What a great Christmas we had! The kids were so excited and it was just fun. I have been really trying hard to see things thru their eyes, appreciate the grandness of it all, the lights, the gifts, just really enjoy the moment. As adults, we sometimes loose that and its hard to get back!

We don't have too many traditions in our house when it comes to Christmas. We add one every once in a while... last year we made our own gingerbread houses - girls (McCaiden and I) against boys (Dennis and Esdin)... We just use graham crackers, royal icing and every candy under the sun. It is so much fun and the kids really like doing it.

We did it again this year and it was fun. We didn't travel too much over the holidays, just a one day trip to the grandparents and back. My brother was home for the holiday so it was nice to see him and his wife for a while.

As beautiful as the holidays are, they always seem so stressful! This year was a little less because of the less traveling, but tensions run high in my family between my parents and I and that causes such stress. It is something I bring on myself... I try to stand up for myself and I get beat back down... it is really depressing that at this age I am still trying to make them happy. Sad, really.

But whats done is done and ahead I trek. I vow to make the new year great. I vow to stand up for myself more when it comes to my parental units. I vow to be a better parent to my kids and I vow to lose 20lbs! LOL Once I get this darn cast off my ankle, that is!