Friday Roll Call
Hi Lynn - we started this big family get-together 'tradition' about 4 years ago when my husband's family just got too large to have them all at one persons house. We have these events twice a year - July and December. And honestly it's the only time all of the little cousins see each other.
My husband's immediate is HUGE - he has 5 daughters, who produced 25 grandchildren, who are now producing great-grandchildren, to the tune of 19 now!! Two are in Georgia and couldn't make the party this summer.
Anyway, hubby gets a list of the great-grandchildren attending and their ages, then he goes to 5 Below (have to LOVE that store!) and gets them each a gift. After everyone has eaten all the little ones are gathered in a big circle and their gifts are handed out, but they have to wait until everyone has theirs before opening - then it's bedlam!! LOL!!
Everyone else from the grandchildren and up bring a wrapped gift to play the Yankee gift exchange. We rent the clubhouse where we live for the event and it works out perfectly - there is a nice kitchen, 2 big bathrooms, a huge gathering room, and a room with pool tables. Plenty of room for the little ones to run around in.
Christmas is traditionally a pizza affair - summer we've been switching up the menu and I think they really enjoyed the salads this year - we had pasta, ham, chicken, tuna and seafood salads - rolls, crackers, pickles, chips and pretzels. For dessert we have mini-cupcakes for the kids, and I made sf brownies and a sf pie - the ONLY thing I took home was a bag of the chips!!
It's exhausting, to say the least, but it only lasts a few hours - we get to see all of the kids - they get to see all of their cousins, aunts and uncles - so it works out for everyone.
Not sure what they'll do when we move to Florida!
My husband's immediate is HUGE - he has 5 daughters, who produced 25 grandchildren, who are now producing great-grandchildren, to the tune of 19 now!! Two are in Georgia and couldn't make the party this summer.
Anyway, hubby gets a list of the great-grandchildren attending and their ages, then he goes to 5 Below (have to LOVE that store!) and gets them each a gift. After everyone has eaten all the little ones are gathered in a big circle and their gifts are handed out, but they have to wait until everyone has theirs before opening - then it's bedlam!! LOL!!
Everyone else from the grandchildren and up bring a wrapped gift to play the Yankee gift exchange. We rent the clubhouse where we live for the event and it works out perfectly - there is a nice kitchen, 2 big bathrooms, a huge gathering room, and a room with pool tables. Plenty of room for the little ones to run around in.
Christmas is traditionally a pizza affair - summer we've been switching up the menu and I think they really enjoyed the salads this year - we had pasta, ham, chicken, tuna and seafood salads - rolls, crackers, pickles, chips and pretzels. For dessert we have mini-cupcakes for the kids, and I made sf brownies and a sf pie - the ONLY thing I took home was a bag of the chips!!
It's exhausting, to say the least, but it only lasts a few hours - we get to see all of the kids - they get to see all of their cousins, aunts and uncles - so it works out for everyone.
Not sure what they'll do when we move to Florida!
'One shoe can change your life'...Cinderella
It was really hard when Len's daughters started having 'competitions' to see who could have the most babies - at least that's what it felt like for a few years! At Christmas we always tried to make or do something special for each grandchild, but as the family grew we would miss a birthday here or there, and feelings would get hurt. Once the great-grandchildren started coming along I told my husband we just couldn't do it anymore - with all those people I might as well just buy a card store! That's when we decided to start doing the family parties - that way we get to see all of the kids (that can make it) - they get to see each other - and having the clubhouse now just makes it so handy.
When Len buys gifts for the little ones he doesn't take 'special requests' - it's more of a token gift than anything because they're not old enough to play an exchange game and understand it and I have to give him credit - he does very well when buying the toys and making the budget stretch, because these events end up costing us about $500 between the clubhouse rental, food and gifts. And of course now that the grandchildren are older most of them have spouses or significant others that come along, as well as some of Len's other family - brother & sister-in-law, niece and her husband, etc.
Believe me when I tell you it is pure bedlam for a while when they all get there!! There are more boy g-grandchildren than girls - there are only 4 girls out of the 17 that were there, and 2 of them were toddlers. Boys are very, very busy and very, very noisy - LOL!!
And I have to give credit to the kids and grandkids when the party is winding down - they all pitch in and clean up the food and pack everything up - another granddaughter always gets the vacuum out and does the floors - the boys put the chairs back and take the trash out - so it's a good team effort that way, and then they help load the cars. Setting up is the easiest part and I do that, but they all help when it comes to breaking it down, because by then I'm exhausted - mostly from holding babies, socializing and playing with the kids!!
When Len buys gifts for the little ones he doesn't take 'special requests' - it's more of a token gift than anything because they're not old enough to play an exchange game and understand it and I have to give him credit - he does very well when buying the toys and making the budget stretch, because these events end up costing us about $500 between the clubhouse rental, food and gifts. And of course now that the grandchildren are older most of them have spouses or significant others that come along, as well as some of Len's other family - brother & sister-in-law, niece and her husband, etc.
Believe me when I tell you it is pure bedlam for a while when they all get there!! There are more boy g-grandchildren than girls - there are only 4 girls out of the 17 that were there, and 2 of them were toddlers. Boys are very, very busy and very, very noisy - LOL!!
And I have to give credit to the kids and grandkids when the party is winding down - they all pitch in and clean up the food and pack everything up - another granddaughter always gets the vacuum out and does the floors - the boys put the chairs back and take the trash out - so it's a good team effort that way, and then they help load the cars. Setting up is the easiest part and I do that, but they all help when it comes to breaking it down, because by then I'm exhausted - mostly from holding babies, socializing and playing with the kids!!
'One shoe can change your life'...Cinderella
Morning all.. I have also not been sleeping well. I fall asleep fine, but seem to be waking up in the middle of the night and tossing and turning a lot. I will talk to the doc about it on Thursday at my follow up appt to check on the Concerta.
I have a jam packed weekend for a change..
Tonight is dinner at Bonefish with my friends. Tomorrow, I am pretty sure I managed to schedule both a lunch and dinner date.. oops.. or GOOD?!?! Tomorrow night I am going to karaoke with our lovely friend Cherish. She will then sleep over and we will spend a nice relaxing Sunday at the pool. Sunday night, either Neil is going to come pick me up or he is going to stay here overnight and then we are going to one of his friend's houses for a 4th of July BBQ on Monday.
Yup, will definitely be ready for work on Tuesday. But, it's sure to be a great FUN weekend! I should be able to stay asleep for the next few nights anyway.
Hope everyone has a fun and safe weekend!!
I have a jam packed weekend for a change..
Tonight is dinner at Bonefish with my friends. Tomorrow, I am pretty sure I managed to schedule both a lunch and dinner date.. oops.. or GOOD?!?! Tomorrow night I am going to karaoke with our lovely friend Cherish. She will then sleep over and we will spend a nice relaxing Sunday at the pool. Sunday night, either Neil is going to come pick me up or he is going to stay here overnight and then we are going to one of his friend's houses for a 4th of July BBQ on Monday.
Yup, will definitely be ready for work on Tuesday. But, it's sure to be a great FUN weekend! I should be able to stay asleep for the next few nights anyway.
Hope everyone has a fun and safe weekend!!
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