"That Family"

We’ve officially become “that family”…yes, the house with the inflatable Christmas animals on the front lawn. 

The house with the Dad untangling a million Christmas lights on the driveway. 

The family who, in the name of Christmas tradition, goes trekking through the evergreen forest in search of the perfect tree to saw down by hand and haul back to the mini van roof top. 

I like to call us the "family that Christmases. 

Why do we do all these exhausting, somewhat ridiculous things?!?

Because it makes our kids smile. It makes them so very happy.

 So yes, we’ve become the couple-the people-we swore we’d never be. 

And I love it. 

Our kids are able to understand more and more, and this Thanksgiving I really tried to emphasize the “thanks” in the “giving.” 

I’m realizing more and more the challenge it is raising kids in this culture of instant gratification and consumerism. 

It makes my stomach churn sometimes when I observe ungrateful hearts or attitudes of entitlement. 

I’m torn sometimes because I want to do all these special things with and for my children; 

I want my yard to glow of Christmas magic; I want to take Evie to Christmas tea. 

However, I don’t know if these things only do more harm than good in their hearts. 

Posted in their preschool classroom
What we are thankful for:
James: "Trains"
Caleb: "Trains"
Levi: "Dogs, ice cream and even cats"

One of my goals for my kids is to make serving and volunteering together part of our life. I think I could start doing some volunteering or serving with Evie; this is a goal I have for us in 2017. 

We had an absolutely lovely Thanksgiving, probably the best one yet with the kids. John’s parents and his brother and sister in law and their two girls came to visit. The house finally had real sounds of the holidays: Cousins playing and laughing together.  

Cousins and "family noise" is what holidays for me were growing up.  I have memories of obnoxious  kid table conversations, being wayyy too full laying on crammed couches watching Christmas movie reruns, and playing practical jokes on the unsuspecting cousin who dozed off after too much triptaphane. 

The boys actually “ate” Thanksgiving dinner with us this year (well, if you call cereal and raisins and peanut butter sandwiches Thanksgiving dinner..)

Happy Thanksgiving dinner! (Why so grumpy, Levi?!) 

 I was hopeful they'd try something on the colorful plate I'd prepared for them; but, I’ll take being able to eat together as a group. 

 There is always next year. Maybe, just maybe, next Thanksgiving they will try my sweet potato casserole.  

We spent a lot of time just hanging out at our house with the family. It was so nice to change our pace a bit. 

However, if you know me though, you know that I always like to investigate what's going on around town and get us out of the house with the kids.

And behold! What did I find in my search for adventure this weekend?! The Columbia Gorge Model Train Club exhibit! If you know my boys and their obsession with anything train, you’d know what a home run this find was. 

Trains!

Apparently, there is a model train club in Portland and once a year they open up their hobby to the public to raise money for their building; and just our luck, this was the weekend!

I convinced everyone in the family to go to this train exhibit; despite being a bit crowded, it was pretty neat. 

 The boys were completely absorbed in their train nirvana, watching the little engines chug down the track, through mountains, tunnels and scenes that depicted Portland and the surrounding areas. They really could have spent all afternoon following the trains around. 

Another adventure I insisted my family do was the Macy’s parade the morning after Thanksgiving. The day started off rainy and bleak. However, I had a really good feeling it wouldn't stay like that. And sure enough, by the time we found our spot downtown and spotted the first dinosaur float and cartwheeling elf, the rain totally stopped and it ended up being a really fun morning. 

Christmas is going to be more magical than ever this year. I’m excited about the whole holiday season. The kids are enchanted by elves, and reindeer and all the Christmas magic.  

Thanksgiving night I kicked off the season by presenting Christmas pajamas to the kids…and then hung a wreath on the door. We've already cut down and decorated the Christmas tree and inflated the Santa animals on the front lawn.

Everyone had a different opinion about the perfect tree

 

 It’s not even December yet and Christmas is in full swing at the Patton house!

I have so many things that I really want to do with the kids this holiday season. I don't want to be too busy...but busy enough to fully soak in Christmas!

Dad of the year, cutting down the Christmas tree