Rose Family Christmas Party

The Rose Family Christmas Party is sacred.

And...it is the funnest party ever!

We so look forward to it every year!

We have established the greatest traditions and let me tell you a bit about them!

FIRST

The tradition our family has set is that we all remain close and care about one another. My cousins don't feel like extended family to me. They feel more like distant sisters and brothers. We get together and have the greatest time!

SECOND

The food is To. Die. For. Everyone inherited Grandma Rose's amazing cooking skills!

THIRD

Games.
Always a blast with this family as everyone is competitive, yet easy-going!

FOURTH

We have acted out the First Christmas since before I was even born. I honestly don't know when this tradition began. Probably when my mom was young (Aunts help me out)? It is a priceless part of the party. This year my cousin Mitch read the Christmas story. That's him on the bottom left being a goof leading the music. He makes me laugh! My brother Hunter is the deer in the headlights on the bottom picture (actually I think he was a camel). Drake was a cute little lamb and he performed just great! There are now so many little kids that new parts have been created- like a donkey, several sheep, camels, lots of angels, etc...

Grandma & Grandpa enjoying the nativity. It's almost as fun to watch their faces as it is to watch the kids. You can see the love they have for their family so clearly in their eyes...I know my family will recognize that look on Grandpa's face. :)

FIFTH

Drake loved opening his present and got a fun Tonka truck set from his cousin Rosie! It was really cute to see him actually playing with it and pushing it around making car noises. This is something new that he has started!

SIXTH

It's always a race to see who can open them the fastest! I love that all the kids immediately put on their jammies to show Grandma and Grandpa. And grandma and grandpa sacrifice a lot I'm sure to buy a new pair of pajamas for everyone in the family each year. Thank you!

SEVENTH

My favorite part of the party! There are so many talented folks! The piano pieces, gorgeous singing, acting, (we've even had tumbling before), poems, and everything else. It's really special. Hopefully Drake will be more in the mood to perform next year. And...my brother probably wouldn't like me saying this, but it's really neat to see this big, tough football player stand up and sing "What Child Is This". He made me cry.

And...NEW THIS YEAR

 For the first time, we had a child to take care of our own.

And he was one cranky baby due to ZERO naps...

...who finally succumbed to sleep in Mommy's arms.

I just had to post this picture because this NEVER happens. Drake is a great sleeper but only in the car and in his crib. He must have been beat because the last time he went to sleep while I was holding him was when he was just a few months old.

This party was especially neat to me this year! We missed the party last year because I was in the hospital in labor with Drake. It was really special to be there and think that last year at this time we were getting ready to have Drake. Time flew!

GREAT PARTY!!

GREAT TRADITIONS!!