Christmas

I'm writing this on my phone, as my computer has been acting up lately as it severely wants an iOS update. My phone needs the same but it needs to be on the updated computer, it's all a chain reaction.

But that has nothing to do with this post! Since I worked Christmas and was bummed out by it, we had Santa arrive a day early so I could be there to enjoy I as well. Luckily Camden is young enough that it was okay. It was a great morning on Christmas Eve filled with presents and family. We then got ready and layered up and went to the Zoo as a family to get out and play. It was 40 degrees out but a blast. We returned and put C down for a nap while husband and I cooked and then we woke C up early and headed to my parents house to do our Cmas. It was fun and relaxed and we had a blast. Camden got some fun toys and we were blessed for sure.

After we left there we went to Chris grandmother's house on his mother's side and did Christmas there like we always do on Cmas eve. I got some new shirts and Camden got a fun fire truck. It's always great seeing family.

We crashed as soon as we hit the pillow, then Christmas started with more presents for C at his other great grandparents house. He got a big Donald Duck, some cars and trucks, some fantastic helicopters and a pillow pet. After leaving there it was naptime and then Christmas with the in laws.

Again we were incredibly blessed many times over an had a good time hanging out, letting the kids run wild and watching a sappy movie. It was great. Camden got numerous toys, bowling pin set, a book set and some clothes. A little racetrack an plenty of stocking stuffers. He got a vacuum and books from his cousins and he asks to vacuum all the time and keeps asking to read. It's cute!

It was a busy and fantastic holiday. I'm sad it's all over all ready, I wish it lasted a whole week.

Watching Camden open his gifts my heart just swelled with pride. So blessed!

Attached are some pics from our zoo trip and our family Christmas. So fun!

Christmas Traditions

I saw this posed as a question on another bloggers website that asked us to link up with our Christmas Traditions.

I couldn't help but stop and think about what traditions we have started for Camden thus far.

One tradition that we started just this year was the Elf on a Shelf. We used to always play "find the milk" after he took a bath in the evenings, and he LOVED that game. So I don't really think he gets the Elf's story this year, but he definitely enjoys finding it each morning because he loves the "find the...." game. He excitedly will point him out to us each morning, running the halls and checking the rooms for him. It's pretty darn cute. He even was able to name his Elf. We offered him many suggestions from Jingle to Buddy and Max and every name in between, but he suggested Gil. You may be wonderng where on earth did he come up with such a name? Well, Camden's favorite show is Bubble Guppies, and my dad asked him not too long ago what his favorite character's name was. And he responded with "Gil", who happens to be the silly blue headed Bubble Guppy on the show. Thus, our Elf's name is Gil. The only issue I see with this is with his young age, he's going to look for Gil after Christmas and there will be no Gil. So, it'll stink that one of his favorite games will come to and end for 11 months. Oh well, good thing he will probably have plenty of new toys to play with.

Another tradition that we have as just a family is adopting angel trees and being involved in LifePacks through church. He's still too young to understand now but I really want him to learn that it really is more about giving that receiving.

My husband has traditions that carried over, like going to his Grandmother's house (Camden's great grandmothers) at 7 am on Christmas to eat mush (fried cornmeal) and sausage and biscuits and to open presents. They all cram into their tiny house, snack away and make sure they all sit in their EXACT SAME SEATS each year. We also go to my husband's OTHER grandparents every Christmas Eve and eat dinner and open presents and hang out. It's really a lot of family in such a short time!

I am hoping that Camden will gain more interest in Christmas lights as he grows older, and will enjoy that more often. We have gone to Rhema the past two years to walk and look at lights, but I think Husband and I enjoy that more than little C. He does at first, but the novelty wears off pretty fast. We decorated our tree together too, and this was the first year Camden was able to help. You could definitely tell where his eye level was, as everything hung a little long and low. :)

We did Christmas Train for the first time this year and as awesome as it was, I'm not sure if that will be a yearly thing or not. It was fun though, that's for sure!

We will definitely read the Christmas story, and I'm hoping to do an Advent calendar or something along the lines next year when Camden is a bit older and maybe will understand better.

I will say, it has been so much fun deciding what traditions to start for our family!