New Tradition…

Well I labeled this a new tradition but we’ll see how this first year goes.

Every year it’s a fight to see who does Christmas Eve and Christmas. Also since Gabie isn’t here there are 5 days a row and only 4 kids to put Candy Cane’s in so they argue over who gets to go first. If Gabie was here it’d be easy I’d let the kids go in order either oldest to youngest every week or opposite. So this year I cam up with an idea we’re trying out. Isaac went first today and then Jenna will do the 2nd, Madison the 3rd and Katie the 4th and we’ll continue that for the rest of the month. But on the 5th day of every week we will draw a name from here..

In order to get their names in the jar they have to do kind things for each other and mom and dad throughout the week. Then on the 5th day of every row I will draw a name. The more kind things they do the better chance they have. I think we’ll also draw names for Christmas Eve and Christmas day.

I really thought this was a great idea and so did the kids, but with kids you can’t ever get out of having drama one way or the other. This morning I put the jar up and we put one of everyone’s name it to begin and then they all forgot to finish getting ready for school and ran off to do nice things for each other. Madison made Isaac’s bed, Isaac cleaned up Jenna’s dirty laundry off her floor & Jenna picked up Katie's room and made Katie’s bed. Katie didn’t do any thing she said “I’m going to do kind things that DO NOT include cleaning”. So all was going well minus my continuous reminders to get ready for school. Until, Isaac and Jenna coming running down the hall and Jenna is yelling “No Isaac No!” Isaac ignored her and ran into the front room and told Katie that Jenna had cleaned her room and made her bed. Jenna started to cry. I went to see what was going on. Apparently Jenna wanted to tell Katie and Isaac didn’t let her so she was crying. I could tell Isaac felt bad but Jenna is inconsolable when she is angry or sad. She’s a rock and holds everything in until she’s good and ready to change her attitude. So I started thinking about how to fix this issue and told Isaac he shouldn’t have done something Jenna had obviously asked him not to do. While we were driving to school I told everyone from now on they can’t toot their own horn. No one is allowed to tell each other that they did something nice for them, but if someone notices that something kind was done for them then they need to ask who did it and thank them and put their name in the Christmas Spirit Jar.

I hope this tradition succeeds in teaching my children about the great feelings you have for serving others. I hope it doesn’t backfire on me and they think if they do something nice for someone they always get a reward. I told them that sometimes their kinds doings may not be noticed and that is ok, that is how life works. But if they notice something kind done for them they need to acknowledge it and give thanks (and put a name in the jar). I guess we’ll see how it goes this year and then decide if we want to do it again next year.

Here are a few pictures of our Christmas decorations to share with family who won’t be able to visit us during the Christmas Season.

Since we don’t have a mantel we put our stocking on the 1/2 wall hiding the stairs, (please ignore the tools on the kids computer desk, I’m still trying to get things hung on the walls). Then just some greenery above Gabie’s picture and a snowman, gold tree, and two small figurines on the left nook.

I have enjoyed decorating the new house I’m sure it’s going to change often as I move things to decide where I like them the best. I’m not a very good decorator so any helpful advice would be welcomed.

A few more inherited Christmas items the porcelain elves on the right nook and the reindeer on the nook over the doorway. (Colleen is going through her Christmas, which means she’s giving décor to us kids).

Nothing really super special about the decorations on the table just something to add color to the black. But the candlesticks & runner were given to us from Mom Saville.

Our Nativity is sitting on the little table right when you walk in the front door. We love this Nativity, and Mom and Dad Saville for bringing it home from Jerusalem for us. It’s one of our most treasured decorations.