Christmas Eve

We went to my Grandma Salaba's today for Christmas Eve. It was a much smaller crowd this year due to a lot of people having to work. Usually we have about 50, but this year it was 30. For some reason it seemed like there were just as many kids running around as usual. There are now 16 great-grand children! The newest edition was my cousin Jodi's baby Lauren. She is such a cutie!

My Aunt Lavonne came up with a fun idea this year. She had everyone write down one of their favorite memories with Grandma. Then Grandma read them all out loud to everyone. It was especially fun to hear her four kids memories from when they were little with their mom.

Here are some of my fun memories with Grandma:
1) Bringing in all of the kittens from the farm into Grandma's house and dressing them up in doll clothes.
2) Grandma making Cream of Wheat for us in the morning. She put the cereal on a plate and poured heavy cream and sugar on the top. Mmmm!
3) Having sleepovers at Grandma's and hearing stories from when she was little.
4) Watching Grandma open Christmas presents ever so carefully so that she can save the paper.
5) Learning from Grandma how to make Kolaches from scratch.
6) Getting cards in the mail from Grandma...she always inserts lots of newspaper and magazine clippings with funnies.
7) Listening to Grandma read us stories when we were little.
8) Painting Grandma's living room Pepto Bismol pink. Her favorite color.
9) Grandma poking the Peeps at Easter time.
10) Listening to Grandma tell stories about her mom, dad, and her mischievous cousins when she was little.
11) Taking pictures with Grandma before my wedding.
12) Watching Funniest Home Videos with Grandma.
13) Dancing with Grandma at my cousin Diane's wedding.
14) Playing Catch Phrase with Grandma at Matt's Graduation party...where we kept the dynamite (i.e. the sewing machine).
15) Driving with Grandma when we were little...she would honk the horn at boys our age and wave.
16) Participating in the annual Christmas Plays or as we called them Christmas Plagues. I had to play everyone from Mary to Frosty the Snowman.
17) Czech Day at Grandma's house when we learned the Beer song (Pivo, Pivo).
18) New Years Day at Grandma's house when we play board games.
19) When we are leaving Grandma's house we always have to take something home...usually kolaches, gummy bears, ham, or pie.
20) Playing the question game with Grandma...finding out most embarrassing moments, favorite childhood toy, whether you would rather have x-ray vision or be invisible, and more.

Merry Christmas Eve!