Going home to Boston for Christmas is one of the biggest highlights of my year. No matter where in the world I have been during Christmas I always make it home for my favorite holiday with my favorite people. I am so lucky to have tons of extended family and friends all in the area. This year was no exception for attending the regular activities: my dad's side christmas eve party, mom's side christmas day party and my high school friend's gift exchange party, to name a few of the highlights.
This year had a sad but grateful undertone. One of Rob's most important employees and dear friend of 10 years passed away suddenly at the young age of 46. She left behind a young son and husband. Rob had to fly back to California to be in the office on Monday and Tuesday and didn't get back to Boston until Christmas night. Her passing right before Christmas made us stop and really appreciate all we have.
I missed having my husband with me on this most special holiday but we made the best of the time together once he arrived.
Please excuse the random order of these pictures I just wanted to throw them on.
First stop in Wakefield: Cravings. My all time favorite ice-cream place:
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| ^^Meg & Lyd |
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| ^^Serious computer game obsession with these two. |
Second stop: meeting baby Charlie at the hospital! She is such a sweet darling baby. And kind of makes me want another baby. Lydia is already looking big!
Third stop: Seeing my two most favorite Bentley girls in Boston.
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| ^^Big baby. |
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| ^^A little self photography after the family photos. |
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| ^^Bowling with these fools. Rob and I kicked butt! |
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| ^^These boys are quite obsessed with Brooklyn. And great uncles too! |
First up was our annual high school Butterfly gift exchange! I love that we still do it at my parents house even though half of these people own homes. I think my mom likes throwing this party even more than me. There is always lots of food and fun. This year our junior butterfly group grew to three with the addition of Charlotte and Lydia.
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| ^^The junior butterflies. Charlie is only one week old here! And just like that Lydia looks HUGE! |
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| ^^Cutest little outfit from her aunt, Meghann. |
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| ^^My best friends for the last FIFTEEN years. Wow I feel old. |
Next was to my dad-- the Petitto family Christmas eve party. I totally forgot my camera. There are several cousins that are my younger brothers age which makes me happy because my mom's side everyone is my age. Brooklyn The girls were melting down so I left the party early and we cuddled in front of the fire on christmas eve.
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| ^^Brooklyn wants to be everywhere Lydia is. |
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| ^^We each get one gift on Christmas eve. I elected to give my family the Bruins tickets I got them for fear they would be torn, lost, etc in the Christmas hast the next morning. They were pretty excited.... |
Christmas day is now the best because I get to watch Brooklyn tear open all her gifts. She still isn't particularly interested in receiving presents (wish it could stay like that forever) but likes to unwrap them.
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| ^^Lined up inside all the gifts. |
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| ^^Couldn't even handle how excited he was to get an iPad mini. (Don't mid the no shift, its just his thing) |
Christmas day we headed to my aunt's house. Always the best time with my favorite cousins....
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| ^^My cousin Michelle! |
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| ^^The original Kennedy cousins |
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^^Poor Brooklyn spiked a fever here. She was sad and lethargic all day. Daddy was lucky enough to arrive to a puking baby.
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