Jingle and Mingle....Arends style!

It's hard to believe this weekend is over and we're back home.  Our family get togethers are always packed with good fun, good food, good people and many memories.   Before we left home, our tree needed to get decorated.  Thanks Addy and Lexi for lending a hand and doing a great job!

TA DA!  With the tree done and our bags packed....along with tons of stuff we  packed in the car...we headed out.  The weather  has been a weird warm.  That's OK with me because it makes the drive much easier and less stressful.  We've  had our fun of "dashing through the snow" in past years...I'll take this warm weather!  We're lucky to have Mom with us.  At 88 she's a marvel!

Isn't she cute?!  This year my niece Katie and  her family were hosting the "Jingle and Mingle" event.  They have a beautiful  home and plenty of room for all.

Pretty huh? Then the family began to appear.  Young and youngers!

My niece Amy and her little boy Parker.  (She's a mom of 3...all 3 and under!)

My brother Rick (with Jack) came from northern Wisconsin...he looks so much like my Dad!

Mom and Katie's Mother-in-law who's holding the youngest member...Amy's little guy Conner (7 months old).  Hmm...Mom the younger and Conner the youngest! Ha!

Of course Santa made an appearance for all the other "youngest" of us! His glasses were steamed up..he's used to the frigid North Pole, not the warmish Chicago.

My niece Katie with her little guy Mason giving Santa his gift of cookies.

It was then time for the adults to have the yearly "White Elephant" gift exchange.  Maybe you call it "Bad Santa" gift exchange.  No matter, it's always a hoot!  Somehow everyone gets that perfect, imperfect present.  Many times the same gifts get re-gifted each year.  Like this one:

These charming Christmoose shorts have made a few appearances on my blog over the years!  Along with the moose made out of socks wreath....enjoy Vicki and and George!

My Sister is eagerly digging into her gift....glass cleaner and wipes and car freshners...(from yours truly!) She loved it!  It was very fun to see how perfect the gifts were for those who received them this year.  My brother's daughter is getting married next year and she opened the often passed around gift of a fertility goddess...given by my niece Amy..you know, the one with 3 kids 3 and under! Amy was very happy to get that thing out of her house! I'm sure Betsy will be too! My sister-in-law who hates sock monkeys got the last gift left...a sock monkey mug...go figure!  So what did I get? Well, what every good non-drinking Mormon girl needs:

A bottle of wine and a dish to put cheese on....it was re-gifted immediately! Ha! Time went quickly...dinner was delish and all the goodies were overwhelming...the company was fun and I even got to talk to my brother in Atlanta who couldn't make it out this year.  Hugs were given all around:

And soon it was time to go.  As I looked around the room I realized that all the little ones who used to scamper for Santa and eagerly await his arrival, are now the ones with kiddos who are continuing the tradition.  The younger members are hosting the event instead of Mom or one of us.  We miss those who couldn't make it.  None of my boys could this year but my Granddaughter Driana did..along with her boyfriend.  Makes me feel very old!  I'm grateful for this family and for the love and laughter and good times that have been the constant over the years.  It's good to have the important things stay the same!