I am so excited for Christmas this year! The boys are a year older and we are so blessed to have Levi added to our family! You might think I'm crazy, but we got out the Christmas tree on Monday and on Tuesday we decorated it. Last night I couldn't wait to turn out all the house lights and only have the Christmas tree lights on, it was so beautiful.
You would think that my favorite holiday was Christmas, but it's not, it's Thanksgiving. When Christmas is here, then it's all over, but when Thanksgiving is here, it has just begun. I just feel like Christmas decorations need to be added to Thanksgiving to make it even more fun.
I have to thank my parents for always making the Christmas season so special. I have so many wonderful memories of Christmas time growing up and I just hope that my children will have just as many. I remember every year my mom and dad would tell us that this Christmas wasn't going to be very big because money was tight, but every year they out did themselves and with six children presents were piled high to the ceiling!
One tradition I remember was when my dad would get these christmas chocolates and we would all stand around the counter and take turns picking one out until they were all gone.
Every Christmas Eve (as long as I can remember) we would have my mom's delicious ham loaf, potato rolls, and all the trimmings. We still get to do it every Christmas Eve, but we have gone from a family of 8 to a family of 31!
On Christmas Eve night we would go to bed and in the morning we had to get up and do the paperroute. I remember taking the newspaper to different families and they would have their windows open and I could see all the kids inside opening presents. I thought that is just wasn't fair, but once I got home, my parents definately made up for it!
Many of you know that my dad is a wood worker and he builds so many incredible things. On Christmas, dad would usually build us something and, for some reason, whenever I smell varnish, I think of Christmas! One of my favorite things was my bear house (it's a log house). The detail is amazing and a couple of years ago, my dad got it out of the attic and gave it back to me! But the most wonderful thing my dad has made for me happened a couple years ago when my mom and dad came to our home and wanted to give us our christmas. We were expecting a check, but then dad walked in carrying something big. My mom and dad have a clock at their home that is so beautiful and dad had made the same ones for my grandparent. When they passed on, my older sibling got them, but this year my dad made three more for the rest of us. I was blown away! I couldn't believe he did that for us. I don't know how long it took him, but it is the best present I have ever recieved!
Thanks mom and dad for making Christmas the most wonderful time of the year!!
