Christmas in Buda

This year we spent Christmas in Buda with my family. We alternate each year which family we are with on Christmas Day. However, thus far, we have been very blessed to be able to see both families during the Christmas holidays. We headed down to Buda with my brother, Jeremy, on Tuesday, Dec. 23. That evening, the whole family loaded up and went to the Trail of Lights. The Trail of Lights is a lights display in a downtown park in Austin called Zilker Park. It is a trail about 1 mile long of light displays. I have been going to it since I was in junior high. Mark and I went one or two times while we lived in Austin, however, I haven't been there since we moved to the Dallas area. It was so wonderful to be able to share this tradition with the next generation - my nieces and nephews. At the end of the trail, there is a giant Christmas tree made of lights. The tradition is to stand under it, lock hands with a friend, look up, and spin in circles. Mark and my sister both shared in the fun with me. Then I spent time twirling Aaris (my niece) around. Over the next few days we enjoyed beautiful weather. It wasn't Christmas-type weather, and it kept it too warm to have a fire in the fireplace, but it did allow us to spend some time outside. Each afternoon we would play in the backyard. My parents have a game called ladder golf. It is essentially pvc pipe made into a 3-run ladder. You have golf balls strung onto string and you try to wrap it around the ladders. It has the same concept as horseshoes. I have never been very good at sports, but this one I excelled at! I beat everyone except my dad :) On Christmas morning we had a huge breakfast made by the men in the family (which is a family tradition) and then spent about 3 hours opening presents. It usually takes us this long because we open each present one-by-one, one person at a time. I got my kitchenaid mixer, which I have been wanting for years! I never had the counter space for it until we moved into our house. Thanks mom and dad! Well, I guess that about wraps it up. On Saturday, we headed back to Plano. We had a wonderful and and memorable time with my family, and we are so thankful for the many blessing we have.