KEEPING TRADITIONS ALIVE

So even though we are in the barn, a VERY small space, I tried to keep some of the traditions we do at Christmas time. We did have a tree....

it just wasn't 3 dimensional. I tried to do an outline of a tree in lights (I had seen it on pinterest) but I couldn't get the lights to hold. So I did the next best creative thing (also seen on pinterest) which actually turned out better I think. I cut a gigantic tree out of green felt. And then instead of hanging ornaments on the tree, I taped the Christmas cards we received throughout the season on it. It turned out really cute.

We also had Jack join us again...that hasn't nothing to do with me though...Santa sent him knowing that my kids needed extra guard and reporting on their behavior :)

Every year they both get to pick out their own ornament. Calli picked out the Hallmark ornament of the year where it does the countdown with news from the North Pole every day. I ended up picking up Colson's one day a couple of weeks before Christmas worried that by the time we got around to going, everything would be picked over and he woudn't find one he liked. I picked him out a Texans football since he's OBSESSED with the Texans. Of course he loved it.

I usually wrap up all our Christmas books every year and then each night they open up one to read. This was the first thing Calli mentioned not being able to do....all our books are in storage. In addition, I buy a new Christmas book every year. I was obviously able to do that part of the tradition...they opened it on Christmas Eve and we read it together. They also opened up their Christmas fun gift. I buy Calli a snowglobe...this years was one of a tree...since we didn't have a tree this year. It sang Deck the Halls which just happened to be the same song that her and Colson had made up their own song too. So it was a good fit to remind her of this Christmas 2012. Colson's was a Surfboard looking Santa that danced to a beach boys song. Kinda reminded us of our Rhode Island trip this summer where he learned to surf.

Regardless of the size of space we live in or how crazy the season gets, it's still possible to keep some normalicy with some traditions.