Christmas! Ahh, the perfect combination of hustle and bustle and peaceful anticipation of our Savior's birth. We keep our festivities simple yet enjoy participating in some of the festivities the season brings. We have some yearly traditions (I know this is something that some people shy away from because traditions can start to feel like obligations, but for us we find them fun and a way to connect with our little family). The first thing we do, the weekend after Thanksgiving, is make a trip to the Christmas tree farm and pick out our tree. It's a simple trip that gets everyone a hay ride, Christmas tree, and a fun sucker from the gift shop. It's when Christmas gets real and the kids leave there so excited they could bust! Our tree this year had a nice lean to it, but it was our tree and for a month, it's soft glow reminded us of this wonderful season and how special it is!
Of course December now includes a precious birthday! Analeigh was all into Christmas fashion and pretty Christmas nails this year. <3
December brings many recitals and shows with it. Ada had her winter show case at dance and she got to share a little routine from each of her classes; ballet, tap, and jazz. It was a great way to get us into the Christmas spirit, hearing the music and seeing all the happy kids ready for winter break and Christmas!
We attended a new event this year, the annual tree lighting, in down town Aiken. It was a fun evening of Christmas music, hot chocolate, family and Santa! Grady was one happy boy to sit on Santa's lap this year!
10 years ago, for Grayson's first Christmas we found this little children's advent wreath. If we had to pick one favorite Christmas thing, lighting this each week and having it illuminate each family meal, is most definitely a favorite! HOPE, PEACE, JOY, LOVE
The kids participate in the church Christmas play each year and did an absolutely wonderful job! Each of them had a speaking part and the two big kids had solo's as well. It was wonderful to watch and have aunts and uncles and cousins there to share it with! Ada also is a part of lyrical dancers at church and the Christmas dance by these little girls was just beautiful. A true reflection of what this season is about!
December is all about a good pair of matching pj's, hot chocolate in the middle of the day, and trying on all the Christmas dress hand-me-downs!
Every other year, there's a wonderful production, A Journey To Bethlehem. We have shyed away from attending because of long lines and lots of kids to keep entertained while we wait, but I have to say, it was most definitely worth it! The production was awesome. Grady's favorites were the Roman soldiers on horses, Ada's was baby Jesus and Mary, and Grayson's favorites were all the animals...they had sheep, donkey's and even camels! It was a fun time to be with family and a great way to spend time with my mom on my brother's birthday.
What better way to celebrate Christmas than a piano recital where you hear ALL the Christmas songs?! I love hearing my girl play...I do miss seeing Grayson up there, but he is very content with his decision to stop playing and I support that. Ada played "We Wish You A Merry Christmas" and "It Came Upon A Midnight Clear" and she did so beautifully!
Crafts! I love a good craft! We didn't do as much this year, but the few we did, we all loved it. It honestly just gets harder and harder to find time to do them as the kids grow and have all their extra obligations for school, chores, and extra curricular activities, but we will continue to squeeze them in when we can.
Non-negotiable Christmas tradition #2...Minivan Express...A night for pj's, hot chocolate, and Christmas light looking. We made a special trip to James Island Festival of Lights this year and it was wonderful. I do regret that the little one wasn't feeling 100% so our trip was cut a little short, but it gave us so much to look forward to next year, camping there for her birthday!
Cookies! What is Christmas without cookies?! My sister LOVES to bake and she has, for the last several years, included the kids in her Christmas baking. This year she made it extra special and filled them all out a recipe card to keep with their choice of cookie and then helped them make the cookies! We were able to package them up and make cookie deliveries to some of our favorite Sunday school teachers, family and friends in the area. It was a fun day!
Christmas eve is for our family. We enjoy giving the kids the gifts from mom and dad. We did a boy gift and girl gift this year and they were a big hit! We spent most of the day outside playing and enjoying the new toys!
Christmas Eve is also when we celebrate with my family. It was a fun time together, eating good food, sharing gifts and enjoying each others company!
The kids made a Jesus birthday cake, cookies for Santa and sprinkled some reindeer food and carrots outside...a fun Christmas Eve, indeed!
Christmas 2018!
First things first, we always sing happy birthday before gifts!
We tend to keep Christmas more tradition based and simple. We have always done 3 gifts for our children, because it works for our budget and space. It's fun to treat them, and it's fun to see them enjoy their new treats!
Grady's list this year was Star Wars Legos and tool set! He also got some jiu-jitsu wear.
Grayson really wanted a fishing pole and DS game (couldn't find the one he wanted but he was happy with the one he got) and jiu-jitsu wear for him as well!
Ada really wanted an ozobot...this thing is so cute! She attended a class at the library that had them and she loved it! Along with that, a bead craft set and ballet attire!
The little one kind of had her own Christmas because she wasn't up at 5 with the rest of them. The big kids did very well singing again with her and enjoying watching her open her gifts as well! She got a potty baby (hoping this motivates! ha!), paints and paper and little outfit. She figured out very quickly what this Christmas thing was all about and enjoyed every minute!
It was a perfect lazy day! Eating crock pot food, enjoying the new gifts, eating all the candy, and just loving on each other allllll day long!
Christmas always includes get togethers with cousins and those are always special days for the kids. They love playing and enjoying each other!
And with that, we say farewell to Christmas again. 2018 was a magical wonderful Christmas for these babies, and they make it loads of fun for us, too!
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