I started this day at 6:30am trying to be one of the first to check-in online for our Southwest flight on the 26th. And if you know that you can check in up to 24 hours in advance, then you have figured out we depart at 6:25 am. Crazy, I know. Thinking about it now, I am trying to remember why I picked that flight…I know there was a good reason. Alyssa woke about 7:15 and had to be patient for a good hour before Meg woke and we were ready for her to go downstairs. She was so anxious to see what Santa had left her in her stocking that she missed the giant doll house on the ground. She and Meg played with that for a bit, then we had breakfast and opened some more gifts.

Then I began what will hence forth be known as “Our First Christmas.” Our first Christmas in TN and my first Christmas lunch. I am pleased to say that it was all fabulous and even the girls enjoyed it. It was great to have my husband helping, adding his input [he reminded me the turkey needing seasoning] and most of all doing the clean-up. I am so lucky to have a wonderful husband to share these experiences with. Choosing to be away from family for Christmas Day was hard, but we made it special because we were together.

So now the kitchen is clean, bellies are full, one is napping… and I will begin another daunting task. Remove the tree before we leave and pack up the family for a 4:45 am departure tomorrow. Merry Christmas to all.

From the time I can remember, we have decorated Christmas cookies. My mom started it when we were young, and we are still keeping the tradition alive even 900 miles away. This was my first year to bake the cookies with Alyssa. She is surprisingly interested in baking with me and did a great job of stirring. She complained that it got hard when we added the flour and I just had to chuckle. My mom says I always complained that my hands got tired while stirring too. We stirred and chilled the dough, then rolled and cut out our shapes. It was a lot of fun to have someone to help me this year.

The fun of decorating came today. Ethan and I tend to take our time decorating, creating mini-masterpieces, while others like my brother are known for quantity not quality. I could not help but think of Brad lining his cookies up and icing them like an assembly line. Megan helped me decorate one for her and I thought it would keep her occupied for a bit. However, she must be getting sick because she did not want to eat her cookie or even try to lick all the icing off the table. Hmmm… So she resorted to goldfish while the rest of us decorated. It was a tradition that I have no desire of ignoring. Even the mess is part of the fun.

Nana’s special cookie – Alyssa decorated it first for her.

As for a new tradition for us, Alyssa and I decorated a ginger bread house. I could immediately see that I need to perfect my house building and icing placement. I got ahead of myself and most of it was dry before we could add candy. However, it was fun as well. Next year, I promise to improve my ginger bread building skills.

We will spend our first Christmas in Nashville together as a family this year. We will have our own special breakfast, open some presents, then even attempt our own turkey dinner. [Gasp] We fly out to Texas on the 26th and will celebrate and visit with family. I feel that we get the best of both this year – our own Christmas and getting to see family. Merry Christmas, friends.

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Brrrrr, was it cold yesterday. But not too cold for friends to come and play. We had coats and jackets, but now we all own winter hats, gloves and a scarf or two. I don’t know that I am ready for this.

This is our first in several years to buy a real tree. We made the switch to artificial a few years ago and never regretted it. However, this year my tree along with a few other items sit missing Christmas this year. They are in my parents garage in Houston. So we picked out a real tree this year. I love the smell, but I dislike the endless needles that fall on the floor and the constant water feedings. But we will make it work for this year and look forward to our “family tree” joining us next year.

Today, I am thankful for family. Thankful for in-laws that can survive in a house with us for 4 days. Thankful for their sacrifice to celebrate with us this year at our new home. Thankful for a mother-in-law who loves to cook and prepared almost every meal for 4 days for 10 people. Thankful for a friend who listens to me and takes wonderful pictures. Thankful for my family, though at a distance, who each connected with me today in their own way. Thankful for my girls who keep my smiling and make me proud. Thankful for my husband, who sticks up for me, comforts me, adores me no matter what. And I am thankful for my God who reminds me that nothing else matters but Him. And though these things don’t matter, He blesses me with them anyway because He loves me. More pics

Tonight we were invited to an evening of hay rides, hot dogs and marshmallow roasting at the Tap Root Farm. It is a beautiful piece of property in Franklin, and it was nice to just be outside with our family. Ethan roasted his face and some hot dogs for the family, we sat down and enjoyed a little picnic in the dark. It is pretty dark by 5:00 pm here. We ate and let the girls run around a bit and then looked at each other like it was time to go. I looked at the clock and it was only 5:37 pm. We both laughed. Then we ate marshmallows, enjoyed a hay ride, warmed by the fire, Megan ate rocks, and Alyssa avoided the dogs and sang and danced in circles. Overall a fun experience for us.