I didn't get to grow up with my cousin Matt. My uncle (Matt's dad) died when we were 2 years old, but my dad and his brother unfortunately weren't close. This shouldn't change the fact that we have a very small family (our grandpa was an only child!) and Matt is my first cousin. About 10 years ago I decided to find my cousin Matt and at the risk of sounding sappy, it was like finding a missing piece. He's like a brother to me and has come to my aid in tough times. After getting divorced and moving to Martinez and trying to figure out how to navigate the changes and holidays, Matt invited me and the kids to Christmas at his house. His mom (my AUNT!!) is from a big family with lots and lots of kids and the best part - they all live really close to me. They are loud and hilarious and welcoming and warm and they love good food and board games. They embraced me and my kids completely and we have spent every Christmas with them since.
It's not just Christmas folks. I have been included in Bunco and the Annual Super Bowl Party, thanks this amazing family, I have met so many wonderful Martinez friends through Bunco and about split my sides laughing. As for Super Bowl, I can hardly believe I am saying this, considering I used to have an Anti-Super Bowl tradition with my friend Lauren. We would spend the day together doing anything but watching the Super Bowl - the movies, a hike, shopping, you name it. Well, Lynn's daughter Ashley hosts an amazing Super Bowl party every year with squares and contests, good people and good eats. I actually look forward to Super Bowl now. Me, the girl who attended countless football games with the marching band from high school through college, who still conscientiously knows nothing about football, looks forward to the Super Bowl. This family is truly so special that they have made a convert out of me.
One year for the Christmas kids gift draw, I got Gaston's name. Now I know that it isn't pronounced the same way, but when I see it, I immediately start singing the song from Beauty and the Beast. In my defense, Gaston's dad was awfully hairy when I met him. In the song he boasts that "every last each of me's covered with hair. I cannot personally attest to that, but he did have a full beard and long hair when I first met him. His mother is, simply put, a beauty inside and out. I found a children's book called Gaston for him. That Christmas, during a particularly hilarious board game, Aunt Jan told my kids to go play somewhere else and let their mother have a laugh. By the end of the night, my stomach hurt from laughing so much. My family is the best family.
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