Family Christmas in January

Okay then, I really don't care so much about when the real Christmas is as a Native American person, we didn't have a Christmas like the one celebrated today. My mother's oldest sister, my aunt with her fourteen children changed that many years ago. When I was still young.

Some Native American people don't celebrate Christmas at all and some celebrate something else on these holidays. As long as there is family time it doesn't matter to me.

So we will have Christmas in January. I really don't care as long as I get to see my children and grandchildren and I was hoping for four great-grandchildren. Not everyone could make it this year. We still had fun and played cards and games and ate well.

Our house is not big enough to host everyone anymore. And my daughter's house isn't either. So an Airbnb was rented for our gathering and everything went smoothly and fun was had by all.

Our children all have dogs and two large dogs, Arlo and Remi came along and were free to stay in the Airbnb. Not all hotels or rentals allow pets. The outdoors had plenty of room for them to run.

We had a white elephant game to cut down on gifts purchased; however, my children decided to get me a gift anyway as my birthday is in January and I celebrate all month. I did get some great gifts from my youngest son. Then there were the others.

My gift at the white elephant was wrapped like a dustpan. My granddaughter had made a dustpan out of cardboard. Inside was $40.00 cash, a $10.00 McDonalds gift card and a $20. Target gift card. $20.00 over the limit. No one stole it from me, so that was a nice white elephant.

Then, the next morning I got a surprise gift from my children for my birthday. My daughter got the idea for the gift for the three of them on Pinterest. So the boys thought of course hers would be the winner. Just a bit competitive, they are.

My youngest son didn't get his done. The oldest project was not recognizable as a foot. But I will hang it up anyway. Then there is my daughters below.

This gift will hang in the spare bedroom/office that they sometimes sleep in. They may as well get to enjoy them when they come for a visit too.

Loving family

The best superfamily

Good times

Late bedtimes

Darling grandchildren

and precious great-grandchildren

Great memories

Worth more than treasuries

A granddaughter got sick. She threw up and her dad took her home. Before she left Grandpa checked her for a temperature. Sitting next to her was a 4-year-old great-grandson who told Grandpa, "You better check me too!" We got a bit of a chuckle out of that!

This morning, our five-year-old granddaughter was sitting at the table, and across from her sat her uncle. She grabbed up the war cards, split them in half, and moved half the deck across the table to Uncle. Without asking they were playing war.

She was all serious and playing to win but as soon as her cousins got there, without saying anything she left her uncle to join the cousins. During the game, she was only animated when a war broke out.

Then, as we sat there, she told us about all the animals that hop. She said they were the kangaroo, grasshopper, frog, and bunny. Her mother said how about the slow animals. She said, "The turtle, sloth, worm, the slug." There was a pause and she said, "And Grandpa."

She asked her mom and me not to tell anyone she said Grandpa. I knew she meant not to tell her Grandpa. We were laughing so hard we could hardly speak. Then I promised her I wouldn't tell him until they left for home. When he got there, her mom told him while she was napping.