← More Than Reality with Adam and Danielle
More Than Reality with Adam and Danielle
EP 63 - Our Favorite Christmas Traditions as a Family of 6 Kids
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- [00:01]
A
This episode is brought to you by State Farm.
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- [01:00]
A
I mean, it was like a big deal to ride on an airplane. People would like dress up and get on airplanes and suits and stuff. And now it's like I'm wearing my PJs. I don't. But what traditions have we put in place like over the years for Christmas time for like New Year's and stuff that like we ended up like following through and like, you know, now we do these every year just because like the kids look forward to it. It's just like a fun family thing. And.
- [01:31]
B
This is More Than Reality podcast where we dive into all things faith, family and marriage and share that there is so much more than the reality that you see on the surface. Welcome to More Than Reality with Adam and Danielle Busby.
- [01:48]
A
What's up, guys? This is possibly our last episode of the year. We might do a little short one after this one, but it's just going to be like a, a fun little Christmas. Yeah, like pre Christmas type thing. I don't know. Who knows, we may bring it because.
- [02:07]
B
Our last two one because next podcast will actually be on Christmas Day. So yeah, we might do something a little special to that day or just.
- [02:16]
A
Like release it ahead of time or something like that. So. But today I just want to make.
- [02:22]
B
Known of my cute little.
- [02:24]
A
I called it. I was like, oh, you brought your grandma mug.
- [02:26]
B
How cute is it? I got this for my birthday from Andy Dainty.
- [02:32]
A
Looks fragile.
- [02:34]
B
It's just a teacup with coffee in it.
- [02:37]
A
So Today is episode 63 of More Than Reality Podcast. I'm Adam Busby.
- [02:43]
B
I'm Danielle Busby drinking from her man.
- [02:48]
A
People back in the day, like little mug.
- [02:51]
B
Even if they didn't live like, like life that we live today, they did everything like fancy. Like this is how they would drink coffee every day. I know.
- [03:01]
A
Like, I wonder why. I wonder why it's like gotten like that. Like, I mean, you look lose a.
- [03:06]
B
Lot of those old traditions.
- [03:07]
A
You look at like past photos of like people on an airplane. I mean, it was like a big deal to ride on an airplane. People would like dress up and get on airplanes and suits and stuff. And now it's like I'm wearing my PJs. I don't. But I mean, that's usually what it's like.
- [03:25]
B
One thing that I cannot stand right now is watching even kids, not like at home, but like going to school and being in like plaid PJ pants. Unless it's PJ day or Polar Express day. But like there's high schoolers that just wear it to wear it. I'm like, no, no. I mean, I love me some sweatpants, but sweatpants are not PJ pants.
- [03:49]
A
I know, I'll go to like.
- [03:50]
B
And I'm like, why are we wearing PJ pants to school?
- [03:53]
A
There's kids like walking out of school. It looks like they just rolled out of bed, so.
- [03:58]
B
And like when I went Dickens on the Strand and celebrate my birthday with my like League City girlfriends. Now that I have to have classified my friends.
- [04:08]
A
Yeah, doesn't that you're.
- [04:10]
B
I mean, my best friend's over there.
- [04:12]
A
That's what you freaking do anyway. Your Michigan best friend. Your Louisiana best friend.
- [04:19]
B
Do I hear some jealousy hoping?
- [04:21]
A
No, I just think it's funny.
- [04:23]
B
It's not my fault everybody moved away, otherwise I'd just be here. But we went to like Dickens on the Strand and so we like, we were. It was the first time we ever did this. And so it's like this whole weekend in Galveston, like on the Strand and like everybody dresses up back to like, like Charles Dickens era. And like all these tradition. I mean, it's just. It was so fun. I've never done it and we've actually never even done like any of those like old timey dress up, like, you just look miserable photos.
- [04:55]
A
I think those are so weird.
- [04:56]
B
They are. But it was so fun. We like, we didn't have time because Priscilla was like, let's do this for your birthday this weekend. It was like three, four days before the that event on Sunday. And I was like, let's do it. But people dress up for that. Like literally dress up and you have to like prepare for that. Well, we just straight up like goodwilled it and was like, let's make some outfits. And it was a lot of fun. It was fun. But I'm just thinking back to that and I'm like, everything used to just be so fancy. You know, it's like they're just having breakfast together and then they doll up. They're having this and this is how they walk out the house. Like just, just think back to like the 1800 days or like early 1900s. Like all the layers that they would.
- [05:42]
A
Wear to like, you know, three piece suit.
- [05:45]
B
There was nothing necessarily like provocative because they were layered. I mean they would wear like corsets and stuff, the girls. But like everybody just looked nice. And it's funny that I'm talking about how nice is. Cause I usually don't care to look nice.
- [06:00]
A
You're in a hoodie.
- [06:02]
B
Hey, now you're in a hat. But I'm just drinking out of my little coffee teacup here Christmas thing. And it just reminds me like there's so much old tradition in like these things. Like people coming over and you like take out like I think about your grandma, she's like, we don't. Today we were having like a. She's like, I don't want to serve my grandson on a paper plate. You get him a dish. And I'm like, oh yeah. I'll never forget she said that.
- [06:29]
A
I tell, I tell Daniel that every mouth don't you feed me on these paper plates. Do you know who you're feeding? That's my grandma's son.
- [06:39]
B
Grandson. My grandma's grandson.
- [06:41]
A
Grandma's grandson.
- [06:44]
B
But it's just, there's a lot of that. There's a lot of that it has lost. I think in America, I think back in, in Europe days, they take time. They. They like, they look into quality of like time together. And then it's not about like, let's hurry up and do this or whatever they like. It's like longevity of like quality time. And they will take out their teacups and they'll take out their fine china and I mean, we're about to just start eating on crystal plates in China. No, I need to start. I really need to hit up some more estate sales when we get another dishwasher.
- [07:21]
A
Exactly.
- [07:22]
B
Well, I don't know if you can put that stuff in dishwasher.
- [07:24]
A
Probably not. Not china.
- [07:26]
B
Well, I wouldn't put my grandma. I have all my grandma's. Chris. Some of my grandma's crystal dishes that.
- [07:29]
A
Is not dishwasher safe.
- [07:31]
B
I do have my grandma's china, and.
- [07:33]
A
It is not dishwasher safe.
- [07:34]
B
It's not. I never put that in a dishwasher. No. It's so pretty. I'm so excited that I have it. No one's taking it from me.
- [07:41]
A
Where is it? In the storage unit.
- [07:44]
B
It was here, but. And I was going to put it in my little curio thing that I got, but it's already full, so I need another one. I want to do just. But I really want to. When we got married, and you, like, go, like, register for things, like, we were young and dumb, I'm like, I'm never going to want that. I'm never going to want that. And I was talking to Katie about this when we were. Had a lunch date in Beaumont one day, and we were looking at all these things. I was like, man, I wish I would have, like, registered for something like that. Because even just to think about, like, handing something down to, like, your kids back then, when I'm 22, like, I didn't care about that stuff, and now I'm like, it's something to inherit. It's. Even though it's, you know, you might not care about it, I would say, like, go ahead and do that. Go ahead and register for something classic.
- [08:33]
A
We don't really live in, like, the age of, like, heirlooms anymore. Like, we don't. I mean, everything is just, like, do we not Everything that you buy nowadays, for the most part, it's just, like, not.
- [08:46]
B
Yeah. And that's why I love, like.
- [08:47]
A
Like, you know, I try to think of, like, something that we would buy. It's, like, worth handing down that our kids are like, oh, I want that whenever I grow up. But.
- [08:55]
B
Well, I don't think our. I don't think, like, our grandparents, whatever, thought that same thing. That was just what they had.
- [09:02]
A
Everything was, like, so much, like, better made.
- [09:04]
B
Oh, gosh. Yeah.
- [09:05]
A
And, like, real wood and, you know, like, craftsmanship.
- [09:09]
B
Do you see why I like going to all these estate sales? Because you get good furniture.
- [09:13]
A
Yeah. And then. But then. But then it cuts. It just comes down to style, though.
- [09:19]
B
It's. You'll see. One day you'll be like, I love this house so much.
- [09:25]
A
I mean, there's. There's some stuff that's, like, old that's like, oh, wow, this is, like, super great quality, and it looks good.
- [09:31]
B
You just don't, like.
- [09:31]
A
I don't want something with, like, you know, you just, like, ornate dowel rods everywhere. And, like, I don't I just don't want anything that's like, you just, like, girly.
- [09:46]
B
That is your life. What do you mean? That's your life.
- [09:48]
A
Exactly. So I'd rather, like, beef up the space.
- [09:53]
B
No, that's not happening. We can have some. It's a mix. It's a mix and match, babe. But you just like nice things and you want it to be meaning new. You don't like a lot of things that would have to be, like, refurbished or, like, an eye that's. That's, like, more love language of mine. Like, there's. There's something special about this. It's not just that it's new. It's. It's got a story. It's got heart in it. It's got love in it. Like, you know, like this table, like, look at all the nicks on it. Like, you would probably be like, ugh, get rid of that. But, like, there's character in that.
- [10:27]
A
This table lasts forever.
- [10:31]
B
Because it's freaking metal. We're gonna hand this down to things heaviest.
- [10:35]
A
Crap.
- [10:36]
B
I'm just kidding.
- [10:37]
A
Remember whenever the quince would, like, hang, like, hang on this?
- [10:40]
B
Oh, I hated this table when they were little.
- [10:42]
A
Fell once. I think it landed on one of the kids and I could have sworn it, like, chopped their fingers off because it's, like, so heavy and, like, the edge of it is, like, maybe a quarter of an inch thick. And so, like, oh, gosh. Anyways, it's gonna be bad.
- [10:58]
B
So that's our rant for this morning. Today. We're actually going to talk about just. I mean, it's Christmas. Christmas season.
- [11:05]
A
Yeah. Like, I know a lot of our followers, a lot of our listeners also, because I see it in the demographics. Also listen to Jeremy and Ginger Vula and we did, like, a little a Christmas segment with them this. This week. It'll probably come out either this week or next week on their show. And so we hit on a lot of these things here and there. Yeah, just five points.
- [11:32]
B
It was just.
- [11:32]
A
It was a subtle, like, something that we wanted to talk about anyway, like, coming up to Christmas. It's just like, our favorite, like, Christmas traditions and memories and, like, stuff that we.
- [11:42]
B
How cute this is with my nails, too.
- [11:44]
A
For those of you that are watching.
- [11:46]
B
YouTube, my nails match my cup. Perfectly cute.
- [11:50]
A
Okay, Are you looking off to the monitor?
- [11:52]
B
Oh, yeah, I was looking at me over there.
- [11:54]
A
The camera's right there.
- [11:55]
B
Sorry. Look how cute this is. You should zoom in. What is this called? That's what I. Asmr Noise.
- [12:04]
A
If we ever, like look off this way because there's like a huge monitor. Like we can like check the frame and stuff. But so if we're ever always looking at my hair, if we're ever like glancing off, like, like, who are you.
- [12:16]
B
Looking at over there? It's because it's the monitor.
- [12:19]
A
You know, like what, what traditions have we put in place, like, over the years for Christmas time, for like New Year's and stuff that like, we ended up like following through. And like, you know, now we do these every year just because, like the kids look forward to it. It's just like a fun family thing and are like, what has. What have we. What has like fallen off? Like what. What did we try to do that we're like, it didn't even. It either didn't hit very well or it's like, oh, that was just way too much trouble or, or whatever. Like what is, you know, Christmas time look like? Do you have one of Busby house? Do we have a what?
- [12:56]
B
One of those? We tried it and it didn't work out. You know what I look forward to the most in December, besides my birthday and Christmas? After all the chaos, the parties that Ken schedules, it's finally slowing down. Being home, cozying up, just wrestling.
- [13:13]
A
Yeah. I mean, once everything winds down, all I want is good sleep and comfortable space to land. And that's exactly why we love Cozy Earth.
- [13:23]
B
Yep. And if you're trying to think of a gift that actually means something, not just another thing, Cozy Earth is one of those gifts that feels more like an experience than just a product.
- [13:34]
A
Their bamboo sheets are unreal. They're incredibly soft. But they also help you sleep cooler, which is huge for me. Perfect for winter nights when you want to be cozy without waking up overheated.
- [13:47]
B
And waking up refreshed during the holidays. That's a gift in itself. These sheets just make bed the best place to be.
- [13:54]
A
And let's talk about the bubble cuddle blanket.
- [13:56]
B
Oh, gosh.
- [13:57]
A
Because that thing basically lives on our couch now.
- [14:01]
B
Yeah. If you're not pulling it from someone else's hands, it really does. Just movie nights, reading, just sitting together. The end of the day, it's soft, it's cozy, and it's actually just looks beautiful draped over the couch.
- [14:12]
A
It's one of those gifts people will use every single day, long after the holidays are over.
- [14:18]
B
Y And Cozy Earth makes it risk free. You get 100 night sleep trial. So you can try these sheets at home and they back it with a 10 year warranty. And really that stands behind the quality.
- [14:30]
A
So if you want to give a gift for everyday comfort or honestly treat yourself, head to cozyearth.com and use our code more than for up to 20% off.
- [14:42]
B
And if you get a post purchase survey, please make sure that you say you heard Cozy Earth right here. It really helps support more than reality show.
- [14:50]
A
Give the gift of comfort that lasts beyond the holidays and carries into a cozy new year.
- [14:57]
B
Thank you, Cozy Earth, for sponsoring this podcast. One thing I know that's really hard for us to do.
- [15:03]
A
Christmas cards. Oh, gosh, we're the worst.
- [15:07]
B
Listen, the last time we actually went.
- [15:09]
A
And had Christmas cards, Dad's a photographer and we share our life on social media and like, we're always like, we.
- [15:17]
B
Never get like, family photos.
- [15:18]
A
And then we. I don't know, it's just like, when. I don't know, it's just something about, like whenever there's like a photographer in the family, it's just like, that's like the last thing you want to freaking do is. And so you just kind of put it off and then you feel bad.
- [15:33]
B
It's the last thing you want to do.
- [15:35]
A
I enjoy it, but it's because you.
- [15:39]
B
You don't want to have to have someone else take your photos and then them not be up to your parents. Maybe because you will critique every little thing that no one else.
- [15:48]
A
I mean, I have it. I have a few select friends that will like, okay, I can trust this person to take our photo. Yeah, but.
- [15:57]
B
But like, actual, like, sometimes, like whenever.
- [15:59]
A
You get close to the holidays, it's like, people are busy, stuff like that. And then we just forget about it because, like, things get super busy around the holidays. And then you're like, crap. You start receiving Christmas cards and you're like, oh, we're the worst.
- [16:12]
B
Yeah, I know. So I do love the old tradition of, like, sending the cards. And I do think that a lot of people have gotten away from that, but I feel like it's making its way back.
- [16:24]
A
I feel so bad. Like, whenever we get like, as we start getting close to Christmas and then like, we have friends reaching out. Hey, what's your new address?
- [16:32]
B
I'm like, no, I straight up say, like, hey, sorry, our Christmas card will be a social media post because this woman ain't got time. I don't even. It'll probably be the photo that we take that day, that morning, or like, when we went to church, but that is something that I, I'm going to set a goal next year. Like, we're sending Christmas cards, but we. So we've had the Quint for 10 years. And for the 10 years that we have had him, I think we have sent out two Christmas cards.
- [17:08]
A
Two out of 10 years.
- [17:09]
B
Two. Because the very first one, the very first Christmas card we sent out with them was. That was their birth announcement. We didn't tell everybody. Like, we. We sent out Christmas cards, remember, with Blake and the five stockings.
- [17:26]
A
Yeah.
- [17:27]
B
I love that photo. And we just sent it out to, like, Just, like, we'd send out our normal Christmas cards. And, you know, most people who were close enough knew that we were already pregnant with Quince, but some would get it and they didn't understand it. Then it would have to be like, wait, oh, my God, baby. Baby, this is so cute. Oh, my God. So that was. That was the quint's first Christmas card. And then I think we did. Honestly don't know if we did another one until we did the PJ Christmas one. That was my favorite.
- [17:59]
A
When we did, like, maybe we'll send out a. Which it'll probably end up just being a social post.
- [18:04]
B
We're not sending out anything. There's.
- [18:06]
A
Nobody has time for that because, like, we've been, I don't know, more. More. So this year than every other year was like, what's more valuable? Time or a gift? And this year we're leaning towards, like, time and, like, quality time, family time and stuff like that. So we're going to, like, take a little trip the day after Christmas this.
- [18:30]
B
Year, which we've kind of started doing that a little bit because we know the lifestyle of our family and what our kids and what we enjoy as a family together. And it's going in adventuring and, you know, there's hecticness in the prep and whoa. And getting home. But it's all worth the time that we share when we are somewhere together. You know, our kids act better. They. You know, it's new experiences for them. They hang out. Their, like, demeanor between each other is, you know, more cheerful. It's something new. It's just a new environment, which is just that much more exciting anyway.
- [19:15]
A
Yeah. And, like, what started this was. I mean, for me, what started this was maybe maybe like a month, maybe like a month or so ago or maybe two months ago. That really got me thinking about it, like, heavily was. I came across this random video on Instagram, and it was like a mom talking to her daughter, and she was like, what did you get for Christmas last year? And the girl just sat there with a blank stare, like, no clue.
- [19:43]
B
Yeah.
- [19:44]
A
And she's like, but, okay, where do we go? Blah, blah, blah, for, like, spring break? Or, like, where did we go?
- [19:50]
B
What was your favorite trip we did this year? Or like, what did you.
- [19:52]
A
And immediately the girl just starts recalling, like, memories and, like, fun things that they did and all this stuff. And it's just like, man, like, that's what you're gonna take with you and. And have these memories for, like, so long. And so, you know, we've been thinking, like, what. What's something we can do that's like, you know, we're not home alone in it. We're not going off to, you know, Europe or, like, nothing, like, crazy extravagant. But we're.
- [20:16]
B
He wants to sponsor that.
- [20:17]
A
We're taking a little, like, family road trip. We're staying here in Texas, but we're going to a super cool place that we've been wanting to try. We see, like, their videos and stuff on Instagram and we're like, oh, the kids will absolutely love this place.
- [20:30]
B
Christian family and stuff.
- [20:31]
A
Like, I.
- [20:32]
B
They just. It's. It's going to be really fun.
- [20:34]
A
I want to go back. Like, we haven't been yet, and I already want to go back in the summertime, but this is still going to be super cool. If the weather's great, it'll be super.
- [20:44]
B
Fun no matter what.
- [20:45]
A
It's a place called Milk and Honey Ranch. And, you know, they have cabins and, like, a lake that you can paddle board and, like, kayak and all this stuff. There's hiking, there's swimming pools, but also it's a heated pool. So, like, there's actually even a whole.
- [21:02]
B
Spa on the resort, too. People have weddings out there and hiking.
- [21:06]
A
Trails, all kind of stuff. But they also have, like, animal encounter, like, pet petting zoo type thing. And then they have Highland cows that we want to get the mini Highland cows. And the girls, like, will, like, find them on, like, social media and they'll just, like, scroll through, like, many Highland cow videos because they're so cute.
- [21:26]
B
Yeah.
- [21:26]
A
And they have many Highland cows, and. And I have a feeling that girls are gonna be with these cows the entire time we're there. But that's great. You know, they're gonna remember that forever.
- [21:37]
B
So, yeah, we're gonna be going out there, which will be fun. But we actually. We actually. I would say, what, three years ago, this will be the third year where we have just been, like, it's. We get this time off. You know, you've got like two and a half or so weeks of off of school, and it's like, we're home. And it's like, this is. This is the time, you know, and. And I know not everybody can connect and relate to this, because work life and schedules and vacation and all these things, having to take time off work, because that was our life before we had this, like, if we wanted to not work during the holidays, we had to take vacation off at work. Right. And so we have had that life, but now we have this life where we do. Run and manage your own schedules and find the most important times, like when we can get together as a family, you know, maybe even if it's just a Saturday, like away, a day trip or something. But I would say a couple years ago, when we surprised the girls and we went to Kalahari, that was kind of like our first. I think that was three years ago. And then last year, it wasn't really a surprise, but we went to the Mowbray's, like, out to Nick's, like, their lease ranch out there. And that was just fun, just as.
- [22:56]
A
A family, all of us, like a family, hunting.
- [22:59]
B
That's what I really wanted to do this year was to get us back together again to do a trip. It's just very hard with travel and everybody, how much vacation, how much time can they leave from their job and blah, blah, blah, blah. But so regardless, we said, we straight up even ask the kids, like, if there's. If would you rather a present or go somewhere? And they're like, we'll want to go somewhere. And, you know, we'll still do, like, Christmas here at home and our traditional things, but we are taking a little trip after Christmas, which that's exciting for us and our kids because we know what they enjoy to do, and they could literally go outside and play with rocks and dirt and hills, like, all day. Yeah.
- [23:42]
A
So, I mean, you think about, like, this, like, past trips where we've gone, places like that.
- [23:46]
B
That's Broken Bow.
- [23:47]
A
Yeah. I mean, the girls literally, like, wake.
- [23:50]
B
Up in their PJs and they're not. They're like, okay, let's come inside. You know, they just want to be outside.
- [23:55]
A
And they'll spend hours, like, walking around along, like, the creek beds, just, like, finding cool rocks or trying to skip rocks or, you know, stuff like that, or playing, like, stoke in the fire and throwing sticks in the fire and, like, all that kind of stuff. And like, our kids absolutely, like, love just to be outside and in nature and stuff.
- [24:14]
B
And I mean, even when we went to the ranch last year and there wasn't any water in the Creek. Like, it was still so adventurous, just them seeing, you know, just different things that we've. Because we've never been out to that west of Texas, you know.
- [24:28]
A
Yeah. We'd walk the ranch, like, looking for, like, shed antlers and stuff.
- [24:33]
B
Yeah. So just give them an activity to do out there, and they literally have a ball, you know?
- [24:38]
A
Yeah.
- [24:39]
B
So that is something that I think I would say, like, to parents, as our kids are getting older, it's very hard to be like, what do we get them? You know, like teenagers. Like, oh, you want clothes? Well, is that really. Is that really special? Because you need clothes two weeks ago. You need new shoes, because you outgrew them. Like, these are things that. Yes, they are. You know, I'm talking on a level of, like, our life. Okay. So not everyone has the luxury of this, but if we can give our kids a gift of travel over a gifted item, we choose that. Yeah, we choose that. But they are still kids, and they want to still have a present. Right. And open something. And so we've just told them, like, this year, like, we're not. If we're going to do a little trip, we're not gonna, like, be spontaneous. All these huge gifts or, like, whatever. We're just gonna keep it, you know, smaller because we want to be able to go out and have time together. And so. Which they're all about, you know, they're like, I want. I want some new Nike socks or something. I'm like, my gosh, like, we just bought some last month. Stop wearing them outside.
- [25:58]
A
Stop wearing them out to the trampoline.
- [26:00]
B
But so that's something that. I think that we're starting to break into that tradition. And I don't know if that'll always be, like, something we do after Christmas, but I do know that the older they get, and as your kids start to get older and teenagers and they. And even, like, I would imagine, like, even after high school and like, in their college, like, you know, you want them to come back home and you want them to do something, but does it really mean that they have to come back to the house and have family time together? Maybe we do. Like, our Christmas in years to come is, like, we meet, you know, in Colorado for two weeks, or we go to Florida for two weeks, like, and that is Christmas with our family, you know, because to us, it's like, we just want to be together. And, yeah, it's fun for them to open gifts, but eventually, you know, it's like, us. I'm like, adam, you don't have to give me anything for Christmas, my birthday. You have to give me something two days before because I want to open something on my birthday. But for Christmas and stuff, it's. I don't know, I just see it differently. I want to be able to gift others and like just have time together. That's what means the most to me when it comes to the holiday. So, yeah, okay. If you're a parent, you already know this. I read every label before I let our kids drink anything and find finding something that's actually good for them and that they'll still drink. It ain't really that easy.
- [27:28]
A
Yeah, our girls used to beg for the sugary sports drinks after practice or playing outside. And then we found Cure.
- [27:35]
B
Cure is a plant based electrolyte drink mix with no added sugar, no artificial stuff. And it's backed by science. It's one of the few hydration drinks I actually feel good about giving, having our kids.
- [27:48]
A
And for us adults, it's been a game changer. I use Cure after the gym and honestly just throughout the day because it actually helps me drink more water. It hydrates better than water alone and it's only 25 calories.
- [28:02]
B
Plus it tastes really good, not overly sweet or fake. Our favorites are berry pomegranate. I love that one. And lemonade.
- [28:11]
A
Yep, Berry pomegranate is my go to. And Cure uses the same science based formula that's proven to hydrate as effectively as an IV drip. Yeah, just without the needles.
- [28:23]
B
Well, for the kids, Cure has mixes that are formulated with pediatricians and completely kid safe. No added sugars, no artificial ingredients, and free from all those major allergens.
- [28:36]
A
Our girls love the pink lemonade and mixed berry. We usually give it to them after school after playing outside or practice when they've been running around all day.
- [28:45]
B
Staying hydrated isn't just about drinking water. You also need electrolytes. That's why our family loves Cure. It's clean, it tastes great, and our kids actually ask for it right now.
- [28:56]
A
For More Than reality podcast listeners, you can get 20% off your first order at cure hydration.com more than or with the code more than.
- [29:07]
B
And if you get a post purchase survey, please make sure that you let them know you heard Cure right here. It really helps supports the show.
- [29:15]
A
And bonus, CURE is FSA and HSA approved so you can use those funds to stay hydrated the smart way.
- [29:23]
B
Yeah. So real ingredients, real hydration ready for the whole family. Thank you Cure for sponsoring this podcast.
- [29:31]
A
Thanks Care. I think the biggest tradition that we've kept like once the kids are like, we're old enough to like be involved with. It was like the Secret Sister. Yeah. And you know, and we've done that and we've done like a YouTube video for it every year because everybody asked for it because they're expecting it. They know that, like, we do this every year. And it's just one of those fun things of just like seeing what the girls pick out. Seeing, you know, at the end, you know, of Christmas morning, you know, them going and like revealing what sister they had and going and getting the gift for them and like giving it to them and just how they are appreciative of the gifts and stuff like that.
- [30:13]
B
And honestly, just seeing how much scene. It's so funny to see their personalities. Personalities when they are like shopping for another sister. But they want something themselves. But I want to get her this. I'm pretty sure that's not something she would want.
- [30:33]
A
It just finds everything that she wants and she's like, can I just have this like the whole time? Like, like, Riley, who are you shopping for? Are you shopping for Riley or are you shopping for your sister? Yeah, but the whole time, I mean.
- [30:46]
B
My grandparents did this with me and my sisters growing up. They would each give us 20 bucks and my grandpa pops would take us one at a time and would go, hey, here's $20. You're gonna go buy something for, you know, this sister or whatever. And so when you have six kids, it's like it's very hard to just be like, okay, who wants a new water? Who wants a Wallabad or Stanley or whatever. It's like, oh, get everybody that. Oh, six of this. Six. It's like, no. Like, it's so frustrating because not everybody's going to use the same thing at the same time. And we've always been the house where we don't need five, like frequents. We don't have to have five of the same thing. Which it hurts us at times, but it also, it's helpful, you know. But the secret Sister, we started calling it secret Sister, which is basically you just pick names and you know, they pick names, they try to keep it a secret. And we, we go all at one time to like Target, Walmart mall or whatever. We've actually never done the mall.
- [31:53]
A
Yeah. Because it's like most of the stores at the mall are like clothing stores. Like we don't remember. I mean, that's like another thing. You don't really find many toy stores at the mall anymore.
- [32:08]
B
Like just Lego store.
- [32:09]
A
Really A lot of store. A lot of malls have kind of phased those out because, like. But they also either go to Target or Walmart or, like, because, like, the age of, like, Toys R Us, like, went away. It's slowly starting to come back. Yeah, but, like, there's. There's not many places. And then. And usually around the Christmas time, it's like the middle of the mall, like, has, like, these, like, random things, cheap china toys. And so it's just, like, not as fun.
- [32:37]
B
Yeah, but they're getting to that age where that is the stuff they want. They want to go. You know, we don't let them wear makeup, but they can play with it, and they can wear it on the weekends or whatever. But they don't, like, go to school with it. I mean, Blake's high school, so she can do it. She can apply makeup and be cautious of washing her face off and stuff. But they do kind of want that, so might actually talk about that.
- [32:57]
A
Yeah, but that's, like, something that we do every year, and that's one of our favorite traditions. And one of the traditions, just because it. It's fun and we always film it is just, like, we all go to the same place. And then you split up into two teams, or sometimes three teams.
- [33:12]
B
Sometimes we did three.
- [33:14]
A
Blake with another, like, one or two girls. And so it's like, you know, three teams. Two or three.
- [33:22]
B
There's a little bit of strategy in there because we randomly let them pick who they. What name in the hat. Right. And then they have to tell me who they got. And so then we have to plan who can you take and who can I take that don't have each other within that group. And last year, it worked out because we let Blake take one sister, so that was one less person that the others knew. And so there will be, like, one or two of them that know that, because I'm going to take two of them shopping with me. You're going to take two, and then we'll put Blake with one. And so they do know that that person they're shopping with doesn't have them. But other than that, there's still. The probability is, you know, five others.
- [34:01]
A
Yeah.
- [34:02]
B
Four others have them, you know, but it's just a fun tradition. We do. And I think that the whole thing.
- [34:07]
A
Is, like, you're going around the store.
- [34:09]
B
Not letting them see you.
- [34:10]
A
You don't. In a sense, you're, like, trying to find the other teams, but also, like, not letting them see, like, what you're. You have in your baske. So and so, like, it's a whole game.
- [34:20]
B
Yeah.
- [34:21]
A
And it's just fun.
- [34:21]
B
It's fun. So the mall would be really hard to do that, because you wouldn't really see.
- [34:25]
A
Yeah.
- [34:26]
B
You wouldn't really see us. Really engaging.
- [34:28]
A
Yeah. That's why we usually do it every year, like, Target, because it's, like, somewhat easy. You have, like, the huge toy section, and then, you know. Yeah. And then you have, like.
- [34:38]
B
I mean, it has everything.
- [34:39]
A
Makeup and skin care and then the jewelry accessory section, stuff like that. So you're just, like, in the store. That's usually where it's been the easiest.
- [34:48]
B
One of my favorite traditions we've also done, too, is that Adam has always had them coming, like, down the stairs, like, since they were little. Like, just that video of just excitement coming down the stairs. And last year, I think it was the first year we did it. Or did we do it?
- [35:05]
A
We've done it a couple years now.
- [35:06]
B
I can't remember. It's. You know, they will stay in their rooms or whatever. But now it's like, we just really didn't want them to, like, see anything, so we would wall. We had, like, this perfect, like, walkway where we just put wallpaper, we put wrapping paper. So, like, no matter what, if they.
- [35:26]
A
Came downstairs, we would know it, because they would have to tear through the wrapping paper just to get into the.
- [35:31]
B
Living room or to see anything. And so that's kind of been the new tradition we do, is that they run through the wrapping paper to come into the living room. Yeah.
- [35:41]
A
And that's been fun. I mean, I think about. I think about past years, because, like, the way Christmas typically is in our house is, like, all your presents are wrapped, but your main present, the big present that comes from Santa Claus is not wrapped. And so, technically, if you wake up in the middle of the night and just walk downstairs, you would see it, and then kind of ruins the surprise. And so. But if you put the wrapping paper up and block the hallway, they can't.
- [36:10]
B
They can't.
- [36:10]
A
They can't get through. And there's no way until, like, we're ready.
- [36:14]
B
Yeah.
- [36:14]
A
And so then it makes it a little bit more fun, you know, that they haven't seen anything. And so.
- [36:19]
B
But we always say, y' all can play upstairs, whatever. This one will have to, like, really cut off in the hall.
- [36:24]
A
The hallway upstairs.
- [36:25]
B
The hallway upstairs. So they're, like, really stuck in their rooms.
- [36:28]
A
Yeah.
- [36:30]
B
But another tradition we do. I grew up in the mornings with Christmas, and my mom always had Christmas music on. We always had cinnamon rolls that morning, and that was just always like that. It's a little bit hard with us doing the music because Adam always likes to film it, and then we usually put it on YouTube, so you can't really have that music. But when we're not filming or when it's always on.
- [36:55]
A
Yeah. So, like, when we wake up or when I wake up, I wake up and go into the kitchen and, like, turn the oven on and stuff like that and start prepping and getting, like, a big tray of cinnamon roll set to where they're going. They're going in the oven as we're like. And so then by the time the kids come down, they see their presents, they may have a chance to open, like, one. And then we take a break.
- [37:19]
B
No, we do stockings. We always do stockings.
- [37:21]
A
We do stockings.
- [37:22]
B
And then we. I think they're the most excited sometimes about stockings is we always come down, they can see what Santa brought because it's not wrapped. And then we do their stocking, and then we stop, and then we have, like, our quality time breakfast with our cinnamon rolls and our fruit.
- [37:37]
A
Yeah.
- [37:38]
B
And we take this time to, like, just talk about, like, the day. Like, what are we doing today? Yes, we're going to have a lot of family time, a lot of fun, a lot of opening and gifts. But, like, what's the purpose of today? And we talk about Jesus. And that as they've gotten older, has been one of my most favorite thing to just kind of see them grasp the importance of today, of that day and, you know, who Jesus was. What are we celebrating? And that it's not just about getting.
- [38:07]
A
A bunch of gifts.
- [38:08]
B
Yeah.
- [38:08]
A
Yeah.
- [38:09]
B
So as they've gotten older, they're getting more vocal about understanding. Right. As. As things. And so that just becomes really special. I think, like, last year, I like, even, like, teared up or cried or two years ago, because I was like, well, it's like they can really conversate that and.
- [38:24]
A
Yeah. Understand. Understand everything.
- [38:26]
B
And then, you know, we will probably just carry on conversations, but, you know, they're ready to start wrapping, unwrapping gifts. And then. Yeah, then we start. We. We like to let this not last five minutes. And so it's not just like, all in. We do secret sister, which we will do one at a time. We will literally let.
- [38:47]
A
But most of the. Most of the gifts that we do will, like, okay, everybody go grab a gift that's got your name on it, and then we'll back into the living room, and then everybody will kind of open at the same time. And so we kind of do it, like, so that one kid doesn't just, like, tear through all their presents while, like, one of them is, like, you know, they may have grabbed something that, like, they really want to look at or something like that. And by the time that they're finished, like, fiddling with it, the other one of the other ones have already gone through, like, five presents.
- [39:15]
B
Yeah. And it's like, I didn't get to see your expressions. I didn't get to capture it. I didn't get to, like, see what your thoughts were, you know?
- [39:21]
A
And so we really try to be, like, intentional with the morning. Like, okay, everybody go grab one. We're going to all open this together.
- [39:28]
B
Yeah. And then sit, like, in the circle.
- [39:30]
A
Or whatever, Clear the trash out. Okay, let's go get another one. Because you could imagine, you know, six kids opening at the same time.
- [39:39]
B
I actually heard. So for some of you listening who have older. Older kids. I absolutely loved this idea. I heard a mom tell us that as her kids get older, she talked about how hard it was to, like, make Christmas last longer, like that day of, like, presents. And just, like, as they were with kids, with excitement. So she says she's like, all our kids are in college now. I think she had, like, six kids. And some of them might be married and. But no, like, grandkids or anything yet. But she said as your kids get older, like, high school, college, whatever, what we've done to make it exciting for them when we come for Christmas morning is they'll come home. And she's like, what we do is we take the gifts and we hide the gifts all throughout the house. So in the morning, she's like, so for us, like, just say our example.
- [40:33]
A
Like, six kids, you know, it becomes a scavenger.
- [40:37]
B
Yeah. It's like, who. It's like, everybody, go find. Go find a gift.
- [40:42]
A
Sounds like a dog.
- [40:42]
B
It might have your name on it, and it might not, but you just go find a gift, and then that's whose gift you up. And there's clues. It's almost like a scavenger hunt. And I was like, that is so fun. And she talks about how it's like their favorite tradition of, like, the year now. Like, what. How they open gifts. And I was like, that is. That's really fun.
- [41:01]
A
It is funny, like, every Christmas, because it's like, you know, we'll. We'll wake up, they'll say they're Santa gift. They'll open their stock, and then we'd, like, take A break. And we. We just try to be intentional about, like, taking it slow Christmas morning and just enjoying the time. And. And then you get. It's usually like, right around breakfast time, like that while we're eating or right after we eat, like, we're already starting to get phone calls from, like, Dale and Crystal and their family, and they're already completely done.
- [41:29]
B
We're like, we just did stockings. We've taken our tap, and they're like.
- [41:32]
A
What, Y' all haven't even started yet?
- [41:35]
B
Yeah, but I mean, that's a very. That's half the size of our family. Most families.
- [41:40]
A
Right.
- [41:42]
B
But, yeah, we just try to. Try to just make it last, like, all morning, you know, just really try to make it special and enjoyed bits and pieces of it. But I loved that how as your kids get older, that's an idea of something that you can do going forward, like, to make it exciting and whatnot. Another thing that a friend told me that they do was because I like, I. I don't really necessarily wrap gifts and, like, already put them under the tree. We might do that for, like, gifts that are for, like, our nieces or nephews or parents or, like, whatever.
- [42:22]
A
About half. Half to three quarters of the gifts we're wrapping after they go to bed.
- [42:27]
B
Yeah. Which we like. I don't like to put their gifts out there, like, just to sit out there, because they're going to be like, Adam when he was a kid, and go, like, get a razor blade, slice where the tape meets the wrapping paper, and open it and then tape it back. You know, they'll be persistent sneaking out to see, like, what's in that box. Whose wrapping paper is that?
- [42:50]
A
But I tear, like, little tiny holes.
- [42:52]
B
For a point on a tip. If you do wrap all your gifts, like, you shop, you wrap, and you put them under the tree. Don't put their name on them. This mom puts numbers on them. So, like, you know, like, if you.
- [43:06]
A
Have three kids, don't know your number.
- [43:07]
B
One, two, or three. And so you just know which kid is number one, which kid's number two, which kids number three. Maybe it's the order of birth. Maybe it's. You start it from baby to oldest. Like, I don't know. And so she just started putting numbers on them. And each kid was a number. And I was like, I love that idea. That way they don't know who's who. They don't know who's number one. You know, I might make Riley number one and start that way. You know, I don't know. So as long as you know what your key is, like who's number one. It will be fun. They won't know whose gifts are under there, you know. So couple ideas that you could do if your kids are older or if you like wrap gifts ahead of time under the tree.
- [43:49]
A
So.
- [43:50]
B
Yeah, that's fun.
- [43:51]
A
Yeah.
- [43:52]
B
It's good to know that people are thinking these things ahead of us that we could take these into in consideration, you know.
- [43:57]
A
I know. Wait.
- [43:59]
B
Actually, I already want to start hiding gifts to play a game with it.
- [44:02]
A
We should have probably done this, this episode. Well, I don't know. I mean, this is going to come out this week like a week before Christmas.
- [44:09]
B
So like having gifts.
- [44:10]
A
Yeah.
- [44:11]
B
Right now for sure.
- [44:12]
A
You can steal some of our ideas.
- [44:15]
B
That we stole from someone else.
- [44:16]
A
Our dogs are going crazy downstairs. There must be.
- [44:19]
B
Must be a package.
- [44:20]
A
Package at the door.
- [44:23]
B
Other traditions. What else do we do?
- [44:28]
A
So we have secret sister. We have like the wrapping paper at the hallway or breakfast time's always breakfast time. That's like givens.
- [44:41]
B
Those are like, I would say like the highlight of the special.
- [44:43]
A
And then we do like the big like family Christmas thing where we like play games and do like the. We call it Cajun Christmas, but it's like a white elephant.
- [44:54]
B
It's like a twist on my elephant that we made up our own rules, which it's essentially white elephant.
- [44:59]
A
Yeah.
- [45:00]
B
But that came from my side of the family, which I think we've talked about this episode, like way.
- [45:06]
A
And typically we do that either Christmas Eve or like later Christmas Day.
- [45:11]
B
It would be. Yeah. Whichever day that we're celebrating Christmas with my sisters and stuff.
- [45:15]
A
That's depending on if anybody's gone out of town or something like that.
- [45:19]
B
Whatever day that we celebrate Christmas together with my side of the family, like my sisters and stuff here. That's when we do like all these games and like our Cajun Christmas. And growing up, you had to be 18 years or older to play in this. And I had a big family. And so you'd watch all these aunts and your cousins who were over 18 and your. All your grand. Like everybody. And there'd be like 50 of them playing this game. And it's routing all these things and. But now since there's there's 16, 17 of us that play this game, we actually let the kids and adults play together, which is even that much more fun because like Adam might open up a gift that Hazel purchased that's nothing he wants. But then you've got like all these other kids that Want to steal it?
- [46:07]
A
Yeah.
- [46:08]
B
And so it's really fun. And then my sisters get all riled up because they're like, the busbys get basically all the gifts. I'm like, well, we're the ones who purchased all the gifts.
- [46:14]
A
They get mad because, like, we're all. All in cahoots and helping each other and stuff.
- [46:18]
B
Like, man, which we tried to make. We tried to make that a rule. Like, back in the day was like, you can't. You know, you had a benefit. Yeah. You can't plot again. We're literally half the. We're literally half the group. Yeah.
- [46:31]
A
Or you, like, see one of your kids, and they, like, really have their heart set on something. So you're like, I'll steal this. And, like, yeah, you still mind.
- [46:39]
B
I'll sell that for you. So there's, you know, there's some strategy involved in that, but that's always a highlight of the holiday, too. So it's usually, like, I don't know, $30 gift or something. And we do. We let the girls, the quints Bl. Like, we let them go pick out whatever they want. And, you know, whether it's at 5 below or target or it's a blanket or a stuffed animal or a bunch of candy, it doesn't matter. Like, it's whatever. It's whatever their gift's going to be. And so that's fun. We kind of. So we kind of changed that up for how I grew up to making it our own within the mix here. So that's fun.
- [47:15]
A
And then obviously, we always do, like, the candlelight Christmas service, like New Year's, New Year's Eve service.
- [47:23]
B
Emotional.
- [47:24]
A
Yeah. I mean, that's always fun to, like, share with the kids and stuff, and they get to hold their candle. And, you know, that is one thing.
- [47:30]
B
That I do love about the holiday season and Christmas is that, I mean, our kids have always. Which kind of. Man, it's crazy to think about. Like, our kids have always had, like, you know, like, youth service or, like, their own, like, would go to, like, kids ministry. But when it came time for Christmas, we always sat in there as a family, and it was, like, from little, you know, and, like, hold a candle, candlelight service and stuff, and single holy night. And it's those things that, like, when you. When I'm looking, like, at the aisle. Because it's not every Sunday that we all sit eight of us on an aisle together.
- [48:08]
A
Yeah.
- [48:08]
B
Because they're always, like, in, you know, kid ministry or whatnot. But it's those moments where it's like that once a year, quote unquote, once a year where all eight of us are, like, down a row, and you just look over and I just can see, like, wow, look at what we have. Like, this right here is just the biggest gift ever.
- [48:26]
A
Yeah.
- [48:26]
B
Like, sorry, people were taking up a row, but, like.
- [48:30]
A
Like, it's already, like, a crowded service.
- [48:32]
B
Yeah. It's like, wow, this is. It's.
- [48:34]
A
And that's why. Because everybody brings their whole family.
- [48:36]
B
But it takes it. You know, we don't. We still get those moments every day and every week and every year where it's like, wow, I can't believe. This is. This is our life. Like, you know, we are definitely blessed. And I always, always get hit with that on candlelit service because it's just a special. It's a special moment. But also, I was thinking about it. This is the last year the Quint will be in kids ministry.
- [49:05]
A
Yeah.
- [49:05]
B
Because they will hit youth ministry, which they will, from now on, sit in church with us. Next year, after this summer, they'll be in youth, which means they say, oh.
- [49:18]
A
The church we're going to right now has, like, a youth thing, I think, that goes on during the main service.
- [49:23]
B
Yeah. I don't. Yeah, yeah. So we've. We've kind of. Well, it's not something we're talking about today, but, like, church, all churches and services work differently. But I would envision, I guess, yeah. Youth ministry in, like, middle school, they kind of still go during the service, but high school, Blake, since Blake's been in high school, she sits with us, and they do it on, like, Wednesday night or something.
- [49:46]
A
Yeah.
- [49:47]
B
Yeah. So lots of traditions that we love. And I'm sure that you all have your own traditions or take some of ours, make the most of what you can in that day. And, you know, remember that it's not just about opening a present. And my favorite thing is gifting is like, giving and seeing the joy that it brings to, you know, the faces of those that you're gifting and.
- [50:14]
A
Yeah. Yep, too. So this is our little pre Christmas episode. Just like, you know.
- [50:24]
B
Give you some extra things that maybe you could do for your Christmas holiday. Whether it's just wrapping the hallway up in wrapping paper so they can't see the gifts. And I don't care how old you are.
- [50:37]
A
Like, it's so fun.
- [50:38]
B
It's still fun to run through it.
- [50:40]
A
It's like. It's like going to a football game and how they run through the banner.
- [50:44]
B
Yeah.
- [50:44]
A
Yeah, just catch that.
- [50:46]
B
So if you need something extra special to do for your holiday morning day, Christmas Day, like, maybe you can sneak one of our little traditions in there and make sure that you take the time and talk about what is special about Christmas Day, why are we celebrating Christmas? And then just, you know, love on your family and be extra thankful.
- [51:14]
A
All right, this is more than reality podcast episode 63. Thank you guys for tuning in and.
- [51:21]
B
Yeah, and be sure to, like, comment.
- [51:23]
A
If you, like, stole one of our. Yeah. If you stole our traditions or something like that or. Or if you have one. Yeah. If you have a tradition that is, like, something that we didn't name or something fun that you guys do through Christmas, like, put it in here, like, we may steal yours.
- [51:38]
B
Yeah. Let's make a treat. Yeah. All right, well, thanks for listening, guys.
- [51:43]
A
All right, we love you guys.
- [51:45]
B
Peace.
- [51:45]
A
Out.
- [52:10]
B
Here we have the Limu emu in its natural habitat, helping people customize their car insurance and save hundreds with Liberty Mutual. Fascinating.
- [52:21]
A
It's accompanied by his natural ally, Doug Limu. Is that guy with the binoculars watching us?
- [52:27]
B
Cut the camera. They see us.
- [52:28]
A
Only pay for what you need at libertymutual. Com. Liberty.
- [52:31]
B
Liberty. Liberty.
- [52:33]
A
Liberty Savings vary underwritten by Liberty Mutual Insurance Company and affiliates. Excludes Massachusetts.