7 Quick Takes (Vol 15) The Family Addition

Well, here I am again. Where did the time go? Since we have last been together I spent 30 lovely hours in the hospital...but that is for another post. I think today I am inspired to do a "target specific" post, you might like to call it "7 Quick Takes: The Family Addition". Remember to click on the picture above to see what everyone else is doing.

-1-

I love my family. Of course, I mean that I love my immediate family, the hubbie and the progeny. But I also love my extended family (both born and in-law but this is just about the family I was born into). We have so much fun together when we are together. This weekend we will ALL be together and with all the kids and spouses and a boyfriend or two I think that makes about 23 of us. We are a raucous crowd.

-2-

Our getting together this weekend is two fold (besides the fact that we just all like a party!).

We are getting together to celebrate Grandma Amsler's 97th birthday. Yes, you read that correctly. On March 26th Grandma will hit 97 years of age. If not for Grandma then there would not be any of the rest of us so I think that is cause to celebrate don't you? Grandma is the greatest.

-3-

Our other reason for getting together is the annual "White Elephant Gift Exchange" or you might call it the annual "Moving of junk from one family member to another" party. You never know what lovely and utterly unuseful thing you might get.
One year the favorite gift was a set of pink flamingoes. Those were actually rather popular and were stolen numerous times. My cousin Tim was desolate when his brother Jon stole them from him. Of course, Jon's wife Kathy was overjoyed when my daughter Ashley stole them from Jon. Who knows where they are now. The real trick is to not come back to Ohio with anything that we might have gotten from the gift exchange.

-4-

I am looking forward to meeting my cousin Doug's new wife Dana. Loads of the family went to the wedding but I was unable to attend. This should be fun.

-5-

Several years ago my brother and I, along with our spouses, decided that we just didn't need any more "stuff" and that from that point on we would not be giving gifts to each other or to our respective children (who also had too much stuff).
We make a concerted effort to spend time with each other, which in the end is the best gift that we can give to each other. So, I will chat with my brother and my sis-in-law. And that will be wonderful.

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Laughter is always the best medicine and this will be a party with a ton of laughter. We are a family that likes to laugh and a lot of us have what you might call "non-dainty" laughter. We just let loose and it really feels good. My Aunt Kathy has a laugh that just takes over her entire body. It is great.

-7-

I love spending time with my mom and dad who are awesome! They will host the party, my mom will do all the prep work we will reap the benefits.
So from our family to yours, spend some time together, laugh together, have a little food and perhaps a good glass of wine. It is well worth the time.