Keeping With Tradition

Despite having a new baby and feeling extra busy and extra tired, I also found myself being extra motivated to make sure we continued some of our established holiday traditions.  And I'm so glad we did.  These boys look forward to it all, and each activity we did made this wonderful season that much more memorable. 

We ventured out on a chilly night with the Nartker family to look at Christmas lights at Dovewood Court. 

 Santa and his team of fire trucks and police cars came down our street.  We gave him some toys and food for needy families, and he presented each kid with a candy cane.  A good deal all the way around!

 We also had a couple of other opportunities to spend some time with Santa.  Our awesome neighbor Heidi is a nurse at UC Davis.  She stopped by to see me after Leah was there and ended up taking the boys up to the pediatrics floor to say hello to Santa.  Thanks to good fortune, they had already ridden the elevator with him after arriving at the hospital so a second visit in one day was a true bonus.

Both boys jumped right into Santa's lap at the ward party and let him know what they really wanted, a remote control helicopter and Paw Patrol toys.

Leah went to church for the first time on Sunday. 

Sometimes even if it's not the cutest picture of anyone, you just have to remember the moment, right?

The boys helped perform the nativity at the Pebley family Christmas party. 

 They also couldn't get enough of those cousins who had arrived from out of town as we were partying with the family.

Grandma Shauna invited all of the grandkids over to decorate gingerbread houses.  The boys LOVE this tradition and really look forward to it every year. 

 Luke especially does a great job balancing his decorating with generous amounts of candy consumption.

Noah's Joy School class did a cute performance for their parents.  

 And just tonight, on Christmas Eve, we decorated sugar cookies at Nana's house.  There were some for Santa and plenty for us!