Sharing Christmas!

We hope all of you had as Merry a Christmas as we did here in Parma. Santa was good to the kids (better than maybe they deserved :)). The kids are carrying on the holiday by singing Christmas songs and wishing everyone they meet a Merry Christmas, so aside from all the presents being removed from under our tree it's still Christmas here. Here is a pictorial review of our Christmas celebration

Traditions

So our little family will be spending Christmas by ourselves in Parma again this year, and while we are getting more used to the idea, it still makes me a little sad to not be around family. We could drive to Greg's parents house 5 hours away, but the years we've planned to do that the weather hasn't cooperated and it's hard for "Santa" to find us there and then we have to transport all of the presents back home. So we decided it's best if we stay at home and start having our own family traditions. So while I have a plethora of traditions from both our families to choose from I was wondering what some of your favorite traditions are. What do you do on Christmas Eve that makes you giddy with excitement for the next day? What do you do after all the presents are opened on Christmas day? What do you do to make it last longer. My mother was notorious for making sure Christmas lasted all day. I love that!

Book Review: Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree

Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree by Robert Barry

This is my all time favorite Christmas book. My mother has read this book to me at least once a year for as many years as I can remember. I even had her read it to me when she came around Christmas time a couple of years ago, just after Madalyn was born. It has now become a tradition in my little family to read it the night we trim the tree. However, my kids love it and I read it many more times than that. It just doesn't feel like Christmas without Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree.

It is the story of Mr. Willowby who gets a giant Christmas tree and puts in up in his house only to find that it's too tall. So the butler chops off the top and gives it to the maid who finds that it's too tall for her room and chops off the top. The top keeps getting passed from person to person and from animal to animal. It rhymes delightfully and it's just fabulous. Read it, I know you'll love it! I got all excited when our Christmas tree this year was too tall for our house, so much so that I took a picture of our tree that was exactly like Mr. Willowby's. See?

Guess Who's Two?

Our little Madalyn turned two last Saturday! Time just flies by. She still seems so little, although I know that will change with the new baby coming in March. She is such a cuddle bug and loves to be held still so I guess I still think she's a baby. But she's a big girl. She loves to play, laugh and rough house. She'll tackle her 6 year old brother and laugh while she's doing it. There is never a dull moment with Madalyn around. We love her and her sparkling personality. Here are some pictures of her party. We were at Greg's parents' house over the Thanksgiving weekend. That little doggy has hardly left her side since she got it on Saturday, she loves it!