CHRISTMAS!!

I love this time of year! It's so exciting. I love all the family events and food and presents! I love bundling up in coats, mittens and hats to go to Temple Square to see the lights. It's my favorite family Christmas activity.

Last night we set up our trees and decorated our house for Christmas! We have a family tree upstairs decorated in red and gold and the kids have their very own tree in the family room decorated in EVERYTHING they can get their little hands on. It was so cute to watch them find their own little special treasures in the ornament boxes. The triplets found a couple ornaments that were given to them when they were born. One of them is three little bears sitting on a swing with their names written on a little banner across the swing. Ethan found M&M garland and ornaments that he bought a few years ago when he was tiny, and Carter found ornaments he made last year in preschool. Their little tree is chuck full of ornaments and garland but it's so cute. I'll have to take a picture.

My mom started a new tradition this year based on the book called The Christmas Jar. I haven't read the book yet, but my mom says it's about a family that saves their change all year to buy Christmas presents but on their way to the bank they meet a woman who is crying and their daughter ends up giving her their Christmas Jar. After that, every year the family gives away a jar of change they save all year. So my mom saved 3 jars of change (all silver) and gave one to my brother, my sister and me. She's hoping that next year we can save our change and give it to a family who needs it. I think it's such an awesome idea! Last night we took our jar to a coinstar machine and the kids made bets on how much would be in the jar. We were all pleasantly surprised that there was a lot more money in it than we thought! It was so fun. So, I'm excited about this new tradition. I think it will be a good way to get my kids involved in something that they can give to someone else next Christmas.