, Aquariums, Museums, The San Diego LDS Temple, shops, parks, malls, grocery stores and fantastic restaurants. This year we went to Legoland. The kids had a great time. So did the adults. 

 Replicas of famous cities in the U.S. Everything is mini. If you look close at the picture below you will see a black bird walking on the road. It gives you an idea of the size. Pretty amazing.

I wondered if there would be anything for adults to do at Legoland. There was. 

The San Diego LDS Temple

Tennis is a big deal here. There are courts for everyone. We bring our own racquets but you can rent them from the club if you want. All the courts are lit so you can play at night. 

Golf Course on the property. Kids are encouraged to play. We don't usually bring clubs, we use theirs.

Play ground right next to the tennis courts. My husband and I can play tennis while the kids play at the playground, play croquet, and ping pong. 

Every year my parents rent a big van that fits all of us (at least for now). It is really fun because we can all ride together. 

 The famous Tennis Club Palm Trees. 

Until Next Time...

Our youngest saying goodbye. 

What do you think? Conducive for your family?

Any questions, I would love to answer them?

 I didn't receive any compensation for writing this post. The La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club doesn't even know I wrote it. Our family loves this place and I wanted to share it with you. 

Family Traditions - New Years

When my brothers and I were all married, It didn't take very long to realize that Christmas was going to be different. With in-laws and alternating homes to celebrate, there would be some years where our "family" would never be together. Not all of us.

So my parents came up with a great tradition. Thanksgiving and Christmas were both holidays where every other year my brothers and their families were at their in-laws. 

So... my parents claimed New Years.

It was perfect. No one had claim on that holiday. Everyone was available. So it was set. Regardless of where any of us spend any other holiday of the year, we ALL spend a week together over New Years. My parents talk to all of us and then choose a destination. 

It is one of the best traditions our family has adopted, and it has been a great example to me of the need to adapt traditions as families grow and change. (Adaptation is a post for another day). My husband and I plan to carry the tradition on with our children. 

That is were we find ourselves now. We weren't all together for Christmas, but two days ago we all met in La Jolla, California. One of our favorite places in the whole world. It is where my brothers and I grew up and now that no one still lives here, not even my parents, we love coming back.

We are staying at a place called the La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club. I will tell you all about it next week because it is a wonderful place for families (pictures included).

Until then, it is time to get back to our family "tradition". The one that lets me relax, catch up with my brothers, and play on the beach with my family. ALL of them. Immediate and Extended. 

I hope you are all having a wonderful Holiday Season. I have felt so much gratitude this last year for all your comments and support and the wonderful new friends that have been made.

May you ring in the New Year surrounded by those you love. 

HOW ARE YOU GOING TO CELEBRATE THE NEW YEAR?

P.S. I made it a point this "season" to step away from technology and fully enjoy the family. 

Family Volley will return to it's regularly scheduled program once we are through the New Year. 

Family Traditions - The Passing of Ornaments

Years ago, 33 years to be exact, my grandmother started a tradition. Every year at Christmas she would give me a new Christmas ornament. It was one of my favorite parts of the holiday.

The ornaments were always different. They usually included the year. Sometimes on the back, sometimes on the front. 

They might represent hobbies I was enjoying that year, sports I played, vacations we might have taken, or vacations my grandparents had taken. Or they reminded my grandmother of me. Some were funny, some were sweet. Each one was perfect. Much thought and love was put into every choice. 

As a child, when my mom pulled out the ornaments to decorate our tree, I would sit down to reminisce. I loved looking at all the ornaments and talking about them. Remembering where they were from and why my grandma gave them to me. 

When my husband and I got married we received lots of very nice gifts. Perhaps the most special of them all, came in a big silver box from my mother. 

She had taken all the ornaments that my grandmother had given to me over the years, all of them, and gave them to my husband and me. That had been the plan all along.

Our first Christmas we didn't have a naked tree. We had a tree filled with beautiful ornaments and memories. I sat with my husband and he patiently listened as I told him about each one. We carefully hung them and felt gratitude for the "full" tree and "full" hearts we had that year. 

When we had our first child my grandmother continued the tradition with him. He got one ornament before she passed away.

My grandfather carried on the tradition until he passed away, and now my mother has taken over. 

The grandkids get ornaments each year from my mother, their grandmother. 

I am not looking forward to them getting married any time soon. I am still coming to grips with the fact that our oldest is 8. (I know I just birthed him yesterday.)

I am looking forward to the day that I can wrap up all their ornaments in a silver box and give them their collection. I hope it brings them joy and peace and feelings of gratitude, just as it has for me, each and every Christmas Season. 

Do you have any favorite family traditions?

FAMILY FUN FRIDAY! Gingerbread Houses

Every year, before Christmas, our family gets together to make gingerbread houses. It is one of our family's favorite holiday traditions. 

You Will Need

*Graham Crackers.

*Anything and Everything for decorating.

*Cement Frosting. Recipe to Follow. 

*Cardboard covered in tin foil. One large piece for every person.
   

Take your cardboard and cover it in tinfoil. This will be your base. 

Gather all the GOODS. We open the panty and grab everything we can see. This is a perfect way to use left over Halloween Candy too.

Make the Frosting. Let me tell you. This is the best gingerbread house frosting EVER. Works every time and it tastes good (for when you have to lick your hands).

1 Batch of Cement Frosting. 

1lb. powdered sugar

3 egg whites

1/2 tsp Cream of Tartar.

Add all together and beat on medium high speed for 7-9 minutes. I always beat for 9 minutes. Put it into a piping bag (or a ziplock will work), snip the end to make a tip, and start decorating. 

There were 8 people making houses tonight and I made 4 batches of the frosting. You don't have to make each batch separately. I put the ingredients for all four batches in together.

Give everyone a piece of cardboard, a pack of graham crackers and a bag of frosting. 

LET THE FUN BEGIN!!!

Just getting started. Look at that concentration.  

***FUN MODIFICATION***

To switch things up a bit. Put the names of different buildings into a hat and let everyone choose what it is they are going to make. For example. Town hall, post office, grocery store (general store), church, house, etc. What ever you pick is what you make. When everyone is done you will have made your own little town. You can even get a cloth, or big board and put everything on display. Once everyone is done with their buildings, help make roads and street signs. Don't forget the trees. Sometimes it is hard for people to think of something to do. This will help give some structure and guidelines. 

Have a wonderful weekend.

Christmas is only a week away. Yikes!