We are People of Traditions

I apologize in advance if this sounds morbid or weird (this coming from the person who has her funeral directions written out and updates a letter to her husband and kids every year "just in case"), but I truly could die in 2013 and die happy. This Christmas has been the most memorable, FUN, special Christmas season I can ever remember having. And the coolest part is that it hasn't taken a ton of effort or felt like something I was obligated to do. Everything felt natural and exciting and relatively effortless, which is pretty awesome. We started some new traditions this year... Well, I think they are new traditions... they might just be a one-time thing, and that would be fine. But for this year they fit us perfectly and we had a ball doing them. In no particular order, below are our "first-times" for this Christmas:

1. Random Acts of Christmas Kindness

This is something I had seen on a blog and just loved, so I wanted to try it with the girls. Now in the interest of full disclosure, let me say that we missed several days and a few days we kind of cheated by counting things that we likely would have already done... and one day I counted going to a school play to support my students because I DID NOT feel like going to the play that day. But I did. And it was my RACK for the day. ;) Even still, it led to us doing things that we would not normally have done rather often and I hope it made things special for other people. A few of the things we did were give out Smoothie King cards to kids at Lee studying for finals (this was one of my favorites because it was a GORGEOUS day and it was so much fun to walk around campus, brightening the day of others), took snacks to the ICU waiting room at our hospital, taped quarters to buggies at Aldi, bought a snack for a cashier who checked us out at Target, took hot chocolate to teachers on morning duty, dropped a bag of tacos off to the fire dpt, donated to Soles for Souls, paid for the car behind us in line at a fast food restaurant, left a big tip, volunteered at a local organization to sort toys for a community Christmas, and others I'm not remembering. We made cards that we left or gave to the people when we did a RACK. I think the girls liked it as much as I did and I expect that it will become a new tradition. We learned some things, some things didn't work, etc, so we will be better at it next year, I think.

2. Cowboy/Cowgirl Gingerbread Christmas
I LOVE kids' parties. Love them. But other than birthdays, I seldom host them. This year I decided to have what was planned to be a Cowboy/Cowgirl Christmas Brunch but it had to be adapted to fit the kids' play practice schedule. We invited a small number of kids-- the cousins, Kelsey's friend from school, and two sibling sets from church (boys and girls)-- to come out to the house on a Saturday afternoon. Grandmother made gingerbread boys for me and the kids decorated them, then ate desserts, then spent the next hour riding Buck and running around the field. I am tremendously grateful that the weather cooperated and even more grateful that my kids have such wonderful people to spend time with and call their own. We are truly blessed by the people in our lives.

3. Pinterest Pajama Party
Speaking of LOVES-- I LOVE Pinterest... and my friends... and pajamas. :) This idea came about kind of out of nowhere and it was honestly one of my favorite things I have ever done. I just invited a bunch of girls from church and school and book club who love to craft to come over and bring a dish and a crafting project. We all wore pajamas, which made it that much more comfortable and fun, and we just had a ball. Several of my friends tease me because I supposedly have so many "best friends". (To that I must point out that I truly only refer to FOUR people who aren't family as my "best friends". And I really don't think that's an unusual amount.) But anyway, I realized at this Pinterest party that God has truly given me a network of girlfriends that I am so lucky to have. There were girls there who I would go to if I had parenting concerns, others I just love to laugh with, some who honestly are like accountability partners for me, girls I love to discuss a good book with, others who I don't hang out with as often but I know that they would always be there for me.... I realized how diverse my friends are and how lucky I am to have each and every one of them. And those four "best friends", only two of whom were present? I would give anything in this world for any one of them if she needed it.

4. Three Kings Party
Are you seeing a theme here? That maybe partying might be what makes me enjoy life? :) This event was incredibly cool for two reasons. Number one, I always say that I need to have couples over more often even though I seldom do. This was the night I did it this year. Number two, I wanted to theme the event AND I hoped to do something that would give back to someone else. I hit on the idea of calling it a "Three Kings Party", obviously referencing the Magi and the gifts they brought to Jesus. Since Claire's husband, Ryan, has deployed, I thought it would be neat to do something for him, so I asked what deployed soldiers needed. He mentioned books, cds, movies, and magazines, so I asked each couple to bring some. We ended up with STACKS of stuff (and more to come) to send them. Kraig and I so enjoyed getting to spend time with three of our favorite couples from church in a really comfortable, relaxed setting. (And I'm not gonna lie-- saying no kids was an EXCELLENT decision on my part.) ;) I think I want to continue this tradition every Christmas and pick a new cause each year.

5. Davis Minivan Express Night
We did this tonight and it was such fun! We put the girls to bed, then stocked the van with hot chocolate and popcorn. I started ringing a bell and yelling, "All Aboard!" When they appeared at the top of the steps, I told them to get a blanket and come to the van. We then drove around and looked at Christmas lights while sipping hot chocolate and munching on popcorn. It was such a simple thing but they loved it SO much and so did we. Emma kept saying, "Thank you for doing this! It's so much fun! Thank you!" I did have a moment on the way home when I realized that so many parents will never get to do this with their kids and it made me tear up. I then thought about the fact that I said I could die this year and die happy because I feel like we have made the most of Christmas... What if this were my last Christmas with one of them? Or with Kraig? Although the thought devastated me, it did remind me that THAT'S why it's so important to do these things... because you simply never know. Make all of the moments count.

That's all of the new traditions... Some of our other yearly traditions include our Elf on the Shelf (yeah, we're THOSE people), various family and church and school events, our shopping routine (Each year, we alternate girls and Kraig takes one shopping for me and the other one and I take one and shop for Kraig and the other. We go eat wherever she selects and just have a night alone with one child. It's so much fun and really special to us. I think this was year 4 or 5 for that.), decorating, watching "Elf" and "The Nativity Story", and other things I am not thinking of. For the past three years, some debilitating illness sweeping through the entire family over Christmas break has also been part of the tradition, but we are hoping this year will break that and thus far, it has. Fingers crossed.

I hope that we are creating a family culture in which our girls understand that we celebrate this season with gratitude for our Savior coming to this earth, not as the end, but as a beginning to an entire work of salvation... gratitude to Him for all that He has bless us with... and an opportunity to reach out to and bless others. I want them to see Christmas not as a time to think of all that they want, but a time to think of what they can give... to be more excited about giving gifts than receiving them. (Considering that they had such a hard time thinking of anything to ask for, either we have succeeded in this or we spoil them rotten the rest of the year....) ;)

So remember, all two blog readers out there... If I die this year, I will need you to direct people to this post (thus increasing my readership as well...) and tell them that I DIED HAPPY. :)