everyday celebrations

My blogging (and visiting of blogs) has been more sparse than usual over the last week and a half, but the celebration of holidays, mostly Christmas, has been alive and well at our house. We've had a great deal of fun with our advent list this year. I can't say that we've stuck to the list exactly, but we've been more mindful of the season everyday and for that reason alone, the list has been worth it.

Like today, I've been too busy finishing up last minute crafting for gifts and didn't have the time to devote to St. Lucia Day so we just celebrated with fondue dessert. A huge hit with the kids and an out-of-the-ordinary treat.

I was a bit nervous about their first experience with fondue forks and canned heat, but we all stayed safe and everyone enjoyed dipping angel food cake, marshmallows and apples into the chocolate sauce.

Even Finn thought that was a "very fun dessert!"

We had plenty of carrying on traditions as well, like reading from our Christmas book basket in front of the tree and in front of the fire and our annual Christmas Car-i-oke.

We usually only pull out the karaoke book once or twice a season, but it's really a tradition the kids have come to love. They used to sit on the couch for the first couple of songs, but now they just dance from the start.

When I sometimes sit and wonder what traditions from their childhood will carry over as fond memories, these are the kind I hope will. Nothing big or elaborate or even time consuming, just a simple tradition from a random school night.

Look at them...do you see how big they're getting? Please tell me that they'll want to do this every year. That they won't turn into teenagers in 2-3 short years and decide karaoke isn't a cool tradition anymore. Please...