A new tradition...

Yesterday I had no intentions of going anywhere- I really just wanted to stay home and hang around. I got this idea for Christmas and decided I better go ahead and get it done while Brian was home with the kids and I could get out and get back faster.

So in the midst of my errand running was a stop at Barnes and Noble- I went with the intention of buying for someone else. I love the kids section there, although I am not a regular ( I tend to favor Amazon- I'm obsessed!), I find it very cozy and inviting and I love to just peruse the shelves and see what I can find for Riley. We have started a routine many months ago with her at bedtime to read her a story every night just before she climbs in- whatver she chooses. She loves stories. So as I am looking for what I originally intended to buy, I decided to check out the kids section.

I have been wanting to start a tradition of our own with our kids. Now that she is getting older and understanding more, she is beginning to understand who Santa is and say his name when she sees him. I really wasn't looking for anything in particular, but I happened to find this:

I debated between the different editions as I stood there analyzing a few different ones... I chose this one mainly because of the better illustrations and images that it had.

I figured this could be one of maybe many traditions that we start. As a kid I always got to open one present on Christmas Eve and always left cookies and milk for Santa. Brian grew up watching "It's a Wonderful Life" and it's now one of his favorites..I had never seen it until I met him (I know, I can hear you all gasping) and now it has become something we always do together. So that will be another tradition for us with our kids.

I have always loved this story and wanted to make it a permanent in our house on Christmas Eve as we tucked our kids into bed.

It is when you have your own kids that starting traditions of your own really means alot. This is one that I am starting for them that I hope they will enjoy. I am going to wrap it up for Riley this year as an early Christmas gift and let her open it on Christmas Eve after church and make sure that this is one of those "special" books she will always have.

This year as Christmas nears, we are so thankful and reminded of how blessed we are.

Santa Claus 2008!

Did you know...

that everyday there are 50,000 new blogs created! Me either, but that was some trivia I heard on the radio today.

Is it worth it?

This is what we asked ourselves as Brian and I stood out in our back yard just a moment ago... let me give you some background info:

Turns out that there is an attorney ( he is the namesake of a law firm right by our house) that lives on some property right outside of our neighborhood and every year he has what I am assuming is his company Christmas party at his place. Every year it's a big sha-bang, seems like it's bigger and better every year, and even though we've never been... this is my observation as an outsider who drives by on the way to my house daily.

About two weeks before the party, they start setting up these huge white tents that can be seen above the fenceline of the property. Then come the carnival rides and who knows what else all behind the mystery of the gates. It looks like a theme park- completely unreal, but really exciting. They bring in the forklifts and cherry pickers and all other heave machinery and the work begins. I think what I like the best is the miniature train that circles the property and has a depot station that can be seen from the street. From our house, which is only a few blocks from this property, we can hear the choo choo of the train.

So every year on the day of the party, there are so many people waiting in line to get admitted by invitation only, of course. I presume they are the employees and their families. Lucky them because this party looks unbelievable just from the outside. And every year there is live entertainment. And I don't mean just a nobody trying to break in to the music world. They way I have always heard it is that in the past there's been Dolly and some other big names.

Well, like I said, what it seems like is every year it gets bigger and better. Can you imagine the cost? I can't.

I'm sure you are wondering why I originally asked the question "Is it worth it?" Rumor is this man paid $1 million bucks for an hour's worth of entertainment. Go ahead, start guessing....

Brian and I stood out in our backyard a minute ago and listened to Hannah Montana. I know for sure she is there 1. because I pretty much have a live concert in my backyard ,even from inside we can still hear all the noise 2. As I drove by today on my way home from finishing some shopping, all those lucky party-goers were in line with their children holding posters and signs that read, " Hi Miley!", and 3. Even from our house a few blocks away, you can hear the screams of who knows how many little girls.

What a great thing to do this for friends and employees. I keep hoping one day I might somehow figure out how to get on that invite list, if for nothing else, just to see the spectacle of it all. But I'm pretty much presuming that will not happen. :>)

S-N-O-W!

I'm sure most of you were as suprised as me this afternoon when snow started falling...and even though I didn't get to experience it with my own kids for their first time, you can only imagine the uproar in a school of about 900 when they all noticed at the same time. It snowed pretty heavily where I was and near our house. What a great sight!

Brian and I realized the last time that it snowed here was about 3 years ago on Christmas Eve, and I think the time before that, I was in 7th grade and we all ran out of the classroom too so I couldn't blame them too much today!

Thanksgiving pics

We had more pics than usual from the Thanksgiving break and so I figured a slideshow was best. We are so thankful for everything we have been blessed with: a happy home, healthy children, and a great bunch of friends and family who we love very much.