Today Ava Continued the Traditions

One of mom's Christmas traditions is to make cookies from scratch using a recipe passed down from your Grandma Fenner. She was excited for you to help her again this year. 

And you were more than willing to lend a hand. 

You mixed the dough, made sure it tasted right, cut them out ...

... and after mom baked them, did what every kid loves to do ... frost them!

 
Once the cookies were complete, it was time for tradition #2, hand print ornaments! 

Mom mixes a little water, salt, and flower to create a dough. 

Once it's rolled out nice and neatly, you press your hand into it. 

And presto! 

Mom painstakingly cuts out around the print and into the oven it goes for the next few hours.

This is the third year for them and my how you've grown! 

Don't worry, we'll paint it. 

Time to relax for a little bit before Church. 

We opted for the 7:00 p.m. Christmas Eve Mass at Little Flower Church on Diamond Ave. thinking you might actually stay awake for the service. 

I could tell you were getting tired because it was a tough struggle to get your dress on. A dress we bought at a consignment sale over the summer for $4.00. Hey, you're growing so quickly why pay full price for a dress you'll only wear once? And, this one still had the original tags on it, so it wasn't worn at all in the first place. 

As you're parents, we're not cheap (okay, so we can be at times), we're just smart and know how to stretch our dollars on some things.

Well, as fate would have it, we were on our way and you fell asleep in the car. I guess no nap combined with the early winter darkness outside is a great mix for a nap during a ride in the backseat of the Mazda. 

As mom lifted Arlee out in her car seat from the passenger side, I did the same with you from my side. Let's go in and enjoy Mass. 

We've been strangers to Church lately and I really want to change that. Maybe this will be the beginning. 

Mom and I strategized and found a seat at an aisle with a quick route to the back cry room in case Arlee became fussy. Luckily, we wouldn't need to put our plan into action. 

You alternated between my shoulders through the entire mass and it was Arlee who stayed awake for the duration. 

Once home we posed for a quick family photo (above) and could relax before Santa brought your presents.