Merry Christmas!!!

Merry Christmas to all of you!  Today always makes me think back to the good 'ol days.  I miss going to my grandma and grandpa's house with all of my aunts,  uncles and cousins.  I have such great memories of those times!!  I have to say I believe I have the most awesome extended family!!  There were a total of  7 sisters and 3 brothers on my mom's side.  All of my cousins are like my brothers and sisters.  I feel absolutely blessed at how close we all are.  My dad's side is just as awesome, but we just don't seem to get together as much.

When we would go my my mom's side, we would eat a huge meal (grandma's dining room table, which she's sitting at in the picture, is now in my home, so as I type this I look at it and have all those warm, wonderful memories come flooding back), sing songs and one lucky winner got to dress up as Santa and distribute presents.  The kids usually were gifted a coloring book, crayons, candy, etc.  It was great.

The pictures above are some of my favorite memories.  The picture with my grandpa is how we all remember him - playing the fiddle and a might fine fiddle player was he!  He always played with such passion.  While he played my grandma, Aunt Lucy, or Aunt Jane would play the piano and Uncle Joe would play the guitar.  When they started playing, "Here Comes Santa Claus", you knew who was on their way!  The Santa in the picture is my brother...many, many years ago!  And of course, the little boys with Santa's cookies are my sons.  They are now 20 and 22.  I miss those days when they were small!!  But I couldn't ask for two better young men then the one's they have turned out to be.

I wish you all a very blessed Christmas.  This season really isn't about the presents, the tree, the decorations, or making your house look perfect.  It's about sharing the love in your heart, as the gift God gave us.  "For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord."  Luke 2:11.  Fill your day(s) with random acts of kindness and keep paying it forward.  We are ALL blessed!!