All Seasons Sweet to Me: A Nautical Birthday

I'm sorry some of my traditions got out a little late this month... again. I am realizing however, that for me to be able to live in the moment, and do these traditions with my family in the season thereof, they will get to you a little after the fact. Hopefully though, you will enjoy reading about what we have done and then use this blog for ideas and resources in the future, if not at present.

Let me just say though, that I am grateful for how this blog has allowed me to really live in the season! As I have started following my mom's traditions, I have noticed such a difference in my life as I have begun to really savor the seasons and to enjoy the moment! This Christmas was CRAZY for us! I had a lot going on with my work as a Cub Master in the scouting program, we had Christmas to get ready for, in-laws staying with us for the holidays, and my son's FIRST birthday the day after Christmas! I think it would have been very easy for our Christmas to have turned into one big to-do list, so much so, that I might have even seen the holidays whiz past me without me ever being able to really stop and savor them. But thanks to these traditions, I feel like my Christmas, though busy, was rich, full, festive, and special. I was able to stop not once, but so many times during the season and REALLY enjoy the Christmas with my family and little boy. I truly feel as though my life and my soul have been enriched and I am so thankful for how my mom is continually teaching me to relish and enjoy every minute and to savor the sweetness of each season!

I want to share with you wise words by Good House Keeping's Happiness Expert Gretchen Rubin, whose words echo my sentiments exactly!

"Enjoy this season and this time of life. In the bustle of every day, and in my desire to get things crossed off my to-do list, sometimes activities like holiday decorating, wrapping presents, or making our special recipe for sweet potatoes can feel like burdensome chores. I constantly remind myself that the holidays aren't a season on the calendar, but an attitude of mind that I must cultivate. This is a wonderful time of the year and a wonderful season in the life of my family. One of my daughters still believes in Santa Claus; the other is still ecstatic over a $6 pair of earrings. They're both excited about spending a day cutting out gingerbread men. I don't want to look back in future years and realize I took this time for granted or was too distracted to appreciate it while it was happening."

I hope this New Year's we can all as Gretchen says, "Enjoy this season and this time of life!"

And in the attitude of enjoying the season, and working to appreciate life while it is happening, I thought I'd share with you my son's birthday party! As I said above, his birthday is the 26th- the DAY AFTER Christmas! I realized this year what a challenge this is going to be to always have to be ready for a birthday just one day after Christmas, however, it is important to me that he always gets a special day just for him. I don't want his birthday to ever be slighted just because of its timing. And in the true tradition of my mother- I wanted his birthday to have a special theme! Birthdays in my family were always a big to-do. I can still remember how excited we were each year on our birthday to wake up and see what our mom had done to the kitchen- balloons, cake, presents, decor! It was magical!

I decided I wanted to go with something totally unrelated to Christmas so that my son could have a special day all his own!

(His invite)

I have always loved the poem "A Good Play" by Robert Louis Stevenson about two little boys who build a "ship" out of chairs and sofa pillows to "go a sailing on the billows." To me, it just captures so perfectly the mischief and imagination of little boys. I guess that's why I've always loved the nautical theme for boys. My son's nursery is decorated with this theme, and I chose it for his birthday party too.