Traditions Schmaditions

Sometimes traditions have to be altered. Or put on hold. And sometimes your kids can teach you a real lesson in learning to realize that the traditions themselves aren't what's important as much as the time spent together.

I was severely bummed that we couldn't afford to go to the tree farm this year (as in, pouting like a child). I thought we could. I even posted below that we WERE going, no matter what. But when the bills came in before we headed out on Sunday morning, I knew that the extra $20 for the tree farm tree and gas for 45 minutes in one direction just wasn't smart right now. So, we headed to Menards and got a tree that was just as good as any tree we would have gotten from the beautiful tree farm. Though Menards didn't have the hay wagon, hot cider, sugar cookies and gorgeous, rolling farmland surrounding it, it DID have an indoor playground that the kids just about DIED over. And though I might have felt a little bit silly taking pictures at MENARDS, I brought the camera anyway. And I snapped away whenever a salesperson wasn't staring at the crazy lady with the camera in the garden area. Menards or tree farm, I was documenting the finding of the family Christmas Tree.

Behold...Cutie pie. Rawr.
Egg Nog smiles before bed...

It's the small things that I am having to give up or alter that are making me realize that no matter how bad things may appear to me, I am still blessed. My family still HAS a tree this year, though many would consider it a luxury. Though fewer and less expensive than years in the past, there WILL be presents beneath that tree. Though it's a rare treat to be able to purchase Egg Nog for my kids, I CAN do it, and they are able to appreciate it all the more since they taste it that much less. Though we may have to change the way we celebrate and live our lives, we are STILL celebrating and living and that is more than most of the world is able to claim.

We are blessed. We are blessed. We are blessed...