Author: Susie Krivacic

Do you remember getting tucked in as a child? There was nothing better than Mom or Dad coming in before bed to make sure you were cuddled in your blankets ready for sleep. I was tucked in, and I tucked my kids in too.

I’m not really sure at what age I stopped tucking in Sammy and Ethan. Ethan recalls it being during middle school because he would stay up later than I did to finish homework. Well, the roles are now reversed…

You see, our running joke is that Ethan now tucks us in. Stef and I are on opposite schedules from the kids, so we are in bed long before they are. Before we drift off to sleep, Ethan always pops in to wish us a good night. And it’s wonderful! I know why kids love being tucked in because I love it too (even at my age)…

Stay groovy…

–Susie

(Copyright 2019 Susie Krivacic)

So I’m not a fan of cold weather, but I must confess that snow can be a blast when you go sledding. Growing up, all you needed was a snowy day, a hill, and a trash can lid.

I’ll never forget one Christmas when we got a sled. We were so excited as we raced to the nearest hill. We took turns diving onto the sled and zipping to the bottom. It was an activity that brought all of the neighbors out into the freezing yard. And we didn’t want to go inside, not even when hot cocoa and a warm fire beckoned.

When we finally made it into the house, we were chilled, damp, and smiling. We debated who had bragging rights for the best run and challenged each other to a rematch. We couldn’t wait for the next snow storm to make the slope ready for another afternoon of fun.

Stay groovy…

–Susie

(Copyright 2019 Susie Krivacic)

There’s something I miss from the good old days…Christmas carolers. There was nothing like hearing a knock on the door, and once opened, the beautiful singing of holiday songs.

It’s something that is just not done too much these days. Why? Well possibly because people rarely open the door to people they don’t know, so why bother gathering others for this wonderful tradition.

Well, in 2016, the carolers came a knocking. And I opened the door. And I was greeted by the most beautiful singing voices from Timber Creek High School. The choral group was simply out spreading joy. I called Sammy and Ethan down, and we couldn’t wipe the smiles from our faces.

We haven’t had carolers since, but I keep waiting…and hoping. Maybe I should gather some friends and knock on some doors…

Stay groovy…

–Susie

(Copyright 2019 Susie Krivacic)

Growing up, it was so exciting to trim the tree for Christmas. With six kids in the family, our tree was covered in handmade ornaments from school and also many ceramic ornaments made by my grandmother. Some years we had a real tree, and some years we used an artificial  one. No matter which we had, it was always a beautiful tree.

But with such a large family, disaster occasionally ensues. One afternoon in December while Mom was out, the boys were horsing around. I don’t quite know exactly what happened, but suddenly we heard a CRASH! The tree tumbled to the ground. Tammy immediately got into action trying to get the tree back up and in order as she called out for help. What did Steve do? He dashed to the stereo and began playing “Help” by the Beatles. You remember it: “Help! I need somebody. Help! Not just anybody…” This was not amusing at the time, but we all laugh about it now!

Stay groovy…

–Susie

(Copyright 2019 Susie Krivacic)