Cousin Sunday: Turning Memories into Family Traditions

By Mary Rose Cardinal

Find out how one Sunday afternoon get-together turned into a tradition, lasting more than two decades. Be inspired to take your everyday activities into lifelong memories, creating your own family traditions. In today's busy world, it can be difficult to find time to connect with family. Mary Rose shares her heartwarming stories, designed to inspire you. Read about childhood memories in a large family and the close relationship she shares with her cousins. Connect with her family as you are inspired by their love of food, traditional holiday celebrations, and an inside look into everyday life in Mary Rose's household. A compilation of personal short stories, heartfelt memories, and cherished photos is written to spark ideas for your own family traditions. All traditions carry a special significance which are shared and handed down to the next generation. Make it your own by creating unique activities for your family, using ideas shared in the book. The uplifting and inspirational stories are written for families looking to build their family connections and start their own traditions, creating lasting family memories.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Feb 28, 2020
• ISBN: 9781644924327

Book preview

Chapter 1

Sleepovers

As children, we had sleepovers with our cousins on a regular basis. Remember, my cousins lived only eleven houses away, and seeing each other every day made this practical. The boys slept at one home, and the girls gathered at the other. Sleeping bags filled the floor space in the bedrooms and living room, and other times, we slept in the Judd’s camper. As we grew up, we would make tents in the backyard with sheets and blankets. Many times, we wanted to sleep in the tents. It didn’t happen often, but once in a while, Mom would allow it to happen. Usually, her excuse was she wanted to get some sleep. As a mom, I totally understand that now.

As our children grew, they never had sleepovers in the backyard, but friends would spend the night. We didn’t have a large home with extra bedrooms, but we set up air mattresses and blankets on the floor in the family room with the TV accessible for movie viewing. Popcorn would be made before I went to bed, and they would stay up until all hours of the night. While a full-night sleep was not had by anyone, all the fun and the memories are well worth it.

When Kayla was in college, she brought home three friends for several days over Christmas break. We moved the coffee-table and set up two air mattresses in the living room. They spent countless hours there, eating snacks, playing games, watching movies, telling stories, and laughing. The fond stories of sleepovers are retold often in our family.

Make it your own: Purchase a sleeping bag for birthday or Christmas gift. Make an indoor tent with blankets, sheets, table, and chairs. The stores sell indoor pop-up tents as well. They make great hangouts for the weekend. Sleepovers can be at grandma’s or an aunt’s house while mom and dad are away for an evening. Have friends join your family on a weekend trip. If your family enjoys camping, invite friends to join your family. Sleeping in a tent or camper is different than sleeping in a bedroom or your living room. Or on a beautiful clear-night sleep under the stars.

Chapter 2

Dunkin’ Donut Thursdays

My parents owned a specialty pastry shop. Along with my siblings and cousins, we all have worked there over the years. Of course, tasting all the goodies was a fringe benefit of working there. Needless to say, I enjoy my desserts. My mom was busy raising five children as well as working many hours each week at the bakery. She kept one luxury to herself, going to the beauty shop on Thursday evenings to have her hair done.

Each Thursday, on her way home, she would stop and purchase Dunkin’ Donuts. Yes, you read that right. My parent’s bakery made specialty pastries and cakes, no doughnuts. So, for years, we knew on Thursday nights, there would be doughnuts for dessert. They never made it until morning. Recently, a cousin told me she would plan to be at our house on Thursday evenings, knowing Auntie Bernie would be bringing home doughnuts.

Doughnuts continue to be a part of our family. If we were traveling with mom on an early-morning adventure, we would stop for Dunkin’ Donuts before we left town. Gary and I did the same if we are heading to Wisconsin early in the morning. Pink frosting with colored sprinkles on top is a favorite of all.

When our mom became ill and didn’t get out much, my sister bought her a soft-fleece blanket with a doughnut design on it. Mom loved the soft feel of it and used it every day. We brought it with her to the hospice center. Everyone who entered her room commented on the blanket. It brought smiles and laughs to many.

Chapter 3

Five Dollars

As my mom’s grandchildren became older and they were away at college or had moved out of the house, she would not always see them for those special days like Valentine’s Day, Easter, or Halloween. To let her grandchildren know she was thinking of them, she began sending cards to them. Enclosed in the card was always a brand-new five-dollar bill.

One day, my daughter Kayla was thanking grandma for the card and the five dollars she sent her. My five-year-old niece, Faith, heard their conversation. She intervened with the comment, You got one of those cards too!

Kayla responded, Yes, so do Jeff, Mike, and Shelby. Every time you get a card from grandma, it has five dollars in it.

It was precious to see the excitement from the grandchildren at all ages. No matter how old you were, you received a card in the mail for those little holidays. Always knowing, it would have five dollars