Patterson Top Ten 2008

Our family does a top 10 list every year on our Christmas card. We really have a lot of fun with it. I thought I would post it to share with our local friends, and those we don't send a Christmas card to. Sorry if I don't send you a card...if you send us one, you will be on the list forever :)

Top 10 things that happened to the Patterson family in 2008…

10. For the first time ever we have a “Top 10” that doesn’t include something about a new baby.
9. We bought season tickets to Silver Dollar City and discovered that you can have a lot of fun close to home. Abbott now eats all his vegetables in order to fulfill his dream of being tall enough to ride the Barn Swing.
8. Anna started preschool and dance class. She is the most beautiful (but not necessarily the most graceful) ballerina.
7. Abbott lost his first teeth…and Adeline finally got some.
6. Aiden turned 8 and was baptized! He also started piano lessons and Cub Scouts (and his Den Leader is a babe!)
5. Aubrey became a Den Leader, a runner and a blogger…check us out at Patterson-A-Team.blogspot.com
4. Our sweet, tiny Adeline has earned a reputation as a bully at the gym childcare…at home we call her “mean-streak”.
3. Aiden and Abbott were the coolest Transformers for Halloween. See #5 to watch them transform!
2. Aaron started a new job at Walmart and now drives a shiny, black Silverado. He was not too sad about losing the Nestle mini-van. The rest of the family, however, is still mourning the loss of the free chocolate.
1. Aaron and Aubrey will celebrate their 10 year anniversary on December 31st…somewhere in the Caribbean!

Family Pictures

There is only one time a year that I wish I had fewer kids. Family pictures. I mean really...what are the chances of taking a picture where all four kids look good? Last year I had to choose one with Adeline crying.

Overall, I think we did pretty good this year. We decided to take it ourselves, which worked out well due to Adeline's strange hatred of photographers.

We went to the waterfall at Tanyard Creek, which is beautiful! I drug my sister and her husband along to take the pictures, and I snapped some of them.

Here a few of the best pictures.









Adeline was done at this point...she is literally JUMPING out of my arms! At least she isn't crying...


And the winner is...

What is a tradition?

I love traditions...ESPECIALLY Christmas traditions.

We have to listen to Harry Connick, jr. belt out Christmas carols as we decorate our tree.

We have to act out the Nativity (with costumes) the week before Christmas (for Family Home Evening). We have to make gingerbread houses two weeks before Christmas (for FHE).

We have traditions for wrapping presents, decorating, baking, and the list goes on. We have a new tradition that we started last year with a blanket that each member of the family takes turns sleeping with.

Some traditions evolve on their own, and some get started on purpose (like the blanket). But what really defines a tradition?

I was having a conversation with Aaron about a certain gift that we were going to give. (I'm going to be vague on purpose here.) Aaron suggested that we do EXACTLY what we did last year. B-O-R-I-N-G!

We couldn't possibly do exactly what we did last year...unless...we do it EVERY year. Then it would be a TRADITION!

I wish I could post a picture of his face as he tried to sort it out.

Aaron: "Sooo...if we do it two years in a row...it's horribly boring. If we do it every year...it's a great tradition?"

Aubrey: Yep!

Try to picture that look that says my-wife-is-seriously-crazy-or-from-a-different-planet. Poor guy...I think after 10 years of marriage he thought he was starting to figure me out!

Well, here is a little video of our tree decorating...we did it two weeks ago...I haven't been a very diligent poster lately!