Christmas is filled with many traditions we have established as a family over the years as well as many other holiday activities....the season is one of my favorite times of the year.
From attending the Singing Christmas Tree to watching Maddox sing in her chorus performance at school....
to naps by the tree....
to stocking parties at Gran and Pop's....
and, unfortunately, we didn't escape the season without a due illness.....Chapman is rarely sick, and honestly I don't recall her being down and out since her de-tethering surgery just after she came home. But, alas, she was a sick little one but we were thankful she was up and running around again after some good rest and fabulous meds!
The last day of school spent with your besties is always a good day, Grinch and all. These four are friends for life and we adore every one of them!
The Christmas season always calls for some cookie decorating with friends....
and who decorates without sampling some of their tasty treats?!?
Our big girl has the best of friends that we love spending time with throughout the year, especially at Christmas. Target date for a good scavenger hunt and Starbucks refueling is always a good time!
Colin and Kayla came in for a moment to join in the decorating fun....big kids like the fun too though I am realizing at this moment as I type that P missed out! Not even sure where he was but I am positive he managed to eat something sweet before the evening ended!
MK and her friends tend to make it a decorating contest....they always ask me who won but I just can't ever decide!
Christmas gifting is always fun when you find the perfect gift. So was the case when I spied this DT coffee mug for my dad....as a member of the local coffee club, I knew this mug was to bring much discussion among the men in attendance, lol.
Gingerbread house decorating is always a fun way to spend an evening together....
my three littles were loving this time. Chapman felt the need to wear this hat....I love her and all of her funny little things she does to add personality to our family.
Maddox and Maryn work very well together so giving them the gingerbread house challenge was a great idea....they even built a train with gumdrops on top!
The Christmas season is always filled with many picture taking opportunities. Getting all six of my favorites to look at the camera and smile can be quite the task at times! I do love looking at this crew through my lens....and each time I do, I am so thankful to call them my own!
My Granny loved Christmas too and always celebrated surrounded by family.
Last year we began a tradition of having the Goodson Family gathering at our house in honor of my Granny and Grandaddy....and tho our menu changes each year, we always have "a lil pickle" to remember my fun and dearly missed grandparents.
Christmas season meant all six of my kiddos were under one roof for several weeks. Man, I was so excited! And when all are under one roof, we must take a selfie to show the love....and to show that P was present too! He tends to duck when the camera comes out! On this night, he had a Cotillion dance to attend and a bowtie was in order to spruce him up a bit!
My Maryn. We had a date, just the two of us. We went to dinner....Jason's Deli, not because she wanted dinner so much but because she LOVES that they have an ice cream machine for dessert and you can eat as much as you want! So, ice cream dinner and Christmas lights it was! The awe in her eye when we stood beside the giant Christmas tree was priceless.
Mar-Bear does Kinder. Kindergarten has proven to be just what the doctor ordered for this little one. She LOVES it.
Sister Friends. Brooklyn and Mads do life. A holiday favorite, cookie decorating.....
and a little facial mask application....that's what friends are for! Love these two girls so much.
Maryn's beauty wish came true with her new lipstick and princess mirror....
always fun spending a day with G-Mom and G-Dad....
Rush's for the win! Rush's is about the only fast-food restaurant we frequent....it's a SC favorite when we visit.
We enjoyed our time with Gran and Pop especially the lipstick application instruction!
Christmas Adam arrived and we found ourselves at the mall. Note to self, the mall is NOT the place to be on Christmas Adam. And, another note, not all people choose to see Santa early in the season.....there are several who wait until the very last minute much like we did.
Alas, we went. We took our place in line for Santa....we took turns going to ride the train and the fun electric animals through the crowds - luckily no bystanders were hurt :) And, through all of these side events, we still stood in the very place we began to see Santa. NO movement.
So I did what most moms do in sticky situations, I quick walked over and asked how we could speed this process along. After all, we had places to be and movies to see. A kind soul told me to make an online reservation and regardless of the time we were reserved, come to the front of the line and they would get us through at that moment. And that is how we moved from the back of the line to the very front of the line and visited with Santa stat. It's tradition and it had to be done. All six agreed.
That night, it was time to decorate cookies for Santa and our lone gingerbread house....we should note that in the Drafts house, "decorating" is really about eating the candy that really should go on the house - it has nothing to do with actually decorating the house.
Reading The Best Christmas Pageant Ever is my favorite. I love the Herdmans and the message that this story brings each year.
I love our traditions. I adore my little family. I am thankful for another year with them, all under one roof for the season and the magic that Christmas is surrounded with.
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