Carlin Family Traditions

Like the rest of you memory seeking mamas out there, my favorite part of the holiday season is traditions. Right after Raygan was born Cameron and I both couldn't wait to begin traditions as our little family of three, some have disappeared, some have just started and some continue.

Here are some of our Carlin family traditions, new and old. 

Bake and decorate sugar cookies: duh, and they just so happen to be my favorite cookie. 

Drive around and look at Christmas lights while listening to Christmas music: quite possibly my very most favorite thing about the holidays and on the tip top of my list of traditions.

Jammie's & a book on Christmas Eve: another favorite of mine, and this year, add in a hot chocolate cup for our car ride looking for lights. 

Elf on the shelf: this is our second year, and it's definitely fun, and even more great when it's over and I'm not scrambling in the morning figuring out what to do with the damn elf.

Decorate the Christmas tree: I let the girls have at it, I strung the lights and Cameron wanted red ones added, so we did. 

Make ornaments: of some sort, it happens. 

Make Reindeer food: we started this last year and I know this year it's going to be even more fun! 

Carriage ride through lights: my parents little town puts on an awesome event all through December in their fair grounds, tons and tons of lights as your being pulled in a horse drawn carriage. This year it is on hiatus due to the lack of volunteers, Im super sad that we won't be able to experience it this year! It's so fun! And next year we may be volunteers.

Boat light parade: it ain't like it used to be thats for sure! This year the number of boats participating dwindled to a mere 9? Which ended up in our favor because we braved the cold weather with blankets (despite the colds we had) and left little Rour in the car. 

Salvation Army "angel": Cameron has been known to go all out and purchase 25 plus names....and send me shopping. But regardless of what he decides to do this year it's something I remember doing as a child and we want the girls to be involved and pick an angel along with the gift. This year Raygan and Remy each chose a girl their own age and we will pick out their gift this week. I love that even at this age they love to give, even without me encouraging it.

Senske light show: It's amazing, we park and watch a super fun light show that goes along to a certain radio station, I'm hoping this year the the girls will actually love it rather then one being more interested in my dashboard buttons. 

Gingerbread Making party: I think this was our third year getting together with friends and this year rocked. 

Buy the girls each a new ornament: so far they have each received a new ornament each year, I saw on Pinterest about a week ago a journal that had a photo of each ornament and why they chose that one, I think I shall do that for their special yearly ones. 

Pick out a snowglobe: snowglobes make my heart pitter the way that Christmas villages do to others. I'm not sure why but I've always loved snow globes, my nanny (grandmother: not to be confused with care-taker) had some pretty extravagant  ones that I just love. Cameron and I had started this tradition Raygans first Christmas, so that makes this our fifth snow globe. One day I will have a pretty cabinet to showcase them in. 

Look for Santa: This tradition sticks out the most from my childhood. I think this year is the year that it will actually work with the girls being a tad older. I can not wait. We will be searching for a red glow in the sky Christmas eve with our jammies on and hot chocolate in toe-perhaps coffee for this mama who will be up prepping for Christmas morning.

Im sure there are some traditions that will start this year that Im not even aware of until next year and some that I have simply forgotten in this post that I will remember later. I just love that my little family is growing and starting new traditions together.