Thankful Traditions

Family traditions are everywhere and are particularly noticeable in the holiday seasons.  When Hubs and I first got married we lived away from both our families and in the hopes of setting up some traditions for our family to be I declared Thanksgiving a no travel holiday.  Anyone was invited, but we were having turkey in whatever town we were living in and were not traveling. 14 years later we still have Thanksgiving in town, and I really enjoy the chance to be home for this of all holidays, and have some set family traditions.

Thanksgiving is one of those unique holidays that is what you make of it, and we have made a good time of it. We have a few set traditions that no matter what we do, and there is one in particular that absolutely adore, Festival of Trees.  The Festival of Trees is a fundraiser for a local hospital and a number of organizations and individuals come together to create amazing trees around different themes. On Thanksgiving the Festival of Trees opens in the afternoon and before gorging on turkey or after, we go wander the holiday joy that this event creates.  The few times we have considered not being in town, I have always wanted to find a way to still go to Festival of Tress, it just starts the holidays off right for me. We tend not to abide by any particular food for Turkey Day or Christmas for that matter.  We have done steak, pizza, Chinese, we are flexible on food as long as there is plenty of it.   New Years generally means a big breakfast and a lot of doing nothing.  I always do a lot of baking and we enjoy sharing all the goodies with our neighbors.  These small things are our traditions, they are the things we remember year to year, but what of new traditions?

Where do you fit new traditions and ideas into your family holiday?  What are the things you remember and always will about your current holiday traditions? and what traditions from the past do you try and find a place for today?

For the past 6 years or so I have been striving to find a place in our traditions for an Advent Calendar, but not the chocolate one of my childhood, one that focuses on kindness to others and family time. There have been a myriad of attempts and non starters.  Thankfully one of the moms I know that is a Scrapbooker is doing a Advent Calendar workshop and I will be making a calendar this year. I am hoping it's small compact size and a list of activities will help.  I am hoping by the 3rd to be happily moving along with a new family Advent Calendar tradition.

TV shows are another big tradition for a lot of families and yet another one that I am often over whelmed by. As kids there were a handful of shows you would generally know when and where they were on and you were good. Now, there are tons of shows and they are on at all times and channels and I have a heck of a time catching up with what is on when. Generally this isn't a big deal as we don't watch TV during the week, but when school is out we are a lot more lax and making sure both kids get to see their favorite holiday show can be tough. Maybe I should just DVR it all?

Have a great turkey day...

Balloon Rally....

A few weeks ago the yearly Balloon Rally happened and per usually we woke up early to go. There is something about hot air balloons that bring out the kid in all of us. The kids don't really love getting up early or walking to where the balloons launch, but as soon as hiss of the gas starts up Chicken starts pointing and jumping around and Bean gets this HUGE smile on her face. When they all those balloons start taking off with the crispness in the air and the giggles of the kids around me I can't do anything but smile.  Thankfully, the kids seem to enjoy the show as much as we do and after a cool morning watching balloons shoot into the air we make the run for a great local breakfast place. We have been going to this in balloon rally in it's many forms since before Bean could walk and just thinking about it makes me smile. When I think of family traditions a revel in the ones that we have created ourselves and this is defiantly one, and most defiantly one we will continue to do. Sorry this is a picture heavy one, I just love all the pictures over the last few years.