Christmas Tradition Time

It's 60 degrees and almost Christmas time, oh Colorado how I love you.

It's funny how I say the same things year-to-year but truly forget this.  I just looked at the blog post I did last Christmas time and I could say that almost everything is happening again:  Christmas eve boxes, Staff v Student Basketball game, Christmas Tree, and Zoo Lights to name a few!

This year I'm killing it with presents!  I have them all done, some are creative, some are from Amazon, but they are all wrapped and taken care of. Some even are already in Nebraska wrapped and ready for the kids to open!  We continue the Christmas eve boxes with pjs, bells, and hot chocolate.  This year our kids' school is showing Polar Express, so we've decided to do a new movie this year.  Russell is rooting for Die Hard, and I get it...but I'm not quite sure the kids are going to buy it.

We did something different this year and went to go get our Christmas Tree in Fraser with some awesome new(ish) friends!  We rented an AirBnB, spent the night, played some games, had a massive sleepover, and found the best sledding hill yet!  This sledding hill was so steep and rad.  A.J. was able to go by himself, and the younger two went with Russell and I.  It's so fun to watch A.J. go off and do his own thing! 

The christmas tree hunting was a bit sketchy-the kids got cold really fast, we didn't have food or hot chocolate, and we didn't have the best sleep the night before so the struggle was a bit real.  However, Russell found an awesome tree that stands now (it did fall over the first night!) and it is perfect.  I feel lucky that Russell even went ahead with the tree as I heard, "Why are we doing this?  We aren't even going to be home for Christmas."  #traditionsdamint

Zoo Lights was a success.  Initially when I told the kids we were doing it they made grunting noises and expressed displeasure.  But again #tranditionsdaminit, we went ahead and booked our tickets.  Mandy and I prepared food, hot cocoa, mom hot cocoa, and smore kits to take along.  We were supposed to arrive @ the 530pm timeslot, and we arrived right @ 530pm.  We enjoyed our cocoas and smores along with all the other suckers that dropped $$$, and even got complimented by a fellow Zoo lighter..."Wow-you guys are pros!"  4 times in and you learn some things such as leave my husband at home=don't have to hear "Are we done yet?"  None of our kids complained of being cold-A first!  None of our kids pooped or peed their pants, although it might have gotten close considering all the layers they had to shed to relieve themselves.  Mandy and I stayed calm and nice.  #winning.  AND the next day both the boys told me how glad they were that we went because that was "so fun!"  After listening to this ridiculously sappy commercial on the radio talking about the traditions of the Denver Zoo lights, I actually got a bit weepy.  I realized that even though it can feel like a huge chore to do these things, and alcohol sometimes is necessary (or at least it feels necessary)...traditions are huge and important.  It makes me proud that we do these things, and I love that I have a girlfriend here who rallys with me.  During the Zoo Lights I had Ella and Dempsey in the bathroom and I said, "Cmon sister!" to Ella.  She whipped around and said, "I'm not your sister.  Mandy is."  lol.  So true Ella!

#traditionsdamint
Love
Momma