Tis the season

Tis the season to spend time with family.  Last night we went out to eat and to celebrate my brother-in-law's birthday. We all ended up back at our house, played some cards and laughed and enjoyed each others company.    Tonight we are heading to B's Cousin Christmas Party.  I'm not sure how many years in a row they have had this, but when they first started most of them weren't married and some of them were still in high school. The next generation has started to attend (they get invited when they turn 16).   It's a wonderful tradition - we draw names and exchange gifts.  Eat lots, of course and just enjoy each others company.   I look forward to it every year.

Tomorrow B and his sister are going to the airport to pick up their mom.  She flies home from Florida for the holidays every year.  I'm hoping to do some wrapping and relaxing. 

This week is going to fly by and then it will be the weekend before Christmas, with more parties, our annual PJ breakfast, Christmas Eve with B's family and more.

We will head to my side of the family late Christmas eve and spend Christmas day and several days after with them.  I'm looking forward to spending time with all of them.  We will eat too much, talk to loud and play lots of card games.  Most of all, we will make memories.

I'm so blessed to have wonderful family on both ends of the State.  The gifts are fun, the food is great...but the time spent together is priceless.

Through all of this, my thoughts will not be far from those families in Connecticut that lost so much yesterday.