I am sure that I'm not the only one who can say I appreciate my grandparents more in my adulthood than I probably did as a kid. Each year as we dust off the ornament boxes I am reminded of the holiday traditions my amazing Grandma Lopano began that has made each one of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren smile, year after year.  I briefly blogged about it a few years ago, and there's more pretty pics here , but realized I did not do it justice.  

It began sometime around 1970.  Grandchildren began coming left and right, a new one close to every year following. In addition to her own 7 children beginning families, Grandpa Lopano, her husband also had seven children who also were expanding. According to my mom, it started with a carefully chosen store bought ornament.  Grandma, being not only creative and talented, but also frugal began making her own shortly following.  No one is sure of the exact year it began, but what started was a tradition of a beautiful handmade ornament. Every year for every kid. I know on our side it's 18 grandchildren, and now 13 great grandchildren (at least, I could be wrong). 

Every year we waited for our small goodie bag with chocolate (always Reese's and Hershey's mix), a pack of (strictly) Carefree Sugarless Pink Gum with a crisp $5.00 bill wrapped around it, tied perfectly with a piece of red or green string. One year we were a group of grade school kids living within a few miles of each other, seeing each other bi-weekly at a birthday or Bills Super Bowl Party.  Then, we blinked and were young adults flying in from here and there, or driving from college to make the family party, toting babies and significant others.  

18 grandchildren, some near and some far, opening their beautiful ornament.  This usually was occurring simultaneously with eating the chocolate, whispering to each other that the chocolate tasted like gum (she tends to do things in advance).  I promise not one of us grandchildren doesn't secretly love peanut butter and chocolate mixed with bubble gum.  

This beautiful tradition has inspired me to begin our own too, as each year I scour Hallmark to find the ornaments that remind me the most of the happenings of the last year (I did not inherit the creatively gene, but I am good at shopping). I buy them, and am sure to write on the box when and why I bought it.  Each year when we unpack that ornament box, I'm reminded of our own family memories, which anyone with kids know are so easy to forget.  I'll save more details for another post, but when I pull out that red tricycle ornament, I see Adam at 2 1/2 riding it around the living room, focused and determined.  I remember kind of asking myself why we didn't get it for his June birthday when he actually could ride it outside. I remember him chiming the bell and 9 month old Zachary laughing his big baby laugh, his eyes never leaving his brother as he rode.  It's the perfect reminder of that day, along with many of the others that inspire "remember when's", and "aww look...".  

Tricycle with what was left of the curls...

The ornaments.

A few from years past. 

Always beautiful

Their "Zachary" and "Adam" birth month ornaments