(We were provided the cabin to stay in but all opinions are my own)
My little sister was graduating with her Bachelors this winter, and due to some health scares with my mom in the spring we knew it a great time to get together as a family and share about something I’ve been thinking a lot about lately, family traditions, so off to Teton Springs in Victor, Idaho we went.
When I was younger it was just that things were always the same, Thanksgiving involved certain dishes, and same with other holidays, camping was part of our family as well as card games like Nertz, Hugger Mugger and Egyptian Rat Screw, but as I got older I came to realize something else. All of these things that my family grew up eating and doing were our traditions. And tradition has suddenly meant more to me than I ever realized.
I’ve always been told that when I wonder who I am I can look to my family and know. When I look at my family and learning more about who I came from, the stories and especially the recipes I’ve found a new peace within myself. I know that my Dad came from hard workers who loved to spend time together and have fun.
In fact we took the kids sledding and oh my goodness did they love it. Little C would just lay back in the sled and let it fly down the hill, not a peep coming from her mouth, land at the bottom and pop up with the biggest smile and beg to go again. P would go as high as she dared and then zig zag her way down to make it a little more exciting. And then came the real surprise….
I turned around and saw Cade off on his own flying down the mountain in a tiny sled and minutes later my mom was flying down my other side. Now she’s obviously still young, especially at heart and definitely one of the best people to be around not only because she’s amazing to talk to but because she’s awesome at letting loose and being silly, but to see a 60 something just decide to fly down a mountain was awesome.
So, next thing you know Cade and I are stuffed onto a little sled making our way down. (Yes, I know what an awful photo of me it is, but the good times don’t always mean perfectly posed photos) And check out the awesome hats we found when we realized we forgot ours. Woop! It was hilarious and so fun that the kids and adults were all having equal fun. When we got back to the cabin my dad, who has lost both of his parents, started telling us stories about sledding down the huge hill by his old house and how late one night after the kids were all in bed he looked out the window and his parents, on one sled were shooting down that very same hill having their own adventure together. What sweet love to still be doing such fun things on a whim! And I learned, that I love that and want it for my family. I want to be a good listener, silly and adventurous and I have the rest of my life to become better and better at it!
Back at the house we enjoyed so many delicious recipes and don’t worry, I plan to share each and every one with you over the next two months. There were Mom’s sticky buns, spinach and artichoke dip, Thunder Mountain Casserole from the cutest sister in law anyone could ask for, Mom’s Taco Stew, Fried Rice and Sesame chicken and Mom’s special waffles that you’ll never believe that her one little secret could make such amazing waffles.
I can’t wait to tell you about the rest of our trip, but in the end, and I hope you made it this far, Teton Springs is located in the state my mom grew up in, all of us kids went to college in and where Cade and I fell in love (awwwwwww), but more than that, it’s quiet, peaceful, gorgeous and full of every adventure you could imagine. There’s something about walking away from your life and holing up in a beautiful cabin with gobs of space (3 stories, 5 bedrooms, 2 kitchens and more) to just be together, talk, and share. Our kids were able to bond with their extended family and we were able to pass on traditions. Since half of my family lives in Idaho it was the perfect location and hopefully we can make it a yearly tradition now that we have all grown up and moved away.
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