This is a digital image of a glass Christmas ornament with 'Merry Christmas' written on it in script

It’s Christmas Eve, and I just want to say THANK YOU to all of you who allow space in your inbox for my BLOG posts weekly (well almost weekly!).  THANK YOU for your time in reading, your support, and your replies!

I hope you and yours are enjoying some rest this holiday season.  I am fully aware that the holidays can be a very difficult time for many, so please know that I see you and I hear you and my thoughts and prayers are with you.

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Here are some of the fun holiday traditions going on in our household, but don’t think for a second that there was Christmas Bliss going on in all of these times, because there were teenage angsty attitudes all throughout!

We keep up these traditions in spite of it all, because someday the kids will remember them with fondness and perhaps even carry them on in their own families.  OR, they will eventually laugh at how much they hated certain things every year and it will be a good story at parties.

Gingerbread Houses

My mom brings us Gingerbread House kits every year and we spread all the goods out all over the table and get to work.  This part is fun, but the kids don’t let them sit on the counter and look pretty for long before they get out the meat mallet and crush it into bite size pieces for easier eating.

This is a pic of my boys and my mom working on their gingerbread houses

This is a pic of my boys and my mom posing in front of the Christmas tree with their finished gingerbread houses

The Grinch

Some people have ‘Elf on the Shelf”, we have The Grinch.  This tradition started even before kids!  I don’t remember how or where we got this guy, but we take turns hiding him in very peculiar places.  The person who finds him gets to hide him next.  He has shown up in arm sleeves, the fridge, in plants, you name it!  Here he is stuck in a lantern:

This is a pic of the grinch stuck in a lantern

The Cat

Our cat is one of the most photogenic cats I’ve ever known!  Every year at Christmas time, she poses under the tree amongst the presents for a photoshoot.  Here is this year’s gem:

this is our white cat curled up amongst the presents under the tree

Christmas Cookies

Sugar cookies with frosting is one of life’s pure delights (in my humble opinion of course!).  Each year we get out the Betty Crocker cook book, make sugar cookie dough and whip up a batch of buttercream frosting.  We divide the frosting up into four bowls and color them different colors, then get all kinds of sprinkles and squeeze frostings with various tips, and get to work!

Here are our masterpieces: (can you find the Rudolph who has a red nose and then a face on the side of his head?  That’s my favorite this year!

this is a pic of three trays of decorated Christmas cookies

A few of these always end up on Santa’s plate Christmas Eve with a glass of milk.  This year, however, I’m not sure how it’s going to play out as my youngest, Zach, has decided that Santa should only get veggies and water!

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Whatever your traditions, whatever your circumstances, wherever you are, I am truly thankful for you and am sending a big warm hug your way this holiday season.

Blessings to you and yours!

Kim