Christmas Traditions

Christmas is one of my favorite times of the year, I think, because of traditions. This time of year I spend time with my family and we have traditions we have done for years and new ones we start. I thought it would be fun to share some of my family traditions.
CHRISTMAS EVE-for as long as I can remember my family always gotten together on Christmas eve for snacks-everyone brings snacks that have become tradition that we only make for Christmas eve. We usually eat in front of the TV watching Christmas specials or old Christmas movies. Afterwards we clean up (now my mom and dad have a pool table so everyone will be playing pool) and then Santa Claus rings Christmas bells outside and leaves a present for each child on the door step-usually the story is that the children have been extra good this year and Santa had to make room in his sleigh. My boys are always a little nervous to open the door so mom and grandma have to help while dad takes pictures and grandpa is mysteriously cold. I remember my parents and grandparents doing this when I was a child. I hope my children look back on this tradition as fondly as I do and pass it on.

CHRISTMAS DAY-this day always starts early. Grandma and Grandpa usually sneak up to see what Santa brought and a quick cup of coffee and Christmas bread/cinnamon rolls. Then they go home to get ready for everyone to come to their house. We go there around noon. Open presents and have Christmas dinner. Afterwards the kids play for awhile and everyone lounges or plays pool. Then we have pie and everyone goes home for a early evening. We usually come home and watch a movie as a family and put the boys to bed early because they are exhausted. By then so are mom and dad and we fall asleep on the couch.

These traditions have been in my family as long as I can remember and it is so fun to share them with John and my boys. So this year I can't wait to keep up old traditions and to start some new ones. Hope everyone has a Merry Christmas full of tradition.

Sitting On Santa's Lap(maybe)

So Santa was at Stewarts saturday. I asked both boys if they wanted to go and sit on his lap-and of course the immediate response is yes and excitement. That was of course until we were getting ready to leave. Riley was very excited and willing to sit on Santa's lap. But Kayden started to act a little worried and I asked what was wrong and he said he didn't want to sit on Santa's lap. I told him that was ok but maybe he could stand next to Santa and tell him what he wanted, he agreed. But when we got there he told me he was didn't want to stand next to him either-so he didn't-when I asked him how Santa will know what to get him for Christmas he didn't even have to think about it and said I will write him a letter. Sadly to say last year he did not sit on Santa's lap either. He is definetly my shy boy. So we will write a letter instead and all will be well. Merry Christmas!!

One of the Best Parts about being a MOM!

Kayden had his first kindergarten play today-I can't believe he is that old. The play was called Animotion and his class were polar bears. The teacher sent home a note about 2 weeks ago asking that all the kids be dressed in white pants and white shirts-now for those of you who have boys, you know that it is about impossible to find white pants for boys. So we settled for a white shirt and light grey athletic pants.

The play was really cute and Riley thought it was great. All week Kayden kept saying "I don't want to talk in the microphone." As you can tell he is quite shy in public like his parents, but watching him sit with his class I noticed that he is always talking to somebody, and every time I looked it was somebody different-mostly girls!(I think we're in trouble)

But I realized today that these are some of the funnest times with my kids-even if time is going a little to fast for me. My children are truly the greatest joys in my life. I just hope time doesn't past to quickly.

Halloween

The boys had a great Halloween this year. Kayden had a class party that he thought was way fun. Then we went to the Main Street Halloween Parade. We only made it a block in a hour-I think they need more organization. My sister-in-law Lindsey came with us(thank goodness). Riley was tired of walking after a half hour, so Lindsey and I took turns carrying him(he weighs 38 lbs). So when we got to the end of the 1st block we asked Kayden and Riley if they wanted to keep going-they said they were tired and wanted to go back to the truck(thank goodness). Maybe it will have more organization next year-I couldn't believe how many people were there. We still went trick or treating that night-and needless to say the boys got a ton of candy.

After trick or treating we went to grandma and grandpa's for sloppy joes. Unlce Cody came up dressed up as Danny Zuco from Grease-the boys thought he was hillarious-so did the rest of us.

Then saturday night my mom and dad had a halloween party-I couldn't stop laughing when I saw their costumes-my mom was a nun and my dad was Jesus. They were hillarious-my family definetly keeps me laughing.

I thought I would include some of the end of the summer photos that were on my camera. Before school started my mom and I took the boys to the dinosaur museum in Vernal. The rest are just fun pics of the boys.

Our summer was great! We had tons of fun doing things as a family. This year though John and I had tons of fun going on trips together on our motorcycle. We went to Moab in May with my Mom and Dad, Cody and Lindsey, and Tanner and his friend. We took a 4 day weekend there and could have used another day to explore-but I was ready to get home to my boys(this was the first time we have left them over night). Then in July we rode to Steamboat Springs, Co for another 4 day weekend with my Mom and Dad and Tanner. We had tons of fun there also. We learned it is cheaper in both places to rent condos than to get a hotel room. Tanner talked me into riding the Alpine slide with him. Dad also went with him. John and Mom wouldn't (yeah you know what I'm thinking). The boys had tons of fun this time staying with Uncle Cody and Aunt Lindsey. But again mom was ready to get home to her boys.

The Weights

Seems like yesterday we were getting married and had little babies-now we have crazy active lives. Kayden is in kindergarten now and Riley is 3 1/2 and growing like a weed. I can't believe another summer has passed and we are coming into the holidays again. Hard to believe this will be John and I's 8th holiday season together-but I am way excited for the holidays, our boys just keep getting funner every year.