Dennison Family Christmas Eve

As a small child I remember going to my grandmother's house on Christmas Eve to be with all the cousins. Being the youngest though it stopped before I could remember much. My mother hosted the same type of celebration for us kids and our kids. We were there every year that the Army allowed and since we would be staying with them we helped with the organizing, set up & clean up. We did this until she died and then my dad hosted the next two years until he died. I have to be honest, when Charlie had the opportunity to buy my parents house I visualized keeping the tradition going, helping Michele & Charlie the way we had helped my parents. That was not to be so for the last couple of years we have been the hosts to our kids and their kids in our home. Life goes on and new traditions are started and old traditions are treasured.The first few years my brothers & sisters and I were married my parents got each of us the same thing and then cash. I thought it would be cute to get the girls aprons with their names. I realize now how sexist that is. Sorry guys! We also paid a wonderful lady on etsy (Jennifer) to knit the guys their Christmas tree hats you'll see in the picturesWe hung around upstairs eating and visiting until everyone arrived

Then we moved downstairs where the kids were able to open their stockings from Grams & Pops

Wyatt got some "tools" and loved them. He even liked the safety goggles.

No, that's not Wyatt's pink buggy in the background. That's Lily's but all the kids took their turn.

Sami loved the unwrapping

Ella had a long day, really she's just posing but she does like all her new Hello Kitty stuff.

"Thanks Uncle Shawn, I got it now"

Sami got a new rocking chair.We've gotten them each one as they need it in memory of my Nanny. She got US each one as kids and I still have mine that the grandkids still use.

Lily, getting out of the way under the table.

" Uncle Shawn!"

"That's cool, Uncle Tommy."

Toys? Who need toys. We have a blanket and a flashlight.

Oh ya, and some popcorn (the tv wasn't on so I don't know what they are looking at)

Then Ella led us in some Christmas Carols

"I'll get the light for you Grams"

Merry Christmas, may your blessings be many!

Dennison Family Christmas Part 2

Tom and I shared a Christmas morning by ourselves for the first time since 1978. Strange yet peaceful. By 9am we were finished opening our gifts from each other and had talked to our kids about their mornings.Then we went across the street to have breakfast with Thomas, Natalie & the girls. Ella met us at the door talking non stop. We then met Charlie & his family and Jen & her family at church. At the last minute Thomas decided to meet us there too even though they had gone to their service the night before. Jack & Wyatt were a handful at one point they were looking out the window as snow fell pretending to catch the flakes on their tongues then Tom looked down at Lily in his arms and teared up saying it was like having Thomas, Charlie & Jennifer little again. We have been having Chinese take out on Christmas day (like in The Christmas Story) and this year decided to serve it on our china with the good silver.

Yes, even the kids used china

Sami LOVED the shrimp and was doing pretty good with her 6 teeth,

only one of which is a molar.

Lily and Piper are only 6 months apart and are already close to the same size


Then we went downstairs to have the kids open up the gifts from each other

They took time to stop and play along the way.

Ella loved her pink bunny "pillow pet"

" Thanks Aunt Nenni "

Piper couldn't open her own so "the boys" helped

Wyatt opened one but he lost interest and went to play in the other room so Daddy opened the rest for him. We kept everything relaxed and let the kids direct the schedule.

Happy girl with her daddy.

Those shoes were Jennifer's when she was a baby.

Ella started opening this present and stopped dead in her tracks when she saw it was a Huggies box insisting it couldn't be for her. Daddy had to finish opening it for her and show her the Mrs. Potato Head with all the pieces that was inside and then she was so happy she ran to Uncle Chuckles and gave him a hug.

In a lot of these pictures you'll see Jack playing with his Dinosaur Train dinosaurs. Sami likes them too and so does Wyatt (but only the small ones) but not as much as Jack.

This is what it's all about!