Another Family Christmas

 I just love the holidays. The joy and merriment in the air, the classic tunes, the cheesy Hallmark movies, even the frenzy of people trying to find that perfect gift. It all lends to the magic of the season.  

The best part of Christmas is usually the build up and anticipation and then the morning finally arrives and we're all bursting with happiness. All the careful planning and meticulous execution was all worth it to see my kids faces as they open each gift, savoring every moment,  thankful for it all. 

And then of course, there's the menu, planned to perfection, ready to be devoured with praise. It's just the most memorable occasion and I can't wait to do it all again next year.

First, to kick off Christmas,  we had a few drinks to celebrate the upcoming momentous occasion.

One if the first "gifts" of the season was my brand new 2025 planner.

Gifts were bought, meticulously selected based on interest,  need and price, then put into piles for sorting.  I do this every year.

One last mall shopping trip before the big day

Christmas eve

Christmas day. Presents uniquely wrapped to represent different classic holiday characters. A Snowman, Santa, Grinch and a Reindeer,  possibly Rudolf. 

Stockings stacked by the TV with care

Ready for Christmas Day 

Brunch, a family tradition 

Present opening time, the moment we'd all been waiting for.

Merry Christmas 

Dinner was a feast,  enjoyed by the entire family and it was delicious. 

And after all that, we decided to do some more mall shopping, enjoying the after Christmas sights and sounds, savoring the last bits of the holiday season.

Graduation Day Festivities

 The day finally came, the day my only daughter graduated from high school. We'd been preparing for this day all year, going to university expos, applying to colleges, sending in financial aid and scholarship applications and even taking college course workshops. But truly, nothing prepares a parent for the emotional roller-coaster of closing one chapter of your child's life for another.

The day arrived, beautiful as ever, as if the sun decided to bless the graduates with its presence as a gift. The space, a local church, was elegantly decorated, ready to receive its guests. The ceremony was sweet, short and very well done.  Among the many accolades bestowed upon my daughter, the one she cherished the most was getting top 3 best academic achievement, something she had been working towards her whole high school life.

I look forward to what's in store for her in the near future because I know it will be a great one

After the graduation ceremony, we went to lunch, and tradicion I hold dear as a foodie and a mom. Sushi was the menu of choice for the graduate and so I was happy to oblige. 

And another tradition I love to follow for any event, is styling the perfect look for the occasion.  My red thrifted trousers paired with the black blazer shirt and pointed toe heels was definitely giving elegantly and classy. 

Christmas Time Is Here

 Hello holiday season.  Even though my kids are getting older, there are certain traditions I like to adhere to. Decorating the tree has been a fun activity to do as a family and makes the work go faster. Then there's our 1st day of advent tradition of opening the chocolate calendars, drinking hot cocoa and watching a Christmas movie to officially start the Christmas season. Although, we switched our traditional movie, The Polar Express for Miracle on 34th Street this year. Even if traditions evolve, I'll still make sure to keep some aspect of them alive for years to come.

I was even able to sneak in a Christmas cookie decorating activity this season. I just love the holidays and all the fun traditions that come with it

The Senior Class Trip

 It's my daughter's last year of high school, so of course, her class wanted the most memorable class trip to top all class trips. A beach trip sounded nice, so they raised funds throughout the year to make their dreams a reality.

The best option was a day trip to Fiesta All Inclusive Resort, a two hour drive outside of San Jose in Puntarenas.  The resort sits right on the beach and offers a very complete day pass that included full access to all the hotel amenities.  

As a parent volunteer and chauffeur,  I had the pleasure of tagging along on the trip and enjoying a fun filled day by the pool sipping on cocktails and stuffing myself with all I could eat, literally. 

Most importantly,  the kids had a blast.  There was so much for them to see, do, eat and drink. There were activities like giant chess and volleyball,  beach soccer and poolside games, mini golf and tennis. There's also a kids zone and teens zone, with ping pong, basketball, video games and more.

It certainly was a day to remember for the seniors.