Christmas Eve: The Contenders and One Winner!

 One of our favorite traditions is driving around to look at Christmas lights while discussing which house we like the best.  Any house that has gone above and beyond is called a contender, and we literally take notes about where that house is. After we have our list of contenders, we debate over who's house has shown the greatest display of Christmas spirit, and upon drawing a consensus, deem that house the winner.  We then leave that house a prize, which is usually left on the doorstep in true doorbell-ditch fashion--always such a blast!

 This year, we added notes.  The kids each wrote a quick note about how they liked the house's decorations, and thanking them for their Christmas spirit.  We left a jar of cookie mix with the notes as the prize.  Jordan was the runner given that he has been throw-up free the longest.  He had a hard job though, because the house that won presented some difficulties: it had a latch gate in front, as well as a huge window with no curtains-we could see straight inside the house, and two dogs were sitting on said couch!  Jordan snuck up in front of the driveway undetected, managed to get through the gate, and avoided rousing the dogs until he rang the doorbell.  Of course, they flipped out, and Jordan came racing down the driveway as the rest of the kids and I laughed our heads off.  he hopped in the car, and we took off, very pleased with our adventure.  I particularly love this tradition, and it is a nice way to make someone feel good!