Keeping Up With The Bandermann's: Family Friend's "Christmas in January"

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Family Friend's "Christmas in January"

A couple of Saturdays ago we had our annual "Family Friend Christmas". We decided to have it in January this year, because December is so busy and there are several people who have to travel. Mrs. Lisa figured that if we had it in January then most people might be able to come.

These are family friends we've had since I was a little girl. Our families (Pingel's, Curtis's, Zinn's, Jones's, and then Hildebrand's and Underwoods) did A LOT together, including vacations and our annual New Year's Eve parties, and have been through thick and thin. What started as our parents raising their kids together has turned into US (their kids) raising kids together. We are so blessed by these friendships!

Mrs. Lisa always hosts and always has a special theme. This year we talked about "being present" and enjoying the present season of life God has given. We always have pretty much the same menu, and one of the funniest parts of the get-together is the annual picture. I wish I could find some from ten years ago...man, how times have changed.

Getting ready for the picture takes a lot of planning...

Way to go Mark...embrace the CRAZY!

I present to you...the 2014 GROUP PICTURE! Sadly, my mom was sick and couldn't make it. My sister and Curt couldn't come from Nashville, and Holly and David and baby Libby were all sick. Other than that we were all there.

Pingel clan - Dale (mom was sick), Whitney, Ryan, Brynn, and Emory
Curtis clan - Bill and Lisa, Mark, Emily, Wyatt, and Sloane, and Pete, Erin, Zetta, and baby girl due in Mar., and Billy
Zinn clan - Kelly and Jared, Camden and Paxton
Jones clan - Mike and Sheila, Chris and Melissa and Annabell, and David and Holly's little girl Shelby
Hildebrand clan - David and Susie, Erin and Tray and Frankie and Colton
Underwood clan - Sonny and Cindy, Julie and Addie (her hubby couldn't make it)
WHEW! We are going to need a conference center to host this thing pretty soon!

Thanks to a timer we captured this priceless pic...HAHA!

Mrs. Lisa gave a little talk about living in the present...

Yes, we got on to my Dad for being on his phone during the "be in the present" talk. He was
evidently sending my mom a video of Mrs. Lisa talking so I guess he doesn't get in
too much trouble! HA!

Then all the kiddos had fun playing together while we got to visit and eat.

Mr. Dave and Mrs. Susie were getting some cuddle time with Sloane and Emory.

Brynn is at the age where we can just let her go downstairs and play with pretty minimal supervision...THANK YOU LORD! We kept checking on them every once in awhile, but we were eating and we were like "are we really getting to just sit and eat while she plays?" AMAZING! I wish I would have taken a picture of the kids table...but since we made the kids plates first, by the time we went through the line and started eating they were pretty much done and ready to go play.

Brynn and Camden played downstairs FOREVER and had such a good time together. We kept peeking on them and watching...it was so cute! We finally came downstairs and asked them what they were playing. Evidently Brynn was the mommy and Camden was the Daddy....oh boy!