On the years we celebrate Christmas in Kansas City, we always spend Christmas Eve with my mom's side of the family. In fact, we've done that since I was born I think. We always enjoy our big family get togethers! Maybe I even enjoy them more than everyone else because I'm the only one who lives out of town, and I definitely don't get to see them as often as I'd like to!!
My sister was the hostess-with-the-mostess this year, as usual!! She's got a big beautiful house with lots of space for the kiddos to play and the grown ups to eat visit. Our family visits ALWAYS include a huge spread of yummy and delicious snacks, which is probably another reason I always look forward to our Christmas Eve get togethers!
We have done a dirty Santa ornament exchange over the years, instead of exchanging gifts, and each year it seems to get more and more exciting! Just ask my cousin Chris about his creepy-baby ornament :)
This was our first year without my Grandma there. Christmas Eve was my Grandma's favorite night of the year, I'm sure! She was always showered with presents, which she accepted greatly, with laughs and cackles galore! We knew Christmas would be different without her, but we know she was with us and our Christmas spirit was just as strong, just as she would've wanted it! After all, she taught us all to love Christmas with our whole hearts!! So my Grandpa got to partake in the ornament exchange and the receiving of gifts, something he will learn to enjoy! My sister and I made photo books of all the pictures of my Grandma we could find. Everyone loved them so, and I'm sure we will pull it out at each Christmas and let her see that, even though she's not with us in person, she is always with us in spirit!
And then, like we say we will do each year (and we hardly ever actually do!) we took a family picture!!! Eric set up his tripod, I got my camera ready to go, and in just three takes we got these two amazing pictures!!
I just love our family!!
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