Big Christmas #1

Here are some pictures from Christmas at Great-Grandma T's house. She decided to start a new tradition this year, so after another huge meal, each of her children spoke a little about their childhood memories. Then Grandma talked about how she met Grandpa T (who passed away in '05) and their first houses and farms. It was a nice change from the usual present chaos. We all lit a candle, as we always do, (the children have little battery-powered tea lights. Grandma's sharp.) Zaya read the verse this year, and we sang a few songs together.



MT, Art's cousin, is playing the guitar, and I'm playing my new Djembe, which Aaron bought me for my birthday this year. (Thanks, Babe!) I'm talking to NT, another of Art's cousins, and the one who loaned me the super warm jacket I'm wearing. (The sun room was colder than it's name would lead you to think.

Then we opened presents, because the kids couldn't wait any longer.



Mim with Jaida and Addy, her beloved cousins.



Little Jack had a great time with all the paper and gifts and attention.

We used the money from Great-Grandma to buy the family one-year memberships to the Science Museum and the OKC zoo. These little squishy, transparent animals represented that in tangible form so that they would have something to open.





Incidentally, this will be known as the year of the bunny ears. It has become an automatic response to seeing a camera raised.

It will also be known as the year of the gap-toothed smile.



Aunt L gave us all a hard drive loaded with family pictures...a lot of family pictures. It is amazing. There are all the pictures of the ancestors and then Grandma and Grandpa and their children and all the way down to the greats. And not just one picture of each- folders and folders of pictures. We discovered that Mim doesn't just look like Mommy. She also has a bit of Great Grandma T in her.

This is Great-Grandma in first grade...



...and Mim at 5 1/2.



We very much enjoyed seeing everyone, and it was especially nice to see Uncle J and Aunt C from California. They're such fun to talk with and they always have great book and movie ideas, too. Aunt C is very crafty, and has a great Etsy store with her hand-printed fabrics and original designs. Someday soon we want to head out to CA and visit them. We just have get up the nerve for a plane flight or a very long drive.