gatherings 1 & 2
The other day we had our gathering at my dad's parents house. It was pretty good. Always so much food, and the kids had lots of fun. Jordan ran around like a crazy person with Marilyn all night. She's always so mad when we have to go.
Tonight was the Quiring gathering (Mom's side). No offense to any of the others, but it's always my favorite gathering. I think it's because I'm surrounded by people I grew up with, and it's very nostalgic. We always eat way too much food, open gifts, and then play games into the evening. Jordan has so much fun there too! There is getting to be quite the little group of little kids too: Jordan (2.5), Jamin (3), Stephie (2), Tennyson (8 months) and Aaron (7 months). And there are lots of older kids who help entertain these little ones so they have a pretty awesome day. It's neat to see the cousins whose diapers I used to change, and what they're like now as teenagers. It's hard sometimes to treat them like young adults and not like little kids. I still find it amazing at times to realize some of them are going to graduate next year and the years just after that.
The best is watching Jordan running crazy in the house that I spent so many Christmases in. It used to be Angela, Trevor and I going crazy over presents and running amok and playing games and pestering the adults to let us play, and now I watch my little daughter doing all of these same things with the same people who watched me grow up. The circle of life is a wondrous thing.
Downside: leaving. Not only because we leave earlier these days due to bedtimes (many years we'd stay until close to midnight), but because Jordan is so distraught over having to leave. She wants so badly to "go back to gramma's house." And I do too! Only I don't kick and cry and scream and have to have my limbs forced into my outerwear. Poor kid, I feel kind of mean as it happens. After all, she only wants to play with these kids and be with these people who mean so much to her (and me!).
Tomorrow is the gathering at Steven's Oma's house. It should be interesting too. If only that Deanne would have some kids so Jordan would have someone to play with there too! Deanne, if you're reading this it's my hint, since I didn't talk to you today to pester you about it. It's okay, you know I only tease you out of affection. :) Again, there will be LOTS of delicious food, and good company and maybe even a game or two!
Boxing day we'll go to Steven's dad's house. There'll be LOTS of people there. And noisy. But that's cool, because they're a very nice big noisy bunch, and I enjoy going there too.
I'll post more about Christmas as it unfolds. Tomorrow morning is Christmas day, and I'm so excited to have some time alone with my husband and my kids. We'll share each other lots over the holidays and there's something about the few hours that we carve out just for the four of us that's pretty special. And then it'll be off to the next couple of gatherings and the kids will disappear into the scene to do their own thing until it's time to hunt them down and smush them into their snowsuits once again.
Love & Laughter and a Very Merry Christmas to All!
Tonight was the Quiring gathering (Mom's side). No offense to any of the others, but it's always my favorite gathering. I think it's because I'm surrounded by people I grew up with, and it's very nostalgic. We always eat way too much food, open gifts, and then play games into the evening. Jordan has so much fun there too! There is getting to be quite the little group of little kids too: Jordan (2.5), Jamin (3), Stephie (2), Tennyson (8 months) and Aaron (7 months). And there are lots of older kids who help entertain these little ones so they have a pretty awesome day. It's neat to see the cousins whose diapers I used to change, and what they're like now as teenagers. It's hard sometimes to treat them like young adults and not like little kids. I still find it amazing at times to realize some of them are going to graduate next year and the years just after that.
The best is watching Jordan running crazy in the house that I spent so many Christmases in. It used to be Angela, Trevor and I going crazy over presents and running amok and playing games and pestering the adults to let us play, and now I watch my little daughter doing all of these same things with the same people who watched me grow up. The circle of life is a wondrous thing.
Downside: leaving. Not only because we leave earlier these days due to bedtimes (many years we'd stay until close to midnight), but because Jordan is so distraught over having to leave. She wants so badly to "go back to gramma's house." And I do too! Only I don't kick and cry and scream and have to have my limbs forced into my outerwear. Poor kid, I feel kind of mean as it happens. After all, she only wants to play with these kids and be with these people who mean so much to her (and me!).
Tomorrow is the gathering at Steven's Oma's house. It should be interesting too. If only that Deanne would have some kids so Jordan would have someone to play with there too! Deanne, if you're reading this it's my hint, since I didn't talk to you today to pester you about it. It's okay, you know I only tease you out of affection. :) Again, there will be LOTS of delicious food, and good company and maybe even a game or two!
Boxing day we'll go to Steven's dad's house. There'll be LOTS of people there. And noisy. But that's cool, because they're a very nice big noisy bunch, and I enjoy going there too.
I'll post more about Christmas as it unfolds. Tomorrow morning is Christmas day, and I'm so excited to have some time alone with my husband and my kids. We'll share each other lots over the holidays and there's something about the few hours that we carve out just for the four of us that's pretty special. And then it'll be off to the next couple of gatherings and the kids will disappear into the scene to do their own thing until it's time to hunt them down and smush them into their snowsuits once again.
Love & Laughter and a Very Merry Christmas to All!
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