starting some traditions...

The other night we celebrated our family Christmas.  It was so much FUN!  I think our kids are getting to the age now where they are getting into it, too, and I told Nathan recently that I thought it would be smart to try to start some traditions for Christmas.  It seems like that is important in a family, right?  Up until now, we didn't really have any family traditions, within just our immediate family.  When the kiddos are little it doesn't seem to matter as much.  But now that our kids are getting older, and also since we are going to be moving around so much during their ENTIRE childhood, it seems like it would be good for them if we had some steady family traditions.  (and it will be good for me, too!  I think if we end up living in a remote tribal location someday I will so appreciate something familiar at Christmastime).

 

So...we did some things this year that seem small, but I think we will continue year after year.  And I hope to add more traditions along the way, as the years go by!

 

So we started out by making Christmas cookies, which Kaine and Halle LOVED decorating.  I think this will be easily continued on the mission field.

Their finished creations.  COVERED in sprinkles :)

Another tradition that I personally loooooved.  Waffle sundaes for supper!  You can see that our kids were pretty excited about this, too!  It was extremely good.  And extremely unhealthy :)

I think Daisy wasn't sure what to think at first...a bowl filled with ice cream, redi-whip and sprinkles for supper???  (with a waffle under it somewhere)...she LOVED it.

Of course, our kids' favorite part--the gifts.  (as of right now, we don't get our kids much for Christmas...just little things.  Kind of like stocking stuffers--minus the stocking!  They get enough other gifts from grandparents, great-grandparents, etc that they definitely don't need anything else.  They didn't mind, though.  They love little things, too:) ).

Then, another tradition that I think will easily be continued wherever we are--homemade games.  Nathan thought up a few games and our kids loved it.  Actually, this is a tradition that is big in my family.  My grandpa Ralph used to make up the best games at Christmas, and it was a huge part of our day!  Now, my dad does the same thing for our family and we LOVE it!  I told Nathan that he needs to continue this, too.  He did a great job!

Here is the first one--pop-can bowling.  They got to keep whatever cans of pop they knocked down...

Then, not sure what this would be called...I guess "spin the gun"?  Nathan put tape on the floor (see below) with prizes in each section.  Then he drilled a hole in this wooden rubber-band gun that Kaine has, and stuck something in it so that it would spin on the carpet.  It worked great!  Whatever the gun pointed at was the prize that they got.

And the last one--shooting a dart gun and knocking down prizes.  Kaine loved this one the most:)

Halle decided to create her own game when it was all over :) 

It was such a fun family Christmas!  Love my little family:)