Merry Christmas everyone. This is our last Christmas in Italy. We had a fun time staying home this year. No traveling. Just spending time together.
We added a new tradition this year. We've done an advent calendar for the past few years, but nothing like this. Thanks to an idea from a friend who passed along this blog post (http://lillightomine.com/light-em-up-2011.php), we had an extreme makeover on our Christmas countdown calendar. As we counted down to Jesus' birthday, we did a random act of kindness each day for the past 25 days. Jesus taught that it's better to give than receive. Each day we did a little something to give to others. One day, we brought in all the shopping carts at the Commissary. Another day we brought plastic candy canes filled with candy to the guards at the Navy gate just to say thank you and Merry Christmas. And another day we left money at restaurant with a note saying that our family was excited to focus on others this Christmas and that we hoped this little act of kindness would make their day. Each day, our boys were excited to find out what we were going to do. Such a simple thing, and yet it felt life changing to me and our family.
The Paudler tradition of Gummy Bears in the stockings continues . . .
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There is our Advent Christmas Tree countdown calendar.
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Our monkey bread tradition was started by our friends the Bosnyaks when Carey was in elementary school.
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Max had fun wearing Carey's stylish new slippers.
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1 comment:
What a great idea doing Random acts of kindness. Grandpa Frank and Grandma Linda must also start doing that!! Christmas tree beautiful a lot like ours, size and shape!
Lego airplanes-WOWZER! DJ and Noah are very skilled!
Monkey bread--rolls with nuts and caramel? How sweet is that!? How did it get its name?
Boys lined up on sofa with presents, big smiles, happy faces, looking maximum healthy!
We note Carey in one picture may have a little subtle fatigue!!
Love, Grandpa Frank and Grandma Linda
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