Christmas: Kropka Style

Happy New Year, Everyone!  I hope everyone had a great holiday season, getting to do what you love with those you love!  We surely did, and every year it gets better.  We made a few tweaks to our Christmas festivities, for the better I think, and I want to remember the details in addition to the feeling of Christmas in our house.

First off, Christmas starts the weekend after Thanksgiving for us.  Not a MINUTE sooner... We get down the tree, decorate the house, (try to) mail the Christmas cards.  For me personally, Christmas is about spending quality time with family, hosting friends, creating a season of joy and wonder for the kids, and reflecting on our recent year and good fortune.  It's important to me to NOT be stressed out at this time of year.  For the kids, it's about extra playtime, extra movie time, extra sweets and goodies, and TOYS.  For Jamie, I'd speculate that it's about chilling out and playing with his kids.  Here's how we celebrated.  It was wonderful.

- We spent Christmas at HOME.  I'm a homebody.  We have little kids.  Christmas on the road is just too stressful right now.  I'm so thankful for the family that could come to us, yet again, this year, and for those who couldn't but were here in spirit.

- We have a new family member!  Karen's partner, Marsha, joined our family for Christmas this year, and we're thrilled to have her, and thankful she wanted to share Christmas with us.  We all adore her.  Jordan is NUTSO for her.  She calls her "My Marsha"...

- We really try to make Christmas about the kids, without going overboard.  So this year, we just did gifts for the kids and modest stocking stuffers for the adults.  It was nice, less stressful, and less "stuff" oriented.  I always say money is better spent doing stuff than having stuff.  Although the mess of toys downstairs begs otherwise.

- We went to the River of Lights.  This will be an ABQ tradition, weather permitting.  Poor little Jacob had a nasty cough for weeks and had to stay home with Nana and Pa, but Jo, Jamie and I braved the drizzle (which cleared up) and enjoyed a stroll through the lights.

- We went to Old Town on Christmas Eve eve to see the Luminarias lit up in the Plaza.  So pretty, so nice to be outside in the crisp evening air, and I great way to get ready for Santa.

-  Food Food Food!  I love to cook, and I really love to cook nice, decadent meals when I know I have a crew on hand to enjoy it and help eat it.  Christmas Eve dinner this year was Latkes and Tamales, and Xmas dinner was a standing rib roast.  We had cannoli, stroufflies, Biscochitos, my traditional Xmas cookies, and a new chocolate cake.  I hope there will always be an abundance of good food in our house for the holidays. 

- Outdoor winter fun.  It's nice to live in a place that feels like Christmas and winter, with a reasonable chance of snow sometime over the holiday.  We took Jo sledding and ice skating.  Jamie and I spent New Year's Day skiing.  It's nice to have activities planned besides eating and lounging. 

So, onto the new year.  New plans, new resolutions.  I actually stuck with one of my resolutions from last year: stop eating junk for breakfast.  This year, my goal is to stay positive with the challenges I've taken upon myself in the form of my new business, while keeping focus on my children as my number one priority.  I hope it's a year of personal and professional growth.  I know it will be as every past year has been: a fast-paced adventure.