Season's Greetings...

Welcome to the first ever Bates family holiday card....um....websi.....er.....Greeting! We are taking the opportunity that the holiday season offers to share our holiday greetings in a little bit different way.

We hope you will take the 15 minutes or so it takes to get through this greeting as a chance to relax, unwind, enjoy the spirit of the season, and remember the things that are most important to you. To begin the greeting, simply click the play button in the bottom right corner of the screen (again, the red one!). To pause the show and view an entire video, just click the play button (you guessed it...the red one!) again. Clicking play (all together now....the red one!!!) once more will resume the greeting. When the greeting is paused, you can click on any image to the right to view the full video. In play mode, videos will play for 90 seconds before moving on to the next video. When you're done, try pausing on this screen to enjoy a nice evening by the fireside.

A Joyous Time of Year...

The holidays season is one of the most joyous times of year for us. We are looking forward to taking Tommy out to enjoy the first Christmas we think that he will truly remember for the rest of his life. We are also incredibly excited to have Nora celebrate her first Christmas with us, and about introducing her to the joys of grandparents who have every intention of spoiling her thoroughly. The past year has been filled with lots of great family moments - from Nora's birth, to Steph's wedding, Milena's advancement as a small business owner, and now her impending trip to Montenegro with the kids to spend some much needed "home time" with her family. We feel very lucky to have all that we have, and even more so to have so many people that love and care for us surrounding us every day.

A Time of Love...

Above all else, we think that the holiday season is about loving those around us, and appreciating the many blessings we are given in this world. Gifts, parties, sales, lights...none of that matters in comparison to the wonders of the world we live in and the people we are surrounded by. We hope you'll take a moment this year to appreciate the different ways the world celebrates the holiday season, and spread some holiday cheer to someone. Wishing good will towards mankind is not dependent on race, creed, religion, place of birth, or upbringing. Each and every one of us is blessed with the gift of being able to spread prosperity to the world around us, and doing so improves our own state of being in the process.

Santa Baby...

Family life is keeping us busy! Nora will be a full 8 months old by the time you read this, and probably crawling up a storm! She is such a joy, and her big brother is absolutely wild about her!

We all revel in her new accomplishments every day, and it seems like every day she has a new trick for us. She is babbling on in that absolutely indiscernible baby babble that endears them to us all to no end, and will probably be crawling by Christmas! Her smile could infect a CDC laboratory, and we've yet to meet someone who can withstand returning her smiles when we are out in public.

We would like to pass along a special congratulation to all of our friends who received new additions to their families this year, and all those who are expecting new additions in the coming year.

All I Want For Christmas...

Tommy is very much a 5 year old boy! He loves cars, Transformers, reading, and ANYTHING related to Pixar (Especially Cars 2, which we have now seen 17 times!). Somewhere, the last 5 years have slipped away, and we find ourselves looking at a full grown boy with all the characteristics that are sure to make him a great big kid! If Nora can light up a room with her smile, she most definitely learned the trick from her big brother!

Tommy continues to attend Partners Pre-School, and he is really starting to settle in and enjoy himself. With his hearing aids working at maximum capacity, he has taken off like a rocket with his learning and development, and is quickly catching up and leaving all the other kids in his dust! We are both so proud of him, and both agree that we couldn't ask for a better son.

Remembering What Matters...

Whether you're celebrating Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Chinese New Year, Ashura, or Christmas, the holiday season is a time to remember those less fortunate than us. We won't bug you for cards, or presents, or anything of the like - it is just our hope that during this holiday season each and every one of you will be reminded to give generously back to those around you who are less fortunate, and spread the holiday cheer to those who would otherwise not have much. Give to charity. Donate old clothes. Visit someone who doesn't have anyone. Volunteer. Randomly brighten someone's day. Take a moment to remember those that are no longer with us. Love people, use things; not the other way around.

Beauty of The Season...

Christmas is a joyous time of year. Lights, food, family, music, celebrations, parades, and perhaps just a few sips of egg nog here and there. We would all like to wish you a most beautiful and joyous holiday season, spent surrounded by all of the real things that make this such a magical time of year for everyone, young or old. We know that we cannot reach out to each and every person who has touched our lives, but we hope to spend some holiday time with as many of you as we are able, and wish a most joyous holiday season to those of you who we are not able to. Just because we're not there with you for the holiday season doesn't mean we're not with you for the holiday season.

A Prosperous New Year...

We would like to wish each and every one of you joy and prosperity in the new year. We hope that the coming year finds you in company that you enjoy, in endeavors that fulfill your spirit, and in the presence of those who love you the most.

May your holiday season be filled with love, joy, wonder, good food, good friends, and good times (and a little bit more of that egg nog for good measure!). We hope you can spend the coming year looking at the potential of things around you, and overcoming all of life's obstacles to realize that potential.

Don't Forget To Laugh...

In all the hustle and bustle, it's easy to forget what's really important. We hope you'll read this, and take a moment to slow down and enjoy the holiday season for what it is. Remember that laughter and joy is just as contagious as impatience and intolerance, and it's up to you which you spread to the world around you. (make your own custom greeting at jibjab.com!)

The Big Picture...

This last video is meant to remind you of all the wonders in the world that surround us. It's so easy to forget the simple truths in life, and just where we fit into the big picture. You are a part of something greater than yourself. Something wonderful. Something larger than we will ever be able to comprehend. Something that drives everything around us and shapes us, and is a part of us at the same time. That makes you special, and means that you play an important part in a much greater schema than the scope of your own life. We wish you a bright and cheerful holiday season, and we hope that you have enjoyed our holiday car...um....video.....er....greeting! We really hope you enjoyed it as much as we did putting it together for you!

May you have more blessings than there are Christmas lights, more joy than there are presents, and more love than all the holiday cookies you eat this year.

With Much Love,

Jason, Milena, Tommy, Nora, Harvey, and Steve