Bring on the holidays!

I love this time of year!  I just love to see all the Christmas decor that goes up and the beautiful lights, all the lovely music and of course my favorite part is all the family parties!
Christmas always makes me feel a bit like a kid again.  I have such fond childhood Christmas memories.  Mom and Dad always made is extra special, all the while reminding us the true meaning of Christmas.  They still do!  For as long as I can remember Dad has been collecting pieces from the Dicken's Village Series.  He has an entire little village now. The set up was always a big night in our house.  We always did it together.
My dad is not a man who makes material things his treasures.  He has always made it known that his treasures are in heaven and the only earthly things that really matter to him is his family.
That being said, we all know that Dad's Dicken's Village is important to him.  It's lovely, and is always complimented.  I know he enjoys the beauty of it, and who wouldn't?  But I also know in my heart that the most beautiful part of that village is that it has always brought his family together.  It's something that we all have enjoyed throughout the years.  Now that I am grown and have children of my own I have a better understanding of why Dad has always loved that village so much.  It's not so much about the village itself, but more about the family tradition.  So it was important to me to make it a tradition with my children to go to Papa's for village set up every year!
Last night was village night!   Collin really got into helping this year and Madelyn was more into destructing by taking all the people out of the village after they were so neatly and deliberately placed.

Last night I heard Dad say, 

"They will always remember this you know" referring to the kids...

And he's right, 

but they aren't the only ones who will always remember...