The advent of Advent: New Traditions and Old...

New Tradition: Isabella

I loved Advent calendars as a kid. I don't remember them with chocolates or toys--just good, old-fashioned Cost Plus paper Advent calenders with little pictures hiding behind numbered squares. Isabella's Advent calendar had chocolates hiding behind each numbered square, which I ate faithfully, each day.

Isabella just ate the calendar.

Family photo card pictures...none of which I used.

Vintage knit, circa 1974. This was my dress as a baby.
I love how it matches Isabella's eyes.

Early Christmas at Nana and Papa's.

New tradition: Progressive Dinner with the Wentzels, Stephens and Carrs.
(I should probably inform them of that).

We did soup and rolls at Brooke and Aaron's, a drive-by of Dave's new place, salad at Heather and Joel's, main course, gingerbread cookies, sweater lint removal and carols at the Wentzels.
And after all that, I took only two pictures. I'll take more next year--when we do it again. :)

Old Tradition: Santa and the Pigwidgen. Years ago, my mom cut out a serial story that appeared in the newspaper called Santa and the Pigwidgen--a little tale about how Santa came to be Santa. She'd pull it out every year at Christmas and read it to me and my brother. I was excited to carry on this tradition with Isabella, but she was more interested in eating it.

Thank goodness for laminating machines.

During the hectic holiday season it's nice to have an 8 month old around to
remind you to take time to relax.

Put your feet up...

All you really need in life is a pacifier and a boppy. An elephant t-shirt doesn't hurt either.

Helping me mail the Holiday cards...

My apologies to whoever got this one.

A first Christmas

Isabella's Christmas morning breakfast: Prunes and Oatmeal

Mark and Katie's Christmas morning breakfast: Pecan Sticky Buns

New Tradition (which I may re-think): I had this idea to make some kind of sweet roll on Christmas morning--something Isabella could look forward to every year (because prunes and oatmeal will probably only go over for so long). I started making the pecan sticky rolls at 8am and didn't finish until sometime around 1pm.
At least they were good.

Last new tradition: Fondue. Actually the idea was to do Fondue on New Year's Eve.
My mom surprised us, though, with a little fondue pot,
so we decided to test in out on Christmas Day.

Yum.