Holiday Traditions

Mom will be 94 in 2011. Happy New Year 2011 from our house to yours!

Our holiday traditions include baking pretzels for New Year's Eve including the age my Mom will be on her birthday in the new year.

I use a different pretzel recipe each year but one thing remains the same, I must make my Mom's new age and the pretzels must be made with yeast dough.

My Mom enjoys the pretzels and deciding what part of her upcoming birthday to eat first.

The tradition was started by my maternal grandmother, Hedwig, for her husband, my grandfather, whose birthday was January 1.

Mom enjoys the pretzels and celebrating her upcoming age on New Year's eve, as do we!

A happy & healthy New Year 2011 to all those that read this blog and share home and traditions as caring for their parents.

Thanksgiving

This was an easy Thanksgiving dinner to prepare and best of all, my 92 year young Mom was able to chew everything.

We are so blessed that she asked to live with us one year ago. Mom came for Thanksgiving dinner last year and stayed!

I tried a turkey breast tenderloin that was easy for my Mom to chew and swallow. I told my situation to the salesperson in the grocery store who assured me, my mother would be able to chew and swallow this meat.

It was wonderful that I could make one meat that we all could enjoy on Thanksgiving.

Although a bit pricey, the marinated tenderloin was superb. I added 1/2 apple to my homemade dressing recipe to insure it would remain soft enough for Mom to swallow. Baked sweet potatoes are easy for Mom to consume as is the jellied version of cranberry sauce.

I made a tender peach pie and will make the homemade apple and pumpkin pies on another day.

Happy Thanksgiving to all who read this.