You'd think....

You'd think with all the time I had off over Christmas I'd have filled my blog with every detail. I especially love to post pics of the fam....not so. I spent the holidays doing all the things I love and lovin' every minute of it - except the bad cold I had.

We love having Santa come to our house for the adult kids. We can't help it, we love their faces when they open something great. I mean the grandkids are fun, but they just hurry through it all so they can play with their great new toy. The kids savor the moment, they open their stocking with relish and we can see the childish delight in their faces.

We did a couple of things this year that I plan to keep as tradition. I thought by now I'd have it all figured out, but we keep evolving and it's great. Here's what I learned.

1. SIMPLIFY
2. I don't have to make all the candy and cookies mom did...I had the girls up one Saturday, they picked a couple of sweets they wanted to learn to make - or wanted around. I added Scotch cookies - a family tradition since pioneer days.
3. We don't have to go out on Christmas Day. We have our big Celebration on Christmas Eve - dinner, program, presents. LOVE IT! Because of the snow, we didn't leave the house on Christmas Day. On the Sunday after we had a progressive dinner at the kids houses. LOVED IT! It gave them Christmas to spend with in-laws and letting the kids play. And we still got to see what everyone got.
4. Ask about Christmas memories, you'll talk and laugh for hours.
5. Parties between the holidays are just as fun.
6. Some traditions are meant to be thrown out...what a relief!
7. I don't have to put up five Christmas trees. Nor do I have to decorate the bathrooms, laundry, sewing, quilt, bonus rooms.....
8. The kids love picking through the old ornaments I'm not using. I love seeing them at the kids houses.

That's it. I wrote this mostly for myself - sorry people, but I want to remember what I learned so I can do it again next year!