1st Christmas 2014

Friday night, was our first Christmas event for 2014.  My dad's family met at a Methodist church for our annual gathering.  It has been the tradition for as long as I can remember! 

When we were little, (I am the oldest of 16 grandchildren) we always went to Grandma (Grommie) and Grandpa (Ponk)'s house on Christmas Eve...A.L.W.A.Y.S.  We had pizza and opened gifts and played and had a super great time, oh and slid down the basement "banister"...it was like a built in slide!  A.L.W.A.Y.S. 

Then the grands "growed up", started getting married and having children of their own.  We started having the event at different Aunts and Uncles homes, but the family just keeps growing.  So this year, we had the event at my cousins church hall.  And we had to move it to the weekend before Christmas.  So far that seems to work pretty good.  Of course not everyone was there.  Not everyone can go every time, that happens.  But this year only 3 of the grands and I think 7 great grands were missing.  And one aunt...b/c she was with her daughter that just had a baby...hence one missing grand and great.  ;)

Grommie...the beginning of this crazy, fun chaos...;)

Cousins and Inlaws...(My handsome hubby on the left)

 

There are currently 26 Great Grands...Counting the FOUR pregnant there will soon be 30!  (Crazy Uncle had to hop in there...but he looks like he's due any day now...maybe yesterday! :P)

Greats, opening their presents from Granny

All the greats that were there...again...7 were missing.

My cousin opening one of the White Elephant gifts...This was great...so great, in fact, that I am going to do a separate post on this...maybe tomorrow.

My boys visiting with their uncle...

My dad with his White Elephant gift...a scarf that as he put it, "Feels and looks like it was made out of dryer lint."  BWAHAHAHAHAHA

 

Some of the greats anxiously waiting their gifts from Grandma.

Grommie's turn...

 

My Uncle's Girlfriend's daughter...was trying to take a family pic...I took a pic of her standing on the stool.  Firefighter said, "that's called job security."  (I will try to get a copy of the pic and edit it in when I get it.

1st cousins at foosball!  Love these kiddos!

 

All in all it was a great night.  We had a good time.  It's always nice to see family that we haven't seen in a while...sometimes since the last gathering.

 

Kegley's are always,