Blogmas 2014 - Days 13,14,15

I cannot believe Christmas is next week.  Time is flying by and I'm not ready for it.  I still have so much shopping to finish.  I'm also behind on Blogmas.  I've missed a few days.  So if you don't mind, I'll start from where I left off and catch up today.

 My children each have an advent calendar where they open up a door every day to find a chocolate surprise.  I had one of those when I was little and it was so much fun.  Also, my 7 year old has been writing his own Christmas countdown in a notebook.  I haven't really been doing the best at counting down the days.  Yesterday at the dentist the hygienist was asking if I had all my shopping done and when I said no she looked surprised and said, "Next week is Christmas."  Next week?  NEXT WEEK?  How did it creep up on me so fast.  I haven't been feeling well lately so it's been hard for me to get to the store but I really kept thinking I had more time.  Ugh.

My father was a police officer when I was younger and every year they would have a Christmas party where all the police and families would get together to celebrate.  Santa and Mrs. Claus was there and would give each of us kids a present.  I know my parents have a picture of me on Santa's lap from one of those parties.  Wish I had it. 

I also remember going to my grandparents' house every Christmas Eve and gather with my aunts, uncles and cousins.  There are A LOT of us and it gets pretty loud.  But those are the memories I will cherish, especially since my grandparents are no longer with us.  Here are my parents standing in my grandparents' kitchen.  Wow, orange everywhere!

 After the party we went home to open up our gifts before going to bed.  On Christmas Day my brother, his wife and kids would come over and exchange gifts with us then.

That's my sister Denise in the purple pants, me in the blue, my nephew Billy in the red and my niece Chrissy in the white and red dress.  Oh my, how things have changed.  More nieces and nephews and even great nieces and great nephews have been born and Christmas parties have become a lot larger.  Unfortunately, they are all still living on Long Island so I don't get to spend Christmas there with them.

We don't have much but we do decorate more for Christmas than any other holiday.