tradition {time with family}

so, spending time with family at christmas...not an unusual tradition, i know. but i figure it still needs to be highlighted, right??? that's what makes the holiday season so great. so, here is what we do (usually)...

christmas day is spent with matt's family. we don't get spencer until 2:00 on christmas day so we usually have supper at matt's parents' home. the crowd is typically the same, small group: our crew, matt's mom and dad, matt's brother, his wife and his two children. his older daughter is now an (engaged) adult, so she wasn't with us last year, but her and her fiance will be there this year!

2007: matt's mom with her grandkids on christmas day

 

2009: three generations of blackwell boys.
coleman loved pulling his granddaddy's santa hat off of his head.

time with my family tends to vary a bit from year to year. since we don't all live in the same city, we have to be more flexible. we usually get together within a week or so of christmas. last year, we did something in early december because one of my sisters and her family were spending christmas at disney (fun!!). this year, we will all be together on the actual day...the first time in a long time! usually, matt and i host something at our home. it's usually a meal of some sort. sometimes there is a gift exchange, sometimes not - depends on the timing, etc. this year, we are spending christmas morning/day at my sister's house (matt is working) and then we'll have everyone over to our house on the evening of the 26th.

2009: christmas morning at my sister's house (matt was working last year, so coleman and i went over there early).
speaking of traditions, my sister's family all get silly string in their stockings and this is always the result!

2008: my niece (maggie) and nephew (teddy)
my family doing a gift exchange at our house