I love the Becky/i's in my life!

Yesterday Becki and I had our girly day.  First off we started with pedicures at Gene Juarez, this was my Christmas gift from her this year, the most relaxing wonderful thing a girl to do to her feet.  It is their signature ped-spa with a parafin dip.  Becki and I sit in a room just for the two of us for an hour drinking our latte's and enjoying uninterupted girl talk.  Then off to lunch at Anthonys down on Ruston Way.  The fish tacos were great, but the cosmos maybe more so.......Then another highlight.....Hello Cupcake in downtown Tacoma.  A cute little place with cupcakes to die for, I got the vanilla coconut.  The best cupcake I have ever had. 

It was a lovely day and we need more of them!

I got home to a package that arrived from Aunt Becky (the other Becky in my life)......Christmas presents that arrived late (she thought we were heading down south and I would see her sooner ).  Oooooh La laaaaaaaa....everything Paris.  I love Paris and she gets me!  The chandelier ornament is like nothing I have ever seen and would have bought it had I seen it first.  A snow globe of the Tour de Eiffel and the coolest heavy plaque with Paris on it. A little box that says "everything Paris" on it with a little book, flag, magnets, etc in there and the most beautiful mistletoe  I have ever seen with a huge crystal hanging below it......more beautiful deer ornaments......even the wrapping was gorgeous and wish I had taken a picture of that! 

I am so blessed to have the best girlfriends....I love my Becki/y's!!!

Resolutions????

The kids are down this weekend so I will have to start  resolutions after Matthew leaves cause there is no time in between playing with him to waste on resolutions!

We are discovering the toys that make this little mans world rock: A construction box that makes noise when the blocks go in the right holes.  He loves this thing and carries it around everywhere and never tires of it.

Also for Christmas his parents got a MP3 player for just him!  Oh this is a hit and if you can afford the $60 price tag do it.  Our favorite song they have loaded is the Beetles "All you need is love".

Matthew's favorite thing to do here though is be with Opa.  The read, they play "horsey" and just hang out. Oma is a bit jealous, but just a bit.  It is fun to see the little man be such a little man.

We did get lots of stuff done this weekend so that those resolutions can get started.

 Cleaning Closets: which means boxing up all Matthew's newborn baby clothes to go to Aunt Annie and the new little Monkey Man due end of February.

 Getting the Wii fit set up so I can start on that.

 Getting my new Rosetta Stone set up for my daily French lessons.

But it's the list I have yet to write......after Matthew leaves!

........Traditions are important

I love Christmas and everything about it.  This year there were many Christmases starting with my high school girlfriends and their hubbys at our house for a big Christmas dinner.  What fun us Wild Kent Women still have (see an earlier post) .

Then my Dads' company party the next Tuesday followed a few hours later by his friends and neighbors, this was my "project" at his house and he doesn't live next door. I had lots of help from neighbors and friends and it turned out to be great fun.

The Ernie's Staff

Next event everyone came over for a "Dad" Christmas at our place the weekend before Christmas.  A tradition so that Dad can leave for his other home in Puerto Vallarta and have a Christmas down there.   This is the Christmas where Aaron and his family were at.  My favorite moment (other than opening a Marc Jacobs wallet with a Nordstrom gift card in it....$$$$$) was when Matthew opened a book and got up and walked over to Opa to show him all about this future reading they would have.  I went to bed thinking how lucky we were to have such a great family, no drama just love.

Three Generations

Matthew at the head of the table

Matthew loves Oma's Tree

The Nephews really are having a good time

The boys

Four Generations

The next day Sunday, we went over to my Mom's house for a "Mom" Christmas.  My Uncle Jeff and his family all came up from Oregon for that one.  Mom made a great Salmon dinner and we had a great time getting to know Brandon's fiance and trying to remember the difference between Oregon State & University of Oregon, I still can't get that one straight.

The new Skipper

Little Neuman

Tuesday before Christmas was "Aunt Kathy" day.  A tradition we have had for many years.  Thomas, Trey, JayDe and I get to have an entire day together.  It is all about the Supermall with the carousel (they still ride it for me), shopping for parents, shopping for them, a rock wall climb and a good movie.  This year the movie was "The Blind Side" and all 4 of us loved it!

Christmas Eve started out at Spanky's sister Sophie's house for a brunch.  Love Norm & Linda.  Our tradition with them used to be a few days in Seattle during the holidays, don't know how we got away from doing that, but we still have a "for sure" get together before Christmas with them.

 Christmas Eve is my Mom's birthday so we are always with her at brother Tony's.  Mom has her 3 kids there with her every year.  So having a Christmas Eve birthday is not always a bad thing.

Her birthday "cake" which was a real task getting this year, Pecan pie was finally found at Marie Callenders

Brother Don's Family

Mom and her three kiddies

Yummm, I can't do shellfish and this was torture

After a tradition of Salmon for dinner (my mom's favorite) and my sister- n-law Lisa's specialty my mom opens presents...we do dishes then off to the living room for our Christmas.  Gary and I always stay at Tony's for the night and then Santa comes in the morning.  I love Santa and even though the boys are teenagers I still remember when this was the most exciting morning in their lives.

Thomas' new Kindle

Tony loves the new Skipper Dog

Aunt Kathy loves her Family

Christmas day we leave Tony's for Ken & Becki's, another tradition for a little gift exchange...who can give the best ornament and best "experience" gift, the guys exchange calenders (you don't want to know of what) and then we are off for Gary's sisters place, another tradition.

Becki out did me this year, this hangs in the center of my chandelier.  This picture does not do this ornament justice

 This year all his sisters and brother were there.  As soon as we get there it is the "girls" tradition to go get a Starbucks.  Devin got a new car for her 16th birthday and we all  piled into the very spacious Escalade.

The house was full of kids, dogs and the best prime rib ever.  Judy and Darren (Gary's nephew) are really good at that and everybody who can come does.  The house is packed with people who drop by just to smell it even if they can't stay.

A couple of days later for Mariella's 9th birthday Gary's family  got together at our home for one last time.  With 2 new babies to hold and catching up for the year with everyone we haven't seen the day went very fast.  Then they were off.  Karla and family to Alaska, Mary to Hawaii, Antoniette to New York City and Bill, Linda and Debbie to Montana.  What a thing Christmas is...bringing the family in from all parts of the country for a visit.

Mariella has her "Flat Daddy" with her all the time

The whole gang

Traditions  play a very important part of my life.  They give me a real sense of security and I am grateful for that.