Merry Christmas!

We have a good time in the Allen house through the Christmas holidays. It has taken on a slightly different twist over the last couple of years with me living in San Diego and the girls moving away to college. This year was the first "normal" holiday season for us in a couple of years, and it was great. We have quite a few holiday traditions that we look forward to, including Christmas cookies baked and decorated on Christmas Eve, watching The Santa Clause, eating cookies for breakfast on Christmas morning, opening our presents one at a time Christmas morning, and a nice dinner that evening. I look forward to this time of year because I love being around my family!

Christmas cookies baked Christmas Eve.

Our Christmas morning practice is to open our presents one at a time, starting with the youngest and working our way up to the oldest - then do it again! I do not know when we started doing it this way, but it has been this way in the Allen house for as long as I can remember. You might think it takes a long time, and it does, but there has never been a complaint and it makes it seem more like we are appreciating the act of giving instead of the act of receiving because everyone is paying attention to each gift.

I hope your Christmas was as enjoyable as mine was.

As we move towards the New Year, my family is looking forward to many exciting happenings. Danny will start high school in the Fall of 2012. This marks the beginning of the end as I see it! Melissa continues her education at the UW. Stephanie completes her teaching certification and commences a job search to fulfill her dream of being a teacher. And Jeannette & I celebrate our 25th anniversary in October. We are planning an Alaskan cruise this summer to celebrate!