Last week was lovely. There was time spent with so many different family members. Our family calls it a Bridge Mix (referring to the See’s Candy mix that all of us love). Each handful of Bridge Mix is different from the other yet all are so wonderful. So whenever we have a group of family members together, while it might be a different mix and some people might not be at that particular visit, it is always good.
One small handful of Bridge Mix was experienced when Mom, Patti and I made cookies last week. We made Cuccidati, as I mentioned we would in a previous post. Mom already had the filling made and Patti had prepped the dough ahead of time so it would be chilled. That left the assembling, baking and icing.
They are delicious!
Over the weekend Ray and I enjoyed time with Julia. She came home to see some family and to bake cookies with me. Peanut Blossom cookies with Hershey’s Kisses are a regular holiday cookie for us so we made a big batch. We also did some Christmas shopping which was wonderful. While she was here we had a big dinner with a few of my sisters (one came up from California for the weekend) and my parents. Another handful of Bridge Mix – each one as great as the last.
On the way to dinner, we stopped at a local house that displays an amazing holiday lights experience on their property. It was so fun to walk through it. There were many different scenes to enjoy. I cannot begin to imagine how long it takes to set it up or take it down, let alone where the people store everything all year. This display is such a generous act as it provides such a memorable experience for many people. Pictures really don’t do it justice, maybe because I don’t know how to take a good picture of the lights on a dark night?
Sunday was my father’s 89th birthday. We celebrated this with (another) wonderful handful of Bridge Mix.
Mom asked us to dress in a festive outfit and people took this how they pleased. She made a wonderful turkey dinner and a chocolate caramel cake for Dad. We had a great time.
Monday morning we took my sister and her husband to the airport in Seattle. Because this is the half way point between my house and my son’s house, we thought it would be great to have yet one more handful of Bridge Mix. Thus, we kept driving and went to visit Andrew, Naomi and the girls. Mom and Dad had not yet been to their house and loved seeing where they live. It is great to visit with the little one’s in their own environment. They played “pizza shop” with Great Grammy and Great Papa and we had a nice lunch before heading back home.
This picture is just precious – My parents with two of their 17 great grandchildren.
Weekends spent with handfuls of family Bridge Mix is the stuff wonderful memories are made of. Of course it is also a bit tiring to be on the go for three or four days straight! Today I am not sure I will even get dressed. It is supposed to rain a bit. I think staying in, sewing and wrapping a few gifts sounds just perfect!
Thanks for sharing these wonderful pictures and news with friends. I love hearing about the family. Many best wishes for wonderful times ahead. xoxo Barbara
Merry Christmas Barbara! I love having you as a regular reader – We had such a great weekend, celebrating Dad’s birthday. So much fun with family!
Love this post, and the Bridge Mix reference! Merry Christmas and God Bless you and your wonderful family that you share with us.
Same to you Kathleen. Makes me happy to hear you enjoy these posts. I love writing them – lot is a bit like a journal for me. Take care – Bernie
I love the way you call it Bridge Mix every handful is super delightful indeed! Sounds like a great time with family (and happy belated birthday to your dad!!), and I fully endorse having a low key day today. Wrapping presents and staying in to enjoy the rain sounds like a perfect counterpoint to all the visiting. If I don’t chat with you before, I hope you have a very Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas to you too Yvonne. Ray and I did get a walk in between episodes of rain. We had that food hangover feeling after a weekend of over indulging. But now I am inside for the remainder of the day!
Oh, what great bridge mix times you have had! Your cuccidata cookies are on my list! Your granddaughters are beautiful π».
Pamela – Let me know if you make them. I hope you like them too. Thanks for the sweet comment. π
Looks like lots of fun times with family, Bernie! Your cookies look yummy, too. I haven’t heard of cuccidati, but now you’ve got me wanting to try them. Happy birthday to your dad – it looks like he must be feeling better. Merry Christmas!
I love the cookies, not in small part because I grew up with them each Christmas. I think they are labor intensive but yum! Wish I could just have you over for cookies and coffee! As for Dad, he feels so much better and that is the best birthday gift ever!!
Oh my goodness, what a fun post to read! So much love amidst all that Bridge Mix (clever and cute term)! Happiest of birthdays to your papa, too! All those smiles on all those faces – what grand fun you all have together. Merry Christmas to all of you!
Hey Wendy – it was a great weekend. I think we are all so grateful that Mom and Dad are up here, Dad is feeling much better, and for 88 and 89 they are doing really well. So much to be thankful for!
Bernie, thank you for this post .. I always get wet eyes when I read your posts. So lovely to have your Mum and Dad with the two cuties in one foto. And it is really really good to see that he is much better and you could celebrate these days. Family traditions – your italian cookies – this is so nice to see.
Congrats to your Dad!!
For sure one weekend with all this funny things to do .. now you need a rest.
Enjoy the count down of this week, the finalizing of to do lists…. and a merry merry christmas and a healthy good new year to you and your love ones.
Thank you Eva. I am so happy when I see your reply to my posts.
We had a wonderful weekend celebrating my father and spending time with family. These are my favorite times, for sure!
I hope you have a Merry Christmas too Eva. Wishes of joy and good health to you in the New Year.
Hi Bernie, I really enjoyed this post and seeing how you and your family stay connected. That is really special and calling it the “Bridge Mix.” Too fun. Merry, Merry, Christmas to you and yours. Hugs, Heidi
Thank you Heidi. I wish you and your family a wonderful Christmas as well.
All the best to you. π
How lovely. I can’t get over that beautiful photo of you guys all together. There is such a family resemblance among you beauties! The cookies look so yummy and clearly you all enjoy one another’s company. I wish you a Merry Christmas and wonderful New Year!! Can you believe it’s almost 2024?? Where does the time go??
Elana, I ask myself that all the time. Where does the time go? It buzzes by very quickly.
I feel so fortunate to live close to 3 of my four children and 2 of my five sisters. Family is really important to me – as I know it is to you.
Happy Holiday to you and your family!
What a loving post. . .I love Bridge mix!!!
Me too Terry! Thank you. Happy Holidays!
What a lovely peek into your life – Bridge Mix indeed! Mom and I used to always visit See’s Candies in the mall when I went to visit her in Riverside, California (after her second marriage). My mouth still waters thinking about it. We would also buy a cinnamon roll from Cinnabon and sit down to drink coffee and share that roll and talk and people watch. Good times.
Glad you had some time with Julia and your folks, as well as other members of your fam. That Cuccidati looks delicious, and I love peanut butter cookies with Hershey’s kisses. I’ll be baking my Granny Mitchell’s cookies today, missing the days when my kids “decorated” them with mounds of icing. I pretty much leave them plain now! That is a wonderful picture of your folks with your two beautiful Littles.
Wishing you and all your family a Merry Christmas Bernie!
Linda – That is a sweet memory of you and your mom shopping. I didn’t know you had California family – at least at that time. I am planning to make cookie dough today and am going to try sugaring some fresh cranberries and orange peel. I haven’t done that before.
Merry Christmas Linda!
Bridge Mix is a delightful description of the fun you and your family have had over the last few days/weeks. The cookies/cakes you made with your mom look delightful. The smiles in each picture are more delightful. Some of my happiest memories are of the many gatherings and different mixes over the years. I may need to look for some Bridge Mix…I know have have seen See’s candies, but maybe only on the West coast.
Sometimes I see Bridge Mix in chocolate shops but See’s is the best (in my opinion anyway)! It is such the perfect description for the way our family members mix it up – anyone is welcome anywhere and the visiting is always wonderful.