I LOVE traditions! Especially when it comes to Christmas. Most of us already have some sort of Christmas traditions, whether it’s a tradition we grew up with that we continue to do with our own children, or one we recently started. To me, traditions are some of the best things about the holiday season.
On the 1st of December, a small intruder enters most of our homes. You might find him or her grinning from ear to ear on the fireplace mantle, in the Christmas tree, or sitting atop your fridge. Some mornings he or she might get into mischief in the kitchen or the bathroom, and other mornings…that little smiling creature might forget to move altogether. (Ooops!)
I am of course talking about Elf on the Shelf – returning to households across the nation for another holiday season. For most of us, we love how happy our children get when they see their elf arrive. We love watching them search for their little friend each morning, and we love how much they love the magic of it all. But a couple years ago I thought to myself…
For the last couple of years, my husband and I have made a conscious effort to give our boys experiences as Christmas gifts instead of toys. We don’t do this to be mean, we do this because we think experiences are much more valuable than a house full of toys. I would MUCH rather give them an experience that we can do together as a family, than bring another action figure or talking dinosaur into the house that they’ll play with for a week…and then toss aside in their bedroom or playroom.
We do a lot for our boys. When I say that, I mean we literally do a lot of things FOR them. Things that they should probably be doing themselves since they’re 7 and 9 years old. Let me be clear, it’s not that they CAN’T do any of these things for themselves, or that I ENJOY doing these things for them, it’s just…you get into a habit, you know? Over the years, you just get used to doing certain things yourself simply because you’ve always done it that way and well, let’s be honest, it’s usually easier.
Even before my kids were in school, I knew I wanted to be a parent volunteer. There’s just something so awesome about volunteering your time where you’re needed – especially at a place where your kids spend so much of their time.
It’s early morning. Still dark outside. And the routine you know all too well has begun for another season. As you stretch and think about which Tim Hortons you’re going to hit on the way, a little voice in the darkness asks mid-yawn… “Is it time to go now?”
The first time I had ever been to the most magical place on earth was almost 2 years ago with my husband’s side of the family. There was 10 of us all together including FIVE boys aged 10 years old and under. Let me tell you, it was a BLAST! Super crazy busy and tiring…but a trip we’ll never forget.
During the Fall and Winter months, we tend to have A LOT more of what we like to call… ‘Appetizer Nights’. It’s exactly what it sounds like – we eat appetizers for dinner! Let’s be honest here, kids love finger foods and so do adults! So ‘Appetizer Night’ has quickly become a regular occurrence on Sunday nights in our house. (And trust me, I’m not complaining!)
Our boys love going to the park. And we love taking them to the park! They love swinging. They love climbing! In fact, they love climbing up the slides as much as they like sliding down them. They’re energetic, social kids who always seem to find a group of other kids who are up for a game of tag, or hide and go seek, or manhunt, or “grounders”. (whatever that is!)
On the afternoon of Sunday, November 23rd, 2014, a bullet flew through our house. We don’t live in a high violence area. We don’t even live in a city. We live on a quiet street out in the country where nothing exciting EVER happens. Until that day.