My Mom

{Written in honor of my mom, Marian Sue Reagan Buster. Married for 38 years to the youngest son of Charlotte, Molli's brother, Terry. ~ Teri Lynne}

Three generations ... Momma, Casiday & Me

Where do I even begin? We don't ever get to spend Christmas together ... we live so far away from home that it's just not feasible. But my mom always sends presents or waits until we can be together to celebrate. She's never made me feel guilty about not being there ... she's just always said, "Christmas isn't a day ... it's when we are together!"

My mom is an amazing person! She's more beautiful and talented than she will ever understand. She's funny and smart ... and I love her!!

In February of this year, she and my dad were able to come and spend a week with us. We had an amazing time. My mom and I shopped and laughed. And we talked ... really talked.

You know those totally great talks that happen between parents and their grown-up children.

It was an incredible week. I cried when they left ... I wished they could just stay forever.

My mom is a fabulous Granny Sue! Casiday adores her ... and every year in August when the Costume Express catalogs start arriving at our house, Casiday picks out her Halloween costume. And Granny Sue makes it for her. This year she was a gypsy ...



Clearly, Granny Sue goes all out for her grandchildren.

But there's something else you should know about my mom ... she's real. She's broken and fragile yet strong and capable. She's honest ... and she loves deeply. She has this "realness" ... that is open to new challenges and new ideas. She admits she's not all she could be ... but she's also not content to stop growing.

I was once asked what the most important lesson I learned from my mom was ... I've thought about this a lot and my answer might be a little surprising ... but I learned that failing at something doesn't make you a failure. My mom taught me, through her words and her life, that not accomplishing a goal isn't the worst thing that can happen ... it's never setting the goal that is the failure.

I'm thankful for my mom ... I'm thankful for her friendship, for her love, for her support. And I am thankful that she has always let me be me ... even when she didn't understand!

I love you, Momma!! So much!!

And I'm sharing with all of you a Christmas staple at my mom's house ... her mom used this recipe, Momma and I both make it every year. Casiday will become the fourth generation to make fudge from this recipe. I hope you enjoy it!!

Mom's Fudge Recipe
(from her mom, my Mema)

Ingredients:
3 c. sugar
2/3 c. cocoa
1/8 t. salt
1-1/2 c. milk
1 stick butter or margarine
1 t. vanilla

In heavy saucepan combine sugar, cocoa, and salt. Stir in milk. Cook over medium heat. Stir constantly to FULL boil. Boil without stirring to soft ball stage. Remove from heat. Add butter and vanilla. Beat until thick and no longer shiny.

This is without question the best fudge recipe ever!! I know not one person who has tasted it who has disagreed with that assessment! Enjoy!!

Christmas Crack and other addictions

Everyone has their own special family traditions ... things that make the holidays, well, YOUR OWN. And since Scott and I are no exception. One of my favorite parts of the holidays is the candy making! I'll be sharing my mom's fudge recipe on Friday as well as a few more of the yummy things I like to make and give to special friends during the holiday season. So, be sure to check back on Friday! Oh & be sure to stop by tomorrow ... my brother Tim's sweet daughter Gwynn (who will be 13 in January, which I am vigorously protesting!!) will be sharing a very sweet Christmas memory. Thanks, as always, for giving our family a portion of your day. We feel honored that you stopped by!! ~ Teri Lynne

Today I'm sharing a recipe that Casiday & I make. It has earned the name "Christmas Crack" because of its addictive nature. I say that as a warning and a promise that this stuff is so good you MUST make it!! But just make a lot!! A whole lot!!

Christmas Crack

1 package white almond bark
1 jar roasted peanuts
1/2 bag of pretzel sticks, crushed.

Melt the almond bark and add the peanuts & pretzels. Stir until well mixed. Spread or drop by spoonfuls onto waxed paper. Wait until set ... and then prepare to eat it until you feel absolutely sick ... and then go ahead and eat some more.

Now for the said other addictions ...

We have a thing about Christmas trees.

It's a fairly serious thing.

We have a lot of them.

A whole lot of them.

Like double digit a lot.

Here are some pics ...












Here are a few ... kitchen, master bedroom, guest room (which remains Christmas all year!), and our main tree grouping ... which is three trees, a 7 foot, a 4 foot and a 3 foot.

My favorite is the one in our bedroom ... beautiful and romantic ... a perfect way to end the hectic days we seem to have throughout December.






The trees with collection of ornaments ... "Hope" and Santas.









The tree in the den ... Casiday doesn't like this one because it's half-hidden by the TV. :-)















More collection trees ... Rudolph (for Scott), Pooh (for me), and Auburn (for us all).




The police tree in memory of Scott's dad who was the Police Chief of Muscle Shoals and passed away in March 2001. The picture is of David and Casiday right after she was born.






And, Casiday Hope's tree in her room ... pretty and fun ... just like our girl!!








So there you have it ... our Christmas obsession ... candy & trees.

What about your family? What are some of your Christmas collections, "must haves", and traditions? We'd love to hear!!

Christmas Surprise

{Strangely, this is the first post I've written for this blog. Not sure how that has happened. But this week is devoted to my part of the family and our stories ... well some of us ... we take two weeks!! So, this week and next you'll read stories & recipes from the wife, daughter, daughter-in-law, and granddaughters of Terry, Charlotte's younger son. We do hope you are enjoying this little glimpse into our family. ~ Teri Lynne}

Don't ask me the year ... can't tell you.

I was probably in late elementary or middle school.

But my parents planned the best Christmas surprise ever.

Late one December afternoon we piled into our car ... all five of us. This was before the seat belt laws so I'm sure two of us kids had seats and one laid claim to the floor. I'm sure we all had on our pajamas and were well-stocked with blankets, pillows, books, and maybe a stuffed animal or two.

And we "hunkered down" for a trip through the night.

We drove from rural Oklahoma through the Kansas plains and into Colorado.

Reaching our final destination ... Bigmama's house!! Oh I loved that house! It seemed so big and wonderful. Situated in Widefield, Colorado, with a big fenced in yard and lots of room to play. The basement had a big room with a beautiful Christmas tree. I loved going into the room off the laundry room ... now we'd call it the "craft room" but to me ... it was just this magical place with fabric, ribbons, glue, buttons, sequins ... a wonderland!

But that year ... we surprised them! Bigmama - who is truly larger than life in personality and love - was overwhelmed! I'm sure the entire Colorado Springs metro area heard her yelps of delight!

I can't tell you a single gift any of us opened ... I'm not even 100% sure who all was there ... but I know this ... I learned a lesson that Christmas that has been with me ever since ... there's no gift greater than being with those you love!

This Christmas, I hope you find yourself surrounded by those you love ... and if you, like my little family of three, will spend Christmas Day away from family, I hope you will do as we will ... seek out those who will also be separated from family and invite them to join you. All the guests at that first Christmas in a stable were unknown to Mary and Joseph ... those shepherds were the forgotten, the unimportant, but God Himself invited them to join the celebration. How like our Father are we when we take time to include the forgotten and unimportant in our celebration of Christ's birth?

Any Christmas surprises in your family? Share them with us!