Traditions...

Justice and Kolten have a school assignment for one of their parents to come and talk about some of their family traditions. As I was thinking and asking them what they wanted me to talk about (hoping they both chose the same) these are the two (yes, two, they didn't choose the same) they decided on, so I thought I would share.

First, every year we take one family night, to go out and see peoples decorations and lights. We start out clear down in Salem and see the Salem Christmas ponds.

They are so beautiful, for those who haven't seen them, it is a pond that you can drive all the way around, they have beautiful christmas trees floating on the water, and the reflection makes them look like they go on forever. They also have carriage rides that take you around the entire pond. Then we make our way back to Spanish Fork and see the Festival of Lights.

They have the entire park lit up with, the North Pole, the Nativity and the motion lights of ski jumpers, polar bears catching fish, jack frost blowing frost accross the park, really a little of everything. You can tune your radio to their station and listen to christmas music as you drive through. Then we make our stop at the CrackerBarrell. It is the only time we make our way down to Springville for the delicious food there, and we usually end up buying more than we need from their shop. This year Mike got all sorts of "old fashioned" candy and of course I found some more Christmas decor that we don't need. Then we head to Orem and catch the big house that you can see from the freeway and the house with the picture window. This home always has their entire room decorated with a theme. This year Santa and Mrs. Claus and a couple of elves are riding four wheelers on the "North Pole Trails". It really is amazing. Then we end our night with the house in Highland (which is moved this year) that has their lights in sync with the Christmas music that again you tune your radio station too. Since it has moved, we were unable to stop but we are going later this week and I know alot of my family goes there as well, so I am posting the map so that hopefully you won't have to make the same drive up as we did. They moved it to Lindon.

Second, Kolten chose Christmas Eve at Grandmas and Grandpas. Every year we all gather at my parents house. We have dinner together and talk and play. Then we all sit together while Grandpa reads the Christmas story from Luke. Which by the way is a lot shorter now then when I was 10. Then we exchange gifts between the grandkids (we still pick names between the grown-ups and by family for the kids). Then each one receives their gifts from grandma and grandpa. After the kids have opened all their gifts, they take off to open and play with everything they received. Then it is the grown-ups turn. We exchange our gifts (which usually ends up a DVD or gift card) then we receive our gifts from grandma and grandpa and give gifts to grandma and grandpa, all while eating grandmas home made gingerbread men and women, sugar cookies, fudge (no nuts thank you) and peanut clusters. By then it is way past time for kids to be in bed, so we load up and head home, just in time to crawl into bed so Santa (hopefully) doesn't miss our house on his way through town. Christmas really is my favorite time of year! Merry Christmas to all and all a good night!