traditions

i've said it here before...and i'll say it again...

i. love. (with a big time love) traditions!

they make me feel warm and fuzzy...so i try to find ways to start them with my own family as often as possible!

this holiday season, i proposed to the tucker family that we start some kind of tradition with them a few days before christmas! our children adore one another...and the parents don't mind hanging out either ;)...so it just seemed like the perfect thing to do!

after scouring the internet and countless hours of late night thinking...i had an idea!

now, this actual activity may not necessarily be our specific tradition each year...i truly believe the tradition part will just be getting our two families together...but nonetheless, we rocked it out for our inaugural year!

we managed to surprise our kiddos with this...

an escalade limosine to drive us around...in our jammies...to look at christmas lights!

the excitement in my living room was palpable as we were waiting for the "stretch" to arrive! i don't know who was more excited...the kiddos...or me!!!!! listening to them giggle and guess what we were doing was so fun...and just made me so thankful for our family. i love that my little girls have precious little boys that they love so much...that i love so much...to share these memories with!

when the limo was parked out front...we opened the door & they raced outside! what a treat! we all piled in...loaded down with snacks...and headed to krispy kreme for some hot chocolate! for two hours, we road around...and i'm fairly certain that the kids wouldn't have minded a bit if we hadn't seen one christmas light! they were in heaven just riding! the volume was anything but "inside voice"...but thankfully, our children have COOL parents...and we just let them have fun!

poor russell, our driver! ava pretty much knocked on his window the whole time telling him to "roll it down"!!!!! he was sweet though and didn't seem to mind!

when our "polar express" came to an end...we all piled out and enjoyed a night together! my wheels are already turning for next year. our children are growing so fast...and i know that they won't always have the same kind of excitement for the same things...

but my hope is that they will ALWAYS...

look forward to the tradition.

of being together with those that we love...celebrating a special season.

can't wait for 2012!!!!!