Update from the Pantry - December, 2024

 

What a year it has been—filled with adventure, growth, challenges, and every emotion imaginable. I’ve been bursting with excitement to share some of my favorite holiday recipes and thoughtful gifts to give, straight from the heart of my kitchen.

 

If you’re like me, the holiday season brings a wave of nostalgia. During the 13 years I spent watching my mother—and eventually my father—slip further into the disease, I learned a lot about myself. The holidays taught me to embrace the beauty of simple moments as Alzheimer's reshaped our traditions. I learned to let go of perfection, focusing instead on patience, love, and finding joy in their smiles, even when words or memories faded. Every challenge, every stumble, and every lesson helped shape who I am today and who I will be tomorrow. It was in those most difficult moments with my parents that I found the opportunity to grow, to forgive, to embrace each day with more understanding, and to move through life with a little more grace.

 

Thank you for your unwavering support, emails, kind words, and generosity. You have helped turn a simple idea of a cookbook for my children into a journey of memories, honoring those who have gone before us with a source of hope and a way to make a difference for those living with the challenges of Alzheimer's or other dementia. Your encouragement reinforces that this journey is exactly where I am meant to be… and it’s pretty darn exciting. I hope you'll join me. /kg