New traditions...

It's Christmas morning and I'm sitting with a nice hot cup of coffee and a cinnamon roll thinking about how Christmas for me has changed in the last few years.  This year I've gained a husband and we've been creating new traditions that we can share with our family. Christmas 2011 is our first "married" Christmas and it has already been different than others.

Like most changes in life, creating new traditions is bittersweet.  My initial image of Christmas will always be the childhood Christmas's where I woke up way too early and waited patiently (or impatiently depending of what I thought Santa was bringing me) for everyone else to get up so we could tear into our presents.  Christmas afternoon was always spent at my grandparents home with our extended family.  Recently, we've spent Christmas at my Mom and step-dad's home about 3 hours away from here.  Last year and this year they have been traveling so we spend Christmas our home.

Our decorations are up, presents are wrapped, and the stockings are stuffed.  Our tree may be small but it still illuminates the room in wonderful white lights.  To make the tree special we bought an ornament to mark our first christmas together and plan to do this every year.  I think it will be wonderful when we are older to share the story of each ornament with our children as we trim the tree.  Of course, I also have the nutcracker sitting out that my grandmother gave me from her collection before she passed away.

We're making a ham and loads of veggies, and for dessert we have a french pear tart.  A big meal on Christmas is one tradition I can not change.  Another addition to our tradition, is giving presents to our pets.  Our dog has been trying to sniff his presents this year, but they are placed just high enough he can  not reach them.  He's getting a real bone, which is pretty much doggie heaven to him and a few other yummy treats!  (shhhh....don't tell him)

I hope all of you have a wonderful Holiday and celebrate being with the ones you love.  Rejoice in new and old traditions.

Thankful...

Today is thanksgiving, and one of my favorite holidays. Increasingly our society is overlooking day since its not as marketable as say Christmas. The Christmas decorations and store promotions are presented earlier and earlier every year.

I'm an advocate for thanksgiving. True, it's always around my birthday, but my love for this holiday goes beyond the superficial. Thanksgiving is about pausing to consider what you have received from the world, a family, steady work, happiness, and anything else that makes you who you are.

We don't automatically deserve to live plush comfortable lives simply because we exist. So we need to express thanks for the great things in our lives by thanking God (or the higher power you believe in) and generally putting our thankful energy out into the world.

Celebrate thanksgiving and take time today to consider all the large and small things you are thankful for this year.

This year I have a lot to be thankful for:
My husband, this is our first married thanksgiving.
My family
Our pup
I'm thankful that I'm able to personally develop and be ever evolving in a positive manner.
My friends and all the support they provide.