THE GIRLS ARE BACK IN TOWN...

[JustDee]

And all is right with the world... at least it was for the first hour...LOL.

OMG.. what a crazy bunch of kids I have. This is the first time we have all been together in the last 3 years. My oldest, Aley, moved out almost 4 years ago. She moved to LA and found love and had a baby...only to move back home with him and her (the her is a baby girl) last month.

Kim and Kate moved out last February. Both went back to NY but Kim subsequently moved to MA to be a nanny. That left just Joe, Amanda (our youngest) and I, needless to say, it has been pretty quiet around here. I was very excited when we found out that both girls could come home for Christmas.

Now they are here and it is like they never left...all the whining and the carrying on.. and the kids have been really noisy too. Seriously, it has been wild so far. This evening we made "play doh" so that we could make home made decorations for our tree. We used cookie cutters to make the shapes and we baked them and tomorrow we are going to paint them.. I can't wait. We didn't need more decorations, but something just came over me this year that I really wanted to make some memories for them and my husband and I. Especially now that we have the little grand baby, we want her to have wonderful holiday memories full of joy and love.

I know there is going to be a lot of fussing and fighting over the next few weeks, but I hope that we don't remember that, I hope we just remember the love that we have for one another and the fun we had together.

Tomorrow (really today) we have to finish up our food shopping and start cooking.. can't wait.

Have a MERRY CHRISTMAS.

[BlancheNoE]

Aww, Merry Christmas, Dee. It sounds like your making wonderful memories that will last a life time. I used to love it so much when my mom involved us in Holiday craft projects and the cooking. All the best to you and yours.

[JustAnotherUserName]

How lovely for all of you! I just put Zach on a plane last night as it's his dad's year for Christmas, so it's super quiet around here. I still use my play-doh ornaments on my tree that the boys made when they were little. Have a great time, everyone! Much love to you, Dee!

[photo2010]

Have a wonderful Christmas Dee, sounds like the big famiiy gatherings of my childhood. My Grandfather was the patriarch of the family, with lots of aunts, uncles and kids running around. Just a fond memory now. As Blanch said, your making your wonderful memories now, enjoy them. :)

[Jim]

You mean kids don't automatically leave home when they turn 18, never to live with their parents again? Dang, I thought I only had six more years left as a parent. ;)

[JustDee]

@Jim.. LOL.. we never stop being parents...My youngest one is 14 already and I am seriously dreading the day when she tells me she wants to move out.. which is a huge difference when my oldest was getting ready to turn 18.. oh wait, no.. I didn't want her to leave either..LOL