Christmas Q&A

I came across this Christmas survey on the blog Welcome to Heardmont, and she came across it from another blog, and that person from someone else's blog, etc...I thought it would be fun to talk about our Christmas traditions that we have slowly been creating as a result of Jared and I combining traditions from our childhoods and also to show how we decorated for Christmas this year.

1. Egg nog or hot chocolate?
I hate egg nog but Jared loves it. JR of course loves chocolate milk but the jury is still out on the nog since he has never had it!

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just set them under the tree?
He sets them out around the tree, at least for JR. When we were growing up Santa would give each of the kids a  section of the couch and put gifts next to each stocking

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white?
I like white lights and a uniform tree. Maybe someday when we have more space like maybe a family room we will do a second tree with colored lights and sentimental ornaments, which is the type of tree Jared would actually prefer.

4. Do you hang mistletoe?
No, but we do have three gold "prickly balls" which I usually hang in a doorway or something and we pretend it is mistletoe.

5. When do you put your decorations up?
I am usually ready right after Halloween! But since I think Thanksgiving is so important to really celebrate I wait until the day after. This year most decorations did not go up until December 5th!

6. What is your favorite holiday dish?
I love green bean casserole and a traditional turkey and mashed potatoes dinner. Yum!

7. Favorite holiday memory as a child?
I loved watching the 24 hour marathon of A Christmas Story on Christmas Eve/Christmas day and of course opening presents, eating our sugared cereal for breakfast (we only got sugared cereal on Christmas and birthdays which is lame because there were always other treats and gallons of ice cream readily available year round in the house) and then going out to Homedale to spend the rest of the day with my grandparents and family! 

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?
I don't remember exactly, but I have a feeling my cousins and brother might have had something to do with it.

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?
Growing up we always did. Not sure what we will do as JR gets older. 

10. How do you decorate your Christmas tree?
I have a zillion beautiful glass ornaments that I bought on clearance like the day or two after Christmas our first two years of marriage. The are purple and red and I actually did not set up the actual big tree the past couple of years because I was worried about JR breaking them. He has done pretty well so far this year though.

11. Snow! love it or dread it?
I have mixed feelings about snow. It has not snowed here in Boise yet and I am really missing it! As soon as I have to drive in it I will be hatin' though! Mark my words! 

12. Can you ice skate?
No. If I went ice skating I would be shuffling along, holding onto the side I am sure.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift?
I remember we got a trampoline from Santa one year and my parents told us something like he must have lowered it on pulleys from his sleigh into the backyard. I totally believed them.

14. What’s the most important thing about the holidays for you?
Being surrounded by my family and celebrating the birth of Jesus! 

15. What is your favorite holiday dessert?
My mom has always made a chocolate pie based with cream cheese that I LOVE. 

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition?
It actually starts around the week of Thanksgiving when we go to the Boise Festival of Trees. Jared proposed to me there and it is so special to always have that event to go back too.

17. What tops your tree?
Nothing right now because there are only a few inches between the top and the ceiling! 

18. Which do you prefer: giving or receiving?
Hands down I love gift giving, especially when you find the perfect gift for someone. I just love it!

19. Candy canes: yuck or yum?
YUM! 

20. Favorite christmas movie?
I used to say A Christmas Story but being around my husbands family I have to say that I just LOVE Christmas Vacation! I watch it year round! I seriously love all Christmas movies though. I like the ones from my childhood like Home Alone and The Santa Clause and those types.

21. Saddest christmas song?
Christmas Shoes

22. What is your favorite christmas song?
O Holy Night!

So that is what the Loveland Family is up to this Christmas. I will leave you with some images I got from and impromptu photo shoot in front of the tree with JR!

Taking a drink to refresh himself from all this hard work posing...

Now for the fake smiles he gives when I say "cheese"...

Halloween

My mom bought JR a pumpkin Halloween costume on sale last year in November so we dressed him up in it one day and he wore it around and over to Grandma's house so she could see it.

And while we were there we watched Veggie Tales like we always do at Grandma's house...

For actual Halloween JR moonlighted as a ventriloquist dummy.

We went to Trunk-or-Treat on Saturday night. Everyone thought he was a vampire!

Playing games in the cultural hall...

Posing for pictures in front of our decorated car,,,

Ready to Trick-or-Treat!

Dragging his HEAVY candy bag!

Stowing away in the trunk post trick-or-treating...

On Halloween night we went trick-or-treating with JR's cousins (Jared's brother and his kids).

We were so happy to get a great picture of all the kids together.

The Pumpkin Liner: October 22nd

We rode the Thunder Mountain Line "Pumpkin Liner" on October 22nd. Sadly this was another time when Jared's schedule did not allow him to come with us, so JR and I hitched a ride with Maitland and Katie and we met my parents up on Horseshoe Bend.

The first half of the trip we rode in an enclosed car and JR spent much to the time turned around flirting with the teenage girl behind him.

He did turn around and paid us some attention after a while though, especially after grandpa took him to get some candy.

Looking out the window with uncle Maitland...

What a cutie!

When we arrived at Montour each ticket holder got to pick out a pumpkin to bring home. JR was going around touching all the tops of the pumpkins. He was too funny.

It was very hard to pick just the right pumpkin!

 The train Nazi yelled at us for taking this picture whit JR sitting on the edge.

He said, "these old trains can just move at any time without warning!" 

I think they have bigger problems then a kid being held tight by his grandfather if that happens. All the people getting on and off the train at the ramps holding giant pumpkins are more likely to be screwed but whatever.

On the return trip we rode outside and it was awesome. If you ever ride the train and there is good weather go outside for sure. Much more exciting!

JR wasn't really interested in looking over the side though. He wanted to chill with his pumpkins. 

He thought he was too cool for school sitting on those pumpkins!

And sitting on the step...

It was a fun day. I fully plan on riding the Polar Express train next month!

The Farmstead

A few pictures from when we went to the Farmstead with Maitland and Katie on October 18th!

Tractor!...

Corn Maze...

Uncle Maitland and JR...

Daddy and JR...

And to end the photos, the family picture that neither Jared or I wanted to take but did anyway so we could have these memories...