Every Little Thing by April Jeppson

Living in Minnesota has its perks. One of my favorite things about living here is that we get to experience all of the seasons. The heat of summer makes me appreciate the cooler temps of fall. Snow in the winter has me looking forward to the warmth of spring. Sometimes we don’t even have to wait that long as we can get two or three seasons in one week!

Having snow on the ground mentally prepares me for Christmas. It gets my soul ready for snuggling up with my family and enjoying the traditions that this time of year brings.

A few weeks ago I was chatting with others about their family traditions. It’s fun to hear how others celebrate and take time away with their loved ones to make memories. I make sure to have fried chicken and potato salad on Christmas Eve in honor of my grandfather’s Southern roots. We allow our children to open up a present the night before because that’s what our parents did. And I’ll make some type of caramel roll or monkey bread to enjoy Christmas morning.

My cousin enjoys working on our great-great-grandparents’ family history. With the language barrier and the different ways that countries track their residents,…