We spent Christmas morning at home as it has become a tradition for us with Lucas. We had a wonderful morning opening presents, eating breakfast, and spending great time together. We had a perfect little morning together and then we cuddled up, watched Luke's new movie and took a nice long nap before heading to my family's house for Christmas =D
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Since my mother-in-law Donna had to work on Christmas this year and we all had Christmas Eve off, we did a bit of a mock Christmas morning on Christmas Eve with my in-laws. It was honestly a lot of fun and really felt like Christmas. It also helped Lucas I think to spread out three Christmases over 2 full days. It worked out perfectly, halfway through the day we went home and all took a nice nap and then got up, got ready, and went to Christmas Eve Service. Then back to the Longs for a beautiful dinner and time together before heading back home and off to bed to wait for Santa!
We are still creating new traditions with our small little family but we have a few we stick to each year. =) Tradition #1: Going to see Santa! This year Lucas wasn't as excited to see Santa as last year haha in fact he was pretty much traumatized but we went to a small work party for our friend Dianna who had a Santa and Mrs. Clause there so we got to color, get our face painted, eat treats, and spend some time with friends as well. Tradition #2: Baking Christmas Cookies. We LOVE making sugar cookies for Christmas and Fudge! Lucas even got to help this year. Well, he got to help cut the cookies but not ice them because he decided to just eat them instead. Tradition #3: New Christmas PJs, Christmas Ornament, and a new one with Luke this year, The Night Before Christmas on Christmas Eve. What Christmas traditions do you have?
There are many years I have looked back and couldn't wait for that clock to strike midnight... there have been other years that so many amazing things happened I was sad to see the year end. But this year I am not really feeling either of these. Maybe its part of getting older, maybe its part of my growing faith but this year I feel 2014 was a wonderful year of growth: got my first RN job, Luke went from 5 months to 17 months, Faith: Jeremy lost his job but gained any even better one, we had to buy a new car but had a ton of help from our sister in law, Sadness: We said goodbye to a family dog, we said goodbye to family friends who moved and Happiness: We made so many amazing memories as a little family, watched Lucas grow, and really grew as a family together. Here are some of the highlights of our year: We spent New Years Eve low key this year. With the weather being -17 degrees outside last night and the inches of snow and ice on the ground we decided it would be best to just celebrate at home this year. We watched an Office and Friends marathon, played Dance Central together, celebrated midnight with Lucas at 10:30 (he was so tired lol) and then our New Years at midnight. We stayed warm, enjoyed some fun snacks, and reviewed our wishes from 2014, plus wrote some new ones for 2015 (see tomorrow's post). Happy New Year From The Longs! =D
As a child Christmas felt like it would literally never come...the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas was pure torture on me as a child. I would want Christmas morning to be here SOOO bad. I remember school parties, making decorations, egg nog, Christmas tree decorating, and visiting Santa, all with songs playing about it being Christmas but Christmas was still always so far away! I remember getting out of school thinking "Oh it must be time for Christmas now!" and still having to wait like a week until we could celebrate...And every single parent I was around would complain about how fast the season went, and I would think: "I cant wait to be a grown up! Who doesnt want Christmas to come fast??" Now flash forward to me as an adult. Its like nap time, as a kid it went on for days/months/years even!! But as an adult I swear I just closed my eyes and two hours have gone by. Where does the Christmas season go??? Here is a brief preview into my Christmas season: Black Friday: "Ok its finally the Christmas Season, I can now play Christmas songs, put up the tree and buy those presents...but if I start playing music now I will be so sick of it by Christmas...and if I put up the tree and buy all the presents today then what am I going to do all season? Come on now Ashley dont be silly, you never have time for that stuff once December hits...well this year I will! I will be sure to make time for egg nog, christmas movies, cookies, and shopping!" December 1st: "Ok its December now...you have like a month till Christmas right?...no need to rush just start playing some music but dont stress about the cards yet or the presents, just enjoy the season...." December 15th: "Awe its our engagement anniversary...and its December 15th which means Christmas is still half a month away right?....Wait no, its only 10 days away...TEN DAYS? That cant be right, try counting again... you still have presents to buy, cookies to make, packages to ship, I refuse to believe we only have 10 days left, when do I get the week off for Christmas so I can get all of this done?" December 22: Ok done with work till after Christmas so I have a week to get everything done right? WRONG you have 2 days to get all the presents wrapped, two full plates of cookies made, the fudge made, the bars made, the rest of the homemade presents done, and on dear you have only sat down to watch TWO christmas movies and throughout both of them you were either wrangling your child, or cleaning for "the holidays" I cant have only TWO days left...HOW DID THIS HAPPEN!?" Yeah that pretty much sums it up, can anyone relate? I should really learn that although the time from Thanksgiving to Christmas is like a year for children, it is like a week for adults...seriously, I swear time goes by faster now! But it never fails, every year I do this and every year when Christmas Eve hits and I am stressed about all the last minute details,
and the fudge still isn't done, and there are still a few last minute presents I am waiting on, and I stress about fitting church in and I sit through the sermon trying not to focus on all the things I forgot to do...... and then we light the candles............. and we sing about a baby who came so many years ago ....... and the magic of Christmas as an adult hits me once again...... Even though I deserve to be on Santa's naughty list each year, God looked passed that and showed me grace by sending his only son (his literal flesh and blood) to DIE for my sins. He blessed the Earth with his greatest gift and as I get ready to give the ones I love gifts, I can never ever top the gift God has given me. Every year he reminds of this gift he blessed us with and every year the season becomes about so many other things...but what its really about is God's love. He brought his only son and light into this world of darkness and when we reflect that we are just like the candles on Christmas Eve, a light in this world of darkness...have you ever looked around the room with all those candles lit in the dark? It is a powerful, intense, gorgeous feeling and together we can help change this world in the same way. So I pray this year that God help my light to shine on the world just like Baby Jesus did when he was born. Happy Birthday Jesus! =D Following tradition in our family, we put up the tree on Black Friday, and though Lucas still doesn't understand it, he did have fun helping this year! Here's a few of our favorite ornaments: The day after Thanksgiving, we got a great deal on some family photos for our Christmas cards at JC Penny's. I love how these turned out and I cant believe how big our little boy is getting!! I hope you enjoy =) We wish you a Merry Christmas!!
Thanksgiving morning tradition...watching the Macy's Day Parade! Lucas had to take a nap in the middle of it but we recorded Santa for him, and this is when he saw him! Thanksgiving Number 1: Was with my in-laws on Thanksgiving Day. We enjoyed the day with some extended family and were so impressed with Lucas. He was so well behaved, talked with everyone, and took a wonderful nap after dinner! Thanksgiving Number 2: Then on Sunday, we did Thanksgiving with my side of the family... unfortunately though, I had so much fun playing Telestrations that I completely forgot to take more pictures...Gah family photographer fail... Happy Thanksgiving from our family to yours!
I was so excited to partner with my mother to throw my sister in law a baby shower for her second son on the way, Brayden! We did a "Little Gentleman" theme with mustaches =) We had such a fun time and even Big Brother Tristan got some new big brother gifts =) Now we are just waiting for Brayden to make his big entrance!
Yesterday was the first snow of the season and since Lucas was too little to remember snow from last season we went out and explored and played in it today! He loved it! He loved it so much in fact he didn't want to come back inside! But seeing as it was only 12 degrees out, it was time to come in and cuddle and watch a Disney movie together =)
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All about meHi my name is Ashley! I am a Christian, a wife, a mom and an RN. My husband, Jeremy, is the best, most supportive, and loving guy I could ever ask for. We have an adorable, fun loving, son named Lucas, a sweet, and cuddly daughter named Lydia, and a King Charles Cavalier named Tonks. Archives
March 2017
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