{New Year's Tradition} Design a Plate with Sharpies

We had a wonderful time ringing in the new year with the family this year.  Although, you were asleep before the ball dropped in Time Square, our evening (prior to and after) was filled with yummy treats, laughter, and games.  I thought that we could continue our celebration the next morning after you awoke, so I had a small basket prepared with goodies that the whole family could enjoy.  

Before Christmas, I stocked the basket with a few of our favorite treats that can only be found during the month of December. That way, we could still have a small taste of Christmas fun in January.  I included Christmas tree cakes, Santa brownies, and candy cane hot cocoa in our basket.  In addition to the treats, I tossed in a set of Sharpies and a ceramic plate for the entire family to decorate after seeing a similar idea from Sunscholars a few days earlier.
  

    

Later that day, we pulled out the plate and began designing our New Year's dish with a little input from each one of us.  We talked about what we would like to do during the new year or things we wish for.  Daddy thought you would enjoy planting a tree, so he drew one and you colored it in with your favorite fall colors.  I drew a mouth that was bursting with laughter because that is what I hope our home is filled with in the year 2013.  We also added a train, a heart with the word kind inside, a sun for nature, along with a couple of other pictures that only you know the meaning behind.  

After we finished decorating the plate, I wrote our names on the back, along with a few of the special gifts your received this past Christmas and placed it in the oven.  I followed the directions for "baking" just as Rachel @ Sunscholars did for her DIY Santa Plate Keepsake.  It turned out lovely!  I can't wait to make another one next year!

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