I have always loved Christmas.  It truly is the most wonderful time of the year. And now, after Christmas 2011 and the birth of Mckenna, I can’t imagine the day- the time of year-being any more special.perfect. Family is SO important to me. I love knowing that for at least two days- everyone will be together. We will repeat the same traditions we have kept since I was teeny tiny. (Yeah, that would be almost 29 years!) Some of those traditions include: Shrimp Cocktail. Euchre. Hanna Andersson jammies. Non-stop REAL fire in the fireplace. The reading of the Christmas story-out of one of the gospels.  Swiss Steak. Piety “sleep over.”

As I watched our girls unwrap their jammies Christmas Eve, I thought back to a time when all of my brothers and I were unwrapping our matching long johns (Yep, now you know where I get the matching obsession.)

We are blessed – 4 generations together under one roof, celebrating the birth of Christ and treasuring our time together as a family.

Here is the flocked Christmas tree and Audrina…watching for Santa & his reindeer on Christmas Eve.

And the girl’s riding “Old Red”

Poor McKenna was SO sick on her bday – in between sneezes and coughs, she managed a few smiles as she played and rode “Old Red” with Papa’s help. (Her great-grandpa)Bre & Phil made yummy food (as always.) I can’t wait for these last few weeks to pass before I get to meet my first nephew (on my side of the family)  We were all guessing Baby K’s name – not that they would tell us if we got it, but I’m quite sure with the ridiculous names being thrown out…we weren’t even close 🙂Christmas morning….unwrapping all of the gifts in their stockings. Willow’s shadow…I just love the way Audrina adores my mom. I hope they stay best buds, especially when she doesn’t like her father and I in the teenage years 🙂 And then Grumpa has his girl-she always wants to be held by him and she had never napped with anyone, but fell asleep with him on Christmas morning, so I had to get a pic (I know my dad will love me for this one!)I hope your holidays were filled with family. love. and memories. and now we begin the countdown until next Christmas! 🙂