Throwback Christmas

Well we have finally made it back from our travels for Christmas.  We started off our vacation in Asheville, NC with a visit with old friends from Weston's days in med school.  Then we drove in to spend Christmas with both our family's in Franklin.  Weston got horribly sick with a stomach bug on Christmas Eve and missed most of the Christmas celebration.  Poor guy.  Thankfully, he's on the mend now.

I have a few pictures to share from our visits, but as you might guess from the post title, these pictures in this post are from the good old days.  I raided my parent's photo albums and scanned some Christmas pictures through the years.  They bring back so many happy memories for me.

 

Christmas 1984: I had just turned 1 that Christmas.  I'm with my Daddy and my middle brother Joe.

 

Christmas 1984: We always did the stockings first.  Dad always had a million batteries in his stocking for the presents yet to be unwrapped, and Mom usually had a chocolate Santa.

Christmas 1986:  All dressed up for Christmas Eve Mass.  Joe is looking dapper in the green sport coat.  We were ages 3, almost 6, and 9 that Christmas.

Christmas 1987: Our first Christmas in our new house.  It was a two story house.  So this marked the start of the tradition of having to wait at the top of the stairs while Dad got the video camera turned on, and Mom got her glass of orange juice.  Mom has to have her OJ first thing in the morning.

Christmas 1988: Our first Christmas with our new puppy Checkers.  He was the best dog in the world, and we celebrated 17 Christmas's with this little guy.  He used to love curling up under the Christmas tree.  Eleven months out of the year he'd curl up behind our toilet, but for the month of December the tree was the lounging location of choice.

Christmas 1989:  My first Christmas to get an American Girl Doll.  I got Samantha that year, and every Christmas after my gifts from Santa completely consisted of dolls, dresses, and books from AG.  I would squeal every time I ripped open the wrapping paper and saw the brown AG box. 

I can't wait to start new traditions next year as our family grows.  I only hope our children will have as fond and meaningful memories of our family at Christmas as I do with my childhood.  I hope everyone had a very blessed and joyful Christmas!