Ramblings of a Grandmother: December 2014

Wednesday, December 24, 2014

A Year of Change

This time last year we had big news that after more than three years of having six grandchildren a new one was coming our way. Seven grandchildren, wow.

Miss Molly Marie joined our crew on July 8th

What we didn't know was that all fifteen of us would be moving and each and every one of us would be living in new cities and homes. I'm not even sure where to start. I guess at the beginning but I'm not even sure where that is since it all happened so quickly at the same time. Let's just cut to the chase.

                                                 This is Thomas and Natalie's new home.
                                              They no longer live across the street from us.
                                                       so, we HAD to move, right?

This is our new house

So we moved out of our old neighborhood.

Leaving friends and a home we lived in for longer

than we have lived anywhere.

We may not live across the street

but instead of 30 minutes it takes 8

That is good because we have our new little sweetie

to take care of while her parents work.

We also doubled our square footage.

Why you ask?

Because we had a family of four move in with us.

2013

With a fourth deployment looming over their heads

Shawn and Jennifer made the hard choice to leave the Army life.

He was able to get a job on post with the same people he worked

with when they were stationed here but the pay and benefits are less.

He'll be going back to school with his Military benefits.

Sad that this young family has given so much to this country

but have to start from scratch.

2008

So for now they live with us.

Tom and I have everything we need on the main floor

The Bransons have the whole second floor with

3 bedrooms, 2 full bathrooms and a sitting area.

We also have a huge finished basement when all the grands are here.

Jennifer has been subbing in the kids school.

The same school that Thomas teaches in and the redheads attend.

So I flew out to Texas and drove back with Jen and the kids

while Shawn processed out

Our Bransons

                                                        Lest you thought I forgot these four.
                                         They are now making their home in our old house.
                                                       Charlie is tickled with his 'man cave'
                                    Michele is tickled to be only three minutes from her mom

We are now recertified to take in foster children in our new home. Although we do not have a placement right now. We have a couple of families that we run into and are happy to tell us how well those children are doing. It's nice to be appreciated but we do understand that it was most likely one of the worst times in their lives and they just as soon not remember.

This picture is from last January and I would dare you
to tell me which were not born into our family.
We will be here when and if they call again.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Monday, December 22, 2014

First Annual Ugly Sweater Party

As my brothers, sisters and I all got married and had children we all gathered at my parents house for Christmas Eve just as while growing up our Aunts, Uncles and cousins all met at my Grandma Penney's house (aka Nanny). So Christmas Eve to me and also our kids has always been known as 'Penney Christmas'. Try as we have over the last 37 years we have been unable to get a consistent 'Dennison Family Christmas' going. This year Tom wanted to try again to start a new tradition so he came up with the idea of an ugly sweater contest. He bought a Christmas trivia game and we pulled out the Yatzee and Uno (Penney's never did well with games as much as my mother tried LOL). He and I sat down together picked categories and ordered medals so that everyone would win. We even had a banner made. We picked a list of snacks (none of which are traditionally served at the Penney Christmas) and the annual Ugly Sweater Party was born.