Storm Lake Pilot Tribune: Blog: The family that plays together...

The holidays are over and it's time for our lives to get back to normal. We have all eaten more than normal, had more time off than normal and have been around more people than we normally are.

I don't know about you, but I am pooped out and ready now for hibernation (I have enough extra body fat to get me through the next several months and I rather enjoyed having those two short work weeks - I don't know how I will be able to put in a full work week.)

It was a wonderful holiday with three college kids home - one drove home from Nebraska, one flew in from Arizona and another trekked 12 hours from Texas. It had been 6 months since we were all together, preparing us for the separation we must now get used to as everyone grows and moves on.

I satisfied all their taste buds, I believe, making a point of feeding them many of their favorite foods - and some of them more than once.

Jordan came home pretty slim, saying as a grad student, he is too busy and too poor to eat anything costing more than a few dollars. I made an effort to fatten him up. He did put away a lot of food, too, and believes he gained 10 pounds over the three weeks he was home.

We were able to observe two birthdays while our kids were all home, too (which included Hy-Vee champagne cake with whipped frosting twice, also.) Jordan turned 22 and Marissa turned 21.

We did a great deal of laughing while playing board games (we all said we wished we would have spent more time doing as it is something we greatly enjoy a a family) and also being downright weird (which we also greatly enjoy doing.) It has been countless years that we have had a family photo of all six of us and I had the perfect idea to make our portrait "better" than all those perfect family photos we received as Christmas greetings. I purchased half price wigs following Halloween - bright colored ones for us girls and afros for the boys. My idea was to show how the Glawes are promoting "a colorful life full of peace...and fun." We are a cross between punk and hippy!

Using the self-timer on my camera, we were able to get a wonderful shot of us. An 11x14 of the family photo is in our living room now and as our kids think about potential spouses of their own visiting in our home, they wonder how many of them will turn around and walk out when they spy the family portrait. For me, the picture is one I will treasure for always.

Source: http://www.stormlakepilottribune.com/blogs/1422/entry/51169/

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