Merry Mondays - week 4

Today I am SO proud to introduce Libby Ramirez. Libby and I have been friends for over 26 years! We met on the first day of first grade and were inseparable for many years. Our friendship fostered many other relationships! Libby's mother Betsy, is one of my mom's best friends. Libby is the oldest in her family, as am I. Her brother Scott is the same age as my brother Andy. Her sister Mack is the same age as my sister Katherine. Our families, living one block down the road from each other, were built in entertainment for each other. Over the years we have shared countless birthdays, graduations, bridal showers, baby showers, and many other milestones. I have always admired Libby for her drive. She has always been smart. (Like crazy, ridiculous smart.) And while some people would be happy to ride that out, Libby never rests on her laurels. She always gives 110% in all she does. Work, school, friendship, motherhood. (Just ask Albert....when Libby knows what she wants, she gets it done!) I love Libby for all that she has been to me over the years. It is very special to have someone be a part of your life from age 6 on. There isn't much we have experienced that the other hasn't been a part of. And even now, some 1500 miles part, she is still one of my best friends. I asked Libby what her favorite Christmas tradition was and here is what she shared:

With our jobs (ER vet and physician), we often work weekends and holidays so we have to fit in our celebrations when we can. This year, Albert is working Christmas Eve and I'm working Christmas Day, so maybe we'll have our little family Christmas on the 26th. There are two traditions that come to mind.

1) We have an advent calendar that my Mom made when I was a child. She even made a few new ornaments for us so that our family is complete. It hangs on our pantry door and it's the first thing Alex wants to do in the morning when he wakes up! He doesn't have any competition yet, but maybe next year Josh will want to help too.

2) When Albert and I were first married, we moved to El Paso and we knew ahead of time that it was only going to be for one year. We took all of our college junk with us but we weren't planning to bring much back. I didn't NOT want to have a tree for our very first Christmas together but our apartment was small and we were trying not to accumulate stuff, so we went to the Goodwill and I bought this little tree for $4. It was supposed to be "disposable" but I

 liked it so much that we did bring it back with us. And we still have it! Maybe someday we'll get a big tree, but at least for this year, will still have our little Goodwill tree.

The silver ribbon bows are from ribbons that were on our wedding presents (Bed Bath & Beyond has really boring wedding wrap, but it turned out to make great tree decorations!) I didn't really plan to do this, it just sort of happened that way, but now I'm kinda sentimental about it! Merry Christmas to all. Hope 2009 brings many joys!

Thanks for sharing your traditions with me Libby! My girls jump out of bed asking to "open" a present on our Advent calendar too! (It's the same one I grew up with that Libby's mom made for my family when I was a kid. And now, just like Libby's, Betsy has made new "people" for our Burn's edition too!)  This is what TRADITION is all about. I LOVE that our kids are doing something that Libby and I did as kids. So fun.