We’ve been awake since 3:30 am. We slept for just a little over three hours. More like a nap than actual sleep. At this moment we are sitting on the Tarmac awaiting our second departure of the day. With tired eyes and not enough caffeine we are reminded of all the years we’ve done this very same thing. We counted and the number is nine. Of the eleven years we have been together, nine of those years we got up way too early to board planes and run through airports to get to our gate on time. And as tired as we are, we wouldn’t have it any other way.

For almost as many years as Ashley can remember, she’s made the trip to Toledo, Ohio to spend Christmas with her mom’s family. Year after year, they made the horrendous 12 hour car ride to be welcomed with open arms by the most caring, loving and fun group of people you’ll ever meet. Despite how much she hated road trips, the people at the end of the trip made it all worthwhile. When we started dating back in 2004, we’d only been together for about a month. But we knew. Ashley knew three weeks in. This relationship was headed for forever and she couldn’t wait to have Troy join the party. So in 2005, after being engaged for almost 2 months, Troy made the journey (by airplane!) to his first ever Dixon Christmas! It was a match made in heaven (Troy and the Dixons that is!) and we’ve been partying ever since.

The addition of Timehop to our collection of iPhone apps had been reminding us all month of the fun things we’ve done over the last nine or so Christmases (btw, if you don’t have Timehop yet you should definitely get it). So many Facebook status updates saying how “4 am is going to be here way too soon” and how Dramamine is “the breakfast of champions”. It’s so fun to see just how many things we do this time of year that have become traditions, ones we can’t live without!

Top 5 Christmas Traditions:

#1: Although Troy complains about it every year, Christmas decorating begins on Black Friday. End of story. And yes, we put up four Christmas trees.

#2: On our first official date, we watched Elf. Every year we have to watch it at least once, preferably while trimming the tree or on the couch with a cup of homemade hot cocoa (extra marshmallows)

#3: Ohio gift exchange. We always draw names for Christmas gifts and it’s one of our most favorite things about the trip. Usually we aren’t allowed to draw a name from our immediate family, but this year we could have anyone! It’s almost as fun as the year Troy accidentally got Nicole’s (Ashley’s sister) name and shocked everyone at the gift exchange!

#4: BANANOGRAMS. Every. Year. The Dixon Aunts (and Troy) are known for cheating. Either that or no one knows how to spell.

#5: Yantes family photo. Every year, when the Yantes side of the family celebrates Christmas we take a family photo. We pile on the couch and hope everyone is looking when the timer goes off. It’s fun to look back over the last 10 years and see how much the family has grown from the first time Ashley joined the photo. We added 5 kids and this year another dog!

And there you have it! Our Top 5 Christmas Traditions! What are some of your favorite holiday traditions? We’d love to hear yours in the comments!

We are so very thankful for family, friends and the amazing group of people we have supporting us on this crazy journey we call wedding photography! Thank you! We are so very blessed.

Instead of sharing a picture of us from this morning (let’s be honest, no one wants to see that) we thought we would share one of teeny tiny, 8 week old baby Mulder from last Christmas because, puppies. And those eyes.

Have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!