Christmas time on the farm...

Candy making during Christmas is becoming a tradition.

Oh, we are only three days away from Christmas and I can't wait!!! I love this holiday so much. This will be our second Christmas on the farm and we already have our own traditions. I think traditions are so important. I remember as a kid that my grandmother always had her little traditions. Every Christmas she would always get out her Christmas cookie cutters and make up the dough and Anne and I would cut out cookies all day long. Grandmother would then get them out of the oven and we would go to town with crystal sugar and icing. That is such an amazing memory. She also always had these little coffee cups that had Santa on them. I recently found those coffee cups a couple of months ago. I will have them sitting out this year. She also ALWAYS made oyster casserole and barley casserole. We will have both of those dishes for this Christmas as well. Even though my grandmother will not physically be with us this year, the traditions she instilled in Anne and I will. Anne and I have also made our own traditions for the holiday season. My mom always joins us on Christmas Eve and we laugh, listen to music, reminisce and cook up in to the night. On Christmas morning, all three of us will wake and will diligently work like little soldiers that know exactly what their jobs are. Anne will make the coffee while mom helps me get the turkey ready. Once the turkey is in the oven, all three of us will bundle up, grab the dogs and head to the barn all the way talking about how lucky we all are. Once the horses are fed and happy, we will return to the house to sit in the den and drink coffee while eating croissants with strawberry preserves and talking, talking, talking. I love this tradition. I so look forward to it. It is one of those traditions that makes you feel like everything is right in the world. After we have showers the three of us will cook all morning and get everything ready. Around noon the rest of the family will arrive. My mom's boyfriend Bob, my brother Robbie, his wife Sarah and my ADORABLE nephew Thomas Wyatt. This will be Thomas Wyatt's first Christmas. How exciting!! Soon Thomas Wyatt will be joining in with the Christmas traditions that we have all grown to love along the way. Some are old, some are fairly new and I am sure as he grows older he will have some new traditions for all of us to enjoy. Merry Christmas EVERYONE!! I hope you all have a wonderful holiday and you get to enjoy it with the people you love.