Within the Gray: December 2015

As a gal who prayed and prayed for a sweet baby, I always dreamed of what it would be like on Holidays and how I would work to make each one special and filled with traditions! So how do you start your own family traditions? I guess you just start doing what you do and make 'em stick!

Our NEW Holiday Traditions (Hopefully:))

Family Decorating Night

This year is SO special when it comes to decorating the house and I want it to be memorable...

Obviously Isla will not REMEMBER this year but Preston and I will always remember her first

Christmas.. and TRUST me, I will be taking photos every step of the way..

So, I have started a "family decorating night" which consists of hot coca, overly loud Christmas

music, Monkey Bread made by yours truly (Prestons favorite), tree decorating, NEW

Christmas PJs and a mini photo shoot of my sweet girl. When she is old enough, I believe she

will most certainly call the shots on how all of this goes down but for now, it is pretty sweet

and simple!

Pajama Palooza

This has yet to take place this year- we are only just into the month of December BUT I

envision a quick trip to Dunkin Donuts for some hot coca, while donned in our cozy Christmas

PJ's, and a fun-filled Christmas-music blaring tour of lights! We have a local city park here that

has great Christmas lights all throughout and some really spectacular homes that do it up really

big! Again, as Isla gets older, I full heartedly assume she will call the shots on how all of this

plays out but for now, this is how I foresee this shenanigan!

Visit to Santa

Just the typical meet and greet with 'Ol Saint Nick for Isla. We have a Santa at the mall... not

sure I LOVE this set-up and would much rather have a local "breakfast with Santa" or

something more fun but I have yet to find this in my near-area. The search will resume though:)

Christmas Eve

Our Christmas Eve has always been spent with Preston's family- which is HUGE, fun, loud,

LOTS of delicious food, drinks, AND... Santa visits (which I am fairly certain this year will be

Preston)! I LOVE LOVE LOVE Christmas Eve spent in this capacity and I know this will be

awesome for Isla growing up! Also, Christmas Eve is Preston's' birthday so it is DOUBLE

special.... He may or may not be turning the big 3-0 this year:)

Christmas Morning

Ah, the real Dooze! So, growing up my parents ALWAYS had our presents set out for my

sister and I in piles, all nice and show-boat-y from Santa! I remember waking up Christmas

mornings and running down the stairs to our respective piles and going to town on all the

goodies... I am torn on this.. I think this is how I want it to go down for our kids but Preston has

always had the gifts wrapped and under the tree! We have a good year or so to kick this one

around because I am certain she won't care this year.

I love traditions and would love to start as many as possible so our kids have great memories of the holidays and can maybe pass them on to their kids. It is such a magical time of year!