Sunday, November 25, 2007

I love the holidays!!!

So, these next few weeks kick off my favorite time of year....the Holidays!!! Something about the cold weather, LSU games (yes they are still fantastic), hot chocolate, and that smell of burning wood outside just makes my heart skip!

Cooking for our family is an all time favorite of mine. Now, don't let me fool you...my cooking is by far not perfect, but getting together and hearing the joy that comes from a dining room table as all your family and friends are together is priceless. So many traditions are shared, jokes told, and memories retold. As my Dad says, "that is when your house finally becomes a home" and I could not agree more!

Even more fun is Reed (our now 4 year old nephew). He is taking a liking to Uncle Dave and Aunt Carla now calling us to see if he can spend the night with us. We do everything from watch movies to cook to play ninja turtles and spider man games (with toy figures as well as on the Wii). I see him looking up to Dave so much and I am so thankful to have moved back to watch this little boy grow up. God really does lead you in life as I never thought I would return to Shreveport. Now, I can't even imagine being away.

Thanksgiving was a blast this year. We got to spend half the day with my side of the family. Our newest little nephew (Owen) is starting to laugh and want to be held by ME!!! My morning was spent playing baseball in the backyard with Reed, holding Mr. Owen (now almost 6 months old), and laughing at my brothers and Dave when they ate way to much.

About twoish, we headed to Dave's side of the family. They have some meaningful traditions as well. Every year I am amazed at how real they are....what you see is what you get, and I love it. They enjoy getting together, having way too much food and doing my all time favorite thing....laughing with each other. This year we got to celebrate a new arrival....Dave's cousin had her first baby (Ms. Bailey) and she is so pretty. Let me know if you don't believe in God...I will show you this little baby! UGH...she takes my breath away.

Decorating is an exciting moment too. In my house growing up, my parents would always wake up the day after Thanksgiving, have cinnamon boiling on the stove and Christmas music playing as they worked together to transform our house into Christmas time. This year, that tradition unfolded for Dave and I too. We both woke up, started the music through the living room speakers, put the smell of cinnamon on in our kitchen, and felt the cold air hit us as we brought down box after box from our attic to begin transforming our home into Christmas time. Crazy how traditions do in fact run from generation to generation!

This holiday season I am reminded how blessed we are as a family. I pray that you take a moment and see what traditions you have in your family, what your children will remember when they grow up, and how lucky you are to be alive.