christmas eve at nanas

michael and kristin couldn't come to my house on christmas day, so they wanted to come see nana christmas eve. uncle tom and aunt judy were also here that weekend too. my mom made breakfast (with my help) for everyone and it was nice to just hang out and catch up.

i absolutely love love love love LOVE the random shot of everyone at the kitchen table. this, to me.. is a photo that describes my childhood. it is now the end of january, and as i am blogging about this very morning at nana's, i can remember it like it was yesterday. i stood to bring the eggs over to the table, i stopped and smiled. my heart was happy. i was remembering all of the smells, the memories, the feelings that happened right here. as i went back to the table again to bring the muffins and potatoes over, my immediate thought was: i need to grab my camera. my next thought was: no.. its too chaotic right now. the kids are in the living room eating.. give them their plates and sit down and enjoy breakfast. but no. i needed this moment. i will be glad i have it some day.

in the kitchen, hanging out at the table with family and friends. squeezing through to get to the back of the table. wondering how you were going to get out to get anything you might need. sucking it all in and pushing your chair in close to let those pass behind you, waiting for someone else to stand up so that they could grab it for you, but feeling guilty at the same time for asking them to grab it as their food was getting cold. so many hours were spent at this table, laughing, arguing, crying about the food we HAD to eat, and just sitting gabbing and catching up on ... life. when i was little and mom and nana would have friends or family over, we would eat and then mom would put the coffee on and get the dessert out. that guaranteed another 40 minutes just sitting around, hanging out in the kitchen. i thought i was so cool, being able to sit with the adults. then i became a teenager and when i had friends over, we would play games and hang out in the kitchen doing the same things. and then i became an adult and sat with my kids at the same table for sunday meals... now, we usually eat in the living room with trays, or on our laps so that we can eat together because its hard for nana to get out to the kitchen and sit on the chairs which are uncomfortable for her back. however.. its still nice to look back on photos and have all these wonderful memories from childhood..