Sunday, December 12, 2010

traditions...old and new

After an entire month of blog posts in November, I seemed to have hit a dry spell. It's more like, happy to be enjoying all that this season beholds. We have been enjoying favorite traditions and have even started a few new ones.

Earlier this week, the boys received their yearly ornaments. I wrap them and we take turns opening them. This year, it was all about the sparkly ones. I tried to get everyone their favorite color (Tanner = blue, Carter = red, Garrett = green and Brody got the gold one because his favorite color changes all of the time). It's fun to watch them pick the perfect spot on the Christmas tree and carefully place them on there.












I was able to go Christmas caroling with the youth from church. We visited the folks at a local nursing home. We hand delivered hand made cards to each resident and then gathered in their rec room to sing Christmas carols. It was a very rewarding evening.













Up next, gingerbread houses. It just wouldn't be December without these candy laden homes. I got to help Garrett's class build their gingerbread houses this week. They all took their time and were very creative when it came to loading their houses with all of the sweets.



















We started a new twist to an old tradition in our home. We have always read a different Christmas book each night in December. After blog hopping a bit, I decided that I wanted to wrap 12 different Christmas books to count down the 12 days until Christmas. We will read the story of Christ's birth on Christmas day. I headed to our local library to pick up a few new stories. Garrett got to pick our first book this evening. We all sat around the Christmas tree and read The Night Before Christmas together as a family. The boys already have the books they want to unwrap/read all picked out.














I am finishing up our Christmas cards. We are spreading Christmas joy. We are enjoying our Christmas decorations throughout the house. We will be baking on Wednesday for our neighbors and friends. Christmas music has been on 24/7. I really do love everything about month of December.














What traditions are you enjoying this month?

7 comments:

Laurie said...

You are so cute! I am so sidetracked this December. I am hoping to get some things done during break.

mer said...

love all of the photos! we are enjoying our elf on a shelf and good behavior - hee hee! :)

Meridee said...

Such cute ideas. You motivate me to do more fun things with my kids. Thanks:)

katie said...

Gingerbread houses tomorrow with the 2nd graders. Should be fun! And your "jingle bells" picture with all of the other words on it....I have it too. I just printed it off last week, framed it, and love it. Not even sure where I first saw it.
Happy December!

Annie said...

i made sugar cookies on sunday. ate the entire batch alone. ok, not really. but i could have!

we have been working on our traditions. it's different with no kiddos around i think! but we make the best of it. including sleeping in!!! when there are kiddos around i am sure things will change.

i love your pics! and congrats to carter and his team. that is fantastic!

SheMilazzo said...

I love the book idea. I think I will add that to my traditions. I love to count down the 12 days.

The Henry's said...

I love your reading a different book each night and having it wrapped idea. I'm stealing that for next year. It would for sure help with the "can we open presents yet" I hear all day from Jalen (He's so excited!). I love the traditions that come with the Christmas season. We have our elf on a shelf. He is going to bring us our christmas jammies and ornaments on christmas eve. We love Christmas in the Park, driving around looking at lights in our jammies with hot chocolate. This year is Jalen's first year of getting it, so we are all Christmas, all the time around here. I love it.