Christmas Season!

While I haven't blogged recently, with real no excuse to why I haven't beyond just the rustle bustle of life, I figured I would catch up a bit here.  Once Thanksgiving came days have just been flying by!  With family tradition our first Christmas experience started with picking our our ornaments at Hixson's.  Every year we go with my family and choose an ornament.  Mr. Hixson creates and handpaints each of his ornaments. 

When we went unfortunately he was out of town so was not there to sign our bulbs as he has in the past.  We will just need to bring our bulbs back to be signed by him.  Mr. Hixson is most well known for his Christmas decorating at the white house every year.  He has been doing their Christmas tree's for years and continues to do so now as well.  His store has the most unique objects both Christmas and every day items.  It really is a neat place to check out in Lakewood, OH.  It is always great to have a family tradition and seeing Christmas is by far my favorite holiday, nothing beats it! 

The second Christmas tradition we do with my family is we ride the Polar Express to the North Pole in our pajamas.  This by far is one of the coolest Christmas traditions.  We literally ride on the "Polar Express" complete with the reading of the story by the elvesand, hot coco and cookies, pajama parade, and Christmas caroling.  We even get our very own Polar Express bell!  Once we reach the North Pole we wave to all the elves and different Christmas characters.  This year Santa had his own train that he rode on complete with smoke and all.  He then visited us in the cabin as we were riding back to the station.  No family tradition can be better than one you get to wear your PJ's out for!

St. Nicholas to our church as well.  Fr. Jim tossed a lot of coins into the hay where the children all scavenged to collect as many as possible!  Mary Grace left with over ten dollars in change :)  Traditionally on the night of December 5th we leave our shoes out for St. Nicholas to come and fill with goodies.  My husband and I this year left ours out for some goodies and look forward to continuing the tradition!

Mary Grace even got her picture taken with St. Nicholas!

The winter coats also came out for our dogs!  Well actually only one of them needs a winter coat, the other just likes to be fashionable!

We also did our first Christmas card picture.....here are the boys getting all ready for photo-op time!

We even were able to get a decent one within the first few my sister took to send out with our cards!