A Homemade Christmas

We have made it a family tradition to take the kids out individually at Christmas time. Alan takes them to dinner or lunch and to shop for Mom, and I take them for a treat and to shop for their dad and siblings. Unfortunately, this tradition is not going to happen this year. When I broke the news to the kids, and told them that they were going to have to figure out something to make each other this year, I was expecting whining and disappointment. And they were VERY disappointed that they weren't going to get their Happy Meals or ice cream, but they were excited about making each other gifts. Leilani and Emily are making puppets for Benjamin and Elisabeth and fleece hats and scarves for each other (they don't know they are making them for each other). They have been having fun with it, and I am glad. Poor Grandma is having to donate lots of time, though, because my sewing skills are not on par with hers. I am making them a puppet theater for Christmas, so they will have somewhere to perform their stories. The girls have a lot of imagination, and their projects are very detailed. I will post pictures when they are done, because I can tell that the projects are going to be cute. Now if they can just keep it secret until Christmas!