Christmas Eve is my most anticipated day of the year. I love the magic of the holidays. Truth be told though, I had a bit of a rough time getting in the Christmas spirit this year. I think it was because it was different this year. For the past 30 years, I've been doing the same thing on Christmas Eve. I've been with the same people, eaten the same meals. I know that this is not usually how life is and I know how lucky I was to grow up with those traditions.
Now, we live thousands of miles away. For the most part we have settled in here but I think that I will be homesick for Grantsville for the next 30 years on Christmas Eve, no matter how settled we are into our own traditions. To stave off the wishing for home, we set out to make our first real holiday away a special one.
We went into DC for brunch at Old Ebbit's Grill, a restaurant that has been open for the past 150 years. We walked over to the National Christmas tree.
 |
| That's the White House in the background. |
Leo was way more enthralled with the train display around the trees then the tree itself. I can't blame him though, it looks like a sad tree underneath the light mesh.
We then went over to the Botanical Gardens. This tradition was born from the first time that I lived in DC. As an intern, I used to walk over and spend time in the garden. There are very few places in the world that make me feel so peaceful and calm. In the hustle and hubub of the holiday season, it was just the feeling I needed.
They
have an annual train display that we had yet to visit. It was
amazing. Perhaps one of the coolest things I've seen this year. They
had a full room filled with tracks and weaving in and out of lighthouses
built from plant parts. You know how I feel about lighthouses (I love
them!), it was just so beautiful. Even in the crowd of people, I still
really enjoyed it. Leo loved watching the trains.
 |
| Isn't it gorgeous! |
 |
| Cape Hatteras, a light house I have visited. |
We had a beautiful Christmas Eve dinner, complete with Italian hot chocolate and put the kids to bed. I told Leo that Santa was coming and that the presents would be there if he would fall asleep. He immediately closed his eyes and went right to sleep. That has NEVER happened. Oh, Christmas miracles.
So, it was a special day. I think we have some new traditions for the holidays, and that makes me happy.
 |
| The first picture of Amy standing up by herself. She is so big! |
