Traditions

I really love the holidays! What I love most is all the fun traditions we have. It is nice to have the extra time as a family, and I hope my kids will look back on these as good times (not times that their Mom was a screaming, stressed out mess. They get enough of that the rest of the year!)


A number of years back we bought this gingerwood house that we decorate.

The kids have a blast with it. I have to sit on my hands and resist the urge to jump in there and make it neat and orderly.

We are not winning any contests with this little number, but it is festive none the less!

I love to bake for friends and neighbors. I usually try something new every year, which is a bit of a gamble. I love the above Christmas buttons. So easy and so good. I will definitely be making these again. I think I have eaten more than we gave away.


The above Oreo truffles were simple, but a bit time consuming. Pete loved them and says we have to make them again. Maybe he can be the one to hand dip 100 little balls into chocolate.

There is a drive through light display called Festival of Lights that we also do every year. The kids love popping their heads out of the top of the van while we drive around to see the lights. Pete looks like he his having fun too.

I have to admit, the kids usual gripe about picking out the tree. Not sure what their problem is. I always loved picking out the tree as a kid! Whatever.

This year they actually got into decorating it! Usually they each will hang 1 or 2 ornaments, then run back to whatever they were doing, leaving me and Vinnie to finish up. (Vinnie is a crack up. Every holiday he is all about the decorations and putting things out. I can always count on him!) This year they all stayed and hung up every last ornament! Which was nice, except it meant I had a lot more rearranging to do when all was said and done. I am willing to let the gingerwood house look like a mish-mash, but not the tree!


The final step, the tree topper!


This year I took all the boys to see the Nutcracker. I had done it once with Zach many years ago, but haven't done it since. We all really enjoyed ourselves, and decided it was going to be a yearly tradition from now on.


While this is Christopher's first year in preschool, we have been attending someones school Christmas program every year for many years. He was so excited about it, and is still singing "Away in a Manger" for us at the top of his lungs. If I ever get around to taking it off the video recorder and putting it on here you can hear it. Hilarious!
Of course there was no flash photography and we had a crappy seat to boot, so this is the best I got. Bummer.

And finally, the visit with Santa. I am not the type to force a kid to do this, and have let Zachary know that while I would like him to, he does not have to. When my Mom saw this picture she commented about how sweet and mature Zach was to do this for me. Then I had to admit to her that I paid him $5 to do it. And he would only get the $5 if he smiled. Hey, whatever works!

Happy Holidays to all!