Today's writing prompt over at Holidailies is "those mass-produced family holiday newsletters." This is a timely writing prompt for me as last night I finished up our family letter, printed it and then assembled our Christmas cards for this year. Today I bought stamps and tomorrow they will all go in the mail. Yes, I'm one of those people who sends out the cheesy Christmas letter. You know what though? I like them. I like receiving other people's letters and I usually like writing my own. I was having a bit of a mental block writing ours this year however. I like sitting down though and remembering all that my family has done over the last year; all the activities we did, the vacations we took, the projects we completed. I realized this year that I have done very little! Well, besides gestating and all! And I love reading other people's letters. I have a very large extended family (21 aunts and uncles plus their spouses; 55 first cousins, many now with families of their own - and no, I'm not exaggerating) and it's next to impossible to keep up with everybody. With the newsletters, I can find out any big news that I missed. Where is that cousin going to college? What sport is this cousin involved in? How is that aunt/uncle/cousin/old high school friend doing? I don't have time to keep in touch with everybody even though I care about them all. Some of them know about this blog and I hope they enjoy reading it too. I started it as a way for my family and friends to keep up with Annika's pregnancy. And now it's morphed into a family blog where I - get this - talk about my family and what we've been up to. It's like a Christmas newsletter, only in more detail, every day of the year! I wish more family members and friends had blogs! And I wish more of them wrote Christmas letters! (Oh - and if you are a family member or friend who isn't on my annual Christmas card list and would like to be - send me a card or leave me a comment! I love sending out cards and receiving them!)