Beautifully set tables with a bit of bokeh ready for loved ones to gather ’round.
Hubby preparing Christmas dinner while wearing his presents.
Grandma Mestanza proudly posing with her almost-as-tall-as-her grandchildren
Little Lion Man giggling on his granny’s knee.
One tired little boy tucking into Grandpa to sleep.
Cousins cuddling.
Sisters striking a pose.
Happy children loving most of their presents…
and exclaiming, “This was the best Christmas ever!”
On Christmas Eve, a calm feeling came over me. Although I still had the entire house to clean for company while Allan prepared a huge Italian feat for my family, I felt like it was no big deal.
Since Halloween, life has been pretty chaotic from birthday celebrations, school projects, races and then the holidays came. For months, I’ve felt like I was drowning. But for the first time in months, I felt like I could finally catch my breath and I enjoyed the moment with a few more cleansing breaths while I cleaned.
I suppose I felt calm because this was it. The last big thing I had been stressing over was now coming to a close. The presents had been bought and wrapped. Most of my Christmas cards had been mailed. All that was left was to enjoy Christmas and I was truly enjoying it, ironically while I scrubbed toilets.
Christmas Eve and Christmas Day were perfect. The kids were so excited about all of their presents. The food was fantastic and we shared lots of laughs and good cheer with our families. And it felt so good not to worry about anything (school projects, races, blogging) for a little while.
With today being Boxing Day, we’ll spend a quiet day at home cleaning out closets and cupboards to find space for all our lovely new things we received from Christmas and then we’ll donate all our old gently used toys and clothes to charity in the spirit of Boxing Day. Today could be another calming, therapeutic cleansing day for me in many ways. At least that’s what I’m hoping it to be.
Although I’m enjoying my Christmas calming and cleansing moments, it leaves room for some new goals and plans for the New Year. But that’s another post.
What are your plans and goals for the New Year?
Next week for Music Monday, I would love for you to share a song that captures your plans for the New Year. Will 2012 be more of the same or are you taking on new endeavors? Tell us your thoughts with a tune.
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From our home to yours, we wish you a very merry Christmas!
The kids and I have been making Magic Reindeer Food as part of our Advent calendar for years now. At first, the food was a mixture of old fashioned oats and glitter. Then, I learned how dangerous glitter can be for animals or small children when ingested. From then on, we made our reindeer food with only edible ingredients. Of course, oats are still part of the mixture but instead of craft glitter, we use edible glitter like red and green cake sprinkles.
This year, we added a few more ingredients to make it more like trail mix. After all, those reindeer have such a long journey and they’ll need the extra carbs and sugar to that fuel flight.
Emmalynn, Allana and I had fun searching through the pantry for snacks the reindeer might enjoy. Along with the oats and edible glitter, we added raisins, dried cranberries, Peanut Butter Cap’n Crunch, Corn Flakes, peanuts, gum drops, mini marshmallows, Cheerios, pumpkin seeds and wasabi peas. Wasabi peas might seem like an odd addition, but I thought the reindeer might like a little heat on the way back to the frigid North Pole.
After we combined our ingredients, we poured the mix into Ziploc bags and added the how-to poem. This printable Magic Reindeer Food poem tag can be found here.
On Christmas Eve just before bed, the kids, Auntie Simone and I will sprinkle the Reindeer Food in the yard. Of course, we always leave carrots for the reindeer next to Santa’s cookies and milk too.
To start the holiday season with a splash, my family and I set sail once again for SeaWorld’s Christmas Celebration.
The evening’s Christmas festivities started with small reception to meet some new friends: a sloth, a sea lion and a macaw.
During the reception, we snacked on sugar cookies and sipped on hot cocoa while the Sea of Trees danced and sang. With 25 more trees this year and comprised of more than 200 thousand individually choreographed LED lights, the Sea of Trees truly brings the season to sea.
Once our senses were dazzled and our bellies were full, we made the long journey to the North Pole for The Polar Express Experience.
Liam and I traveled by foot through the Wild Arctic while the girls traveled by train with Daddy. Little Lion Man and I followed the frosty paths through the polar bears and beluga whales to find our way to Santa.
This year, SeaWorld added a new show, O Wondrous Night- The Greatest Story Never Told.
“O Wondrous Night tells the greatest story never told, with more than 30 carols, based upon the Christmas Story and told through the eyes of a variety of live animals. The 30-minute show features puppetry and dance against the backdrop of traditional Christmas music and a true living nativity including camels, goats, sheep, an alpaca, a zebu and a flock of white doves.” -SeaWorld
Unfortunately, my girls were more interested in rides without queues than shows depicting the real season for the season, so we spent the rest of the evening in Shamu’s Happy Harbor.
In between rides, we stumbled upon two lively elves playing a game of marshmallow toss and the girls joined in the fun.
Although the girls wanted to stay for s’more fun, it was time to end the evening on a high note by remembering the Frosty the Snowman philosophy. We’ll be back again someday.
Many other Orlando amusements parks charge an additional fee to participate in such extravagant holiday festivities, but all this magic and wonder is included with a SeaWorld admission every weekend night throughout December including Christmas and New Year’s Eve.
On Dec. 31, families can ring in the New Year SeaWorld style! On New Year’s Eve, SeaWorld offers a spectacular musical celebration with DJs and live bands plus a bold fireworks display to send a wave of welcome for the New Year ahead. With special show times for New Year’s Eve, the festivities continue until 1 a.m.
For more information about the last few days SeaWorld’s Christmas Celebration or to purchase a Fun Card, visit SeaWorldOrlando.com.
But wait! There’s more!
Saturdays in January, SeaWorld kicks off a new program Just for Kids featuring special performances by LazyTown, Max and Ruby, the Doodlebops and Choo Choo Soul. Check SeaWorld.com for dates and show times.
Does any else feel like Christmas threw up on them? That’s the ugly metaphor I’m choosing to describe the Christmas chaos I’m feeling. You should see the state of my house. I think the tree is finally decorated, but I still have a gazillion cards to post and a pile of last minute gifts still yet to buy and of course, tons of wrapping to do.
However, all of that will be put on hold, because today I am chaperoning a field trip to Legoland with Allana’s class. I plan to write some cards on the bus on the way, but with how car sick I get, I could literally puke Christmas. I may need to rethink that plan.
Anyhow, this Music Monday post will be a little light today because I’ve got so much to do, like blog about our anniversary date in the midst of the Christmas madness. Yesterday, Allan and I had a fabulously fun Serendipity-style date, but I’ll explain all that in great lengths in another blog post.
While you wait for all the details, I’ll tease you with a movie clip from Serendipity set to Nick Drake’s Northern Sky.
If you didn’t know already, I have this thing for movie soundtracks and I absolutely LOVE the Serendipity soundtrack, so I have to include the song even though it’s not a Christmas song. It’s a very fitting song for our anniversary because my Allan comes from a northern town in England and of course, like I said, a perfect way to tie in a tease about our Serendipity-style date.
But Christmas music has been the Music Monday (and Xmas Dolly’s Monday’s Music Moves Me) theme for the past month, so I’ll share a Christmas song from Serendipity.
And since tomorrow night is the first night of Hanukkah, I’ll leave you with some Matisyahu. Besides, it will take nothing short of miracle to help me with all this Christmas chaos.
Visit Xmas Dolly and Hairbows & Guitar Picks for more Music Monday fun.
Although I tried my hardest to snap some high-tech firework photos with my fancy SLR camera, I just couldn’t get the settings right to capture the fireworks on the Fourth of July. The show was over by the time I figured it out. Oh well. At least I captured some awesome sparkler shots.
Last night, my neighbors were having a dress rehearsal with their fireworks to prepare for tonight, which gave me an opportunity to test out the settings on my SLR camera. As you can see, I didn’t quite figure it out.
So, if you have any tips, I would love to hear them. Nighttime setting with flash? Sport setting? Flash off? Lower the shutter speed? Which F-Stop? *sigh* Lots to learn! Hopefully I’ll snap some better photos tonight.
Speaking of duds, this morning I was a slacker. I overslept and I missed the Lutz Independence Run. This little firecracker totally fizzed. So, I missed the race but there’s always next year to let my red, white and blue colors burst.
There have been some really longs days around here with and I guess my body needed the sleep. Or maybe these little runner legs needed some better training for the marathon shopping my sisters-in-law made me endure. No need to worry about me, though. I’m well-rested now and ready to party!
I hope your day is bursting with fun and your camera is set at the right F-stop!
Happy Fourth of July!
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On Mother’s Day Eve, the Taylor clan enjoyed a sunset potluck picnic at the beach. This has become a Mother’s Day Eve tradition for us, which we were thrilled to share with Allan’s sister and his mum.
Pine Island, a small sleepy little beach in Hernando County, was the perfect spot for a family picnic.
A light breeze kept us cool while we watched the cousins play along the shore and build a fort as the sun set.
Mum enjoyed the evening so much she wants to make a regular event. I couldn’t agree more.
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The names for the NYC Marathon have been drawn and I wasn’t one of them, but it’s all good. Es no problemo.
Now that the selection process is over, I can redirect my attention onto the other races I have coming up like the Crazy Sombrero 5K this Friday. 
To get into a Cinco de Mayo mood and into the Crazy Sombrero spirit, I’ve been downloading some Mexican dance music. Hey, whatever it takes to be a Speedy Gonzales for this race. ¡Ándale! ¡Ándale! ¡Arriba! ¡Arriba!
Visit Amanda, Xmas Dolly and Hairbows & Guitar Picks for more Music Monday fun.
