The Merry. The Moments. The Memories.

Christmas Day, Ed (in the lead) and my brother (trailing behind) kick off the festivities by participating in a heated race on the dirt track my brother built on his property. It has jumps, berms and hairpin turns; it is not for the faint of heart.

These two ran the kids off the course and took over their mini-bikes to have a little fun of their own.

I think Ed won this race, which shows that his skills have greatly improved over the years and he's making an easier transition from eighteen wheels to two.

Moto-cross racing on Christmas has become a tradition at my brother's house. This year, all the boys raced and did well, even though the adult participants were bogged down with creamy (spiked) eggnog. I took my usual position in the 'stands' with my camera, and documented the event.

After the big race, we made our way inside for Christmas dinner. This year, my brother and I (who do the cooking) came up with this menu:

Spinach and Cheese Puff Pastry Swirls

Mixed Green Salad with Shaved Bosc Pear, Dried Cherries, Raisins and Walnuts tossed in a Cabernet Poppyseed dressing

Caramelized Onion and Kalamata Olive Tart

Shrimp Scampi over a bed of linguini with a side of fresh Green Beans

After dinner, we unbuttoned our pants, opened our presents and contemplated dessert. Sad to say, we never made it that far; the steam was gone.

So we went home with our bellies full, our packages under our arms and the memories etched in our minds. A few months of relaxation are now in store before doing it all again.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you all!!