Christmas in Portland
A family tradition on my mother’s side that we just love to participate in is called “the box”. Yes, a little scary sounding, but it’s so great! My mothers sister Diane works for corporate Nike in Beaverton and throughout the year has the opportunity to collect free items that would be thrown away or given away. She brings these items home and puts them in, you guessed it, the box. This year we had 14 people participating and we each got 4 high quality items. We draw numbers and go around the circle in order, shutting our eyes and blindly reaching in and picking out an item. Each piece can be stolen 3 times then is “frozen”. It is so fun, especially when the men grab out something like a sports bra or gold lamay pants! We all came away with so many great Nike items. (the retail value of the average persons stash is over $150!) Thanks so much Diane!
Yes I do feel just that big, if not bigger!
I’m guessing there was a football game on…
Always so much food and gathering in the kitchen.
Kevin and my cousins son Christian comparing their digital cameras
Wow, no need to get so excited ladies! (Aunt Wendy on left, Mom on right)
This year for Christmas, Kevin and I planned to spend Christmas eve with his Grandparents Turner and his aunt, uncle and cousins in from Michigan. It’s always so much fun! One of Kevin’s uncles get everyone an envelope filled with Lotto scratch tickets and we sit and have a blast seeing who was the luckiest that year. Last year it was Kevin and I, but this year we passed our luck on to Brian and Eryn. They were the big winners! 
