Morning Traditions

I must admit, I LOVE the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas! It's the excitement of the holiday, the looking forward to a time of giving, the planning of special occasions, the arrival of Buddy-our Christmas Elf, and the daily opening of the Advent Calendar! The kids love to see what's in that calendar...I place a scripture to read inside and then a fun activity that ties along with it. Sometimes it's a fun thing to go do, and sometimes it's a kind act- like choosing a toy to give away to someone less fortunate. AND, they get there little tiny chocolate piece too...no wonder they are so excited for the holiday season!

We invite Buddy, our Elf back each year on Thanksgiving night and sure enough, this year he came back with an aviator's leather jacket and goggles! And just like clockwork...Taylor jumped up at 5am to find him before Bubby did...his new "look" totally threw her off and she thought he was a completely different Elf..lol!  In the years past, Blake would walk Taylor around the house, helping her to find him, this year, she would wake at the crack of dawn (and sometimes before), just to race to find him first! 

Taylor spent a lot of time, talking to Buddy, giving him her wish lists, and asking him to deliver messages to Santa. Since he ended up working especially hard this season, we made him a little fleece scarf with "warm fuzzies" attached...it will keep him warm from the cold and feeling loved all year!

Thanksgiving

This Thanksgiving was different, although I normally love holidays, all of them...the planning, the cooking, the preparing...not this time. The thought of "having" to cook, clean and entertain didn't appeal to me much this year. I wasn't sure who was coming, who wanted to come, what to cook...I was just blah.

I decided to leave it up to the kids. I told them that since Daddy was off work, we could go explore a new place, eat out, do whatever we wanted. What did they want? "The same feast we do every year, of course!" Alrighty then, a normal traditional feast they shall get! We had turkey, gravy, mashed taters, green bean casserole, fresh warm rolls, cranberry sauce and stuffing. Pumpkin pie, berry cobbler, cakes...way too many goodies! Aunt Susie and Uncle Danny came, we stuffed our tummies, and then played LCR with real money...Taylor and Aunt Susie kept winning, it was a fun day. I'm glad we stayed to our family traditions. Good ol' kids keeping us in line, after all, we have so much to be thankful for.

When we came out of our "food-coma", we started digging out the Christmas decorations! I love this part! The kids each got a special NEW ornament to hang this year. Then we opened up all the year's past ornaments, that contain special written memories in them...even Blake was looking forward to hearing them! Daddy unpacked them while the kids hung them.

 

 After getting the tree done, we took time to read our Elf of the Shelf book. We are all excited to invite Buddy back on Thanksgiving night. Taylor got to help read the book this year.

 

 

 

Blake's 5th Grade Fall Party

I can sure tell that the kids are getting older...bigger, rowdier, wilder, crazier!! lol! It was a pretty wild party! Happy to be there :)

November happenings...

First Snow of the season!!!

 

 

 Getting ready for Turkey Day!!!

 

 Friends!!!