Happy Festivus!

We brought some of our New Mexican traditions with us to Tennessee and this year was no exception. My mom and Rene joined us this year for Festivus and I think we can all say we had a great holiday this year!We started out Christmas Eve with some snuggles...

and continued with a tractor pull...

We then decorated Christmas cookies. My Grandma used to make very special "Santa Claus" cookies every year and I continue the tradition with my kids. The kids loved putting the frosting on, but the surprise decorator was...Papa...He seemed to really get into the spirit and make the cookies b-e-a-utiful! I think he didn't want to waste the frosting, but he was definitely in the festivus spirit nonetheless.

One of the best things this Festivus was that Luke got to come home for several days and relax from the demanding hours of his new job. Here he enjoys the sunshine on the back patio while talking to his parents on the phone.

One of our traditions is to make a big meal on Christmas Eve night so this year we repeated the meal from last year since we lost of the pictures from last year due to a computer malfunction (and, yes, it was the computer... not me blaming the computer). I made spicy shrimp pasta with tomatoes and basil for an appetizer and steak diane, roasted potatoes with rosemary, and peas for the main course. Dessert was a Christmas cake (red velvet...mmmmm...my favorite).

It was wonderful to have my mom here because she is a super chef and really helped me in the kitchen...

Trying to take a photo successfully with many people and with two of them being squirmy kids...we managed to get these two...MERRY FESTIVUS 2010!!!

And, I have to say, that having my mom help in other ways in the kitchen was the best part...hehehe...

We were all sufficiently stuffed for sure. After dinner we got the luminarias set up and lit a little fire. This is a Northern New Mexican tradition and Española, NM (where my mom and Rene live) lines the streets with luminarias and little fires. All the residents drive around with their lights dimmed (remember Española is the lowrider capital of the world) while gazing at the little lights. I am not sure if this is still done, but it is one of my fondest Christmas Eve traditions. Our wood was a little wet, so our fire didn't last too long...just long enough for a few marshmallows to be toasted before bed.

Santa found his way and arrived while we were all asleep...

And the next morning, the kids couldn't believe it. Here are a few photos of the mayhem. I tried to spare the ones of the adults looking like they just got out of bed (6:15 was the wake-up call) and show some highlights.

Since we were up before daylight, when the sun had risen we saw....

It was a white Christmas in Tennessee!!!!!! WOOOOOHOOOOOO!!!!! YIPPEEEEEEEEEE!!!!! We did a bit of sledding...

We then had Christmas Dinner with our good friends, the Williams' Family. Thanks, for a delicious country Christmas!

And then we did a bit more sledding...

This Festivus was a great one and it was so nice to spend it with my mom!!!