a christmas tradition // 6 years of dad and emma day

i adore traditions. i love my family. so, when you combine them and throw in the christmas season + bloody mary’s and you’ve got yourself a helluva good time. now let’s rewind 6 years. it’s 2009. i’m 19 20 (math is hard in the morning. thanks for the help, [b]). a junior at Concordia st paul. and my daddy decides to come up on a friday morning for some father-daughter time. we head to downtown mpls; grab some breakfast; head to barnes & noble to get my daddy a calendar and since it’s the holidays we decide to check out the 8th floor of macy’s (which is another thing that hasn’t changed at all in 6 years if you’re keeping track). we wander across the street to the IDS center after being drawn in by a huge gorgeous and festive christmas tree. we find a Starbucks and sit and people watch while enjoying our coffee and treats. and with that, dad and emma day was created.

a lot has changed in 6 years; the conversations have gone from the stresses of finals and preparing to graduate college and start in the “real world”… to how my job is going and life after college… to wondering when i’ll meet someone and what he’ll be like… to about this guy i met on match.com… wondering when that guy will pop the question… and now to about the wedding with that guy and being a grown up and kids. and how one day we’ll have to bring my bratty kids with. i mean they probably will just be sassy, not bratty… just saying.

it’s truly one of my most treasured times; especially during the holidays. being the only girl, it’s no secret that i’m “daddy’s little princess” and no matter how old i get that will remain true. i’m so thankful for my daddy and these memories we get to make together. i can’t wait to continue this tradition on and on for many, many years to come.

here’s a look at dad and emma day through the years…

(maybe i should get my dad a new winter coat for christmas) :)

---

you may also like:

[5th annual] dad and emma day

[4th annual] dad and emma day

((third annual)) dad and emma day

merry christmas roundup [tis the season]

new years eve already?! uff da. i hope everyone had a wonderful christmas; full of friends, family, food, fun, faith and love. i had what just might be the most wonderful christmas to date. discounting the year i got a barbie camper. christmas seems to change as you get older, and it first i thought it might get less exciting, and it does in a way, but this year christmas was perfect. i got to be with my family and my boyfriend, follow traditions, eat amazing food, laugh a lot, open presents, celebrate the birthday boy, jesus, and become unbelievably aware of how blessed i am. perfection.

pictures say more than i could elaborate on, so here’s the top ones from my holiday season. thank you family, for an amazing holiday season. i love you all bunches. and a very Happy New Year y’all. :)

christmas eve

christmas eve

christmas day

help me, i’m poor

evolution of christmas day (2007-2012)

durby side christmas

[4th annual] dad and emma day

last friday was one of the most anticipated days of the year; dad and emma day. dad and emma day started 4 years ago when my dad decided to take a friday off and come up to visit. (you can read about year 3 here and year 2 here) we are fans of routine and consistency, and thus our routine has been left virtually untouched. the only changes that have been made are to where we dine for breakfast. years 1 and 2 we partook in the amazingness eggs benedict and hot chocolate that is Hell’s Kitchen. year 3 we got a little cray cray and tried somewhere new, 8th street grill, where we enjoyed epic cinnamon granola crusted french toast and bomb.com bloodys. this year, we were forced to get cray cray once again, and ventured to the news room. perfection. we delighted in omelets and bloodys with a small salad on top.

afterwards we headed over to barnes and noble, where we picked up dad’s calendar for the year. (a much anticipated item by the fine peeps at ventura foods). then it was over to macy’s santaland. (when we first started this annual tradition, we thought that we would visit santaland each year and it would be something new and cool and exciting. ever since we started this tradition, the theme has remained unchanged – a day in the life of an elf) the best part of santaland? mrs. claus’ sugar cookies at the end. nom nom nom. after santaland we pick out a sweater for daddy, then i pick out some earrings. our last stop is over to the crystal court in the IDS building. we grab some starbucks and lemon bread and take a seat to enjoy and do some classic minneapolis style people watching. we get someone to snap a photo by the tree, and with that, the day has come to an end.

another year almost gone by, another dad and emma day in the books. no matter how old i get, i will always be daddy’s little princess. and i am so blessed that we get to have amazing traditions like these. i love being an “uptown” girl and living in the “big city” but i certainly do miss my family. i will treasure all these little traditions and memories we have and look forward for all the new ones to come. — love you daddy! xoxo