Too Early to Think About Christmas?

Not for our family! Christmas is by far David's favorite time of year, he looks forward to it every year, he goes out of his way to decorate and always try to take extra time off of work to just soak it all in and this year it will be extra special for all of us! We just found out tonight my brother and his family will be coming home for the first time in... well it has been so long I guess I am not sure how long but that right there tells you it has been FOREVER. His job has always kept him away but this year he was able to swing it. On top of that my cousin that lives in GA is able to come back with her family for the first time in I think 6 years or something. And the icing on the cake is the festivities will be held at our house this year instead of up in Michigan. So for the first time since my Grandpa's death at Christmas in 2001 all of my mom's family and their families will be together again celebrating the holidays at our house for the first time.

David longs to spend any amount of time with my brother that he can since he is his best friend... although I think he is really more than that to him. I never hear him refer to him as his brother-in-law or his wife's brother when he talks to people he is always just his brother. I am not even sure he does that with his step-brother, although he has a close relationship with him as well. Honestly Dave is closer to my brother than I am... well for that matter I think Dave is closer to my brother than anyone else in my family including my parents! But that is just how they have always been.

Kind of like my best friend too. Maybe that is how you know who your best friend really is? Maybe it is the one you can go forever not talking to but can always pick up right where you left off like you spoke yesterday, the person you can call anytime day or night and not have them think twice about it, the person that you know no matter what is always going to be your best friend, whether you grow apart or together, your bond never changes.

David's friendship is not the only one we will see this Christmas though. I can not wait to tell my children that they will be seeing their cousins for Christmas. Kain and Quillon are probably the closest since they are only 7 months apart in age and are exactly as their fathers but the others are close as well, even little D'Artagnan and Aubriel love to play together and Gage and Griffon are only about 1 year apart. Bayne their oldest seems to get along well with everyone. For a while I think Jen and I took turns having a kid every year, so we had pretty much all of them close in age! It was always fun sharing tabs on each other throughout our pregnancies. They completed their family about 5 years ago with the birth of Tag but I kind of miss not having my pregnancy buddy with these last few.

My mom is of course over the moon. She is even planning big family pictures at her work (she works for a photography studio) and we are going shopping on Tuesday for clothes for everyone. This is sure to be our best Christmas yet and the only thing that could make it any better is if we already had our newest family addition here to share it with us!

So to put me in the holiday spirit I thought I would post some pictures from last Christmas!Yes, I made my kids shovel the driveway

This is them before we went to visit Santa

Aubriel and her fairy Godmother, Jessica!

My Grandma Leona (Dad's Mom) with my kids and my cousins, my Aunt had kids at the same time as my brother and I, she is young enough to be my sister!

Aubriel when we had to leave their house.

My kids with my mom and Grandma.

Dave just being funny, it amused me so I put it in.

Last year for an extra special treat we got to go to Dave's Aunt's house and see his Grandparents we rarely get to see. That was their first time meeting Brody!