Within a reading done, "The Family Endures: A Look At Utah History," it describes early settlers in Utah and their living conditions. In one case an Italian immigrant built a home in Spring Glen, Utah, where "the main living quarters were on the second floor and cows were kept on the first floor" (Notarianni 4). Down on the first floor is where the family went to spend the day. That was their place of gather.
In my home, it is by the fireplace that people gather. I don't know what it is about that primitive warmth that keeps the stories coming and the smiles growing, but that fireplace knows the history of each of my family members, including parents, brothers, siblings-in-law, friends, and uncles. As I mentioned in my previous post about Thanksgiving, this is our gathering place (Giving). That dang fire just draws everyone to it even if you're sweaty from an outdoor run and heat is the last thing you want. That fire just invites you right in.
In my apartment in Utah, our kitchen and living room seems squished and cold so friends like to meet in my room! There will be someone sitting at the desk, one on the floor, and one sprawled across the bed. My room is by no means a spacious living room with leather couches, a massive television, or a coffee table. My room has what a college student should have: bed, desk, dresser, closet, and of course the nitty-gritties such as a laptop, books, lamps, and cute decorations strewn across the walls. But it is in this room that secrets are unleashed, confessions are made, decisions are made, comfort is given, tears are shed, and encouraging words are shared. It is within this room that is home: it is a place that no judgement is passed and the secret pact is unspoken for the spoken words to never cross that door. This room is the fireplace in apartment 3.
As stated in "Park Valley Community Clan," reading, "Home is not simply a structure built of brick and mortar; it is a place where a body can feel at one with its community, a place of shared experiences and distinctiveness" (Thornley 50). The fireplace is home for me, even if it's not actually a fireplace, even if it's a room in a college apartment. There are places in which people feel comfortable and that is home and home is where family is.
Family doesn't mean you were born to those parents and have those siblings born to them, too. Family is dynamic. I had a family during summer as I was away from home. I have a family in college. I have family in several friends. There's always different family members being added and taken away. Family is people that came into your life and changed it positively, and there is always room for more.
Norarianna, Philip. The Family Endures.
Thornley, Rosa. Park Valley Community Clan.
Romney, Carly. Giving Thanks for a Week.
Sunday, December 8, 2013
Sunday, December 1, 2013
Giving Thanks for a Week
Thanksgiving was this past week, and I must admit, it was one of the best! First off, PACE WAS HOME! That means my whole family was home! Pace never gets time off being a doctor in Pennsylvania so when he gets 5 consecutive days off, it's a big deal. I even took off school for the two days this week so I could spend as much time with my whole family.
Secondly, we got family pictures done and that's quite the feat for my family. Even when we were taking them this year, everyone was moaning and groaning. You'd think we were getting flu shots by how annoyed we all were. Our photographer was extremely friendly and patient. I don't think she knew that a bunch of adults would be so difficult. (Pictures coming soon!)
Thirdly, we didn't do anything extravagant. Weird that I like this. It was so nice to wake up early by choice and sit in the kitchen for hours just talking with my family. Sure, we saw a movie and went shopping, but I mostly enjoyed the moments at home.
So that sums up how my ten days at home were spent. It was extremely hard getting in my car to drive back for the last hurrah. However, while I was home my family all exchanged memories and carried on our traditions.
I like to think my family is quite a traditional family. We typically wait til after Thanksgiving to put up the Christmas trees, but since Pace will be gone for Christmas, we put them up a little early. I'm usually the Grinch at my house about putting up the tree after we appreciate the one month a year that people remember to be grateful. Another thing my family has done for years has been eating pie for breakfast. We all get too full at the dinner to eat any pie after so we decided to eat a slice for breakfast then snack around until the big feast. Our big feast is pretty normal: turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, rolls, corn, stuffing, vegetables, cranberry sauce, the usual. Only four people like the stuffing and three like the cranberry sauce, but it's only once a year so it makes those people happy. Also, every year that most people are home, we like to keep a fire going, and that is my favorite thing. I love how cozy it is and the warmth is provides. It also provides a gathering place to tell stories and remember moments.
This was a long post and I could probably write for a couple more hours. My family is the most important thing in my life, and when we all are home, I can't keep a small smile off my face. I used to hate being teased and picked on, but now I wish it'd happen more often because that means my family is around.
Secondly, we got family pictures done and that's quite the feat for my family. Even when we were taking them this year, everyone was moaning and groaning. You'd think we were getting flu shots by how annoyed we all were. Our photographer was extremely friendly and patient. I don't think she knew that a bunch of adults would be so difficult. (Pictures coming soon!)
Thirdly, we didn't do anything extravagant. Weird that I like this. It was so nice to wake up early by choice and sit in the kitchen for hours just talking with my family. Sure, we saw a movie and went shopping, but I mostly enjoyed the moments at home.
So that sums up how my ten days at home were spent. It was extremely hard getting in my car to drive back for the last hurrah. However, while I was home my family all exchanged memories and carried on our traditions.
I like to think my family is quite a traditional family. We typically wait til after Thanksgiving to put up the Christmas trees, but since Pace will be gone for Christmas, we put them up a little early. I'm usually the Grinch at my house about putting up the tree after we appreciate the one month a year that people remember to be grateful. Another thing my family has done for years has been eating pie for breakfast. We all get too full at the dinner to eat any pie after so we decided to eat a slice for breakfast then snack around until the big feast. Our big feast is pretty normal: turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, rolls, corn, stuffing, vegetables, cranberry sauce, the usual. Only four people like the stuffing and three like the cranberry sauce, but it's only once a year so it makes those people happy. Also, every year that most people are home, we like to keep a fire going, and that is my favorite thing. I love how cozy it is and the warmth is provides. It also provides a gathering place to tell stories and remember moments.
This was a long post and I could probably write for a couple more hours. My family is the most important thing in my life, and when we all are home, I can't keep a small smile off my face. I used to hate being teased and picked on, but now I wish it'd happen more often because that means my family is around.
Wednesday, November 13, 2013
Continuity: Family Gifts
My family doesn't follow the traditional family Christmas party regimes. Every year the day AFTER Christmas, everyone on my mom's side goes to Grandma and Grandpa Frost's home in Utah. This includes all my mom's five brothers and their families or guests and my mom with all her family. While we are there everyone talks to each other and we enjoy a tasty meal that everyone contributes to. Of course, my grandparents being the grandparents they are love to give everyone a gift: every kid of theirs and every grandchild will receive a present from them. I'm obviously a grandchild so I get the gift that all the grandkids do: candy, little notepad, pen, more candy, money, and a coin set for that year.
This is what every coin set looks like underneath the top cover. It has one of every coin for that year, uncirculated, hence shiny.
When I was younger I used to think, "Huh, coins. Whatever. Here, Mom, take these so I can get to the candy." Well, my view point since then has definitely changed. I love that my grandparents give these every year because I would have never thought to buy them myself. It is such a unique gift that has a more historical value to it. I know a lot of people who's grandparents give them extravagant gifts for Christmas, but in my opinion I think mine is valuable and memorable, and I wouldn't ask for anything different.
Ever since 2005, every Frost grandchild has received one of these coin sets. My grandma thinks coins and miniature spoons from all over the world are the bomb dot com so we get coins for Christmas, instead of spoons (which I do not mind at all!)
When I was younger I used to think, "Huh, coins. Whatever. Here, Mom, take these so I can get to the candy." Well, my view point since then has definitely changed. I love that my grandparents give these every year because I would have never thought to buy them myself. It is such a unique gift that has a more historical value to it. I know a lot of people who's grandparents give them extravagant gifts for Christmas, but in my opinion I think mine is valuable and memorable, and I wouldn't ask for anything different.
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
Legend Trip: Jolly's Gulch
Over the summer, I worked at Zion Ponderosa Ranch Resort which was a resort located on the east side of Zion National Park. The ranch has been in the family for several generations and that is how the legend of Jolly's Gulch has been passed down..
A long time ago, a guy named Jolly discovered this land and bought it. There he built a house and took his family. It gets really hot in Southern Utah and one summer, it was extremely dry; so dry that there wasn't any water to be found: not in the stream or the well. So Jolly decided to pack up his family and go on an adventure to find some water. Well, they arrived at a gulch (it's now a canyon people repel off) and legend has it that Jolly pushed his family, one by one, over the edge and into this gulch resulting in their deaths. After he committed this act, Jolly went back to his house, documented what he had down, and went back to jump off himself. Nobody knows if he was delirious from heat or didn't want his family to suffer this drought or if he was straight up looney. Many years later when people started the ranch, they decided to put some employees in the house that Jolly lived in and nobody has been able to stay in that house: they all choose the path of Jolly. If you visit Jolly's Gulch, legend has it that if you feel the wind pushing you towards the canyon, it's Jolly trying to get you over the edge, but if the wind is pushing you away, it's Jolly's family trying to save you from their fate.
The house is about a mile away from the ranch, but it's still the family's property. There aren't windows, and everything has been taken out of the house. It's found on a dirt road, and if you keep going on that road for about another half a mile, you will reach the gulch.
A long time ago, a guy named Jolly discovered this land and bought it. There he built a house and took his family. It gets really hot in Southern Utah and one summer, it was extremely dry; so dry that there wasn't any water to be found: not in the stream or the well. So Jolly decided to pack up his family and go on an adventure to find some water. Well, they arrived at a gulch (it's now a canyon people repel off) and legend has it that Jolly pushed his family, one by one, over the edge and into this gulch resulting in their deaths. After he committed this act, Jolly went back to his house, documented what he had down, and went back to jump off himself. Nobody knows if he was delirious from heat or didn't want his family to suffer this drought or if he was straight up looney. Many years later when people started the ranch, they decided to put some employees in the house that Jolly lived in and nobody has been able to stay in that house: they all choose the path of Jolly. If you visit Jolly's Gulch, legend has it that if you feel the wind pushing you towards the canyon, it's Jolly trying to get you over the edge, but if the wind is pushing you away, it's Jolly's family trying to save you from their fate.
Jolly's House
Jolly's Gulch
Wednesday, October 2, 2013
My Never Failing Family
This is my actual family, just missing my oldest brother Hayden and his wife Melissa.
In this picture from left to right is myself, my mama, my brother Pace, my padre, and my brother Samuel. This is the most recent picture we have of the most kids together because my family has a hard time getting together at the same time because we're all in different states with busy schedules. This photo was taken on Samuel's phone on the island of St. Martin where my brother, Pace, graduated from medical school. He's in the middle because this day was about him! After 8 years of school and clinicals, Pace is now a doctor! My family has visited this island several times before so this place is also a home to me. The ceremony took place in a resort and this picture was taken outside of the resort near the pool. Pace is wearing his graduation outfit and it has a cool "hood," as they call it, around his neck. Also, his hat is octangular which I thought was pretty rad. I remember Pace wanted to rush through pictures because on the island, it's humid and hot and Pace was burning up in his dressy clothes underneath the velvet-lined robe and hat. I recall him not laying by the pool before this because he gets sunburned easily and didn't want a tomato face in pictures. We all brought clothes that were either wrinkle-free or were supposed to look wrinkly because everything had to be jammed into our suitcases. My dad has his iPad in his hands because he used that to take pictures and Samuel used his phone. Pace has a "Congratulations!" packet in his hand because they don't hand out diplomas right there: it gets mailed to you. In this picture you can tell which kid got which parent's eyes. Samuel has the darker blue eyes like my mom and Pace and I have the lighter blue eyes like my dad.
People take photographs to remember events that are significant to them or may become significant. I believe that becoming a doctor is a massive deal! This is what we want to remember, not just the days spent at the beach, but also Pace reaching a goal he has worked hard towards for 8 years.
In this picture from left to right is myself, my mama, my brother Pace, my padre, and my brother Samuel. This is the most recent picture we have of the most kids together because my family has a hard time getting together at the same time because we're all in different states with busy schedules. This photo was taken on Samuel's phone on the island of St. Martin where my brother, Pace, graduated from medical school. He's in the middle because this day was about him! After 8 years of school and clinicals, Pace is now a doctor! My family has visited this island several times before so this place is also a home to me. The ceremony took place in a resort and this picture was taken outside of the resort near the pool. Pace is wearing his graduation outfit and it has a cool "hood," as they call it, around his neck. Also, his hat is octangular which I thought was pretty rad. I remember Pace wanted to rush through pictures because on the island, it's humid and hot and Pace was burning up in his dressy clothes underneath the velvet-lined robe and hat. I recall him not laying by the pool before this because he gets sunburned easily and didn't want a tomato face in pictures. We all brought clothes that were either wrinkle-free or were supposed to look wrinkly because everything had to be jammed into our suitcases. My dad has his iPad in his hands because he used that to take pictures and Samuel used his phone. Pace has a "Congratulations!" packet in his hand because they don't hand out diplomas right there: it gets mailed to you. In this picture you can tell which kid got which parent's eyes. Samuel has the darker blue eyes like my mom and Pace and I have the lighter blue eyes like my dad.
People take photographs to remember events that are significant to them or may become significant. I believe that becoming a doctor is a massive deal! This is what we want to remember, not just the days spent at the beach, but also Pace reaching a goal he has worked hard towards for 8 years.
Wednesday, September 25, 2013
The Recipe My Whole Family Knows
Most every family has that one recipe, the recipe that everyone knows and loves: the go-to recipe. Most families have the casserole dish or the secret cookie recipe. Well, my family's recipe is brownies (which is great because I could seriously live off brownies and pizza). The recipe is from my mom's side. I asked my mama if there was an actual dinner dish that she remembers eating a lot growing up, and she told me that they didn't have a huge variety: most every dinner was meat and potatoes. They never did a taco night or had spaghetti like most families do. However, when her mom would make dessert, it would be these brownies. If they ever went to a potluck dinner, they took these brownies. If they were having people over, these brownies were on the counter. Now these brownies are my family's go-to dish. We don't make it super often because we aren't huge into dessert, but when we do, it's the best day since the last time we had them.
When I asked my mama about this recipe, she admitted to me that she has changed it around and that Grandma changed it around when she got the recipe, too. It started off with a load of shortening and butter and margarine. Well, my grandma just wasn't having it so she chopped the recipe down a bit. My mama sure wasn't having it as such so she cut out shortening and substituted a little butter and less margarine. Over the years, the recipe hasn't gotten healthy because that is impossible with a food as divine as brownies, but it has been modified to be less fattening. The frosting recipe is pretty basic, but if someone doesn't know much about baking, they won't have an enjoyable time whipping this up. You just have to eyeball the powdered sugar and buttermilk so hopefully you know what frosting looks like.
Grandma's Brownies
1 1/3 cube margarine
2 cups sugar
pinch of salt
4 eggs
1/3 cup coco
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp vanilla
Mix all the ingredients together. Spread on greased baking pan. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle some marshmallows on and place in oven for 3 minutes.Spread on chocolate frosting.
Chocolate Frosting
2 TBSP coco
1/2 cube softened butter
Powdered sugar
Buttermilk
Mix until right consistency.
When I asked my mama about this recipe, she admitted to me that she has changed it around and that Grandma changed it around when she got the recipe, too. It started off with a load of shortening and butter and margarine. Well, my grandma just wasn't having it so she chopped the recipe down a bit. My mama sure wasn't having it as such so she cut out shortening and substituted a little butter and less margarine. Over the years, the recipe hasn't gotten healthy because that is impossible with a food as divine as brownies, but it has been modified to be less fattening. The frosting recipe is pretty basic, but if someone doesn't know much about baking, they won't have an enjoyable time whipping this up. You just have to eyeball the powdered sugar and buttermilk so hopefully you know what frosting looks like.
Grandma's Brownies
1 1/3 cube margarine
2 cups sugar
pinch of salt
4 eggs
1/3 cup coco
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp vanilla
Mix all the ingredients together. Spread on greased baking pan. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle some marshmallows on and place in oven for 3 minutes.Spread on chocolate frosting.
Chocolate Frosting
2 TBSP coco
1/2 cube softened butter
Powdered sugar
Buttermilk
Mix until right consistency.
Monday, September 16, 2013
Cultural Artifact: Just the Beginning!
In this blog, you will discover that I am a dreamer and I do what I want. I was born and raised to be independent and to be who I am. I can attribute these qualities to the places I've been and my family, the one I'm born to and the one I've created.
My cultural artifact is just a small stone turtle. No, he hasn't been passed down from generation to generation, but this little turtle of mine has been everywhere I have. It started off as me being a small child and just having to take my cute little "toy" everywhere we went, and since he's so small, my mom never objected. As I got older and went farther, it was just a habit to throw my turtle in whatever bag I was taking. So this little guy has been to Mexico numerous times, in the oceans, on islands, on airplanes, at ski resorts, on roller coasters, everywhere in the world. Not only has he been with me places physically, he's been chilling when I'm changing who I am and discovering who I want to become.
In a way, he represents my family because my family has never left my side. They have stuck with me through all my worst moments and terrible decisions and life choices I have made. They have been most everywhere I have been and some of the people I consider my family aren't even from the same country or speak the same language, but they are solid and that's family: they don't leave when things get too hard.
In a way, he represents my family because my family has never left my side. They have stuck with me through all my worst moments and terrible decisions and life choices I have made. They have been most everywhere I have been and some of the people I consider my family aren't even from the same country or speak the same language, but they are solid and that's family: they don't leave when things get too hard.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)