Family traditions

I can't believe Thanksgiving is next week! Where has the year gone? My mom is hosing this year which makes it super easy for me. All we have to do is show up. :-)

My dad is one of nine kids. They all live within an hour of here so holidays are huge. All my aunts, uncles, cousins and their kids will be there. Here are the "old ones": (my dad is in the white shirt on the bottom)It's absolutely wonderful to have so many special people in one house together. Here is a 7 year old pic of some of the grand kids with Grandma and Grandpa. Sadly they passed away two years ago. (I'm hugely preggers with Julie in this pic holding Megs in the pink dress on the left. Jules was born 12 days later)

I love, love love, that my kids share the same family traditions that I remember from my childhood. We are so very lucky.

(Black) Friday morning, dh, my mom, sister and I hit the stores at 3 am. My dad and brothers babysit all the kiddoes. We usually finish up locally around 7, go to breakfast and then hit the outlet malls until late afternoon. It's so exciting to split up and run through the stores finding the perfect item.

Megan, Julia and Thomas(!) joined the children's choir and Joey will be serving in the Children's Christmas Mass on Christmas Eve. It's going to be so darn cute!!!