Our Christmas and Traditions

So, here is our Christmas in a few photos. We did take many many more, but they all turned out blurry! Anyone who likes to scrapbook KNOWS how frustrating that is!
Anyway . . . it was a good day, nonetheless

Traditions for Christmas Eve:

Tradition 1: We PLANT candy canes! Yep, we plant the starlight mints for Josh beacuse he likes minty things, and we plant sugar water with food coloring for Calvin's sweet candy canes (one year we planted sweet tarts for him). This candy cane magic only works on Christmas Eve. Christmas morning brings candy canes! (usually we have better soil - I had to scramble around in the dark to find some dirt for our box - I ALMOST forgot this year!)

Tradition 2: We track Santa on http://www.noradsanta.org/en/home.htm Our boys went to bed when Santa hit South America.

Tradition 3: We read the Christmas Story by the fire before going to bed (we hardly need a fire here . . . it is so warm sometimes!)

Tradition 4: Rudolph's nose is seen through the boys' bedroom window! We have a film of red plastic that works wonderfully well over a flashlight - add some jingle bells and we have a real Christmas wonder!

Tradition 5: Santa only brings three gifts to help us remember the three wise men and their gifts to the Savior . . . mom and dad fill in the rest.

Liv is still waking up ....

Greg is the one who woke us all up at 7:30 to open presents.

What a nice "brotherly" hug. I think Calvin was thanking Josh for his gift. :)

A lovely mess to clean up.

Now, let me explain our stockings....I LOVE or stockings despite their size . . . or should I say BECAUSE of their size? We have had these for the longest time and I have no plans to change any time soon. It doesn't take much to fill small stockings . Liv and I shared a hook because I couldn't find an inexpensive set of stocking holders . . . I should probably go shopping soon after Christmas to find one for next year.

Tradition 6: We buy a new ornament every year - this year's ornament is THE cutest thing! A few years ago someone gave us a player piano with two huge boxes of word rolls. We LOVE the thing. I found a player piano ornament! The pedals move, the roller "rolls" and the keys light up when it plays (the correct keys, too!) It plays 6 different songs. Check it out:

Tradition 7: (these are NOT in order) The very first ornament we hang each year is our "first Christmas Together". It is hard to believe we have been married 10 years this year. My how time flies.