Fun for the Whole Family

It’s getting to be that time of year…

Time for the annual family calendar.

My sister Joanne started the tradition for Christmas 2001. It was so well received that it somehow grew into her producing an annual family photo book (which are awesome, but not the focus of this post, even though she just put some blood, sweat, and tears into finishing up this year’s book). This inaugural calendar photo shows them eating not Oreos or chocolates, but mussels that they dug up at low tide.

Joanne handed calendar responsibilities over to my sister Chris for Christmas 2008. Chris starting including quotes with each page of the calendar, which added a nice touch. My favorite was the Dr. Seuss themed calendar.

My brother Matt took over and has been creating the calendar since Christmas 2012. He also includes quotes. Of a different flavor though. But just as fitting.  Here are some of my favorites:

There is no such thing as fun for the whole family.

Parents often talk about the younger generation as if they didn’t have anything to do with it.

The greatest benefit of a large family is that early lesson of life’s essential unfairness.

The most opportune time to ask your parents for money is when they are overwhelmed by pride.

By the time a man realizes his parents may be right, he usually has a child who thinks he’s wrong.

Before parenthood, I had 6 theories about raising children. Now I have 6 children and no theories.

Your family doesn’t mean to get on your nerves any more than they meant to be your family.

Home is the place where, when you have to go there, they have to take you in.

Home is where you are loved the most and act the worst.