Last of the pre-Christmas festivities and a picnic

I love traditions...be it birthday, Christmas, or whatever the occassion...I think making traditions is part of having your own family. WB and I have a few little traditions between ourselves, but since we've had our babies, we have felt the need to step it up more.
One thing I always do is make the kid's hand and foot prints into reindeer. The top one is Bubba's this year. The bottom 3 are Sissy's in order from 1st, 2nd, and this Christmas. I think I just like to see how much they have grown. We also paint a Christmas plate with their hand (or foot for Bubba this year since I couldn't get him to open his hand). This will be their "Christmas China" when they get older. I hope to continue their china through age 12 so they have 12 place settings for their family.
Sissy enjoyed helping me make the reindeer this year.
Another tradition is having a cookie decorating party with their friends. This is Ava decorating her cookies. We were down 3 kids this year, but still had fun. This is something we started last year and I hope to continue every year as well. When the kids get bigger, I hope to let them bake the cookies themselves and then decorate them...while I sit back and drink a cup of coffee with their mommies! I am sure there will be about 10 more years of helping though!
This is Annalyse.
And of course, my Sissy Bug...eating hers. She is her daddy's child that is for sure!
This is what Bubba did the whole time. Next year, he will be smearing, sprinkling, and eating with the rest of them.

And lastly, today since it was raining for the 25th day in a row, WB decided to take Sissy to the shop with him while he tried to get it organized. This allowed me to go to the grocery store with 1 child (nice!) and get supper in the crockpot.
To clarify,"The Shop" is where WB keeps all of his equipment, antique tractors, and other things that are not appropriate in our house (like old Coke signs, an old mail cart from the Depot, electrical paraphenalia, and some things he doesn't want me to know he has). We have a few acres down the road from the house-aptly called "The Land"-which is where "The Shop" sits (we keep it simple around here folks). This is where WB wants to eventually build a cabin and have a rope swing for the kids...just a place to hang out, he says. And it keeps all of his junk, I mean toys, out of our garage.
Anyway, we went over to have picnic lunch with WB and Sissy. Thought this would be fun for the kids. Sissy just kept saying "I es-sited, mommy!"
Picnicing on the back of the little dump truck. Bubba kept looking around like, what can I get it to? Won't be long and WB will be able to take 'em both. What in the world would I do with my time?!
Helping daddy tape the insulation. She also swept the rocks and learned how to use the measuring tape. She had the best time. I am sure WB didn't get much done, but I enjoyed the couple hours break!

I will close by saying that I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas! This will be a fun year for us because Sissy is really excited about it this year and it is Bubba's first. We are looking forward to spending time with our families and making memories with our children.
I encourage everyone not to get wrapped up in the getting, but remember it is the sharing and the loving that counts.
And, not just at Christmas, but everyday we need to remember Jesus. His birth, his life, and the sacrifice he made for each and every one of us!
As a mommy, I can't help but think of Mary and what she had to give up. I cannot imagine giving up my baby boy! What a great example of FAITH, HOPE, and LOVE!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
The Honea Bees