A New Tradition

We started a Jesse Tree with the boys this year.  You can google it to find out more info.  Basically there is an ornament for every day starting with December 1st and leading up to Christmas day.  It starts at the beginning of the old testament and shows how all the stories and events led up to the birth of Christ.  We really wanted to slow Christmastime down so that it would be enjoyable and not stressful.  We want it to be fun and "magical" but most of all we want the boys to always understand the true meaning of why we celebrate.  We want them to be grateful and not greedy.  We have had nights where the ornament didn't get added for that day but overall it has been a success.  I do hope that this is something the boys will grow to want to do each year and look forward to.  I want them to be able to tell us the stories instead of us telling them.  Carter has been able to do a few this year.  It has been good to sit after dinner and enjoy time as a family.  And to be real, that usually includes Aidan running around like a crazy person!

Lenox and The Pink Pig

On Monday we went to "the city" as the boys call it to see Santa and ride The Pink Pig.  Poor Aidan tried so hard to be brave to see and talk to Santa this year but when it was their turn he completely froze and just couldn't do it.  Carter had a good chat with him though! After the Santa visit we got our tickets to ride the pink pig.  I knew Carter was a bit old for it but Aidan loved it!!  Then we ran some errands and went to a sit down lunch at Another Broken Egg.  It was so good and the boys were awesome!  A fun morning spent in the "big city!"

Carter's Christmas Party

Luckily Carter's Christmas party was scheduled an hour after mine!  His class performed a Reader's Theatre to How The Grinch Stole Chirstmas.  I took my class with me and we all watched.  They did a great job! 

Aidan's Christmas Program and Party

I was able to take the morning off to go to Aidan's Christmas program and party.  The program was sweet with the 3's, 4's, and K-5 classes singing songs and saying verses.  Aidan was good for the first half then he was done.  He spotted a guitar pick across the stage and spent the last part of the program trying to get it.  He was so excited when his teacher got it for him! After the program we went back to his room for his party.  It was a fun morning spent at his school.

Unexpected Fun!

A few Saturday's ago we had some errands to run and weren't quite ready to go home yet. It was a beautiful day so we decided to go down to Dauset Trails. The boys and I went a few weeks ago but this was the first time that Ryan went. It was perfect weather and all the animals were really moving around. After that we stopped at Fresh Air for some amazingly good bbq! It looks like a shack on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere but its been there forever and it was pure yum!! Then we ended the day with driving through the light display at Atlanta Motor Speedway. It was neat because you actually drove under the grandstand at the racetrack. It was not planned but a very fun family day!

Merry Christmas!!