Christmas Traditions

I started a tradition back when Kadee was born that every year, the night we decorate our Christmas tree we would sleep out in the living room with all of the Christmas lights on. So this year we ordered Pizza, set up the tree and blew up the air mattress as a bed for the kids. Me and Daddy sleep on the couch next to them. We watched "Polar Express" and Kadee and me were the first to fall asleep. Cole stayed up to keep Daddy company! Soon everyone was fast asleep and another tradition was over.

Another tradition of mine is that every year I buy the kids a Hallmark Ornament that pretty much resembles something about them from the past year. I got this idea from a Hallmark commercial well before I had kids. It was about a little boy at school who brought in a box of ornaments for show and tell. He carefully told the class about each one and why his mom had bought it for him. I also have a close friend who's mother did this for her and I just thought it was a great idea!

Me and Charlie headed to the Hallmark store on Friday during our lunch break to pick out just the right ornaments for the kids this year. Cole's was pretty easy. He recently was at my sister's house while me and Charlie went to some friend's for dinner. My sister has an old wooden train set that her son used to play with that Cole absolutely loves. When we came to pick him up that night he surprised us with a new saying, "All Aboard!" He's not talking a whole lot yet but this was clear as day, what was even better was the head movements he makes when he says it. So as we perused through all of the ornaments looking for some type of choo-choo train Charlie found this one from the Polar Express, titled, you guessed it, "All Aboard".

One down, one to go. Kadee's ornament is always a little tougher to find. We looked and looked, and there were some cute ones but none stood out more than the Pink Barbie Princess. We decided on this one for several reasons. This year Kadence has really started to play with Barbies. She has a huge container full and loves taking at least two everywhere we go. She also got to pick out her Halloween costume for the first time and as you all may have seen, she picked out a pink glamour Barbie costume. I always thought I would have a little tomboy, but boy was I mistaken, she is a little girly girl and loves all that is pink and pretty! That's why we decided this ornament was perfect for her this year.