Family Traditions

I have a couple of friends from high school who I think are some of the most gifted writers around.  I envy their ability to lay down their thoughts in such thought provoking, entertaining ways.  I read Berry Simpson's blog this morning about family traditions and knew I just had to share it.  Hope Cottage is all about making families and helping them to stay strong.  What family traditions do you have?

My family had a tradition of making home made ice cream with family and friends.  I still remember sitting on top of the hand crank freezer while my grandfather turned the handle.  Sometimes it would be vanilla ice cream, sometimes peaches from his back yard tree would be added.  In the late 60's Helen Corbitt fudge sauce and peanut butter sauce were added to the mix and I do remember Chocolate Sheet cake as an extra treat.  I laugh because we would usually need to make two 6 quart freezers of ice cream when we had the Thompsons over.  One freezer for my dad and Daddy Leon (patriach of the Thompson family) and one freezer for the other 7 of us!  That ice cream was good eating!  A few years ago I dusted off our ice cream freezer and decided to start the tradition again.   I still must have a wooden container, but I have gone electric for the motor!   Hopefully our boys will continue the celebration.

Our ice cream recipe is below, but before I go, I want to ask  - what are/were your family traditions?  Share them with us here!

Lue's Ice Cream
10 eggs
2 1/2 cups sugar
2 cans Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 can Carnation Evaporated Milk
two good "glugs" of vanilla (I kid you not, that is what the recipe says)
1 quart half and half and whatever room is left in the container, top it off with heavy cream

Mix everything well together (I use a hand mixer).  Place in ice cream freezer and freeze.  After the ice cream freezer stops, I have found that I need to then put the ice cream into a container and put it in the refrigerator freezer for a couple of hours to firm up a little more - that is if you can keep from consuming the ice cream on the spot.

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