The time passed too quickly. I spent weeks getting ready—cooking, cleaning, buying and wrapping gifts. Then I blinked, and it was over. We had lots of family members crammed into our not-huge house and staying at other places nearby. It was hectic, chaotic, and wonderful. I’m blessed that my family all get along well together and enjoy spending time together.

Younger daughter, her husband, and her four sons occupied the upstairs bedrooms that we usually keep shut off now that no one uses them most of the time. My oldest grandson was on the couch, while his girlfriend slept on an air mattress in my office. Staying nearby was my older daughter and her husband, while the oldest grand-daughter lives nearby with her husband and son – my great-grandson.

In addition to the joy of watching the children on Christmas morning, we baked and consumed huge amounts of food, including lots of treats, experimented with some new cocktails, played games, took walks around the neighborhood, and brought the children to the local playground (when weather permitted). Lots of conversations and interactions happened.

The grandsons did several arts and crafts projects as well as putting together many complicated items from their Christmas gift stack. I’m thrilled to say that the older three are readers as well, and I frequently caught one or another curled up in a chair with a book. Grandpa’s collection of Calvin and Hobbes comic books are still great favorites, with the boys often reciting some of their favorite Calvin lines.