Oh the Christmas traditions! They are always important for our kids (they remind us what still needs to be checked off the list!) and so, as hard as it is to sometimes get all the things done, they are important for me. I hope that someday my small people will grow up and enjoy Christmastime with their own families (well, every holiday and change of the season) despite the hustle and bustle of all that surrounds this time of year. So far, they love it and seeing the joys of Christmas through a child's eyes is special. As much as I love a good tradition, I am trying to teach my kids that sometimes things don't always happen the way we expect or that sometimes we have to change things or try new things! This year was no exception...we had new fun things to do as well as changes to our "normal."
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| while Grandma was in town we went and painted pottery at Funky Monkey |
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| Mac got in BIG trouble right before this picture was taken...fun times (also: the paint colors will look so much brighter after they are put through the kiln) |
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| Annie and Finn before church |
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| After Finn read Luke 2 - the Christmas Story - to the whole congregation the girls sang with the little kids and the adult choir |
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| We ran out of time to go visit Santa at Patti's (and the times Santa was available was super limited.....aaaaaaaannnnnndddddd....the wait was crazy long and it was outside and cold!....) so I took the kids to the mall to see Santa and I was pleasantly surprised. The girls loved him and the boys were great sports. |
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| a new tradition! we started and finished a Christmas puzzle! (now that I actually have time off with my kids I have been able to do fun stuff like this!) |
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| Oreo Gingerbread Houses in PJs!! Normally we get together with Stacey for this kind of fun, but time was getting thin and we just didn't make it happen) |
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| Aunt Hannah showed up to help! |
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| Christmas Candlelight church service...my beautiful family! |
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| Maclyn and Kinley |
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| Right before this picture was taken, Ivy was running and her shoe tripped her up and she fell, smacking her head on the alter step and immediately getting a blue goose egg on her eyebrow. She took it like a champ and only cried a little, and even let me take pictures. (but you can tell she wasn't feeling very great) |
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| My poor Ivy girl the next morning - her baby eye was swollen shut! |
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| Cutting out Christmas cookies! |
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| Time to decorate! Usually Gamma and Poppy join in but we literally were in the middle of a blizzard and they didn't want to get out. Aunt Hannah and Adam braved the crazy cold and stayed until the blizzard was over. |
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| A beautiful Christmas black eye! |
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| Christmas Eve oculus fun |
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| I got sent upstairs while the family wrapped my presents on Christmas Eve...Axel joined me so I tried to get a selfie with him. He doesn't participate well with selfies! |
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| well. I tried. |