Happy Holidays

It has always been important to both Brian and me that we see as much of our family over the holidays as possible - having four sides of the family between us, it's never easy, but we do our best to make it work (even when holiday time typically means travel time for us - it's a teacher schedule thing).  This weekend was a prime example.  Not only were the Untis having Christmas early, but so too was the Runnells crew.

The Unti family is by far the most geographically diverse of the four sides of our combined family, and it's never easy to coordinate so many schedules, but this year it was especially important for the Unti family to come together.  This is our first Christmas without Grandma, and though the love that builds within a large Italian family is undeniable, keeping close to one another has never been more important.  We all know how much family meant to Grandma, how much it means to Grandpa. The Unti kids, my dad and his siblings, have imparted that in each of us from a very young age, and coming together for the day was fantastic - it was nostalgic, hilarious, and endearing!  Watching everyone pack up and pile into vehicles to head to family dinner overwhelmed me with both love and pride.  Laughing with my cousins and being with my loved one (and enjoying coffee and conversation with my cousin Sean before heading to the Unti Christmas 2015) made my day.


Grandpa and his grandkids, all 14 of us!

But, as I said earlier, we had more than one family to see; thus, the day did not end with dinner.  We had one more stop to make.  We headed to Brian's grandpa's to join the Runnells family in time for games, drinks, and recreating old Christmas photos.


Brian and I truly never take for granted how lucky we are - we have wonderful family we both grew up with and wonderful family we now get to share with one another.

Happy Holidays to everyone!

2003 and 2015 - not much has changed, ha?! 

The Runnells Girls (born in and married in)

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