Vacation Plans

I cannot contain my excitement.  My entire body is vibrating with it.  My brain is on fire.  I am in full on OMG mode.  And it's all because of our upcoming vacation plans.  We always go on our annual family vacation around the holiday season because it coincides with the kid's summer break.  Usually right after Christmas and the New year, we head to the beach for a few days of rest and relaxation, for days filled with fun in the sun and surf and sand.  We look forward to our family vacation every single year.

This year, we took our time planning our vacation and as sort of a last minute decision, decided to go BIG for our beach getaway this year.  As a special treat for the entire famliy, we are headed to one of our all time favorite vacation destinations; Double-tree All Inclusive resort (now known as Fiesta Resort).  We are so over the moon about it.

All inclusive hotels and resorts are wonderful.  Everything is at your fingertips, literally.  Food, drinks, fun.  You never have to leave the resort because all you need is just a few steps away from your hotel room, all in one place.  But all inclusive resorts are also very pricey and when we started looking around, we never thought we could fit that kind of vacation in our budget for our family of 6.  Well, as luck would have it, we did and we cannot contain our excitement.  We will be living our best life for 5 days and 4 nights of just pure luxurious bliss.  I personally cannot wait. 

Our Amazing Christmas

Starting the morning off with stockings and finding lots of goodies inside

The gifts were bountiful and much appreciated.  The kids' reactions were priceless

We had quite the spread for brunch and my plate says it all; everything was delicious

Out to dinner with the family, our annual Christmas day tradition

Christmas comes but once a year, and oh what fun it is! A season filled with lots of cheer and a chance to be holly, jolly and gay.  Another year, another wonderful Christmas day spent with family.  Now onto a new year filled with adventure.

A Fun Family Christmas Eve

Another amazing Christmas Eve has come and gone and I cannot say enough good things about the day.  It was the most wonderful day, spending time together as a family, preparing our delicious holiday meal, gathering around the television for a Christmas movie and watching the kids open their Christmas Eve gifts.  It was just absolutely magical!!

It's All So Festive

I cannot get enough of this time of year.  The movies, the music, the lights and decor.  The food, the parties, and so much more.  I love it.  It is all so very festive.  And I will be sad when it is all over. As for our one last hurrah with friends, we headed to Pizza Hut to celebrate and as predicted the kids had a blast.  Just a couple more days to go and it will be Christmas.  I am so excited!

Going To The Christmas Fair And Other Fun Activities

Another year, another opportunity to head to the Carnival with the kiddos for a day of family fun bonding.  The fair was the culmination of a week filled with fun activities for my entire brood.  First, on Tuesday, we headed to Denny's for a fun family dinner date night out.

Then on Saturday, it was a rare family of six day as we all headed out as a family to Fly Jump trampoline park and then to Applebee's for a delicious dinner.  Finally on Sunday, to wrap up the weekend, I took the kids to the mall to do a bit of shopping (for their secret sibling gift exchange), then over to the fair for some fun treats and a few rides.  It really was a week filled with Christmas memories.

I just LOVE the  holiday season and all that it entails.  The magic, family togetherness.  I love it all.

My Daughter's Gymnastic Event

In previous years, as a gymnast, my daughter would end her year with some form of tournament or competition to showcase all her hard work.  And in previous years, she has always gotten some form of medal as a reward for doing a good job. 

This year, under new supervision, instead of a tournament, there was an exhibition.  This way, all the kids had to do was show what they had been learning all year and just have fun.  No worries about being perfect.  No fears about messing up.  No one would feel bad about not getting a medal or winning first place.  It was just a fun event for friends and family to finally see what their little gymnasts had learned over the past few months.  And every child got a small gift for their participation.  I know serious gymnastics doesn't work like this.  There are fierce competitions and there is always a winner and a few losers.  That is life.  But for now, the kids are being allowed to just have fun while learning a few new techniques.  Who knows, maybe next year, with more preparation serious gymnasts can emerge and start to compete.

Fun Holiday Weekend

On Saturday, my daughter and I continued our yearly tradition of attending the ballet and went to see the Nutcracker at the Melico Salazar Theater in downtown San Jose.  We had seen the Nutcraker before, about 3 years back, but wanted to see it again and this time, at a new theater that I hadn't yet been to.

It was the perfect day to go to the ballet.  The weather was gorgeous and San Jose was a hustle and bustle of people shopping and gearing up for the holidays.  We took in a few sights and even did a bit of shopping.  And we both agreed the  ballet was just a wonderful way to spend a Saturday afternoon.