Blessed Solstice and Merry Christmas

The boys on the beach with the sun rising

Our family enjoyed a very wonderful holiday season.  We celebrated Yule and then enjoy Christmas with our families.  This year we were very lucky to have beautiful weather for the Solstice.  We woke up at 6am and the children checked out their stockings from the Yule fairies.  Then we all headed out to the beach to watch the sunrise.
Thanks to the weather being so nice and almost warm (60 degrees), we spent much longer enjoying the beach and sunrise.  We wrote
our messages in the sand and sang happy birthday to the sun.  Usually that is all we do because it is so cold right on the ocean.  This year we walked around and explored the small beach.  We checked out the rocks and figured out how far up the water comes when the tide is in.  We sat on the rocks and took a family selfie.  And before we left we did a little beach clean up.  Because its important to help take care of the earth and this little beach we visit every Solstice.

Our Family selfie

After our sunrise greeting we headed over to Dunkin Donuts to have coffee, hot chocolate, and donuts before going home.  The children enjoyed opening their presents and even let us take a short nap.  We invited my parents, my husband's parents, my sister and her fiancée over for dinner.  I really enjoy having family over for dinner.  It's so much fun to sit, eat, and talk together.

We also enjoyed a very nice Christmas Eve and Christmas with our families.  On Christmas Eve we gathered with my part of my family at my cousin's house.  I spent most of the night sitting with my 97 year old Grandma, so my mother (her primary caregiver) could visit with family.  My mother was so pleased to have the time for herself.
Christmas morning we headed upstairs to my parents house, to see what Santa brought for us.  I told the kids they couldn't open presents until they told me why Santa brings us gifts for Christmas.  Even though we aren't Christian, I feel it's important for them to know that Christmas means more than Santa and presents.  We had a nice little breakfast snack with my parents before heading out to visit with my husband's parents.  My father and step-mother in-law had more snacks and presents for us.  We headed back to my parent's house to have dinner with my extended family and family friends.  We ended the night with the traditional 12 Days of Christmas family sing along.

Me with my Grandma on Christmas Eve

I feel very lucky and blessed to have such wonderful and loving family and friends that we can spend the holidays with.

~EarthyMom