Hess Family

Every year sense I was a little girl all of the girl's on my mom's side of the family have made each other a Christmas ornament and have exchanged them on Thanksgiving. This was always the highlight of my Thanksgiving dinner! I could not wait to exchange ornaments and see what everyone had made. As we got older our collections become very large! So we stopped making them for everyone as far as the extended family and we picked up a new tradition of meeting downtown and bringing just one ornament to exchange. The only rule is that the ornament has to have some kind of meaning. I absolutely LOVE this tradition. Every year as I pull out my old ornaments I can't help but laugh or smile as I remember all of the old memories and stories that are attached to each one. This year especially as my sweet Aunt Rea had passed away I couldn't help but think of all of the good memories of her and all of the fun that we had! This year at our dinner she was truly missed but happily remembered. I am so glad to have such amazing women in my family and even more glad that my sweet Madi enjoys this tradition as well.

Of course no dinner will go by without a likkte potty humor!

And yes girl's one day you will be just like them!

Life is short, Be Nutty- I love you Aunt Rea. Mama brought this ornament in rememberance of Rea (this was Rea's last ornament ,that she had brought last year) and it just made me cry! If that is not Rea to the t I don't know what is. She was a funny goofy nutty lady, and I cannot believe she wasn't here with us this year.

Madi's ornament was an ornament from Rea's tree, I love that she got that one. And she is such a little sweetie. She loves this tradition so much and she loves getting an ornament but when we got home she told me,"Mama I've been thinking would you like to have this ornament to keep sense it reminds you of your aunt" I tell ya I am one lucky mom what a doll!

I love my family! What fun girlies!!