The annual Grinch party has become a long-standing tradition in this family. I started this extra special holiday fun about 14 years ago! Every year, at Christmas time, usually on the weekend before Christmas, I would send out my annual invitation that would look something like this:
the parents came in for a drink and a snack, then headed out the door, leaving their children with me. Each year I plotted and planned the fun. I bought Grinch trinkets, snacks, games, and presents. The Grinch party goers were all my nephews, beginning with Matt, Adam, and Colin, then adding Jake and Nick, and eventually Sean and James just had to come to KC to see what all the fuss was about! All those boys, all these years, so much fun, so many memories! Then, as life would have it, two sweet girls were added to the mix. Two little girls joined our families through the miracle of adoption. My sweet pea, Kayli, and Eileen and Gary's daughter, Anna. The boys continue to love this tradition, but the difference is that the little girls have a sleepover, and the "big boys" all head out...maybe to another party, maybe home to catch up on their sleep, but not after joining in on the "cousin only" fun of joking, laughing, eating lots of sweets, hanging out, and now we've added a Christmas light tour, and a hot-tub grand finale! Here are a few of the group pics over the years...
and some candid shots from this year...
the Christmas lights tour...
and believe it or not, we actually ran into Santa along the way...
back home for the Grinch showing...
Suzanne gets to count as a kid, and come to the Grinch party, since she is not a parent. Sprinkles singled her out and soaked up all her attention!
I made sure to wear my Grinch slippers...
most of the participants chose to take a dip in the hot tub...
Colin just pulled up a chair...
the girls were diving and swimming like this was a pool...
the crew stayed til' nearly midnight this year! Everyone, then headed home, except for Anna, who stayed for a "sleepover"...
...until next year, Grinch lovers!
No comments:
Post a Comment