You know, deck them halls and all that stuff?

Recognize the title of this post? It’s a quote by Lucy from A Charlie Brown Christmas. It’s from the silly scene when she’s asking Schroeder to play Jingle Bells. We watch that special every year, and love when Linus shares, “what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.”

I know the Christmas season can feel like a chaotic blur to many. There are events and traditions at home, events at school, events at church and get togethers with family and friends. One plan rolls into the next and before you know it, it’s all over and you can be left feeling like you barely got to savor any of it. Add a birthday into the mix, and you’re lucky if you have your head on straight come December 26th.

Last Christmas I was in the hospital for all of it; from December 16th to January 21st. So one thing Rob and I kept saying to each other over an over again leading up to Christmas this year was, “I’m so glad to be home”. That really helped us to enjoy the celebratory chaos when we were tempted to complain about being a little too overly scheduled. It put things into perspective and helped us focus on making special memories. We were pretty much in celebration go-mode starting with thanksgiving. That weekend Lucie got to go to an exclusive family and friends event to meet Santa at Macy’s. Then Grandma and Abo came up to visit. After that we hosted an “Almost Sleepover” birthday party for Lucie who turned FIVE! We went to a Yankee Swap Community Group party, took a donut cake to Lucie’s school on her actual birthday, went to Rockefeller Center to see the tree and waited with excitement for my sister to get her for Christmas!

We loved having her here, it has been several years since I spent Christmas morning with her! We cherished getting to watch Lucie open presents, and having her and Felicity in matching red and green pajamas was so sweet. The day after my sister left we joined up with some of our closest friends to head to Connecticut to ring in the new decade.

Even though we weren’t quite ready for it, Lucie went back to school and I went back to work on January 2nd. The past five weeks were a beautiful blur and I am so thankful that I got to be home for all of it.

Happy New Year.

Love, Los Hicksons

Feliz Navidad! (this was from Christmas morning)

The annual Christmas Tree Shoulder Carry

Lucie made a small snowman with the snow from the playground at her school and carried it all the way home where she could set it down with the baby christmas trees that are growing downstairs.

We waited for Grandma and Abo to get here so we could decorate the tree together. We all decorated craft ornaments that Grandma brought and added them to the tree.

We had a quick fun visit with Tiffany and Aunt Neise in Central Park, too!

Ready for the first of several birthday serenades!

Lucie spent one morning coloring and building legos with her cousin Addi on FaceTime

Later that evening we got everything ready for her “Almost Sleepover” birthday party!

Down off the stage you can see Lucie is playing the xylophone

One of my favorite places to see in the city this time of year

Lucie wrapped and labeled her gift to Rob

So excited to open her Cinderella legos that she had been talking about for weeks

Checking out the Frozen 2 themed windows at Saks 5th Avenue

The city sure knows how to go all out for the Holiday season

Felicity could not stop laughing with Titi Eli

Learning to ride a bike! She’s almost got it!

Two belle princesses with their Titi Eli

Walking around downtown New Haven, and exploring the Yale campus

Roaring 20s - Celebrating the start of the new decade