the sights & sounds of Christmas

Sometimes when you try something new, it goes terrible. And sometimes, it goes better then you could have dreamed.

 I went into Christmas day this year with an open agenda. 

 Meaning, my only expectations were that we'd be together. The rest...I had given myself no expectations so it could just happen.

 I knew I wanted to spend the day together and give our family a place to just "be", instead of "doing".

 I set my alarm to beat even the earliest tot out of bed to create a place for being...

 And the children led the day. It's amazing what you see and hear when you are focused on being and not just doing.

 Savannah had her first Christmas and to no surprise, her best gift was the crinkly paper left behind.

 And our second born babe never gets caught off guard by the latest trinket or toy. His favorite gift? A Dollar Tree puzzle he's already put together a dozen different times.

 Of course Carson loved the baby toy that he never wanted as a babe.

 And Jaxon decided we weren't that lame after a tablet found his hands.

 Of course, a little day before prep had some tasty things ready for the event.

 The smell of Christmas came from the oranges, cloves, and cranberries simmering all day.

 The only thing we did in the kitchen was bake bread together.

 Because before dinner was meant for the real prep work of Christmas...

 Like realizing that the years go too fast and soon they will be hanging their own kindergarten kids on their trees.

 And guess what I saw when I chose to say we're staying home today? 

These faces...

 These eyes...

 This couch full of big ones and little ones and their true being disguise.

 Because for many reasons we stayed home on Christmas. We saw the real sights of each other, heard the real sounds in our own voices and the laughter that found us, felt the slow moving of the day as we ate and sled and napped and played and were just being. No expectations. Just together.

The real sights and sounds of a holiday are found in the ones you slow down to notice. And this no expectations kind of a Christmas filled with lots of being and little doing, doing, doing was the perfect new tradition to add to our season.