The Shroyer Family: 'Tis the Season🎄🎅🌟

Well, Thanksgiving came and went, but that just meant Christmas was right around the corner. This year, we didn't even get the Thanksgiving dinner cleaned up before Colin was asking to have his "Ho Ho" out for the season. No joke, that boy was ready to get the room arranged, so Santa could rock out to Jingle Bell Rock on the table that he stands on every year. That is the 1st sign that Christmas is coming at our house, lol!

We took advantage of a quiet Thanksgiving and used the weekend to get the house decorated. I didn't get a whole lot of pictures of us doing it, because this year I really took in the moment. It has been a really weird year and I just wanted to be sure to take in the whole thing. Our tree is full of 21 years of "memories on branches" as we call our ornaments and every year it's a trip down memory lane when we decorate it. I dreamed of this tree when I gave Brenton the very 1st ornament back in 1999! I knew that one day I wanted a tree full of them and for every single one to bring back a memory when we placed it on the tree...well, we've accomplished it! I think next year we'll need a new tree, b/c the tree (our very 1st tree that we bought together back in 1999, as well) is so full that we were searching for open spots! I love it! I love looking at it! It just warms my heart to know that our journey together hasn't been perfect, but through all the years, 2 kids later, we truly are so blessed and those dang ornaments are the yearly reminder of it!

Making cookies is another tradition that has to be done at our house. I have to be honest and say this year, I was trying my hardest to get Ethan sold on the idea of just buying premade sugar cookie cutouts. The thought of doing those particular cookies just seemed to overwhelm me this year, but he wasn't having it. I know that this particular tradition is something that he truly enjoys. It's not that it's a major thing either, b/c I'm a "semi-homemade" baker and Betty Crocker helps us accomplish all the ingredients; however, for some reason even that just seemed too much. However, I knew this wasn't about me and so we got everything we needed to accomplish the task to get them made. It wasn't bad though, the giggles and joking while doing it was what this mama needed. It forced me to take a deep breath and embrace the moment! Making cookies, is a tradition that my oldest enjoys and it meant the world to him that we did them together. That is something that means the world to me, so looking back I'm so glad we didn't cheapen the moment and did exactly what we do every year!

Christmas is literally a week away and we are 100% ready! The train is out, Chippey arrived, gifts are ready, cookies made, we had a great date day (our gift to each other), and the coworker & teacher gifts have been given. For some reason, after all of that is done, is when I truly take a deep breath and am ready to celebrate! Our first celebration is this weekend with Brenton's parents and then my parents will be next Saturday. It's not how we wanted it to be this year, but we are so grateful we are getting at least that! This will be the first time I've ever spent Christmas Eve and Christmas Day at home and not with extended family, but we have some fun things planned and just going to take the moment in stride. It's been a really wild and crazy year! I'm ready to get through this week, so I can enjoy the next 2 at home with my little family. I'm just so ready for a cozy Christmas with my guys, in our little house, embracing the extra time we are getting together this year! --Merry Christmas!