Christmas Traditions

Christmas was SO much fun this year.  It is a such a blast having a child at an age where they can really get excited about everything that's going on.  We started a few new traditions this year that I hope we will continue for a long time!

Gingerbread Houses
Actually, this has been a tradition for the last several years but we've always waited for my parents to come from New York to make them.  The last couple of years my parents haven't been able to come due to my dad's health, but we've made gingerbread houses with my brother's kids anyhow.  This year I didn't actually bake gingerbread because, let's face it, I didn't have the energy for it!  But being the skinflint that I am and not wanting to fork over $$ for a kit, I splurged on awesome candy and hot-glued graham crackers together instead.  I think they turned out pretty well and the kids had a blast decorating them!

Working hard at eating ... er ... decorating ...

The finished products.  We are so proud!

Cousins <3

Advent Calendar

This year we did a Santa Claus advent calendar where you glue a cotton ball onto his beard every day December 1-24.  Lydia LOVED it.  She was so excited every day to stick a cotton ball onto the paper.  A lot of people do really elaborate countdowns to Christmas with a new activity every day for the family, but, I'm just not that cool.  We do cotton balls, and Lydia still thinks I'm supermom ;)  This is our finished product:

Lights on Christmas Eve

My hubby's family Christmas tradition is to go out for dinner on Christmas Eve.  When the kids were growing up, the family didn't have a lot of money so they very rarely ever went out to dinner, except on Christmas Eve.  I love this tradition and we continue to go out with Ben's parents every year on Christmas Eve.  This year we went out for Chinese food, YUM!  I also thought it would be fun to drive around a few neighborhoods and look at Christmas lights while on our way home.  We drove around for about 30 minutes (which is about how long I can go between bathroom breaks), and then we drove into a neighborhood near our house which has one house at the entrance that goes CRAZY with lights.  They also had Santa there from 4-10pm on Christmas Eve which I thought was pretty cool.  So far I hadn't been able to coax Lydia to go anywhere NEAR Santa Claus and that night was no exception.  Her response when asked if she wanted to go sit on Santa Claus' lap?  "Maybe some other time."  That girl cracks me up.

Christmas Morning Cinnamon Rolls

Being very pregnant, food around Christmas this year was pretty low-key.  One thing I did do was make some overnight cinnamon rolls for breakfast on Christmas morning.  I just happened to have some frosting leftover from sugar cookies so BAM, breakfast was done.  Plus, I knew we would be eating lunch/dinner at my in-laws that day.  Cooking a huge Christmas breakfast and then cooking and/or eating a huge Christmas dinner just seems like too much time in the kitchen and not enough enjoying family.  I'm totally sold on the overnight cinnamon rolls so I'm making this a new Christmas tradition for our family.  THIS is the recipe that I made and it was fantastic!