Chex Mix & Christmas Lights

This year, I've come to the realization that holiday spirit doesn't happen unless you MAKE IT HAPPEN. Sure, Christmas will come and it'll be filled with family and fun but it doesn't feel like the holidays without tradition surrounding it. I know this because I've been moping around since the day after Thanksgiving proclaiming how un-Christmas it feels around here and then I finally realized I should do something about it. So!

I brainstormed a few holiday activities - some new, some old - to kick us into holiday gear. I did some research (which is such a role reversal in our family) and sent Andi a list of mandatory events to add to his calendar.

1. Host a holiday cookie party.
Done. Stuff Your Box Party 2011

2. Festify our house in holiday decor.
Done. 

3. Make homemade Chex Mix.

4. Drive around and look at Christmas lights.

5. Take Tory to see Santa at a local mall.

6. Visit downtown Minneapolis' Macy 8th floor holiday display.

7. Dress Tory in her snow suit, plop her in a snow bank and take a gazillion photos of her doing so.

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When we were little, my mom made homemade Chex Mix by the truckloads during the holidays. We couldn't get enough of it. Just when we thought there was no more, she'd pull out another giant Tupperware filled with salty cereal, nuts and pretzels. To this day, it's one of my favorite parts of the season.

On Saturday morning while Andi was at work, Tory and I made a trip to Target to gather ingredients to make our own homemade Chex Mix. Why on Earth I decided to wait until Saturday to buy the ingredients is beyond me. But we did it. We bundled up, strong-armed our way through massive crowds and made it back in one piece. Would you believe me if I told you Tory even fell asleep in her car seat while shopping? I hardly can myself. She's really turned over a new leaf, that one. One baby nap and an hour in the kitchen later, voila! Three gallons of Chex Mix I'll likely finish by myself. I have no will power when it comes to this stuff.

That night, the three of us (plus Chloe!) loaded into Andi's truck and set out to see all the bright lights our new neighborhood had to offer. Three weeks ago, I would've never dreamed of driving around in a car with Tory on purpose. FOR FUN EVEN! Life is so much better now that we can take her places. Unfortunately, we'd taken my car into the auto shop earlier in the day to have snow tires put on and they called to tell us it needed new brakes as well. Isn't it lovely how everything breaks around the holidays? Five hundred dollars later and some him-hahing on Andi's part (I think he was seriously contemplating not fixing them!), we had to leave my car there overnight. This forced us to take Andi's truck to drive around and see the lights instead, which wouldn't have been such a big deal except his work trailer was still attached to it. Imagine how we looked rolling through neighborhoods pulling this giant trailer. I'm sure we looked like we were casin' houses.

We opted for the express version of the holiday tour not knowing how long Tory would last in the car, so we headed over to a nearby house with lights choreographed to Christmas music. It was nice. The perfect amount of tradition all wrapped up in pajamas, hot chocolate and family time ... and a giant trailer.

Some day Tory will be so excited when these family traditions roll around on the calendar. I'll always remember the very first time we introduced them to her.