Chasing the Sun

That is what Joey calls it. The sun seemed as if it had been setting forever as we drove closer and closer to the coast. Remember in my last post how I said I couldn't wait to go back to Laguna Beach? Well I didn't have to wait long. haha
Don't pay any attention to the dates on the photos. These are from my digi cam and Joey needs to change something. I don't want to post anyone elses photos without permission so I will just stick to Joe and I and our kids. This is eldest ds#1.

This is a picture of Joey and I and dd#3. There were 17 family members at the party total. The night after the wedding of our friends my cousin was hosting a big family party at her house in Laguna Beach. I remember when I was a child we used to have 40-50 people at these gatherings. 4th cousins and your mom's dad's 3 nieces who were all a good 20 years older than my mom who would of been in her mid 50's now, and all their kids, etc. It was really neat. We always met on Thanksgiving and always a few days before Christmas. But over the years a few people have died off, and lots more have moved out of state. That is a picture of ds#2 opening a gift.

Now we are down to mainly my immediate family(my two aunts and grandma, plus one of my aunts is married and has 2 kids, my lil family of 7 over here.)

That is a picture of dd#2 with window paints. There are 2 nieces of my grandpas(who passed on in 96 at 84) still out here and their husbands. One of their sons is still out here with his wife and 2 kids but I guess they are mad at each other. :( The other son lives in Las Vegas and did come out for the holiday with his mom and dad and is moving back next year.

The other niece and dh went out of state for the holiday. They have 3 grown children and all are married and 7 ot 8 grandkids and one great grand kid now. The other niece and her dh and her 2 kids and their kids moved out of state years ago. I think there is 15 all together. I could go on, but you get the point. There is alot of family but they are all gone.

My immediate family trys to keep it together and my one aunt hosted turkey day at her house and invited everyone but the 18 or so still living in Ca, besides us and the immediate family, only 2 showed. The one niece and her dh who are now visiting out of state. This is a picture of our eldest dd.


My aunts daughter hosted the x~mas party at her house this year and the other niece and her dh and son came. Of course we came and her mom and dad and my other aunt and my grandma. but besides the immediate family, only 3. It was still a very nice time. I got to wow everyone with my awesome vanilla cupcakes. I also realized my cousin can make some awesome appetizers. There was way too much food and we all ate way too much of it.

We did a gift exchange and the kids had a present to open.
As you can see youngest dd is really enjoying her new sleeping bag! Do you get together with distant relatives or is every one too spread out?