Family Traditions - New Years

When my brothers and I were all married, It didn't take very long to realize that Christmas was going to be different. With in-laws and alternating homes to celebrate, there would be some years where our "family" would never be together. Not all of us.

So my parents came up with a great tradition. Thanksgiving and Christmas were both holidays where every other year my brothers and their families were at their in-laws. 

So... my parents claimed New Years.

It was perfect. No one had claim on that holiday. Everyone was available. So it was set. Regardless of where any of us spend any other holiday of the year, we ALL spend a week together over New Years. My parents talk to all of us and then choose a destination. 

It is one of the best traditions our family has adopted, and it has been a great example to me of the need to adapt traditions as families grow and change. (Adaptation is a post for another day). My husband and I plan to carry the tradition on with our children. 

That is were we find ourselves now. We weren't all together for Christmas, but two days ago we all met in La Jolla, California. One of our favorite places in the whole world. It is where my brothers and I grew up and now that no one still lives here, not even my parents, we love coming back.

We are staying at a place called the La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club. I will tell you all about it next week because it is a wonderful place for families (pictures included).

Until then, it is time to get back to our family "tradition". The one that lets me relax, catch up with my brothers, and play on the beach with my family. ALL of them. Immediate and Extended. 

I hope you are all having a wonderful Holiday Season. I have felt so much gratitude this last year for all your comments and support and the wonderful new friends that have been made.

May you ring in the New Year surrounded by those you love. 

HOW ARE YOU GOING TO CELEBRATE THE NEW YEAR?

P.S. I made it a point this "season" to step away from technology and fully enjoy the family. 

Family Volley will return to it's regularly scheduled program once we are through the New Year. 

FAMILY FUN FRIDAY-Would you Rather!

With the holidays filled with family and friends there will be a lot time to fill. In the car, around the dinner table, once all the food has been eaten. Need something to talk about? Here is a silly game where you have to choose between two scenarios.

This game will have you laughing, A LOT!

All you Need..

The following list of "Would you Rather' questions. 

Print them off and take them with you over the holidays. Perfect for car trips too. 

The Rules...

Answering "NEITHER" is not an option.

Anyone and everyone can play. The questions are probably best suited for kids a little older (10 or so), and adults, but you can make up your own "Would you Rather"questions for little ones really easily. If you have young children who want to play, throw out a "would you rather eat broccoli or carrots?" Once you have read through a few you will find that scenarios specific to your family and lives will start to come to mind.

WOULD YOU RATHER...

Be the circus person that the knife thrower throws knives at-OR-the one who puts their head in the lion's mouth?

Slip your bare feet into a very moist pair of old bowling shoes-OR-walk barefoot in a gas station bathroom?

Wear a motorcycle helmet to bed every night-OR-always sleep with shoes and jeans on?

Have it rain rocks the size of baseballs-OR-rain darts?

Have five bottles stuck on the fingers of one hand for a year-OR-have a bucket stuck on your foot for a year?

Have all your friends be smarter than you-OR-have all your friends be much better looking than you?

Have a plugged nose-OR-perpetually plugged ears?

Have a nosy neighbor-OR-a noisy neighbor?

Have the ability to see 10 years into your own future-OR-one year into the future of the world?

Have to wear visible diapers for the rest of your life-OR-always have to drink and eat out of a bottle?

Sing every word you speak-OR-always speak in rhymes?

Be famous for being a genius-OR-for being good looking?

Suffer from unpredictable fainting spells-OR-from bouts of shouting?

Wind surf on shark inhabited waters-OR-hang glide over a forest fire?

Have one child who is totally out of control-OR-9 children who are well behaved angels?

Run across a hungry alligator's back-OR-run underneath an angry elephant?

As a man, have your grandmother's first name-OR-her haircut?

Eat a small can of cat food-OR-eat 7 whole lemons (seeds, pulp, juice, and rind)?

Go to your 20-year class reunion and have everybody comment on how old you look-OR-have nobody remember you at all?

Be known for your intelligence-OR-for your courage?

Live life in a small capsule in outer space-OR-in a small submarine at the bottom of the sea?

Paint a large wall with a toothbrush-OR-with a spoon?

Not be allowed to wash your hair for a month-OR-not be allowed to wash your hands for a month (not in the shower, not anywhere)?

Always have a little green piece of spinach stuck between your front teeth-OR-a little booger in your nose that moves when you breath?

Run a mile on a 6 inch deep bed of potatoes-OR-swim a quarter mile through maple syrup 12 feet deep?

Lose you wallet-OR-lose your keys?

Be 6 feet tall and ugly-OR-3 feet tall and beautiful?

Have to use a toilet that is unbelievable filthy and gross-OR-use one that's clean but has one dozen small jumping fish in it?

Win one hundred thousand dollars at age 20-OR-win ten million dollars at age 60?

Age only from the neck up-OR-age only from the neck down?

Spend every minute for the rest of your life indoors-OR-outdoors?

Have the power to read minds-OR-have the power to make anyone fall in love with you?

Trust everyone-OR trust no one?

Go back in time and magically prevent the Titanic from sinking-OR-magically prevent the Stock Market from crashing in 1929?

Live in a home without electricity-OR-in a home without running water?

Never be able to drive on the freeway again-OR-never again make a green light?

Have to learn to walk all over again-OR-learn to write all over again?

Try to pogo stick on ice-OR-skateboard down a steep slope covered with sand?

Get everywhere by crawling-OR-have to stand on your hands when you are stationary?

Have to spend a month with no explanation wearing a cape everywhere you go-OR-wearing an eye patch and carrying a walking stick?

Age only from the neck up-OR-from the neck down?

Eat ice cream flavored poop-OR-poop flavored ice cream? 

(Our son laughed at this for 15 minutes. 8 year old humor).

Run across a hungry alligator's back-OR-run underneath an angry elephant?

Happy Holidays!

Family Traditions - The Passing of Ornaments

Years ago, 33 years to be exact, my grandmother started a tradition. Every year at Christmas she would give me a new Christmas ornament. It was one of my favorite parts of the holiday.

The ornaments were always different. They usually included the year. Sometimes on the back, sometimes on the front. 

They might represent hobbies I was enjoying that year, sports I played, vacations we might have taken, or vacations my grandparents had taken. Or they reminded my grandmother of me. Some were funny, some were sweet. Each one was perfect. Much thought and love was put into every choice. 

As a child, when my mom pulled out the ornaments to decorate our tree, I would sit down to reminisce. I loved looking at all the ornaments and talking about them. Remembering where they were from and why my grandma gave them to me. 

When my husband and I got married we received lots of very nice gifts. Perhaps the most special of them all, came in a big silver box from my mother. 

She had taken all the ornaments that my grandmother had given to me over the years, all of them, and gave them to my husband and me. That had been the plan all along.

Our first Christmas we didn't have a naked tree. We had a tree filled with beautiful ornaments and memories. I sat with my husband and he patiently listened as I told him about each one. We carefully hung them and felt gratitude for the "full" tree and "full" hearts we had that year. 

When we had our first child my grandmother continued the tradition with him. He got one ornament before she passed away.

My grandfather carried on the tradition until he passed away, and now my mother has taken over. 

The grandkids get ornaments each year from my mother, their grandmother. 

I am not looking forward to them getting married any time soon. I am still coming to grips with the fact that our oldest is 8. (I know I just birthed him yesterday.)

I am looking forward to the day that I can wrap up all their ornaments in a silver box and give them their collection. I hope it brings them joy and peace and feelings of gratitude, just as it has for me, each and every Christmas Season. 

Do you have any favorite family traditions?

FAMILY FUN FRIDAY! Gingerbread Houses

Every year, before Christmas, our family gets together to make gingerbread houses. It is one of our family's favorite holiday traditions. 

You Will Need

*Graham Crackers.

*Anything and Everything for decorating.

*Cement Frosting. Recipe to Follow. 

*Cardboard covered in tin foil. One large piece for every person.
   

Take your cardboard and cover it in tinfoil. This will be your base. 

Gather all the GOODS. We open the panty and grab everything we can see. This is a perfect way to use left over Halloween Candy too.

Make the Frosting. Let me tell you. This is the best gingerbread house frosting EVER. Works every time and it tastes good (for when you have to lick your hands).

1 Batch of Cement Frosting. 

1lb. powdered sugar

3 egg whites

1/2 tsp Cream of Tartar.

Add all together and beat on medium high speed for 7-9 minutes. I always beat for 9 minutes. Put it into a piping bag (or a ziplock will work), snip the end to make a tip, and start decorating. 

There were 8 people making houses tonight and I made 4 batches of the frosting. You don't have to make each batch separately. I put the ingredients for all four batches in together.

Give everyone a piece of cardboard, a pack of graham crackers and a bag of frosting. 

LET THE FUN BEGIN!!!

Just getting started. Look at that concentration.  

***FUN MODIFICATION***

To switch things up a bit. Put the names of different buildings into a hat and let everyone choose what it is they are going to make. For example. Town hall, post office, grocery store (general store), church, house, etc. What ever you pick is what you make. When everyone is done you will have made your own little town. You can even get a cloth, or big board and put everything on display. Once everyone is done with their buildings, help make roads and street signs. Don't forget the trees. Sometimes it is hard for people to think of something to do. This will help give some structure and guidelines. 

Have a wonderful weekend.

Christmas is only a week away. Yikes!

Home for the Holidays-Family Activities

The kids will be out of school in a day or two. That means they will be home all day, ready for some holiday fun. It is a great time of year to draw closer to one another, serve others and have some fun. I put together a list of 21 of our favorite ideas for family fun. Put them on your list and check them twice.

Don't miss my favorites: #2, #3, #4, #9, #12, #14, #16, #17, #19. I have lots of favorites. Wink.

**If you have an advent calendar, why not replace some of the candy and treats with slips of paper that list some of these fun family activities. Your kids will love the time together. **

1. Family Movie Night. Watch a favorite Christmas movie together. Don’t forget the popcorn.

2. Drive around town and look at Christmas lights. Take a little treat for the house with the "Best Christmas Lights". Leave it on their porch with a little note. Make hot chocolate for everyone and take it with you to drink as you go. Make sure the cups have lids to avoid the spills. The paper cups with lids that they sell at the grocery store work great. 

3. Read about holiday traditions around the world. Teach your children where their ancestors came from and learn about the traditions there. You could even make a traditional treat from the country. It is very easy to find recipes on line.

4. Make Christmas sugar cookies. Let the kids help decorate. Even your little ones can help. Not only can they decorate, but frost also. Just have them use the back of a spoon instead of a knife.

5. Bake a treat (like the cookies above) and deliver them to a few of your neighbors.

6. Go caroling. While you're delivering the cookies to your neighbors sing them a little song. It might put your family a little out of their comfort zone, but it a great opportunity for your family to do something hard together. And it will provide a lot of laughs.

7. Write letters to Santa. Drop them off at your local mall. 

8. Make Rice Krispie Treats, or popcorn balls. Add crushed pieces of candy cane to make them festive.

9. Make ornaments for the birds. Simple sugar cookies will work. Before you bake them, take a straw and put a little hole toward the top. Make sure it is big enough to not close up when they bake. Over-bake them so they are brown and crispy. String a thread through the hole and let the kids hang them outside in your trees. Be sure you put them by a window so your kids can watch the birds eat. We like to spread ours with peanut butter once they cool. The birds love it. You could also pick up some pinecones from outside and cover those in peanut butter, then hang them. If you have birdseed lying around, roll the peanut butter cones in seeds before you hang them.

10. Have a little outside snow party. Bundle up and sit on the porch and drink hot chocolate.

11. Have a hot chocolate party. Make a few different types of hot chocolate and let everyone decide what they want to put in theirs. Candy canes, shaved chocolate pieces, sprinkles, mint extract, whipped cream. The possibilities are endless.

12. Ask the kids to collect all the toys they don’t like or play with any more. Donate them to kids in need. Take the kids with you to make the donation. It will make a big impression on them. This will also help un-clutter your house. You can also do a Sub for Santa and provide Christmas for another family. 

13. Visit the senior citizens center or local hospital and sing to the patients. Be sure you call first to find out what their policies are.

14. Turn on some holiday music and play Freeze Dance. You kids will love it. You control the music, when you turn it on, your kids dance around the room however they want. When you stop the music they have to freeze and stay in the position. Have everyone look around and laugh as they look at the silly faces and positions everyone has found themselves in. It doesn’t matter the age, all kids “feel” music and will move with it. Our kids could play this for hours. You can get active also. Instead of sitting while they play. Get up and dance with them.

15. Make a paper chain to countdown to Christmas. Just link strips of paper together and have the kids take one off each day until Santa makes his appearance.

16. Make gingerbread houses. We have made this a family tradition. Grandma, grandpa, aunts, uncles and cousins alike. We are doing this tomorrow. I will post pictures and give you the best cement frosting recipe ever.

17. Head to your local library and check out a bunch of holiday books. Read a different one each night before bed. Or, sit down for a little read-a-thon and read all of them at one time. This could be a great Christmas Eve tradition. Don’t forget the popcorn and hot chocolate.

18. Help your kids make homemade gifts for the family. It doesn’t have to be fancy. Let them get creative. 

19. Don’t want to make the gifts. Take each of the kids to the mall for their own little shopping trip. Or better yet, take them to the dollar store and let them shop for family members. They can choose what ever they want and you don’t have to tell them no because it is too expensive.

20. When it snows, build a snowman. Go sledding. Make snow angels.

21. Make Rice Krispie Treat Trees. Make regular rice krispie treats but add some green food coloring to the melted marshmallow. Add the crisp cereal and spread evenly in a 9x13 inch pan. While they are still warm, use a tree shaped cookie cutter to cut out the trees. Have some little candies like M&M’s ready and let the kids decorate the trees. 

WHICH ACTIVITIES WILL YOUR FAMILY ENJOY?
DO YOU HAVE ANY FAVORITES WE SHOULD ADD TO THE LIST?

Toddlers Need to PLAY and Moms Need to Stay Sane

Spend a few minutes with little ones and you realize very quickly that they love to play. The next time you find yourself wondering if you can spend one more minute playing dolls or kitchen, remember all the MAJOR BENEFITS that come to kids from playing. It will make it a lot easier to go one more round. Plus, a few suggestions for keeping YOUR sanity while you play.

Here are some of the major benefits of toddler play.

1. For toddlers, play time is about learning BY doing. Kids make discoveries about the world around them through their playful explorations.

2. Playtime is your toddler's chance to develop and stretch their imagination. They can be anything they want to be. A princess, a superhero, a fireman, anything. I remember when our son was 3, he was really into animals. He pretended to be a different animal every week. One week he was a dog, and then a cat, and when he ran out of animals that people have as pets, it changed to animals in the zoo. He would pretend when we were at home, in a store, at the dinner table, everywhere.

3. Experimenting through play helps children figure out what they are good at. This builds CONFIDENCE and SELF-ESTEEM. The research on this point is extensive. Kids who play have higher self-esteem and more confidence in themselves.

4. Play helps little ones learn to control their emotions like frustration, sadness, and anger.

5. Playing prepares children for socializing with other. It gives them opportunities to take turns, share and cooperate.

6. Kids who play have better language development and communication skills. Talking to themselves, to you, or their dolls and trucks builds these skills.

7. Playtime makes kids feel strong. "Mommy, look what I can do"!

8. Using puzzles, crayons and blocks develops fine motor skills and hand eye coordination. Simple play tasks like dressing dolls and snapping and buttoning develops these same important skills.

9. Active play develops good health and fitness at a young age. Ring around the rosy, hula hoop, tag and duck duck goose disguise exercise as fun.

10. Play builds problem solving skills. When kids build forts, draw pictures, and play chef, it causes them to have to figure out how to make things work.

11. Playing is fun. Young children don't need to be enrolled in a million extracurricular activities. They need to be kids and play. The stimulation and learning that comes from play is the most important way for them to spend their time.

Is it hard for you to keep your sanity when your toddler wants you to play with them all day? Those are normal feelings. Here are some suggestions to help.  

First. Toddlers love to be "copy cats". Include them when you do your chores and jobs. Ask them if they want to PLAY WITH YOU. They will love to help. Sure, it might slow down the chores a little, but it teaches them while you work and builds memories they will never forget. Our kids love to help with the laundry. I have a stool by the washer and after we bring the clothes down, they stand on the stool and throw them into the water. When I cook, our daughter gets a wooden spoon and plastic bowl. We fill it with play food and cook together. Plus, this builds positive feelings about work in your children.

Second. Flashback. Be a kid. Think of the activity from your child's perspective. Get down on the floor and play. You will see that as soon as you are willing to fully invest, it actually becomes a lot more fun. Our 2 year old loves to play pretend kitchen. As soon as I set the table and really start to imagine the activity from a child's point of view, the experience becomes so much better. I also start to get inspired. I get more creative and can make the experience more fun for her.
We also have to let down our guard. Sometimes playing like a kid makes us feel "silly". Back to when our son was going through his animal phases, he would want me to play along. I fought it for so long because I felt silly. One day we were at the grocery store and he was talking to me in dog talk. I remember feeling embarrassed by what others around me might think. Then it hit me, who is more important, my son, or the strangers in line with me? The answer was obvious. It didn't mean I started barking loudly, but I started to play along. We had so much fun that day and as I left the store a wise grandmother tapped my shoulder. "He will remember that forever", she said. I learned a good lesson that day. It is okay to play. That is part of my job as a mom.

Next. Play hard but not necessarily long. Giving your child all you have in short spurts is better for you and for your child, instead of pretending for hours that you are interested in the game. Our kids know when we are faking it. It is more important to be in the moment, and then, when you need to move on it will be okay. They will know you have been fully invested and so will you.

Next. You choose the activity. Most times your kids don't care what they play, they just want to play. Pick something you like. I love to color. Love it. When the activity they want me to engage in is starting to weight on me, I suggest coloring. They are always excited and I am too.

Last. Parallel play. Playing with your child doesn't always mean you have to be doing the same thing. They can color or look at books while you do something next to them that you need to do. Lots of times our children just want us to be around them so they are not alone.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE GAME TO PLAY WITH YOUR KIDS?
DOES PLAYING EVER MAKE YOU CRAZY?

FAMILY FUN FRIDAY! Elf on the Shelf- Modification Included

This is a FUN FAMILY TRADITION. 

It's not too late to start this year. 

You Will Need...

One Elf

Any Elf will do. It can be a girl elf or a boy elf, old or new. A good place to find your elf, your grandparents house. They seem to always have the perfect elf sitting around. 

How To Play...

First...Name your elf. That will give him his magic powers and bring him to life. 

Next...Explain the rules. 

*Every Christmas season the elf leaves the North Pole and comes to your house. The elf's job is to be the eyes and ears for Santa. Santa can't be everywhere to see who is naughty and nice. He needs his elf on the shelf to help.

*The elf listens and watches and then gives a report back to Santa.

*Each night, the elf flies home to the North Pole and gives his report. 

*The elf arrives back at the house every day in a different location, ready to watch and listen again. 

*Children are not allowed to touch the elf. If they do his Christmas magic will disappear. 

*The elf does not speak to children, but he can and does speak with parents. 

*Parents can send and receive messages from Santa through the elf.

To recap...Every day the elf will appear on a different "shelf". Or in a different location in your home. The elf is there to watch over your children and see if they are being naughty or nice. The elf flies back to the North Pole every night and gives his report to Santa. Then he flies back and reappears the next day in a new location in your home. On Christmas Eve the elf can either fly home for good, until next year, or he can come back for Christmas Day to watch the children open their gifts. You decide. 

Added benefits...

Your children will look forward to this tradition every year. They will absolutely LOVE. IT. 

You will find that your children actually behave better. Not wanting the Elf to give Santa a negative report.

There will be a lot of excitement around "finding" the elf each day in his new location.

Modification...

You don't have to celebrate Christmas or Santa to have your own "elf on a shelf". And, if you do celebrate Christmas but don't want the focus to be so much on the commercialism but more on Christ, this will still work great in your home. Choose a different character or object to watch over your family. Instead of emphasizing the naughty or nice, have your character watch for ways that family members or children serve one another, good deeds children do, and situations where children are being obedient. Your character can report to parents or magically write about the kindness on a family chart that is on display. Instead of making it an individual "competition" see if your children can collectively fill up the chart with good deeds and when they do, do something fun together as a family. When the chart is full read through all the good that has been done. It will be fun for your family to re-live all the great things they have done for one another. (You could also fill a jar with slips of paper where the good works are written. You could fill a glass jar with marbles or candies for each good thing done, etc...)

Remember...

As with all family traditions, make it your own. Do what works best for you. Modify. 

Don't like the idea of Santa, no big deal (see the modification above). Don't like elves, use something else. Think outside the box when you find places for the elf to observe. You don't have to make this a "heavy" tradition. Meaning, you don't need to use the elf as a threat, constantly pointing out the elf and his watchful eye. Keep it fun and light with gentle reminders and you will see that children naturally want to be good and do good. 

DO ANY OF YOU HAVE THE ELF ON THE SHELF TRADITION?

WHAT MODIFICATIONS HAVE YOU MADE?

I would love to hear if you adopt this tradition in your home. Le me know how it goes. 

Don't Mess With Holiday Traditions - To Wrap or Not To Wrap

Christmas Morning 2009

Waiting to see if Santa came.

Christmas Eve 5 years ago. Our son was three and a half and we knew that this year he would remember what happened at Christmas. It had to be perfect. 

It was late and the kids were fast asleep. I sat down to start getting Santa's gifts ready. I was surrounded by bags when my husband walked into the room.

"Where is the wrapping paper and I will help you"? He said.

"I would love some help, thanks".

"Okay, so where is the wrapping paper"?

"There is a little down stairs, why"?

"To wrap the gifts." he said.

"What gifts". I said, concerned.

"From Santa". He responded.

I laughed, "What? Santa doesn't wrap his gifts". I said.

"Yes, he does". My husband said.

"OH. NO. HE. DOESN'T". I said.

"OH. YES. HE. DOES". My husband said.

And so it continued, for the next FIVE hours, into the wee hours of the morning. We went back and forth and back and forth and back and forth over this Christmas tradition.

You see, when Santa came to my house as a child, gifts were not wrapped. They were set out by child and each of us had a special spot in the room. My gifts were on the chair, and my brother's gifts shared the couch. The small gifts in our stockings were sometimes wrapped, but the main gifts from Santa, THEY WERE NEVER WRAPPED. SANTA DOESN'T WRAP GIFTS.

My husband completely disagreed. In his house growing up, Santa wrapped everything.

How silly. That didn't even make sense to me. Still doesn't for that matter. Never the less, that was my husband's tradition and he wanted to see it carried on to our family as badly as I wanted to see my Santa tradition carried on.

I had dreamed of the day that our kids would run down the stairs to see their gifts on display.

My husband and I don't scream and yell at one another when we disagree, and we didn't that night either, although we got close. Really close. I can tell you there was a lot of crying (by me), and going to bed at 4 am on Christmas Eve does not make for a very enjoyable Christmas Day.

We argued our cases and the more I cried (I mean talked) the more I realized how strongly our beliefs stemmed from our traditions growing up.

We were at a stand still. No one wanted to move. How could we, you don't challenge Christmas Traditions. In fact, I didn't even know I cared whether Santa wrapped his gifts or not until my husband challenged my tradition.

If we wrapped Santa's gifts our kids would miss out on all the great Christmas memories I had growing up. I knew that what ever we choose that night would have to be the tradition forever. We couldn't switch back and forth.

That was the worst Christmas I have ever had. I woke up after only two and a half hours sleep, frustrated, hurt and still upset. I faked it all day long.

For most families November and December are filled with more family traditions than any other time of year. Traditions passed on through generations. Traditions that mean so much to us that we make sacrifices of time and energy, money and sleep, to make sure they happen. 

You don't dare mess with holiday traditions. In fact, for couples, compromising on holiday traditions brings more contention than money or intimacy. That is a lot of stress. Questions like, Where do we spend Christmas, do we open one gift on Christmas Eve, do we give matching pajamas to everyone in the family? 

How can we ease the frustrations that come over holiday traditions?

Two things...

1. Talk about your expectations for holidays and traditions before they hit. Discuss what means the most to you and why. Remember, you are not the only one with traditions that you love. Your spouse has his/her favorites also. Talk about it in advance. It would have been a lot easier to talk to my husband about all of this in July, instead of on Christmas Eve. 

2. Create your own family traditions.

It is natural to carry on your family traditions. It is important. Research shows we take about 50% of what we did in our families growing up, with us when we get married. We just don't want to get caught up in keeping score. Your traditions or mine. 

The best thing to do, create some of your own traditions. Unique to your family. Traditions that don't belong to either of your families. New traditions just for you. 

For example... My husband spent a few years in Germany. His time there made a huge impact on him. It only makes sense that we incorporate some German Christmas traditions into our family. My parents don't do that. His parents don't do that. They are only our traditions. A challenge:  This year, establish a new family tradition, unique to you.

In your house, DOES SANTA WRAP HIS GIFTS OR NOT? I MUST KNOW.

HAVE YOU EVER DISAGREED ON A TRADITION?

***An added note***

At 4 am a settlement had been reached. Around 3:30 am, amongst much anguish, something hit me. I realized that my husband had never, ever fought for any of his family traditions before. Ever. Our family has carried on traditions my family grew up doing. My husband likes them, he is fine with that. But I realized that he had never cared enough to fight before. If it meant so much to him that he was willing to fight for it, then it was important we did it the way he wanted. In our house Santa now wraps his gifts. 

And the Winner Is....Gift Giveaway Hop

What a great week and weekend. It is so fun to make new friends. Thank you to all of you who entered the Gift Giveaway Hop. 

I say this every time there is a giveaway on Family Volley. I wish that Everyone.Could.Win. That would really make my Christmas. Alas, that is not the case. 

Congratulations

The Winner of the Gift Hop is

Melanie

She said "I am a follower"

After catching up on Melanie's blog, I learned that she is in the process of building a new house and has been without an oven or stove. Goodness, what a woman. If you have any good crock pot recipes leave them in the comments on this post, she is taking suggestions. 

Melanie, Contact me before Wednesday night so we can get you your gift card to Target and Jasmere.

Now that the Hop is over, it is back to our regular scheduled program. December will be filled with lots of great ideas about things to do with your family, how to ease the rush of the holidays, as well as more great advice and tips on parenting and relationships. Can't wait to hear all about what you are doing to celebrate in your house. 

I hope all of you had a great weekend.