There are a few of my favorite things...

Is it just me, or did Christmas 2011 come and go entirely too quickly? I don't know if it was that our new business endeavor kept me quite busy right up until Christmas, or that we took what turned out to be an awesome family vacation at the beginning of the month, but I honestly feel like I missed so much of what I love about the Christmas season. And as 2012 rears it's head around the corner, I would be remiss not to mention a few of my favorite Christmas memories.

Christmas Eve Service at Hope Church:

Austin Carroll singing Let There Be Light ~ Amazing!

My family singing Silent Night by candlelight ~ Beautiful!

Every year I wonder how in the world Hope's going to be able to top last year's Christmas Eve service, and somehow every year they mange to do so. I love God. I love Jesus. And I love Hope Presbyterian Church. If you do not happen to have a home church, I urge to give them a visit. You won't regret it!

Christmas Eve Dinner with the Family:

After Christmas Eve Service, we always host dinner at our house. We always have yummy Puerto Rican food. And good wine. We talk and eat and laugh, a lot! And I love every second of it!

Christmas Eve PJs:

This is one of my favorite traditions. Every Christmas Eve the kids open a box which contains matching PJs and a book or a movie about the true meaning of Christmas.

This year I got them "The Little Drummer Boy" Veggie Tales movie, which we all watched right before bed time.

The Christmas Tree and Presents:

I love looking at our Christmas tree. Love it! But to me it looks especially happy on Christmas morning when it's loaded with colorful presents.

Their Joyful Faces:

I can't lie, these faces make my heart burst with joy!

Seeing Them Open the Perfect Gift:

After days of agonizing for days over what to get him, it finally hit me like a ton of bricks. I got him a metalsmithing class offered by the same art school Isabella attends. A class he's been talking about wanting to take for the last couple of years. A class I knew he would not sign up for on his own. It was a HUGE surprise!

As I was walking through LifeWay, I came across this canvas. If this doesn't describe my Mother's role as a Grandmother to a tee, I don't know what does. She is an amazing example of love, patience, guidance and grace. I aspire to be just like her when I have grandchildren of my own.

Watching Them Play:

Both kids got a musical instrument this Christmas. Sam got a drum set (Heaven help us!), and Isabella got a guitar. Together they make what we'll refer to as "joyful sounds".

And then this one decided to join the band, and things got, um, interesting?

The #1 gift this year, per the kids, were the Nintendo DS we got them. We decided to give them to the kids right before our Disney trip (which I promise to blog about before 2012, no pressure!), so that they could play with them during our road trip. Santa brought more games, so they were quite the hot item on Christmas morning.

And there you have it,... our Christmas in a nut shell!

No, we didn't have time to make our annual gingerbread house. And no, we didn't fill our Advent calendar with fun activities. And no, we didn't go to Alpine Village. But we had a wonderful Christmas, staying focused on the true reason for the season.

I hope your Christmas was merry and bright and joyful and fun and magical and everything else Christmas is supposed to be!

Merry Christmas!

"And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace and goodwill towards men." Luke 2: 8-14

From our house to yours, 

Merry Christmas!