November 2 in Mexico and Latin America is known as La Dia del Muertos or the day of the dead. A day (well a few days, actually...) where people remember and honor their ancestors and friends who have died. Todd and I really liked this celebration of loved ones which we witnessed first hand in Mexico last year. This year we decided to make our own "ofrenda" or offering to our dearly departed to show our remembrance and love. Our humbled honorings included items that we associated with them. 
For my Grandma Wedekind, I offered a Louis L'Amour novel, who I remembered curled up in a chair and reading on a Friday night, and a potato to represent a family favorite food, potato dumplings, which she made all of us learn to make and love to eat.
For Grandpa Rollie I provided old fashioned peanut butter which he loved and Brachs bridge mix for Grandpa Vic as well as an orange, because when he traveled to Texas every winter, he'd drive 5 extra miles to get a better deal on a bag of them. 
For our beloved Grandma Alice, we provided lots of flowers as she was a gardener. For Nanette, an old friend of Todd's, a vodka gimlet, and for Tasha, our first German Shepherd, her favorite treats.The purpose of this day is to remember. To be taken back in time and really understand what our family and friends meant to and taught us, what can we pass on and how we loved each one.
What a great celebration!
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