Snow Day & Oliger Family Christmas

I don't think we got as much snow as predicted, but it is very cold and windy! That doesn't stop the kids though! They have been out sledding and playing in it since it began. The dog is right there with them. He doesn't know what to think!! So much so that I think he was afraid to poop in it, as he did that twice in the house...I was not a very happy camper. He never makes mistakes anymore.

I always walk in circles on snow days! What the heck should I do? My routine is way out of whack and it is really hard to get stuff done with everyone around. So, I am scanning my husband's family's slides into the computer. We are going to put the best of the best on a DVD to watch during the Christmas Party.

The Oliger family Christmas party is my favorite. I remember my first experience with it; I had to hide the tears through the whole thing. It is so full of laughter, love, tradition and the true meaning of Christmas. Every year the grandkids put on a Christmas pageant and put a rose in the vases on either side of the Nativity scene. Santa comes and lets all the kids sit on his lap and everyone sings Jingle Bells and Up On The House Top. The kids open presents from grandma (that all the parents bought) and from Godparents if they have any there. And the food is unending.

There is now 30 grandkids and I think 5 great grandkids...soon to be 7, so it is a housefull, though not everyone can come every year anymore. The kids still look forward to it. We had a family reunion this summer that all but one was able to attend. The grandkids made a "You Know Your an Oliger if" presentation that was awesome. It pretty much sums us up. Here it is:

You Know You're an Oliger If:
Your backside is so flat you can put your pants on backwards or forwards and they fit the same way.
You can't drink champagne, not because you don't like it, but because your nose doesn't fit in the glass.
You ever referred to a color as "Virgin Mary Blue."
You played church growing up while all your friends played house.
You're usually not late but you're NEVER early.
You rhyme all the time.
You can't tell a story without your hands.
You randomly burst into song.
You laugh at your own jokes.
You learn about politics by reading Uncle Bill's e-mails.
No one in your family calls you by your real name.
You could say the rosary before the abc's.
You have the same name or birthday as someone in your family.
You ever fought to be Mary or Joseph in the Christmas Pageant.
You know all the actions to "Up on the Roof Top."
Your cousins are also your best friends.
When you hear Grandma say "tyi tyi tyi" (sp) you automatically say "mother may I."
You ever looked like a "million buck," said, "everythings copasetic" on a good day, or have said, "It's a jungle out there!"
You have ever been or wanted to be prep of the week.
Every time your family gets together it's bigger then it was before.
If it's Sunday, and you don't have the family letter in your inbox, you start to worry.
You've ever dressed up as a biblical character, Saint, nun or priest for Halloween.
You've ever heard or said, "You're dumb, you're stupid and you don't know what you're talking about."
When describing your girlfriend or boyfriend you first say their name and then say "they're Catholic."
You've ever received a Schlymer gift.
You shop at the GW (Good Will) or the SA (Salvation Army).
You have ever been or are homeschooled.
You have ever been asked "who's your favorite Aunt/Uncle?"
It takes forever to get to the point of a story, but even longer to say goodbye.
No one loves us more than we love ourselves.
If people have ever said, "Oh you're an Oliger!"
You sneeze no less than 3x in a row.
You're not sleeping in the chair you're only resting your eyes.
You can fall asleep better than a narcoleptic.
You have ever prayed for the dead ants on the sidewalk.
You were ever told you were gonna get a knuckle sandwich.
Your friends don't need to ask what you're doing Sundays because they know that's family rosary time at Grandma's.
You pray for everything, even the travelers on "both sides."
You can hardly put your car in park before Grandma hops in.
You have more Holy things in your house than the Church.
You have a stash of rosaries including the one with you right now.
You get excited when your cousin is wearing a cute outfit because you know it will be yours someday.
You think it's normal to have at least 4 kids in a family.
You've ever played "riddley-riddley-eye-double-dee" or "huckle buckle beanstock."
You wear short sleeves on Christmas Eve because you know it's going to be 90 degrees in Grandma's house.
Your stomach has ever hurt after laughing too hard.
And lastly, you have a grandmother who loves you dearly, a grandfather whose "blua, blua, blua" always made you smile, an uncle whose prayers you depended on, an uncle who had a purity and dependability you had to admire, an uncle who's wacky names and vibrant personality shown brighter than any star, and a family so loving you couldn't ask for anything more.