Legacy

John and Agnes Scholten Family, Christmas Eve – 2015

I was going to title this post Family Photo, but after looking at the picture I realized what I was really looking at was a family legacy.  My folks did an amazing thing……they raised up a family that all gets along.  The raised 4 kids, who then married and raised 10 kids, who are now getting married and raising another generation.

My children love to get together with their cousins.  It doesn’t matter that they range in age from 31 to 18. What matters to them is that they are family and they will defend each other against anything.  They will, of course, also harass, torment, tease, and pester each other with the same intensity.

My folks have been the glue that holds this “tribe” (as my dad calls it) together.  They have been our strongest supporters and our most honest critics.  They brag up their grandchildren to anyone who asks them what all the kids are doing.  Nope they aren’t perfect, but they are perfect for our family.  They just celebrated their 61st anniversary this past January.  They have shown us what commitment looks like and how you live that.  Their commitment to each other, to God, and to their family has been an example for us to follow.

As a family we have always celebrated Christmas on Christmas Eve.  My folks were really excited this past year when they found out that every child, grandchild and great grandchild would be at the celebration.  It was decided to try get a family picture.  The folks lined up a neighbor to get some pictures of us but at the last minute they had to leave before all the family had arrived.

Plan B – We set the camera on a chair and set it to take 10 pictures in a row.  We kept the camera clicking as we also set up.  It was so much fun seeing the “outtakes” and really quite amazing we managed to get a good picture.

I thought it would be fun to share these with you.  I have a feeling that many of you will relate to the craziness and confusion of trying to “herd” a group like this.

 

No one told Greg it wasn’t time yet for the goofy one.

time for the goofy one!

 

This is a group that came from Minnesota, Nebraska, Iowa, and North Carolina.  This family has grown from a group of Mom and Dad with 4 kids to a group of Mom and Dad, 4 kids with 3 spouses, 10 grandkids with 6 spouses, 1 fiancée, 2 girlfriends, and 3 great grandchildren.  We have been so blessed and are so thankful.

The comment was made that we seem to be taking up a lot more room that we used to!  And that is a wonderful thing.

 

Some family trees have beautiful leaves, and some have just a bunch of nuts. Remember, it is the nuts that make the tree worth shaking.
~Author Unknown

Another tradition is having soup and cinnamon rolls for supper.  Below is my recipe for:

Christmas Eve Cinnamon Roll

    1 cup sugar
   2 eggs
2 cups water (warm)
2 tsp. salt
2 cups milk (scalded)
2 pkg. yeast
3/4 cup butter (melted)
11 cups flour

 

Dissolve yeast in warm water.
Mix sugar, milk, butter, water, yeast, eggs (beaten), and salt.
Add flour, 3 cups at a time.
Mix and let rise until double in size.
Roll out.
Spread generously with butter and brown sugar.
Sprinkle with cinnamon.
Roll into a tube and cut into cinnamon rolls.
Put in greased pan.
Let rise again.
Bake at 350 for 25 minutes. Do not overbake.
Frost with powdered sugar frosting with vanilla flavoring.