Generations of Holiday Traditions w/ My Grandmother

Hello hello, and welcome to Episode 105 of Life On the Brink!

I love to talk about Christmas traditions and enjoy hearing others' memories of Christmases past, and today I absolutely cannot wait to share this episode with you! I have on the podcast none other than my paternal grandmother, whom I call Ma Anna. She's my namesake, she has lived all over the world, and she has such an open and warm outlook on life that I hope to embrace. I've learned how special these inter-generation conversations can be, and this one is just as heartwarming as can be.

In this episode, we talk about childhood Christmas memories and favorite traditions, and Ma Anna shares some classic recipes and beautiful thoughts on family.
Plus, she has the absolute sweetest Little Joys, and I'm sharing all her favorite holiday music.

For the complete show notes, click here!
For full transcript, click here!


Site: lifeonthebrink.live
Social: @anna_on_the_keys

Transcript

Unknown: 0:07

Welcome to Life on the brink, a lovely little place filled with inspiration and creativity that is dedicated to enjoying life one day at a time. I'm Ana. And together, we're exploring the beautiful things in this world that fascinate us, and often discovering something new. Hello, hello, welcome to episode 105 of life on the brink. And welcome to our last episode of 2023. I hope that you've been enjoying these weekly episodes, these holiday centered episodes, I know I've enjoyed making them. And today I have a very special one. I have a guest, I am featuring a well if you recall, a few years ago, I had my grandma and my great aunt Estella, who was in town from Panama. I had them on the podcast and we talked about Christmas traditions, and specifically around cooking. That was episode 44 For those who are interested, and it has become such a treasure for me, especially this year, having lost my grandma being able to go back and listen to her voice and talk about things that she was so passionate about and things that she loved so much. Mostly, you know, family and Christmas and cooking. And it just really impressed upon me how special that is that I have that conversation. Not only that we had the memory of her coming on to the podcast. But then I also have in my family also has a little bit of that history. So inspired by that today I have my other grandma. I call her mama Anna. Her name is Anna. And she's the reason that I'm named Ana. It's spelled the same, but my mom decided to pronounce it the Hispanic way, Ana. But she's where I get my name from. She's my dad's mom. We just had the best conversation that I've included in this episode, we recorded it back when she was in town for Thanksgiving, because she lives in Northern Virginia near Washington, DC, which is about three hours from me. And she'll be in town for Christmas again. But I wanted to be able to share this before Christmas. And it's just really sweet because it's a completely different side of my family. And my Anna is one who just has such a beautiful perspective and such a liveliness and an openness. And I'm sure you'll hear that as as we talk. So I'll invite you to just get really comfy, real cozy and make yourself a nice warm cup of tea. I'm still on that Trader Joe's Candy Cane Lane. That's what I've been drinking. And maybe you've got this on in the background while you're wrapping gifts or getting things ready. We've only got a few more days till Christmas when this comes out. And I know I'm starting to feel the days get shorter and everything ramp up a little bit. So I hope that this is just something sweet and comforting that you can listen to in the midst of all your preparations as well. I also just really randomly before we get into it, I just wanted to share that last week, I went to a doctor's appointment, and I got to hear my baby's heartbeat for the first time. And that was very exciting. It's awesome, because I haven't been feeling sick anymore. And I was really, really hoping that I would feel better around this time for Christmas. And I am and I can't feel anything moving around yet, but I got to hear her little heartbeat and it was just so crazy. I am very emotional these days. But you know that's to be expected. I do want to clarify a couple of names because in our conversation Milan is going to reference some people that you may or may not know what she's talking about. Firstly, my dad, I think we just refer to him as dad but his name is owl in case that name comes up. And his sister is named Tammy. And so the two of them grew up in Montana was married to their dad who is less and he was in the Air Force. And so she was a military wife for several years and has lived all over the world. Old and then several years ago, at least like in my earliest memories. She was based for many years in Slidell, Mississippi, which is like a half hour from New Orleans. And she worked in New Orleans. And so my dad grew up in high school time around there. And that's why we're Saints fans when we watch football, and then since then, there are six of us grandkids. There's myself, my sister, Sarah, who I'm sure you all are well acquainted with our brother Tony, and then our little sister Nina, who's been on the podcast as well. And then my aunt Tammy, she has two kids. She and her husband also live up in Northern Virginia. So they get to see her more often, but her two kids are named Amber and Mikey. And so when she references them, that's where she's talking about. But this is just the sweetest, heartwarming conversation, we talked about some interesting recipes that I was unfamiliar with, from, I guess, the American South, and some beautiful memories that I had never heard before. And so without further ado, this is my conversation interviewing my grandmother Magana as we discuss favorite Christmas traditions. Hi, Maya Anna, welcome to the show. Thank you very much for having me. Yeah. I'm excited to be able to talk to you about Christmas and family. And I know that those are some of your favorite things as they are mine. Yes, they are. So why don't you introduce yourself a little bit, just sort of tell about who you are a little bit? Well, I'm in a two most people who are introduced to me. Even my former co workers, they call me ma Anna. And even now, when people introduce me, they'll say, but she's my Anna, settle. I love the fact that each one of the grandchildren have kind of had their own version of My name. One called me my Anna. And by Anna one grandchild even called me man. So it's eventually they got around to the mall Anna, so I, you know, I don't mind. People calling me that. I bet I love it. It's endearing. Oh. And I love that you for years when I was little, you lived outside of New Orleans and you worked there. And it was I guess, do you remember what year it was that you moved up to Virginia? I moved in 2007. Okay. So since then, we've had you a little closer. And that's yeah. That's, that's been good times. But you're originally from originally Bert, Birmingham, Alabama. I was born there. And lived in Alabama until 1969. Wow. So going back into those early days. I just wanted to start off with like your earliest and Best Christmas memories. So what what are your favorite childhood memories? And like, what kinds of traditions do you remember about that time? In Alabama with your family, we really have a lot of traditions. I had a brother who has passed on and a sister who is still alive. And she lives in Alabama still. But the one tradition I do remember was my mother always fixed potato candy. Oh, and she would start making it in October. And she learned that she had to put it in the freezer and hide it from us. Otherwise she wouldn't have any for us to eat at Christmas. And it was one of those things that we just loved. And you know, how does one make potato candy? Well make what's in it. You take one medium size potato and I know that doesn't sound like an awful lot of candy. But I learned from my first time of making it that one medium size was ample. You take that and you cut it up diced it up in in boil it until it's tender. Then drain the water off Add a stick of margarine or butter and whip it with the beater. You know until it's good and smooth kind of like you were going to be doing mashed potato right so far I'm following Yeah. And then you start Oh, in during that time you put a teaspoon of vanilla flavoring, okay, and a little bit of salt. And once you get it to that good smooth consistency, you start adding confectioner sugar. So that's what makes it bulk up. Okay, it takes about two pounds. Okay, of confectioner's sugar to make the candy with one medium size. Okay, so when I made it the first time, I said, Oh, that's not gonna make enough candy. So I added another potato. I did not have enough confectioner sugar. That patch did not get made. But then once you get it to a consistency to where it's kind of like arm, like pastry, you know, like a pie crust. Okay, you start adding by hand and mixing it in until you can roll it out about the thickness of a pie crust. And then you come up with a whole area with peanut butter. Oh, and then roll it up like you would a jelly roll. Oh, put it in the refrigerator. Get it good. Chilled in the new slice it in those little round. Okay. Okay. And then you just eat it as fast as you can. It's very rich. You can't have an awful lot of it. It's like a really sweet peanut buttery flavor. Yeah. Okay. And you don't taste the potato. Right, right. You taste the peanut butter in the confectioner's sugar. So it's, it's very, very rich. Wow. And I made it about three years ago. And it sat in the refrigerator. Oh, yeah. No one ate it. Your dad used to love it. You know, what? Did you bring it? Or? That I must have tried it. It's once you mentioned the peanut butter it like, like I started to remember it. But I don't have a vivid memory. Yeah, I've done both smooth and chunky. Oh. And, you know, it's your preference as to what you like. But that's the one memory that I remember. of, you know, things that we did every year. Wow. So what it just kind of changed from year to year or, like, did you have a tree growing up as a kid? And oh, we did. We always had a tree. And I remember out front of our house was a very tall cedar tree. Okay. And, in fact, it got almost as tall as the house, which was only one floor but we had a small basement. But I remember Daddy would get out around November, you know, he'd get the big long ladder and stick it up and start decking it with the lights. And we always had the the big old fashioned colored Bob's and you could see the tree because our house set upon kind of like a little heel. And so you could see the tree for a good little distance down the street. Wow. But I always looked forward to him doing that. Yeah. I would like to know, I know that. I probably heard some of them. But what are some of your favorite Christmas memories, either from your childhood or like when my dad was a kid? Or like any particular Christmas is like I know the one with the drum set stands out. Oh, yeah. Yeah. Well, my own personal one. My mother had heart condition and was very sick. Most of my young life and we didn't have an awful lot of money, extra money. So this one year, I wanted a new bike. My bike was just very much in need of being replaced. But because all the medical issues, daddy just couldn't afford to get me a bike. So that particular year he painted my bike, put a brand new coat of paint on it, put new grips on the handlebars. Nice a new seat. And I remember that on Christmas Eve that year. I was going crazy caroling with some of my friends from church, and we were coming around the corner from In the house, and my daddy was pushing the bicycle around toward the back of the house so that I wouldn't see. And so I never told him that I saw it. But it was such a special thing that, you know, I knew that he had gone to an awful lot of put a lot of love into it. And to me, it was better than a brand new one. But as far as the kids, yeah, but the one memory that I will always have is of your dad, when he was, oh, gosh, I don't even know how old he was. He would have been in 83. So he was probably like 13, or 13. And he wanted drums for Christmas. And we had told him that they were not to get up until we got up. And we set the drums up. And I woke up and I tiptoed very quietly into the living room opening. And he was sitting in his undershorts had the drums and not touching the cymbals or the drums themselves with his sticks, but kind of doing a version of his air drums. But he had the sticks and sticks in his hand. And he was trying his best to play them good. But that was one of those moments I wished I had captured with the camera, but then I would have spoiled the moment for him. You know. I've heard that story growing up. And it's cool, because dad played drums for many, many years and still back. So you know, plays when he can get access to your homes. Well, at the time, you know, when when he said he wanted drums, you know, I'm thinking yeah, this is a childhood thing in in a past but no, it did not. Yeah. And he still loves them. Are there any others that come to mind have any other Christmas memories. I remember the year that Tammy had wanted a dog and her dad was in Korea at the time. And when he came back for Christmas, we decided that we would get her a dog. And she was just so so happy. I mean, this dog would go with us on rides everywhere. And there was one one scene in the backseat where Mindy was sitting, all locked into her seat belt. Sitting on her haunches with her back against the back of the seat with the seat belt around her. But taming wanted to make sure that she was going to be safe. And she's a cat person. Now she is Yes. Which is kind of interesting, too, because she was attacked by a cat, right? And I thought, oh my goodness, she'll never want a cat around her. But yeah. Okay, so I would just like to know, what is your favorite part of Christmas today or the Christmas season? You've had many different stages of life. And I've lived all over the world. And so now I'm curious at this point. What do you look forward to the most about this time of year? Being with family? Yeah. Yeah, since I have moved to Virginia, every Christmas is precious. And having you and the family down here. And then having family where I live in Northern Virginia. I love the fact that I rotate. And I spend Christmas with one and then the next year I spend Christmas with the other and I won't say that they fight over me but we're nice. They're there is a bit of oh, this is your Christmas with her. Yeah, yeah, that's how we feel this year. Yeah. This year they get you. But you know, it works out. Yeah. You know, I love having the time with with both kids and and, you know, when we were military. That was one of the hard parts about spending time equally with both sets of parents in such a short time, because we lived in Texas for a number of years and would have to drive from Texas to Alabama. And we tried to spend an equal amount of time with less his parents and with my own parents. And that's why, yeah, it is. And I mean, you yourself can see that, you know, now that you're married, you know, you want to give each parent that equal time on those special occasions. Yeah, fortunately, we've worked out a good system because Josh's family doesn't have like, any hard and fast traditions regarding Christmas Eve, and of course mine does. And then we've done Christmas morning with my side, and then we spend the afternoon with his, and then we come back the next day and do like another Christmas morning. And that's worked just because my set has so many people to coordinate. And so yeah, it's it. Fortunately, it has been really, really good. And they only my in laws live only, like 35 minutes from mom and dad's house. So it's a much easier commute for sure. And I love that part of like the holiday season, our tradition of how we refer to it as my no party, New Year's Eve. Oh, yes. And that's been even before I moved up, really? Yeah. When I would come for Christmas, when I lived in Mississippi, I would come up and spend Christmas time here. That makes sense. And so we would, we would start planning. And I remember when Tony and Nina were little, and they wanted to stay up and watch the ball fall on New Year's Day. Yeah. But they would, their eyes would just get so heavy. And I remember one year, Tony was to struggling to keep his eyes open and stay awake. And and he must have just like at the final moments. His eyes just couldn't stay open any longer. And he just kind of rolled over on the sofa. That's kind of how I like two or three years ago, I remember I just fell asleep. And then someone got me up like 10 minutes before or something. Yeah, yeah. But we always look forward to that. That party. And there's been some years that I've I've not been there because I've been working or singing different places or that that one time the COVID year and that wasn't fun. That was not fun. But we made up for it the next year. Oh, yeah. Yeah, we've made up for it. It's nice to have, like another party to make after Christmas. And so that's, that's some of my favorite parts of the Christmas season two. So what is your favorite Christmas movie? You know, I have, I can't say that I have a favorite one. For comedy. I love Christmas vacation. Okay. And I remember when your dad was in the military, and he was in the Persian Gulf. And that came out earlier and he loved Chevy Chase. He had seen several of his movies. And some of the the ones that you know, the vacation one. And when that one came out, I wrote him a letter that was back in snail mail time. I wrote him a letter and I said if you get the opportunity. See it because you will laugh so hard. And I I love watching funny movies with him because he gets so tickled. Yeah, he does. laughs from the depths of his belly. Yeah. And then he'll think about it later. And he'll start hoping to you know what he's laughing about, you know? Yeah, but that that's always been one of my favorites as far as comedy. Queen Le t pose. last holiday. Oh, yeah. I could watch that every month. Yeah. I just don't tire of it at all. I agree. And, and I think one of the big things that that it leaves me thinking about is not putting off things. Yeah. I am. I'm kind of bad about doing that. I have, like, this list of things that I want to do. And now it's at that point where I know that they're not going to be done, but they're still in my mind. And so I feel like that if I could go back to my 20s or maybe even 30s and start checking off that list. Then, then I now I could I could look back and in remember those things? Now they're just dreams. But that's okay. But that movie still is like uplifting to you. Even in that regard? Yeah, absolutely. I mean, like, even now, I mean, I'll watch a movie that has Italy featured. And I'm there. Yeah. And you know, even though I probably will not go in my heart and in my mind, I'm there. Yeah. And I just kind of soak it in at that point. Good. Another movie that I really like is it's a wonderful life. Yeah. And that is one of those that at the very end, you realize that the important thing is being with family and friends. And that's always been important for me. But the older I get, the more I realize that that's, that's everything in a nutshell. Yeah. That one makes me cry now. It's just so sweet. Yeah. Well, those are good. I don't always think of I forget about last holiday as a Christmas movie, but it does have Christmas. And again, has a New Year's. Yeah, sentiment, like an attachment. Yeah. Um, okay, so, going down the list of Christmas favorites here. We talked about movies. What would you say is your favorite? Either holiday food or drink or like to you? It's like this. This tastes like Christmas. It's not Christmas until eggnog. No kidding. I know. It's not in everybody's drink. It's not my drink. And I like a little bit of whiskey in it. Uh huh. It doesn't have to be an awful lot. Just a little. But I that's the only time of the year and drink it. I mean, yeah, that makes sense. Josh really likes eggnog. Yeah. And I don't like eggnog to me. It tastes like nail polish. Like it's got a weird flavor. But you're right. You only get it that time of year. Yeah. And I'm sure the whiskey in it is good. Yeah, yeah. Last year when we did I mulled cider with a tree and dad had what did he have some sort of honey whiskey or? Tennessee honey? Yeah, I put some of that in my glass of cider. And that was lovely. It just gave me a wonderful ideas. Yeah. Eggnog when I get home. Well, good. Yeah. I'm glad you enjoy. Yeah, you know, another thing that as far as food, I guess, my pumpkin pie. Mother made pumpkin pies. And she only pretty much did them. Thanksgiving in Christmas. And I don't know why. Because they were always so good. But she would make sweet potato pies. Other times that Oh, okay. He just seemed like that the pumpkin was that season? Well, it might have been difficult to get get her hands on some pumpkin. And that's true. Because back in those days, no, that makes it sound like it was like 150 years ago. We didn't have canned pumpkin. Right. You know, so it was like, get the pumpkin and cut it up. And that was never a pleasant smell. When it was cooking. Yeah. Just you know, getting tender so that you can mash it. But it sure made some good pumpkin pies. And so you said you you now make them? Oh, yeah, yeah, but pumpkin. That's, that's those things that you know that in the potato candy are the two things that I remember. It's so cute the way that she sent me the recipes. Because when she sent me the recipe for the potato candy, I was living in Texas. And she sent it to me in a little letter and drew a diagram on how I was to roll it up and slice it. And, and the equivalence of the ingredients was just very sketchy. It was like a wasn't like a teaspoon of this and a teaspoon of bad or a cup of this. And it was the same with the pumpkin pie. When it came to the spices. It said add spices and I'm like what? What spices Yeah. And so finally she did tell me what spices she would put in so I just wrote them down at the bottom of the letter but the As both of those have now gotten very old, and well, yeah. But you know they're treasured. Yeah. Because it's in my mother's handwriting. Yeah. And it just, those are things that cookbooks just don't have. That's so true. Do you remember what the spices were? Oh, yeah. Cinnamon, of course, is a big one. nutmeg, cloves. Okay. Ginger. And when I put them in, I would smell them. And I, my nose would tell me how much to put. Oh, nice. Yeah. COVID has really kind of thrown a socket wrench so to speak into that because my sniffer is not what it used to be. And I'm hoping that comes back. Because until then, I don't know that I trust putting those spices in without measuring spoons. Yeah, it's it's been slow. But I know for Sarah and mom, like, it's it's been slow, but it has been good. Like it's been gradually getting better. Yeah, months getting a little better now. And so, lastly, just to sort of wrap up our holiday chat, what are you looking forward to the most this particular Christmas season? Could be something that you always look forward to. But just as we sit here in 2023, what are you looking forward to? Again, being with family, you know, but my sister is coming to spend Christmas with me. We have not spent Christmas together since her boys were young. Wow. And that was at our dads. Wow. And our her. Her boys are in their 50s. So it's been a day or two. Yeah. And I am so excited about her being here for Christmas. And I talked about Christmas with the family and our New Year's celebrations. So many times. Oh, will she be here for new she will be your convenience as well. Yes, it's gonna be so great. We're actually going to spend her birthday. Our birthdays are in January. Here's the 12th. Man the 21st. And we're going to celebrate our birthdays before she goes back home on the 16th. Wow. So we're looking forward to that as well. Yeah. Just because it's just the two of us now. And you know, the older we get, the more we realize. Family is is everything. Yeah. Even if it's just one. And how old will she be in January? She will be 83. Wow. She doesn't seem like that. Well, she said the other day, she was going shopping for some new boots to bring with her. And I asked her after she had come shopping. I said well, did you find you some boots? And she said to bear, she said I may be old but I don't have to dress like it. Well, there you go. I like that. And she's my hero. I mean, I She's what I aspire to be when I grow up. Yeah. Our sister in law. She said, I said that to her the other day. I said, That's what I want to be when I grow up. And she said, Well, you know, she has to grow up first. That's funny. Well, yeah, that's gonna be really special. I'm glad that that we'll be able to spend that with with you and with her at least pieces of it. Well, are there any other I don't want to cut you off? If you have any other Christmasy thoughts or anything you'd like to share or say, Well, this Christmas will be very special, as has said because of my sister, and our time that we will be able to spend together this year. But next year, I am really looking forward to it. I think just a little bit more. Because I'm going to have a grandbaby a great great grandbaby. Yeah. Yeah, next year, I'll have a six month old which just thrills my heart. I made the first grandchild which was you I told your mom I said that first grandchild will rock your world and it does but I can't imagine what that great grands gonna be like well, I am excited and I really appreciate all of the the love and the the wisdom and all of the everything that you've the support that you've given me even thus far and I Also I'm realizing with each year that that being close to family and expanding the family is really, really important to me. So it's going to be, I agree really, really special next year to have all of us together with a another generation started. So yeah, when you start having your own family, it just puts another layer of meaning into it. Yeah, I have a, just like a final thought I have a memory of you and I, sitting in the living in my parents living room, probably I must. I was probably a teenager, but a younger teenager. And I was just feeling it was like the end of Christmas Day. And I was feeling that blues, you know, just the, the end of the day. And I think, you know, I was probably just being moody, being a teenager, you know, just feeling a lot. And I asked you something to the effect of, like, Do you ever feel this? And the way you put it was something like, Well, yeah, you know, some years, you feel it more like or, or, you know, maybe you have a boyfriend that year, and it's more exciting. And then maybe some years, you don't have one and like it's sort of missing that. But then, you know, I don't but like, the way you phrased it was such that like, it put Christmas as a day as one singular day, more into perspective as like Christmas as a perpetual, a thing, like just an entity that that happens again and again. And it helped me because I think when my overwhelming emotions, well, when they overwhelm, it's hard to put things into perspective. And so I just like that, spending Christmas with you sort of keeps things in perspective for me. I remember that one. And at that time, I had never had a boyfriend in my life. Oh, gosh, I can't wait for whatever that Christmas must be like. So I just wanted to share that because that just sticks in my head. conversation we had probably maybe 1213 years ago that has stayed with me. I I love every moment that I get to spend with you. And Sarah, Tony, Nina, Amber, Mikey. Those who are special, treasured moments. And, and I liked the fact that when I come down to visit, I do get that time with each one of you. Even though now you are married and you have your own family. And Sarah has her own family. You still make time for coffee with Mariano. And I love those times. And, you know, putting them in my own little mental journal. It just, I can't even put into words what it means to me. Well, yeah, just like two days ago, Sara was over here. And she said, Well, I see you tomorrow. Mine isn't talking about mine a coffee. We're gonna we're gonna have coffee with my mom and dad's house. I was like, oh, yeah, probably. I'll see you there. Just a standing appointment. Really? And see, that'd be something that Gail, my sister will you have having that time where? You know, it will be just copy with Molly Anna? And yeah. Well, it can still be called my inner coffee. It'd be fun to be with the uncle Gail. That's another thing too. Oh, yeah, that's a that's an inside joke. Long story. Well, I always ask my guests when they come on the podcast for their little joy for that week. That could be something a physical thing, something you experienced or a moment or memory. And so would you like to share what has been your little joy this week is something that's brightened up your day? Well, I'm being asked by you to be on the podcast. That that's a real honor for me. And then seeing the ultrasound of my great Korean. Yeah. Yep, as a real joy. Yeah. Well, that's sweet. I love though. And I also I didn't tell you about this one, but I always share like either an album of music or a playlist at the end of each episode. And if you'd like, if you have one, maybe Christmas related. I can share it. I actually have been listening some to some Christmas music on Serious recalling so many it some of my favorites are Indy Williams. Oh, Christmas, Andy Williams. Frank Sinatra. They're just really really great. And I think one of my all time favorites within probably a lot of people is oh holy night. But it has to be done by someone who knows exactly how to hit those notes. So yeah well that's it I can work with that. I'll leave a list Josh Groban a list. Oh Josh Groban. Okay, yeah. Then I will I'll assemble a playlist or or find one that that suits all of what you said. All right. Well, thank you for coming on the podcast. Thank you. Yeah, this has been really special. And I'm glad that we could do this and Merry Christmas. Merry Christmas to you already there you go. I really hope you enjoyed this conversation that it was just as uplifting for you as it always is for me to just talk with her. I did find a couple albums. I'm just gonna share and link them in the show notes. There's an album where are they? Noel by Josh Groban. A jolly Christmas from Frank Sinatra, and the Andy Williams Christmas album. No playlists include all three of those together that I could find. So I'm just linking their albums. And Andy Williams does include a holy night. And I also managed to find a recipe for potato candy. That pretty much follows exactly the way my Anna spelled it out, I was just so impressed that she recalled the whole memory, I mean, the whole recipe from memory. But I found one with measurements. If you'd like to follow it that way. I'm remembering it way more now. And it's just a really rich peanut buttery sweet treat. So feel free to check it out. Also, in the show notes, I'm going to include several photos, including one that I really, really love. When we were talking about last holiday, and like dreams and bucket list and things like that, during our conversation, I was reminded that a few Christmases ago by siblings and I we sort of helped one of those come to pass. And I'd forgotten about it at the time. But my Anna loves giraffes. And her dream is to go to the giraffe Manor on the preservation in Nairobi, Kenya. And so to just bring a little bit of that to her a couple of Christmases ago, probably like three years ago, I think we got her one of the behind the scenes tours at the closest zoo to us. And she and I went and she was able to feed giraffes and get up close. And so I have a picture that I'm sharing in the show notes where she's standing in front of a couple giraffes with just the huge smile on her face. It's amazing. My siblings, and I really enjoyed giving her that moment. And I just really enjoy her outlook on life and especially having lived much more of it than me. I hope that it was comforting and inspiring to listen to her one quote in particular stood out to me that I just wanted to repeat again, she said it regarding her sister, family is everything, even if it's just one. So even if you have just one one person to hold on to to hold tight this Christmas, do so and let them know how important they are to you. And if you have more than one, if you have a dozen, how beautiful how special is that? That we get to surround ourselves with people, whether blood related or not that our family at this time of year. So I would just encourage you encourage myself all of us to take a step back from all the hustle and bustle. And when the days finally arrived Christmas Eve Christmas Day New Year's Eve that we would spend a moment looking around and just soaking up the company of those we love. As always, you can find the show notes with the full blog post and photos and links for this episode. And for all of my episodes at life on the brink dot live. I am going to take a bit of a break for the Christmas season and I'm traveling back to New Orleans in fact in the first week of January so I'll be back with a new episode on January 11. And we'll continue our regular bye Weekly scheduled from there. I wish you so much joy and peace over the next few weeks that these festive days will be restful as well as celebratory, and that you're able to soak up the love of those around you and know that you are just as loved by them in return. I really appreciate listening to this podcast. If you haven't given it a star rating or a review on Spotify or Apple yet, that would be a lovely Christmas gift to me. But regardless, I wish you the very best and until next year, you have a very very merry Christmas, and a very happy new year. Thank you for tuning into this episode of Life on the brink. If you're enjoying these episodes, please feel free to leave a star rating or even better leave a review on Apple podcasts to help spread the word. For podcast show notes and extra inspirational posts throughout the week. Head to the blog at life on the brink dot live. And if you'd like a little extra dose of inspiration in your life, sign up for the monthly newsletter, which lights up your inbox the first Friday of each month. Thank you so much for listening. And until next time, friends you have a lovely week. Bye