New Traditions:

We are spent the last 10+ years of our relationship traveling to the great white north for the winter holidays (and once or twice to somewhere warm). This was our FIRST year staying put, having a tree of our own, and forging some new traditions. I really and truly love all the holidays we have had, but it was wonderful to do somethings different (and yet the same).

On Christmas Eve morning we met some of our good friends for a serious track workout at the local track....now some of you might find that strange, BUT it's just our style. Then all the families and kids headed to our local breakfast joint for some "good country cooking at the right price," and filled our bellies while the kids run like wild animals and just had fun together.

We then blended an Italian tradition of "seven fishes" on Christmas eve with a classic "becky" twist: grouper, tuna, cobia, shrimp, Swedish fish, gummy fish, and fish food ice cream. Which will bring us luck into the new year!

We then got all pretty-ed up and heading to church for the children's service and let the kids join in the singing of come classic christmas carols. Lilly of course was more involved, until we ended up next to this wonderful older lady singing her heart out but a little off key. And poor Lilly kept looking over at her with a VERY perplexed look on her face :)

Home again and time to build gingerbread houses: this activity can take upwards of two hours in past years (the planning, building, decorating, fixing falling buildings, and such). We managed for nearly 35minutes to keep the kids attention. But most of that was MJ eating any candy handed to him for decorating and Lilly being the one handing candy to everyone. Priceless!

Time for an Internet check of where Santa is. This one is so cool to me......you can see where he is going and video of some of the big cities he's been in. Lilly LOVED watching this. And as we watched Santa flying over the Atlantic....we saw a flashing red light in our back yard. Lilly shrieked and ran straight to be and covered her head proclaiming that Rudolph was in our backyard.

Time to Christmas to begin......Lilly slept until 7am and eagerly woke everyone in the house and started tearing through her gifts. She was wide eyed and ready to play. MJ was more reserved as he still has two or so gifts to open (and it's nearly 1:30pm). He would open one and play with it. Then move on to the next one, and play!

Our house is now full of so much more.....Lilly and her matching American Girl Doll-in matching pajama's, books, bike seat for said doll, dresses, makeup, and more. MJ with all things boy-trucks, trains, scooter, roller blades. Fitz will be trying out his new grind rail, and down jacket. And I will be happily sporting my new boots, and rain jacket!

There are still a few more hours of Christmas Day, and we are currently heating up the oil to fry a turkey, and then in the nearly 60 degree weather we will head to the beach to visit with great friends! Hope your christmas was FULL of traditions new and old and more then anything LOVE. Hoping to post some photos and videos before the day is done!