Christmas and Birthdays

We didn't go the Christmas parade that we planned to yesterday, due to 20 degrees, snow and ice. Since we stayed home all day, it enabled us to put our tree up and have friends for dinner. I have to say, decorating with nine kids is a little loud and chaotic, but Christmas memories are made never- the- less.

My job is Hallmark ornament box preservationist. The younger kids tend to be a bit rough on the boxes and I'm trying to make them last.

Back when I had a "small" family of four kids, I bought them each a Hallmark ornament each year. Those days are over! Now we just hope that Aunt Bonnie makes her better-than-Hallmark ornaments each year!

So, my oldest son, Gabriel, turned 18 today! We opened presents before church and took him out to dinner after church. It's weird that he's that old now, time really does fly and it seems to go faster and faster the older I get. We want to have a birthday bon-fire and game night for him, but we have to wait until the mud dries out and the game room is done! This time of year is too busy for birthday parties anyway, it'll be more appreciated in a month or so.