Rhonda, You have very lovely family! Thanks for posting all those pics. I love seeing everyone and their families!

Rhonda -- what a beautiful family!!

I cringed because there are really too many but I have a large family now which is amazing because when I was growing up there was my dad and my mom and me! Extended family of course but just the three of us. Now there are 24 of us!! We always include my sil's parents because they are involved in my daughter's and sil's lives daily. They eat all meals together and are usually together. Ben's dad is his receptionist/secretary in the chiro clinic. At holidays they don't get together w their other kids (adult kids go to wife's side) so we always have them. They are very much our extended family.

That's OK...We LOVE pics! :D My Dad is the oldest of 8; Mom is the next-to-youngest (and youngest daughter) of 11...I'm an only child...

Yeah I know about big families becasue my mom is one of 14. I have about 45 first cousins on that side. Some of them I have only seen once or twice!

I am an only child but I did have cousins that were like brothers and sisters. I had a couple of younger cousins(boys) that delighted in getting me in trouble. So I did experience some of the sibling thing.
I hated being an only child and always wished for sisters or brothers. I tend to build that sister relationship with my daughter. I was 20 when she was born and I had Nathan 3 weeks after her 1st birthday and she was 2 when Glen was born so she has been my right hand and best friend and confidant her whole life. We are very close and she relies on me also.

Here is a half way decent picture of me with my daughter and her two children this past Christmas....

well, it is a beautiful family to be sure. I would be proud of the character that they show at early ages too. Says something for the family around them. You are a very busy lady. I don't know how you manage, but since I was an only girl among five boys, I know what it's like to long for a sister.
I had to grow up and have 3 beautiful daughters, and I guess, each one in their own way, is like a friend to me, now that they have grown up. I feel like their kids, are my kids and do all that I am able to help them, with them, which isn't always easy, but like you, I love having all this family around me. I can tell these kids love you very much, to hold still as long as they could to get these pics. Boy, do I have a time with that, and hubby is the very worst one!!! Sometimes, he needs a spank, (although, I am a no-spank nana...have learned very many effective techniques, and they have parents, so I don't have to...gravy, gravy, gravy! :wink: )

sewjoyce, what a lovely, christmasy picture! Well, you look exactly like yourself, lol! your daughter is very pretty, and grandkids, don't ya just love them? Everybody looks so happy. thanks for posting. I really am gonna share...I just don't live next door to the developing place. (for pics) :D

I have told my gkids that it is important to me that I have a hand in helping mold them into decent caring Jesus following people. They are great kids and have learned the rules of the house. I won't let them watch just anything even if they watch it at home but not here like the Simpsons! I think that show is a bad influence on values.

Sewjoice what a lovely picture!! It is nice to see you!!

When I am down I think about Jake who has turned down time with his friends to stay with me. And Rachel who has been deeply attached to her Grandma Rhonda since she was born. She would cry if I was in the room and didn't hold her. I had to leave the room to get her to stay with even her mom or dad! She is still the love of my life. She has learned almost all of the little songs I grew up with and enjoys sitting on Gradma Rhonda's lap and sing songs. We also sing songs and do rhymes as part of our bedtime routine when she and the twins stay with me. They love to get silly with their silly old grandma!! Devon tells me all the time how silly I am!! I used to have a daycare and know a lot of silly stuff!!

I don't know how I missed this thread but then it has been going on for a long time. I have spent the last few days slowly going through this entire thread. It has been a wonderful adventure. I have looked at all the beautiful people on this forum and their beautiful families. I have read the intros and the remarks and have had a great time. I have laughed and I have come close to crying. I spent the first couple of days writing myself some responses but the thread is so long that for me to comment as I wanted to would probably take another 48 pages so I will comment to those who add after me.
Like someone said somewhere in the thread it is great to be able to put faces to the people we talk to, and it is. Another comment was, "isn't wonderful how young we all look?" I agree. I have made some friends on this forum, I have been touched by the generosity of many, and I have learned alot.
I promised Elle-Butterflyspain that I would revive this thread and add my pictures to the rest so here they are.