The Things That Matter

Tonight we began implenting some of our own personal new family Christmas traditions.  I have to say, I always enjoyed our family traditions growing up, but I think it is even more fun coming up with new ones.

We went to the ‘Family Mass,’ where Carlitos got to “do whatever he please” (according to the priest).  This included the children sliding face first down the ramp in the front of the church during Mass.  Carlitos now loves church.

Then we made our new Christmas Eve traditional meal of white wine and thyme mussels, homemade shoestring fries with a lemon thyme aoli and salad.  Only…..we forgot the salad.  It doesn’t matter though because we didn’t forget the other amazingly delicious dinner components like mussels, wine, shoestring fries and aoli.

Carlitos and Xavi got to open their first present – slippers! (Yes, we spoil them.)

Then Xavi went to sleep while Carlitos and I made a Buche de Noel, mushrooms and all!

Carlitos then got to open up the rest of his presents from my husband and I…books and puzzles and Tag Reading Systems, Oh My!

But bless his little heart, that child smiled and jumped up and down and ooohed and aahhhhed like nobody’s business.

And then, as I was cutting up the Buche de Noel so that we could eat it while watching The Polar Express, Carlitos came up and grabbed my legs and said, “Mommy, I LOVE my presents!!!!”

Oh, Carlitos, I am so glad.  All we want is for you to be a happy boy.

And as I hugged him he squeezed me back and said, “And all I want is for you to be a happy gril {girl}, mommy.”

Well, on that heart melting note, Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

(Obviously, this photo counts as a free give-away gift for ALL this Friday.)