New Year's Eve Traditions

Sorry I have no pictures for this post!  I was too busy partying!

I know it's too late for this year, maybe I'll re-post this next December, but I just had to share with you our super fun New Year's Eve (NYE) Traditions!

First off we make a lot of Chinese food including our own homemade Egg Rolls!!!  The whole Menu is HERE on my recipe blog.

Jason and I both grew up with BIG NYE traditions!  

Jason's dad's birthday was on NYE, and he was the bishop of their ward (leader of their congregation at church) for several years.  They lived in a big old farmhouse, and every year the whole ward would basically show up for the "Bob Ritz annual surprise birthday party."  They had a pool table in the attic game room, and everyone would bring food, shoot pool, play board games, sit and visit, and count down at midnight!  Even after Jason's dad passed away the "Annual Bob Ritz Surprise Birthday Party" took place for several more years.  Jason's mom had moved away, so he and I made an appearance one year at it.  It was great fun!

My family lived away from extended family most of the time I was growing up.  My parents didn't want to leave us kids to go hang out, and let's face it.  We were way more fun than any friends they might have had.  One year for Christmas, when I was very young, my dad gave my mom a wok and a Chinese food cook book.  That's when the Chinese food tradition started.  

Over time my mom added more and more activities that became part of our annual NYE.  Something we do often, but not every year, is a family talent show.  I have many home movies to prove the success of these talent shows!

Have you seen the movie Dan in Real Life?  Our NYE looks a lot like that movie.  HAHA Lots of crazy family fun traditions.

Of course, lots of board games were played, but the best #1 activity was Predictions. 

My mom would write predictions down on square pieces of paper, and we would vote one them.  Here are some examples, "Will Isaac pass his driving test?"  "Who will win the Presidential Election?"  "Will Mom still be Relief Society President?"  "Will Corinne be engaged?"  "Where will Jackson be called to on his mission?"  "Will there be another Terrorist attack on US soil?"

So you see a wide variety of  predictions.  We would sit in a big circle, pass them around, write our name, and our best guess.  As we go around people start calling out prediction to add.  My mom always had a stack of blanks ready to go.  Then, my mom would tuck them away in a safe spot till the next NYE.  

Each year before the new predictions are made, we read through the previous years predictions.  This is SO much fun!  It is a hilarious blast to read what people predicted a year before.  We have evolved to the point where we just don't write yes or no.  We add comments as to why we think yes or no.  These are hilarious to read a year later!  Some years my mom would have her act together, and there would be a prize for the winner!  

This year is the first year that we, Jason and I, have done predictions just us and our kids.  What a blast!

The Nutcracker - One of my favorite Things

A dear old friend of mine has asked me for some of our Christmas traditions, as she has young twin girls, and interested in what other mother's do during the Christmas season that is magical and fun.

I immediately thought of "The Nutcracker."

When Lily was barely 4 years old I took her to see the Nutcracker Ballet for the first time.  I was very nervous how she would do, after all the story is told through dance with no lyrics and no dialogue.  She stayed up through the entire show with her eyes glued to the stage in front of her.  I think I had more fun watching her than the ballet!  After that we have gone to see it most years.  One year, when he was 7, Glenn asked, "Why do you always take her and not me?"  So we took him.  BIG mistake!  He talked and asked questions through the whole thing!  Lily and I agreed that he would never be invited again.

Glenn and Lily opened their new church outfits, early for Christmas to wear to The Nutcracker.

 Lily age 6, Glenn age 7

Keller Auditorium during intermission.

The next year, after the failure we had with Glenn, I found this beautiful book.  

I bought it because I would really love to take the boys to see The Nutcracker as well, but they would enjoy it so much more if they knew the whole story.  I read this to them, little bit by little bit every night through December.  They LOVED the story.  Even Lily and I loved the story and learned so many of the details that we had never known before. 

Even though we sometimes get too busy, or decide not to spend money on tickets (both very easy to do in December) we ALWAYS read the book, in the evenings by the Christmas Tree.

A few years ago, one of the boys was with Jason at the store and saw a Nutcracker he really wanted.  They bought he first one, and since then we've added to our collection.  This has been really fun for our family to build a collection of Nutcrackers, as it has become one of our favorite stories.  Come to our house in December and you will see a lot of Nutcrackers.

Ag Fest 2011

Every Spring we enjoy going down to the state fairgrounds in Salem for the Ag Fest.  Last year we didn't make it because we had a one month old baby.  So this year the kids were really excited to go.  Another interesting note: Jason always is working on the day of the Ag Fest.  He has never gone with us.  I realized that one or both of my awesome younger sisters has always gone with me to help.  But they are both growed up now, and gone.  So So So sad......  At the last minute my mom and dad called and said they were meeting us there.  THANK HEAVENS!  If they hadn't this blog post would be a completely different post.  We had a GREAT time!  Although my dad kind of wandered around by himself (he really wanted to look at the chickens), my mom, the kids and I had tons of fun.... and grandpa too, when we saw him.

The first place we stopped was the Wheat.  They had fun playing in a pool full of wheat.  I think I would much prefer a 'wheat box' to a sand box in my backyard.  It did not get everywhere like sand does.

Bennett's hand is blurred because in his excitement he was whacking the edge of pool.

In the wheat booth, they were making whole wheat pancakes, for FREE!  Glenn was first in line.

Harrison did a very serious dance to the fiddle music while holding his pancake.  Sorry the video is sideways.

The kids really enjoyed looking at a bee hive and asking the bee keeper good questions.

The kids all got to plant a seedling to bring home to add to our own garden.  Lily and Glenn planted corn.  Maxwell planted pumpkin. 

I was trying hard to get Bennett to look at the camera.  He didn't want to look with Grandpa taking the picture.

I'm not sure, but I think Harrison just wiped his nose on grandma's shirt.

Hold his hands tight grandma!  He can't wait to take that hat off!!!

Playing grocery store with Harrison and Glenn.

YAY!  A free Cookie from the pretend Roth's grocery Store!

COLORING CONTEST

It is easier to color with your tongue out.

 As we were walking around, we ran into the three cowgirls who were there to promote the St. Paul Rodeo.  Harrison called them Cowboy Princesses, and fell in love.  He was freaking out being this close to them.  He especially loved the one on the far left, with the dark hair.  She thought he was adorable as well.  Later on when we walked back through this part of the fair, Harrison was very sad that they were gone.

Beautiful horses!

Lily had a little lamb....

Australian Shepherd puppies!  They were my favorite animal there!  SO cute!!!

The mama Australian Shepherd herding ducks.  It was very entertaining.

 Is your mama a llama?

Max LOVED holding the rabbit.

DIRT BABY

Dirt babies are grass seed and dirt in a nylon stocking.  They kids hot glue on a face, then come home and sit it in water.  Then a miracle occurs!  grass starts to grow on top, making the most beautiful hair!  Dirt babies are the #1 reason why we come to the Ag Fest every year.  My kids look forward to bringing one of these home very much.

CHICKENS

We love to see the new baby chicks, some already born and others just hatching.  Harrison loved meeting the giant chicken.  He kept going up behind him and pulling his tail feathers while other kids were trying to get their pictures taken.  It became a very fun game for him.

 Bennett did NOT like the giant chicken.  He tried to rip off his beak and was hitting him hard, trying to get away. 

He LOVED the little baby chicks.  Two different times he grabbed one, like it was his little squeak toy.  He was very enthusiastic about it.

This was after he grabbed this little chick.  The girl took it away from him, but then held it in front of him.  It drove him nearly insane!  Can you see his face?  He was trying VERY hard to grab the poor little chick again.  He was barely breathing, and turning red!

Once we got him away from the chicks it was easy to calm him down.

Tractor races.  I thought that Max was going to tip over, he came around the corner so fast!



Easter Sunday

Finally Easter Sunday!!  We had a wonderful Easter this year.  It was a very spiritually uplifting day for me as I reflected on my Savior and the Resurrection.  I am truly grateful.  We had a great day carrying on fun traditions, being with family and friends, and remembering our Savior and his sacrifice.  The best part of the day for me was Harrison running up to me after church and exclaiming, "Jesus Came back to life after he was DEAD!!!!"

One of our traditions is to place Carrots by the doors for the Easter Bunny to nibble on.  This is also a good way for the kids to know which way he came in and out.  Harrison placed one by the front door and Maxwell placed one by the sliding glass door onto the deck.

The kids had a lot of fun searching all over for their baskets the next morning.  The Easter Bunny hides their baskets and eggs all over the house.

Bennett's basket was waiting for him on his high chair tray.  He was REALLY excited by it!

This year the kids all got some candy, a beanie baby, a new book and a quiet book for church.

Lily got Jane Eyre and she is REALLY excited to get to read that.  She's been wanting to for awhile.

This is a cool picture because Harrison is in the background punching his giant punch balloon.  Another one of our traditions is giant punch balloons and bubbles.  Those 2 things are always in the baskets.

Max got a cool pop up book about animal predators.

These are the really awesome quiet books that the "Easter Bunny" made for the kids this year. 

My friend found this link for them on another blog.  The blog has two new books that are New Testament.  I love all the designs on this blog.  Even if you are not LDS, I highly suggest you check it out!!!

Several of us got together to put them together.  It was a great excuse to hang out with friends.  We printed them at Costco as 4x6 photos and then mounted them on card stock and laminated them using home laminators.  We hand punched them and added the metal rings and ribbon for flair.  My kids LOVE them.  They have been a huge hit in Sacrament meeting the past two weeks.

Glenn and Lily making Monkey Bread for breakfast.

Bennett eating a chocolate egg for breakfast.

YUMMY monkey bread!!!!!