Finding your OWN traditions...

Every family needs to find their very own traditions.  Things that are special, things that celebrate each other's personalities, and things that ultimately bring honor and glory to the Lord.

I grew up in a family that did not have many traditions.  Of course we had family vacations, we had a Christmas tree, we played Christmas music, but we didn't do the same special things year after year that I looked forward to as a child.  I'm not saying my parents were wrong, or that they didn't love us, because they did love us very much, but I am saying that family traditions can be really, really special, especially for little ones.

In just 9 days our Julia Star will turn 4, so Christmas time is extra special for all of us because we remember our first Christmas being pregnant with Julia being so exciting!  I was super big, and super ready for her to come join our family, and John finally gave me the key to her nursery that he had been working on for months on Christmas morning to surprise me!

This year I decided to do something special for Julia...we got her nails done at a salon!  Now, she is a nail polish pro, she loves it, but she's never gotten a full manicure at the salon before, and she was in all her glory today (Thursday, Dec 22) as Mark and I watched her get her nails painted.  She got Christmas red, and pink flowers on two of the nails.

I think this will be one of our girl traditions for Julia!




As for my Marky boy, who no longer cries during hair cuts, but now asks for Ms. Debbie at Snip and Snap Kids to cut his hair...

I took him on Wednesday, Dec 21, to get a hair trim, and boy was he brave.  Not a whimper, or a cry, he picked out his toys, he picked out his train to sit on, and he sat oh, so perfectly as Debbie did his hair.

And he looked so handsome when it was all done!

Nothing like getting a nice new hair cut before Christmas!

Another tradition for my boy...










And today we went caroling with about 9 moms (from our home school, and mops group), and 21+ kids!  It was so fun.  We met up at my buddy Bianca's house and the kids were given bells and lights to carry...we walked around her neighborhood picking the houses nearby that were lit up and we sang: Silent Night, Away in the Manger, Jingle Bells, and We Wish You a Merry Christmas!  Julia sang her heart out, and Mark rang his bell and held his little light high...another tradition in the works...

Then we headed back to Bianca's house for cookies and hot chocolate...and I wish you could've seen how many marshmallows mark put in his cup!  He was having a blast.

I love this time of the year when you get to spoil those around you and just love on people!

Merry Christmas!