While we have lots of fun as a family of three, we are also part of a larger and quite fantastically silly (we might add) extended family.
Jen's Side
My side of the family is mostly located in New England, with some stragglers in Hawaii, Utah, Arizona, and Texas. We are a tight-knit family, and have some great family traditions that keep us tighter than ever.
{My cute parents, getting ready for Joe's graduation from BYU}My parents, Scott and Heidi, are fantastic. They live in Maine with my siblings (who are all still at home, ages 14, 12, and 9), as well as with my grandparents, who have a nice little set-up there, too! We try to get together with them once a month--and it's not hard, as someone always has some sort of event--whether it be a birthday, recital, or other holiday--we love getting together. My siblings, (Hannah, Sean, and Natalie), love playing with Ian, and have relished being a young uncle and aunts. Equally, Ian loves the nonstop play that inevitably comes about when we're together.
{My siblings on Christmas morning in 2007}My mother is a fantastic cook, and I always look forward to that aspect of our visits. I tease her that she's somewhat of a "food snob," only buying real butter, or King Arthur brand flour. The proof is (literally) in the pudding, however, because all of her meals (without exception) are delicious.
{Mom cooking breakfast....MMMMMMM}Scott is my stepdad and works for the Federal Aviation Administration. (Ian's a big fan that his Papa gets to work with airplanes all day long). Papa assures Ian, however, that is usually less about airplanes and more about sitting behind a desk. =)
{with my family visiting my grandparents on Cape Cod, Memorial Day 2007}I'm so lucky to have all of my grandparents living close by--with one set actually living with my parents, and the other here in Massachusetts. I had the distinct privilege of seeing my grandparents almost daily when I was growing up, and I will forever treasure their influence on my life during those formative years.
{My whole extended family, August 2008}Aunts, uncles, and many cousins also live here in New England. I'm one of the oldest cousins (with only three cousins older than I), and we love getting together. Each year, we hold our yearly "Mitchell Family Fun Day," which has each family competing against the other in field games and other contests. My family always wins badminton....but don't even think that we're going to have a chance at horse shoes. My Uncle Mike was an actual farrier at one time, and so he and Aunt Becky's family always clean clocks in that event.
{My mom (in red) and her siblings in the potato sack race at Mitchell Family Fun Day 2008}Joe's Side
