Wow wow wow it's the week of Christmas!! Before having kids I loathed seeing December tick away so quickly, but now my excitement is right alongside Jack's. I can't wait to see the boys receive their gifts on Christmas morning!!

One of my goals this month was to make a list of traditions for our family to do (or start) this year, but in actuality no list was made and were just rolling with the ideas in my head and things we've loved from past years.

After having little ones I quickly realized my usual traditions could use some adjusting. My expectations needed to shift from keeping things tidy to letting the kids make the mess. Like most preschoolers and toddlers, my boys have short attention spans and they find the same joy in a pile of dirt as they do in a ball pit. Celebrating in a way that is simple for them and for us parents is a win. I am all for fewer meltdowns and more magical holiday moments. 

Here are some of things we have done and will do this week!!

Rent Christmas books from our library

It's fun, it's free, and the boys' shelves are stocked with new books for us to read at home. Some of our favorites we borrowed are Itsy Bitsy Christmas, A Charlie Brown Christmas, and Twas the Night Before Christmas on Sesame Street.

Christmas movie night

Jack is all about a movie night. We make it extra special by popping popcorn over the stove and snuggling up on the couch together. This year we watched A Charlie Brown Christmas and The Star. 

Jammy Cocoa Christmas

Thanks to Shay Shull's yearly tradition we've adopted it too. Since our kids are still in car seats we tweak this tradition by going through Starbucks' drive thru because why get kids out of their seats when you don't have to?? ;) So put on your pj's, hop in the car, sing along to the Christmas tunes and drive to find all the pretty lights! Bonus points if the kids fall asleep before you get home. 

Dance parties/Guitar carols

In our house we break a leg and bust a move at least 2-3x a week. How is this a tradition? Simply turn off the lights, let the tree be your disco ball and play some Christmas jams. Our personal fav is Run Run Rudolph. Did you know kids actually sleep better by using up energy whereas adults need to slow down to tell their bodies to prepare for sleep? Dance away party people. 

Pick out a Christmas present for sibling 

This might be my favorite tradition because as Jack grows older we get to instill little nuggets of goodness like the gift of giving! Before he picked out Peter's gift we told him he would have to earn the money by doing chores around the house. Jack was ready to pick up sticks and sweep the floors that very moment. He was SO excited. There may be tape all over Peter's gift but its so sweet seeing him take ownership of gifting his baby bro.

Christmas morning cinnamon rolls 

When I was a kid I remember every Christmas morning my mom would make blueberry muffins. It was something so simple but it stuck with me and added to the beauty of the morning. This year I will make these homemade cinnamon rolls with maple frosting on Christmas Eve so that Christmas morning all I have to do is pop them in the oven and frost them. 

Do tell! What were your favorite Christmas traditions as a kid? Always open to new ideas to celebrate the best season of all. 

Whipped Candy Cane Sugar Scrub

 Cooking soup is my favorite because it typically involves 3 simple tasks: chopping, pouring and stirring. Soup is also a great way to eat a ton of veggies while tasting delicious. We started soup Sundays in October and it has been so fun sampling a ton of different recipes. Some of the recipes are staples from years past, some new, and some were going to leave off the list because they were not winners (looking at you sweet potato soup). 

Autumn Wild Rice Soup: Leading off strong with my personal favorite. This dish will leave you full and satisfied. This recipe gives you the option to add chicken but I have yet to add it because it's so flavorful with just veggies. Pro tip: add the canned coconut milk instead of making a cream sauce. You will thank me later. So creamy and healthy!

Sausage and Red Pepper Soup: If you love a good noodle this is your soup! The flavor is savory and the recipe is simple. The thick egg noodles and subtle spice from the Italian sausage make this recipe a repeater for our fam.

Chicken Pot Pie Soup: This was a new recipe and we were not disappointed! Mark and I were impressed by just how good this one is for being so healthy. Don't let the recipe freak you out, it is way simpler to prepare than it looks. The blended steamed cauliflower is the MVP in this dish. It packs in all the nutrients while tasting like a creamy mashed potato. 

Stuffed Pepper Soup: Last but not least I give you stuffed peppers in soup form. :) Whole30 compliant if you sub the rice for cauliflower rice. This one had Mark going back for seconds so you can rest assure it's good. 

Don't forget to pair with your fav crusty bread or baguette! Bon' Appetit!