Justine Becker (aka Grandma Becker) was born on February 29, 1904 to Peter and Anna Bormann, and was the sixth of eight children. She married Matthew Becker at the age of 19 and they proceeded to have 14 children. (YES, you read that correctly.) Frank, Delores, Lorene, Alvin, Rosemary, Harold, Mark, Betty, Norma, Bob, Pat, Marge, Joyce, and Jane.

Grandpa Becker died when my mom (the cute little lady above in the pink dress) was just 16 years old, and the family pitched in to help run the family farm after his passing. Mom said she got “inside duty” where she cleaned and helped cook for their large family.

Grandma Becker was the only grandparent I can remember. My dad’s dad, Grandpa Reding, died when I was just four years old and his wife (Grandma Reding) died the year before I was born.

Thanks to a giant spreadsheet that is linked in the Becker Family Facebook Page (and managed by my cousin, Jean), we have more stats – 177 great grandchildren (our Josh is #128 and our Zach is #138), 178 great-great grandchildren (our Amelia is #173), and great-great-greats are TBD!

• Her sewing machine. Grandma was an expert seamstress and I have one very special quilt from her that I cherish. She passed on her love of sewing and quilting to many talented women in our giant family. Take a look at the beautiful quilts in the collage below. Each one was made by a Becker aunt or cousin!
• The basement freezer. We’d always head to Grandma’s basement to pull homemade candy and cookies out of the freezer. Now I know where my mom got it! I eventually got the gene too.
• Her food! Yes, Grandma was a great cook and she made everything from scratch. I can specifically remember eating Swiss Steak, mashed potatoes, homemade gravy, and homemade pie, of course. The Becker women are very talented in the area of cooking as a result!
• Grandma’s hair. If I remember correctly, my mother and her sisters would take turns going to her house to do her hair for the week (or sometimes take her to a salon). They’d curl, rat, and spray it so that it didn’t move.
• She came to our wedding. I was very proud to have Grandma Becker (and three of Mike’s grandparents) at our wedding in 1989.

As we got older, I’ll admit that I didn’t always want to attend all of the gatherings. But now I cherish every single memory. Our giant Becker Family is still gathering, but not as often. There was a reunion last summer that I was unable to attend.

Life Moves On

Over the years, I’ve been fortunate to see many aunts and uncles, especially when traveling “home” to see Mom and Dad. Many of Mom’s siblings lived near enough to stop in for coffee at their home in St. Joseph and were unbelievably thoughtful to visit them often when they moved into assisted living and finally, the nursing home. The benefit was that I got to see them too.

As life moves on, there have been many deaths including my mother, Norma Jean, over the past several years. There are only four remaining aunts at this time – Pat, Marge, Joyce, and Jane – and they continue to stay close to each other. I’m so proud of this giant family heritage. Grandpa and Grandma Becker would be proud too.

So here is another LOVE Story. It’s been too long!

A little back story. We’ve stayed at the same airbnb in Molokai (on the northwest side of Oahu) three times now. It’s a hop-skip-and-a-jump from Dillingham Airfield and so each time we visit, we marvel at the jumpers that literally float over our heads each day as we sit on the beach.

In the past when we saw the jumpers, we’d say “let’s go jump”. But we didn’t. Until now.

So when planning our last trip to Oahu, Mike booked it ahead of time. We had a couple of months to think about it and I admit, I secretly was thinking maybe I shouldn’t do it for one reason or another. But I wouldn’t let myself cave.

When we arrived at Go Jump Hawaii, we signed in and checked off all the boxes for assuming responsibility. Admittedly, I didn’t read anything. It was go time and there was no turning back.

Mike and I were assigned to a group of jumpers and tandem partners. We were pretty amazed to find out that a fellow jumper shared Mike’s birthday, but 33 years older. He was a 90-year-old veteran and hadn’t jumped in over 50 years. He had a huge support system there including his cute little wife who was snapping tons of photos of the whole group.

Mike and I met our tandem partners, Jake and Aaron, where we did a quick intro and tried to keep it cool. They were NOT going to see me shaking! I was pretty surprised that there was very little instruction (which was probably a good thing) other than “I’ll strap you on me when we get up in the air”. Okaaayyy!

The plane was small. We actually couldn’t stand up straight inside and it was a packed house – one pilot and probably 18 other people, including tandems.

As we flew through the clouds, it was a surreal feeling watching the coast disappear below us. I quietly mentioned to my guide, “my life is in your hands” as he began clipping himself to me. Let’s just say that we were attached at the hip!

Everyone was quiet as we pondered what was about to happen. I felt a sense of calm as we reached 14,000 feet. But then the door opened in the back of the plane and a few nerves set in! Individual groups inched toward the open door and one-by-one dove out of the plane. We were up next.

You can see the force of the drop by looking at my distorted face. The wind force was flapping my cheeks all over the place and you can tell that I’ve never had botox, LOL. Next time (if there is one), I’m going to get the special photographer (like Mike had) instead of the selfie stick! Cuz I look wacky!

As we neared the fluffy clouds, my guide pulled the Shute and our bodies jerked upward. What a relief to see the large parachute above us, keeping us safe in the sky. We floated over the area where we stayed and it was a cool feeling to have jumped after watching so many people do it during our time there.

What I’d do next time: Tie my ponytail and my shoelaces tighter (EVERYTHING came undone!), open my mouth in the air (to maybe avoid the severe lines haha), and put my feet down when landing (to avoid the tandem guide falling on me). LOL!

I love looking at the amazing photos of Mike jumping. He has a HUGE fear of heights and he was whooping it up by the looks on his face. That’s a man enjoying his birthday! Also, note his guide in flip flops. He was definitely defeating the odds!

Would we do it again? I’m going to say YES. It was an amazing, invigorating experience and I’m glad Mike and I were able to experience it together. Hang Loose!

THANK YOU FRIENDS! YOU are the reason that this foodie fun continues on.

I SEE YOU. Thank you to infinity and beyond!

Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays! Merry Everything!

xoxo ~Sue

Prince Theo Alexander Ringsdorf

Our little guy was adopted in November of 2010 as a surprise for our boys. While he was originally named Prince, he became Theo after the boys did some internet research and found a name that we could all agree on. It suits him just perfectly!

Theo was the last pick of the litter and we think he’s exceptional, of course. He’s got us trained to give him treats after coming home, bringing HIM home, after his eye drops, when friends come over, after Mike works out, when Instacart delivers, or just because. (Yup, LOTS of treats!) His special little noise is all it takes for us to say, “Do you want a treat?”

BTW, he gets teenie greenies – not human treats!

Getting Older

As sweet as he is, he’s had some health challenges. Those buggy eyes have always been a problem and he’s had several ulcers over the years – one requiring eye surgery (and the dreaded cone of shame).

After one two many jumps off the couch, he required an ACL replacement back in June of 2020. That one was a doozy and he hopped around on three legs for quite some time. Now we try to lift him off the couch whenever we can to prevent him from leaping in his old man way.

And finally, after a REALLY bad haircut in 2021 where his tail was sliced, the vet had to do a partial amputation of his tail. The good news is that he still has a tail and it still wags whenever he’s happy!

Now our guy has a cataract on his right eye and a partial one growing on his left eye. While he’s losing vision, he continues to make every day a great one. Long naps, plenty of treats, and loads of belly rubs.

Unconditional Love

I grew up being deathly afraid of dogs. We had cousins with Doberman Pinschers that scared me beyond reason. I remember sitting on my dad’s shoulders to enter their house when we visited.

Dogs continued to make me fearful even into my adulthood and friends would put their dogs in a bedroom so that I could be comfortable. Now after having Theo, I realize what I was missing. Unconditional LOVE.

“A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself.” ~Josh Billings

When I think of Christmas, so many emotions come to mind. I think of these things.

• Childhood – A family of eight (including Mom and Dad) and a rich tradition of church and family gatherings. I love the memories of the six of us kids waking to a paper plate with an orange and some candies around the dinner table. Our presents from Santa draped over our chairs and beside them.
• 1989 – Our first year as a married couple living in the Twin Cities.
• 1993 – The first year living in Texas (and our first home).
• 1996 – Our Christmas as a family of three after fertility heartbreak and finally, our miracle baby. Josh joined us in October and filled our hearts with love!
• 1999 – Celebrating our family of four, after our rainbow baby was born following a difficult miscarriage. Our baby, Zach had joined us in April and our family was complete!
• 2001 – Christmas in our second home (the fixer-upper that we continue to fix up!).
• 2007 – The most heart-breaking holiday. Mike’s cancer diagnosis in early December and his mom’s shortly afterward. The one where we moved in a blur.
• 2008 – Another sad Christmas following the painful death of Mike’s mom.
• 2010 – A new puppy, Theo, came to join us. The long-awaited dog that the boys begged for over the years. Puppies are fun!
• 2017 – The year I could barely put weight on my foot due to a chronic injury. SO much pain.
• 2018 – The Christmas we prepared for surgery for Mike’s 3rd reoccurrence. He had surgery on his liver on New Year’s Eve.
• 2020 – The year of the pandemic and unknowns for our entire world. A year where Mike would have 1/4 of his liver removed in May, after waiting due to the pandemic. We survived, and Mike slowly healed. We also experienced great joy when we were blessed with our daughter-in-law, Tiffany, in August.
• The in-between – Our many years of traveling to Iowa for Christmas celebrations with our families. The snowy travels, sledding with cousins, Grandma’s sugar cookies and cinnamon rolls, Mass with family, Christmas carols and twinkling lights. Meeting new nieces and nephews and catching up with family.
• More sorrow – Missing Cousin Benjamin, Grandma Norma, Grandpa Don, Great Grandpa Wendell, and Great Grandma Helen following their deaths.
• Texas traditions – Santa Claus surprises, hot cocoa with extra marshmallows, legos, power rangers, and rescue heroes. Cowboy boots, video games, gold clubs, and slippers. Warm holidays with open windows, football games, and bike rides.
• Now – Our family has grown! Now our traditions involve extra puppies and sweet young ladies. We are a family of six – Josh is married to Tiffany and Zach has been dating Kirsten for four plus years. We also have two grand-pups – Luca and Margo, in addition to our 11 year old guy.

Honestly, I could go into so much more detail. Life is full of so many emotions, and while it feels like we’ve experienced it all, we haven’t. There is much more to come.

If you are experiencing the hard things this year, I want you to know that you are not alone. Most of us have experienced a rainbow of colors and feelings, from pure bliss to devastating heartbreak. That is life. It’s not easy – but it is worth it. Every moment.

I’m so thankful for this time of year and the hope of Christ. Whatever your beliefs are, I wish you joy, happiness, love, good health, and security.

Below are some of our memories in photos. Enjoy!

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and the happiest of holidays! Praying for a blessed 2022 to you and yours.

First of all, I loved back to school. A true nerd loves shopping for new notebooks and pencils, and that was me. Since I went to a private Catholic school, there was no back-to-school clothes shopping, but rather new uniforms and plain white button-downs. I also loved new teachers, new schedules, new sports schedules, and a clean slate.

Let’s talk hair. Every year in August, about a week before school started, my mom gave me a boxed perm. I loved having big frizzy hair, which was the style back then. One year, my mom apparently bought an expired perm kit from one of the small-town stores in the area. It left with me fried bangs that literally broke off all over the kitchen table. I cried (and Mom probably did too!) and threw a fit, but it didn’t stop me from asking for more perms!

The Mulligan Stew is an event hosted by the St. Joseph Church community where I grew up. It took place in mid-August and was our last hurrah before school started. It was also where I could show off my new hairdo..haha! I have vivid memories of me riding my bike around with my hair blowing in the wind (and boy did it smell!), while Dad helped make the stew and Mom set up games and booths. The Mulligan Stew’s main event was the homemade stew, and it was GOOD. But as a kid, I especially loved hanging out with friends, playing games, and looking at the homemade food for sale. Mom’s jam and cinnamon rolls were always a best seller!

Lastly, and most importantly, the highlight of August was Mom and Dad’s garden. They always had a huge bounty that produced all summer long, but August was the best. It’s when tomatoes seemed to multiply very quickly, until they were coming “out our of ears”, so to speak! We enjoyed freshly sliced tomatoes (with salt and pepper), bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwiches (BLTs), and just a simple tomato and toast. Dad ate them like candy, and then Mom eventually canned what we couldn’t eat. What I wouldn’t give for some big juicy tomatoes from Mom and Dad’s garden!

Oh, the memories!

If you’re looking for recipes using fresh garden tomatoes, I’ll share a few below. Happy August!

• Grilled Caprese Chicken
• Classic Caprese Salad with Balsamic Glaze
• Arugula Caprese Salad
• BLT Sandwich with Pesto Sauce

My Love Stories are short stories about love, family, and life. I’ll be talking a lot about Mom and the story behind her recipes, but will also share other memories about other people as well as talk about recent happenings in our lives. The pictures I’ll share will mostly be in black and white, so that you can quickly see that there is a STORY.

We’re missing these two wonderful people in our lives. So thankful to them for teaching us how to love fiercely and to enjoy the little things in life.

My Love Stories are short stories about love, family, and life. I’ll be talking a lot about Mom and the story behind her recipes, but will also share other memories about other people as well as talk about recent happenings in our lives. The pictures I’ll share will mostly be in black and white, so that you can quickly see that there is a STORY.

My Love Stories are short stories about love, family, and life. I’ll be talking a lot about Mom and the story behind her recipes, but will also share other memories about other people as well as talk about recent happenings in our lives. The pictures I’ll share will mostly be in black and white, so that you can quickly see that there is a STORY.

Do you have a favorite memory of your wedding or another important occasion in your life? Please share!

xoxo ~Sue

My Love Stories are short stories about love, family, and life. I’ll be talking a lot about Mom and the story behind her recipes, but will also share other memories about other people as well as talk about recent happenings in our lives. The pictures I’ll share will mostly be in black and white, so that you can quickly see that there is a STORY.

Today is the start of a new series on the blog called LOVE Stories. I got this idea from Elena at Cucina By Elena, another food blogger who shares her own stories of family and memories of Italy, her birthplace. She shared her story on a podcast, and I immediately contacted her and asked permission to imitate this story-telling on my own blog.

After a week of mourning the loss and celebrating the life of my dear mother, I’m sitting here looking at all of the photos of her, and smiling through tears at the wonderful flood of emotions I’m feeling. What a beautiful life she lived.

Mom passed away on Holy Thursday, April 18, 2019, from complications of Alzheimers, a cruel disease that slowly took her away from us. We are sad, but we know that she is now fully restored, and free of pain and confusion.

__________

Family was Mom’s #1 priority.

Norma Jean (Becker) Reding was born on June 15, 1937, the 9th of 14 children. She met Dad at a local dance, and the rest is history. They married in May of 1957, settled in St. Joe, Iowa, and proceeded to have six children – Lauri, Jackie, Dave, Shari, Sue (me), and Rob. Mom was a SAHM (stay-at-home-mom), and was the ultimate housewife and mother. I have vivid memories of her hanging the bedding outside on the clothesline, ironing everything we wore (even Dad’s “hankies”), cleaning our home twice weekly, making homemade casseroles to feed eight, mending our clothes, planning picnic lunches/family barbecues with relatives and friends, and making sure we were properly dressed and on-time for church.

Mom and Dad were married for almost 62 years. They were a traditional couple – Dad was self-employed and Mom took care of the house and kids. They loved each other up until the end, with Dad holding Mom’s hand as she took her final breath.

__________

Swaddled in Love

Over the years, Mom and Dad gained four son-in-laws and two daughter-in-laws, and then 15 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren (with one on the way). Grandchildren were so special to Mom, and even though her children moved far and wide, she and Dad were present to welcome each one of them to the world. Mom was a “baby whisperer’. She knew just how to rock them to sleep, and taught us new parents how to bathe, swaddle, and feed. I’ll never forget the trips to Dallas to meet their grandsons.

Family was everything to Mom. She gave all of herself to us, and she and Dad rushed to the side of their children whenever we needed them. There were sick babies, surgeries and illness, the death of their grandson, Ben, and other emergencies. They traveled for fun too – new houses to settle into, grandchildren’s birthdays, ballgames, and activities, and just because. Mom and Dad loved coming to visit us in Texas, and when I was still working, I’d come home to a kitchen full of homemade breads, rolls, and cookies. Let’s just say the boys were over the moon! Josh told me recently, “I’ll always remember her little quirks, like always making sure I was full.”

__________

Norma Jean’s Kitchen

This blog is dedicated to Mom, aka Norma Jean’s Kitchen. The kitchen was indeed her happy place, and we spent countless hours with her, scouring cookbooks for certain recipes, baking bread and cookies (along with full meals), and just having coffee at her kitchen bar. I’ve shared many of her recipes on here, most of them being her wonderful baked goods. I have so many favorites, but the collage above is pretty representative of Mom’s baking.

Mom’s love language was definitely food, and she gave away more than she kept at home to consume. When she baked bread and rolls, she made double batches so that we could deliver to the neighbors and the priests that lived across the street. Her freezer was always stocked with extras for when her grown children came home for a visit, or for the many drop-in friends and family. When people dropped in, a pot of coffee was brewed, and a few cookie balls were taken from the freezer and baked fresh. She was known for her hospitality, and she did it so well.

For the 56 years that Mom and Dad lived in St. Joe (in our childhood home), they played an active part in their parish community. Mom was often the head of her church group, parish dinner, or the monthly coffee and rolls after Sunday mass. She sang in the choir, distributed communion, and was a lector for weekend services. When volunteers were needed, Norma Jean was usually first in line.

__________

A “green thumb”

Norma Jean had the greenest of thumbs! She loved tending both her beautiful flower garden and vegetable gardens. Summertime was an exceptional time of year, and she shared her bounty of fresh garden produce with her friends and neighbors. Fresh lettuce, onions, radishes, beets, carrots, green beans, rhubarb, potatoes, cucumbers, and tomatoes GALORE! Dad got his fair share and then some, and Mom made sure his lettuce and cucumber salads had an excessive amount of vinegar and onions, just like he wanted. I can picture her now, bent over in the garden getting every ripe veggie, bringing them into her kitchen, and then working her magic. Gosh, what I would give for another glimpse.

In the early years at the nursing home, Mom tended to the flowers on the deck, deadheading to the nth degree (and occasionally removing flowers instead of brown leaves). Eventually, that faded along with so many other things.

__________

Homemade Quilts and Potholders

Mom was lucky to be near to so many of her siblings. She loved her “sister time” (and sister-in-law time) – playing cards, sewing quilts, and cooking and baking together. All of us kids have a couple of her homemade quilts, and she made each of her grandchildren a special baby quilt at birth and a larger one for their high school graduation. Potholders were her specialty, and she gave many of those to her kids, grandkids, and other friends and family who happened to stop by.

When Mom started needing care her family showed up often, and we are beyond grateful for them.

__________

Home Sweet Home

Mom and Dad took pristine care of their home and yard, and it was evident each time we visited. We made so many great memories there, and while the house was small, we continued to congregate there as our family grew in size. “I’ll be home for Christmas” took on new meaning each year, and I’m so happy that my boys experienced this joy along with their grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins.

Moving Mom and Dad out of their forever home started a difficult journey. Dad was failing physically, while Mom was becoming more and more confused. They eventually needed full-time care, and we reluctantly moved them into Good Sam’s Nursing Home, where our older sister works. Lauri has been our saving grace, being there for Mom and Dad whenever needed and then some. Our family is so spread out, and navigating the waters of time and distance has been tricky, and far from perfect. During Mom’s final moments and over the past week, Lauri’s diligent attention to the details of the Visitation and Funeral services, and her compassionate consideration of our dad and all of us, have left us extremely thankful.

__________

Deeply loved. May she rest in peace.

Our childhood home stands across from the beautiful St. Joe church; the place we were baptized, where we attended weekly (and sometimes daily) mass, where some of us were married, and the building that grounds us still today. Mom’s funeral took place here, and she was laid to rest in the cemetery behind the church (where my sister recently took this photo). It’s the same place we played as kids – flashlight tag and sledding down the hill – and also, the same place our family circled on countless walks for exercise or just to stroll and view our small village from the hillside.

I feel peace when I look at this beautiful sunrise, with that church steeple that we know and love. Our mother is finally at peace, and so deeply loved.