awe of Christmas

Especially since the first Christmas season I worked in retail in 2003 I’ve been feeling the Christmas holiday crazies. Rushing around in a hurry (even when I work mostly from home between shoots), a growing to-do list, family stuff coming up… you know the feeling. Sometimes it all hits you at once and you just wish it was next year already.

We spent Christmas Eve eve with the Bu family – my siblings and parents, two new spouses and a baby on the way. We hung out at my sister and brother-in-law’s house, the first family Christmas outside my folks’ house. Sis Ali and her husband Ray were heading north toward Canada to visit Ray’s folks for the first Christmas so we had a family gathering before they left on Christmas Eve.

Holidays with my family are some of my favorite childhood memories. They’re a laughing bunch and especially now that we all live indifferent towns and even different states. Seeing them and laughing about all the crazy stuff that’s happened since last time  we got together is a holiday in and of itself. Imagine 3 families doing that all at once, throw in a 94 year old matriarch that’s as sassy as the rest of us, and you’ve got a hint at the fun of holidays around here.

Share a smile.

One of my favorite shots of Cousin  Olivia smiling around on Christmas.

(She has no idea she’s a month from being ousted as the family’s youngest and cutest kid.)