It's been so long since I've written. So many things to blog about but I'll keep it short and sweet.

Our family took a trip to Disney World and we met up with all of our New York family and it was absolutely a load of FUN! We were there a whole week and after all the parks, after all the pictures, after all the rides, and after all of the late night swims at the resort, we were still not ready to come home! Disney is really the happiest place on earth. Everyone is so friendly. We have so many fun, family memories to take away and it is definitely a trip we won't ever forget! We are already planning a Disney Cruise next!

After getting settled back in from Disney, it felt like Thanskgiving had come and gone and off to Christmas we went. I'm not going to even discuss the weather for Thanksgiving because it upsets me so. However, this cold front that has moved in, is delightful! Thanksgiving was wonderful this year, except our little Meag wasn't home. Hopefully someday, she will be able to be home every day, all day-that is what she prays for. I must admit that I did not get enough turkey, dressing, candied yams, and everything else! I could have eaten on it all for a whole week! It's better I didn't though. :-)

As we celebrate every holiday this year, this is the first time for celebrating in our new home so it is extra special! We bought a new tree this year and were so excited to put it up. And as most of you know, we put up our tree early. :-) Christmas flies by and I want to celebrate it as long as I can. So, when we returned from Disney we put up our tree! YEA! It is so gorgeous!!!! We got all of Meag's homemade ornaments from over the years out and went and bought alot of new, pretty ones as well. It just makes the living room so cozy. And we have a new addition to our tree that has such sentimental meaning to me, it made me cry when we assembled it. When I was 9, my grandpa, 'Papa' died of a heart attack just a couple of days before Christmas. It changed my life forever. I was so close with him. He was the most loving, gentle, Christian man I know. We used to always put this train around their Christmas tree and I would go spend the night with them and we would decorate and listen to the "Choo-Choo" sound for hours. This year, my grandma gave me that train!!!! It blows out smoke and still has the same woodsy smell as it did 16 years ago. It meant so much to me. So, as Meag loves to turn it on and watch it go round and round, I sit and think back on all of the fun childhood traditions I had.

Traditions are such an important part of our holiday season, ever since I was little. My mom was so creative and my dad had just as much fun playing along as she did creating them. My parents made my childhood so memorable and Mike and I want to do that for our precious little Meag. Every night, starting December 1st, we read a Christmas story together. It is so fun to read the oldies but goodies. We definitely have our favorites that we might even have to read more than once but love finding new books, too. Meag and I started singing the 12 days of Christmas when she was 6 and every year, it has become a fun song that we sing in the car and we all take turns with the days. We sing it as fast as we can, as slow as we can, and in all different voices. Silly, but so much fun. We have giggled so much at ourselves. Every night, we also have pj time or comfies time and either watch some of a holiday movie (depending on how late it is), drive and see Christmas lights, or bake and decorate Christmas cookies. Needless to say, there is a TON of holiday spirit and laughter in our house. The Tastles have some new traditions in store this year. One of them being Meag's idea and it was a great one! Each year we are going to host a holiday family craft at our house and have family over, turn on Christmas music, dress in pj's and create something pretty and festive. The invitations have already been sent out for this year and we are so excited!!!! We love creating things together. I just love her so much. She is my little twinkie it is hilarious. Side story- the other day we were at one of our fave hangouts, Hobby Lobby and this woman came up to us and said, "I have been watching you and your little girl and she is the spitting image of you. She looks just like you." Meag looked at the lady and said, "Everyone says I look like my mommy and I wear her clothes sometimes." The woman just giggled, told us Happy Holidays and walked off. Meag asks me every day to wear some of my clothes. Now granted, she can wear some of my shirts and things but the dresses are too long but she finds some way to pin them. :-) She asks me to save all of my clothes, shoes, purses, and jewelry for her. She is so silly but it warms my heart that she wants to be like me. She is such a jewel.

With this holiday season and the new traditions, new home, etc. this is our first year to be able to decorate outside!!!! We have lights to put up- well, Mike does. He got all geared up in his thermals, his hat, and warm shoes and headed up on top of the roof to start the lights. Well, if you have seen our house, we have a STEEP, STEEP roof. So, needless to say, we might be needing to call an off-duty fireman to come hang our Christmas lights. The part that Mike was able to reach look great! Just need a longer ladder, that's all. He was so cute up there. I just looked at him and felt so overwhelmed with joy and love for that man. He just warms my heart.

As we count down the days to Christmas, make tons of memories, and Meag and I drink our Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha's, I don't ever forget the real meaning of Christmas and that my Lord has given me all of these many blessings and eternal life.

Merry CHRISTmas!

xo-Nat