Day 11......Traditions

Happy Monday Everyone,

"Let us make memories carefully of all good things, rejoicing in the wonderful truth that while we are laying up for ourselves the very sweetest and best of happy memories, we are at the same time giving them to others." Laura Ingalls Wilder

I think traditions are what binds a family together. Those happy memories of our youth that we pass down through the generations makes our family unique. One of our family traditions is having Santa Claus come to our home about this time every year. We gather around the tree and read The Polar Express. This year Kinsey was able to read aloud for us. When we hear the bells, we know that Santa is on our front porch.

Santa is telling the photographer, "You'd better watch out!" Mike periodically sees all of our grandchildren throughout the year and knows if they've been naughty or nice!

The littlest one just wasn't too sure about this Santa person.....this was just about as close as Santa could get.

Santa got lots of hugs from all the little ones.

Our dear friend Mike, has been carrying on this tradition for his family for two decades. His mother-in-law made his Santa suit about 35-years ago for her husband out of crushed corduroy.

We appreciate our friends and our rich history of experiences throughout the thirty-two years that we've known Mike and his wonderful wife Kathy. Together we've shared many happy times from the birth of children, their weddings, then the birth of grandchildren. Together we've experienced and faced the loss of loved ones. Our family traditions honors our loved ones and keeps their spirit alive throughout the year.

So Santa, we'll see you again next year to make more sweet memories!

As always,

Lynn

P.S. The pictures paint a very tranquil evening.....in reality it was utter chaos. Six kids and a dog were doing the Indy 500 through the downstairs. When Santa arrived they were all perfect angels for about a nanosecond. When everyone left after dinner, we sat around the tree with Mike and Kathy and enjoyed some Christmas Schnapps and removed our earplugs!!