I'm a little late to Kim's Dare to DIY party this week (tardy for the party, if you love hate can't admit to watching a certain Atlanta housewife). We had a little middle of the night ER trip scare this weekend which threw us all off and we're just now getting back to normal. Don't worry, it wasn't baby Gaby. John woke up at 3am in the horrible pain that could only be a kidney stone. They diagnosed him, doped him up and sent him home. Luckily things have worked themselves out, if ya know what I'm sayin', so he's feeling much better.
So moving on...the Dare this week is to Have Traditions. We have our usual Christmas tradition of hosting dinner at our house on the Eve, then we split up Christmas day between John's sister's for lunch and my aunt's for dinner. This year, we'll add the baby to the mix and see if we can keep the plans the same. Of course, come next year he'll be 16 months old so we'll be staying put to enjoy Christmas as a fam at our own house. Until then, we keep on travelin'. So we decided to start a new tradition with Gabe. I had the best of intentions...bundling up, grabbing some hot chocolate and heading out to look at Christmas lights. I made sure Gabe was drunk on milk and well-rested. Pointless. He screamed for the first 15 minutes of the trip then he fell asleep. Oh well. I had John crank up the christmas tunes and I from atlantic to pacific the traffic is terrific'd it up. My goal was to see this house that I grew up going to look at. The place was incredible. A lifesize sleigh with reindeer going around the yard on a track. Plexiglass display houses. A trillion lights. The whole shebang. Since I don't live around there anymore, I headed to facebook to ask the masses if the family still did the displays. I had mixed opinions. Some said the family moved...some said they went to jail for tax evasion. Others swore they were there last year and yes, were definitely there this year. So we went. And it was dark. No lights, no nothin. Kinda sad. Oh well, I had a slightly less enthralling back-up plan.
Off we went to a little park that was all lit up. It did the trick. We got our pretty light fix. And Gabe was there so boom, a new tradition.
How much is that baaaaaby in the window? Ruff Ruff!
This kid was literally chestnuts roasting over an open fire in this "snowsuit" or whatever the hell it is. I was trying to be responsible mother and layer my child appropriately but seriously? My son is a sweatbox. But such a cute sweatbox.
Anyway, it turned out to be a nice little night for us...and the kid was beat. He went right to sleep.
I remember my mom and dad loading us into the car as kids to go see all the crazy light displays and it still is one of my most favorite memories. So I'm startin early on this kid. Magical childhood will be had!
11 comments:
This is easily my favorite traditon from my childhood! We'd load up in Christms Eve (after the terrible Christmas Eve service in which I recited 343 Bible passages, all the while thinking only of the gifts under the tree) and drive around the city. My favorite house had...wait for it...a live nativity in two feet of snow. With sheep and everything. That stopped about ten years ago, but like you, I still remember it fondly. :)
Baby Gaby looks like Ralphie's little bro from The Christmas Story. :) But at least he's toasty warm...and doesn't have to waddle about. :)
We did this this weekend too!! We have a park that is all lit up here too!
PS Holden is also a sweat box and I constantly struggle with what I should be dressing him when we are going out!!
This is too cute! What a wonderful tradition.
"Don't be tardy for the party..."- ughhh, now that song is stuck in my head... ha ha!
Love that a tradition happened completely spontaneously when your first plans fell through; magical indeed! I just wrote about traditions for the DIY party too, and Christmas lights were on my list as well. :)
Hope Gabe has a fabulous first Christmas!
How fun! That is still on our list of things to do this year. :)
I used to go there too. How dare they stop doing it!
You coudl have went down to Rively Ave, where this family used to put out a moving nativity scene that used to somehow enthrall me and my Mom. It doesn't take much. ha It was also pretty much a guarantee that someone would steal Jesus, but then, what would Christmas be without a few stolen baby j's?
I love holiday traditions, and your first child is such a great excuse to stop being lazy and start-up those old family traditions once again. Looks like a fun night out!
Aw, so fun! Good pictures of the lights, too!
Don't Be Tardy for the Party is now stuck in my head, thank you very much:)
That is such a wonderful tradition to start, Shannon. When I was younger, we would drive around the town and look at the light display in the community park. I would be in the backseat eating peanuts and oranges...
Oh, fond memories :)
I'm so glad that John is alright. And, I love the picture of you and the Gabe-ster. Adorable. Looks like a fun tradition.
Merry Christmas, friend! Sorry for the delay in commenting, I've had family "in the howwwwwse."
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