Family Rules

There's been a huge onslaught in the decorating/etsy/pinterest world of what they call "Subway Art."  I don't really get why they call it that.  I've been on a few subways and I've never seen art quite that pretty.  In Rome, there was definitely more graffiti.  In D.C., there's really just not that much art.

Regardless of what it's called, I like the outcome.   Put it on older wood (say fence posts) and I totally dig it!  The English teacher in me loves quotes and sayings and inspirational tidbits!  I even used a few for our wedding.  (Really, it was a ploy to have some in our house.)  That's the way to decorate for a wedding!  Right now, this baby's hanging in our bedroom.

My Daisy Ladies - All together!!

Well, we decided to make up our own family rules.  Maybe someday (when we get more than three) I will paint them on a board and hang them for display.  For know, I'll just blog them.  A few weeks before we got married, Frank and I decided to go Christmas light looking.  We got some yummy hot chocolate from Riverside Cafe (who seemed to have another set of owners - as long as the place doesn't go out of business).  Sustained with warm beverages, we set out.  Frank stopped at the house in Riverside with synchronized lights - man I love that stuff!!!  After sitting through a few songs, we headed out driving again, looking for the new and prettier.

We ended up driving past a friends house.  A few minutes after we'd passed saying, "There's Justin and Steffanie's house!"  we made up our first family rule.  That's right, we weren't technically family yet and already making rules.  Rule #1: If you pass a friends house while light looking, you must stop and carol.  I'm sure there will be amendments to this rule for lateness of hour.  But if you get visited by Frank and I, now you'll know why!!

Family Rule # 2 came about while on our honeymoon.  My parish did a fantastic job of celebrating the Feast of the Holy Family every year.  (Which, come to think of it, always involved caroling and hot chocolate. Coincidence?  I think not).  This year, we went to Mass and headed out for our nice dinner.  I had some sort of elegant fish dish.  Frank had calf fries.  It was our nice dinner.  Over some mulled wine and in front of the fireplace at the restaurant in Manitou Springs, we wrote down the first and second family rules.  Family Rule #2: Always celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family.

Rule #3.  So I posted about Dad's Apple Cake last week?  That's rule #3.  What I'm hoping will be tradition started last year.  Frank and I were supposed to meet my sister at our parents for the 4th of July.  Then Dad came down sick so Teri invited us up to Omaha (otherwise known as the land with the BEST restaurants!).   We had the best time and found the PERFECT spot for not one but two fantastic fireworks shows.  Oh, and I made apple cake and we ate it for breakfast.  Yum . . .

Do you guys have family rules?  Are they all sophisticated like, "always love each other, hug every day" stuff or are they more silly (and therefore way more fun) like ours?