As all the Christmas decorations are put away and the holidays have seem to have flown by once again, I think of all the wonderful traditions that we look forward to each year.
*First and foremost is spending so much time with our family and friends! Parties and get togethers are so much fun and getting to see those that we don't get to see as often as we would like to. Here is a picture of my family with my Mom, Dad, my family, my brother Randy and his family, and my sister Tara and her family. This was taken at our annual party at Aunt Connie's house that is with all of our extended family on my mom's side.
*The annual Mabry Family "Adult" party. You have to be 18 and older to attend this one! Dinner is always brought in and we play the present game. Always fun with lots of laughs!
*Receiving a copy of the "Mabry Messenger". The messenger is family newsletters complied together in a book. Here is a picture of this years copy which is the 27th annual year. And yes, I still have every messenger I have received since I married into the family.
*The annual Mabry Family Christmas Eve dinner. Which is always held at a church because the family is too big! The Christmas play put on by all the kids in the family with the costumes that Grandma Mabry has made and scenery that has been painted and made by other family members.
*Christmas Eve at The Costley's home. We go there after the Mabry dinner. At the Costley's there is always lots of friends and some family. We have lots of yummy soups in bread bowls, play the present game, and eat tons of desserts. After this we are ready to explode!!! Considering we hit 2 dinners in a row! I always save room at the first dinner and caution my kids to do the same! :)
*Eating Christmas breakfast all together. Something that sadly does not happen enough during the rest of the year!
*Christmas Day dinner at my Uncle Danny & Aunt Shellie's house with all the Aunts, Uncles, & cousins on my mom's side of the family.
*Getting a plate of Grandma Naegle's fudge!! Yummy! :)
*Getting Brandon's mom's annual Christmas gift....A calender with tons of pictures of all the family and documenting all the birthdays, anniversaries, etc. Brandon comes from a family with 12 kids....so yeah, its hard to remember and keep track of everything! :) So this is something we look forward to getting and hanging up each year.
I know there are probably lots of other things that I am leaving out, but I know how blessed we are to be apart of such wonderful families that have these traditions along with our own that our family has created. I'm kind of sad that it is over already, but that is the great thing about traditions....you always have next year to look forward to them! I hope that everyone was blessed with a wonderful holiday season!
Drivers BEWARE!!! Today Kelsie got her driver's permit! She has been studying hard and was nervous when she went in to take the test. When she came out she had a sad look on her face and shook her head no to Clayton. So Clayton turned to me and says, "oh brother mom, she failed!" So after we thought she did not pass, she got a big smile, started laughing, did a little jump, and said "just kidding! I passed!!" So she has already started bugging me like crazy wanting to practice driving. So here we go again....kid number 2 driving. Only one more to go!
