Traditions New and Old

What a great Christmas. So many fun firsts for us. My son was in his real first School play. He made me nervous because you can always tell when Silver is nervous because his eyes water. So every time they would sing or after saying a part he would wipe his eyes. It looks like he is crying but its his way in getting rid of the nerves.
Gingerbread houses was something I always wanted to do but it always seem to slip from me. I actually thought it was hard. Teave loved it because there was all this candy right in front of him. But it was torture for him and at seperate times he was on the other side of the table trying to grab the candy. Little Silvers actually looked better than mine and Mias. He did his himself and I helped Mia. Seriously I should have just had my son help her. But that has now created a tradition for us. Next years will be perfect, I heard a glue gun is better.

A tradition that we have done since Silver was born is going to get pictures with Santa and displaying them every year. I put out my five favorite every year. Their is an empty frame in the picture below waiting to be filled with the new one.

Christmas Eve has been spent at my parents house where she makes a big spread, we read the Navitity and put the kids to bed early. This year mom made food from my ancestors receipes. So many different dishes, one consisted of open face sandwhiches which the goal was to pile it as high as you can. Mom really out did herself this year. She is thinking pizza sounds easy next year.

It wasnt a normal Christmas Eve though. My husband had to work from 9pm to 2pm then 5pm to 9pm. So we spent the night at my parents and then went back over to our house when Siliva got home in the afternoon. We didnt want the kids to be tempted and we DIDNT want to do Christmas without him. It was hard to have him leave right after I felt he got home. ALL the same it was amazing. The Christmas spirit is always there no matter what. I was so Thankful for a healthy, happy family. Teave gave us such a scare by going through a rare blood disorder the day before Christmas Eve. He kept bruising real BAD and his Dr. wanted to draw his blood right away. The Dr. called it Autoimmune Idiopathic Thrombocytopenia purpura. In other words his platelets were being killed by his immune system. Scared us completely. The steroids helped greatly and so far so good. Sooo when I say I was thankful for a healthy family I truely meant it. Nothing else mattered.

We finally made it to Soldier Hollow. We have been wanting to go for sometime and never did. So we were excited when we were invited by some friends to go. Loved the experience and will now use it as a tradition.
Loved December and all the Magic it brings. I am so excited now to see what the whole next year has in store for us.

This was his first plea for the sweets

he will just try and help himself

and again.......

and again......mind you these shots are all seperate, after I remove the candy from him or take him off the table.

Our frame is waiting to be filled

We just took them to go see Santa. Mia wanted a picture by the horse and I am so glad she did because this has been my favorite pix so far.

Tis the Night before Christmas..........and all the stockings were hung by the chimney with care.

Christmas Eve day we went and saw Alvin and the Chipmunks 2 and lunch after. Always fun with the Terry Family.

Ever since they made their houses they have wanted to eat them. So I told them Christmas Eve they could. Ewww. But they could hardly wait to dig in. Oh well. They enjoyed fully. I am sure their Dentist will too.

Our Christmas Eve spread

Christmas Day Magic

Every year I get so excited for them to see that one thing that they hoped for actually happen. Priceless always!

Soldier Hollow