Mari, Shad, Bellen, and Ada are really the best nieces and nephew we could ever ask for but I was a little nervous to drive that long in a car with kids, memories. Driving to California with my family growing up, not fun. It was ALL I could think about, fighting over space who is touching who...................... The drive up was awesome! I drove with Liliya and we talked the whole time it was so much fun! And the girls were perfect! We got to Ephrata about 6:00 pm and everyone was there! That is what Christmas is all about. Christmas Eve we did the Nativity program. The kids "acted" it out. Actually they mostly wandered around in their costumes while we read scriptures and sang songs.
John played the guitar while we sang hyms.
Ada as Mary
Belen as and Angel
Some of the Family and the rest of the Nativity
Cute Shad
Sorry this is out of order, but I almost forgot our Christmas tree! We went to Wyoming to cut it down. Bought a tree stand that turned out to be too big for our little tree which ended up falling over one night and instead of putting it back up we just leaned it against the wall! Ghetto!
And a cool picture of our ornament Ryan took.
Back to our Christmas trip. Sorry this post is going to be long, I will try not to take anymore detours!
There were 18 people in one house for Christmas and it was great! Christmas morning the kids were so patient to wait for Ryan and I to get up since we were sleeping on the hid-a-bed in the family room! We didn't sleep in too long! It was so much fun to have the little kids at Christmas, seeing how excited they were about everything! Here is Christmas morning...
Of course we had to have breakfast before we opened presents. I'm not sure if Ada is trying to figure out what Deagan in eating or if she wants some? And the presents before the it all began.
Liliya was the creative genius behind the calendar, it turned out great! As well as the winning emotional gift for Carol.
Bryce Liliya and the kids opening presents, of course there was a little drama.
Shad got Bakugan for Christmas, I think he was excited every time he opened a Bakugan present, even though the one before was bakugan! It was great! He even got a bakugan wii game and was super excited to watch Bryce and Ryan play it for him! Awesome!
Brad got an I Phone. Nice.
They also got a wii!
Ashley got a jumper (Holly seemed to love it!) and Deagan was worn our from all the excitement and presents!
I know I look amazing, but it was early. We got Ea Active for the Wii and Ryan got a sweater...hum... Carol did put the receipt in the sweater.
We played with all our new toys, had a delicious turkey dinner. The boys played football and we enjoyed being together.
Saturday was Melissa's Birthday and Mari asked if we could go iceskating for her birthday, it was Mari's lucky day because we did! Mari and Shad LOVED it! They kept saying it was the best day ever.
We also had fun playing Melissa's dancing game on the Wii. And just so you know Bryce killed everyone!
The kids dancing are adorable, and notice pregnant Michelle going for it as well! Michelle and Ashely are both pregnant and due at the end of March it was fun to see them. Sunday was Bryce's birthday and since we were leaving sunday morning we celebrated Saturday night. Carol made 2 cakes from scratch. A german chocolate and an angel food cake. I am craving the german chocolate cake right now! yummy!! We ate so much good food I am sure I gained at least 5 pounds the short weekend we were there! I am still trying to find the motivation to work it all off, that is what EA active is for right?
Ryan took some family pictures since we were all together. It was a very sunny day though! But we got some pretty good ones!
Sorry so many of us, we don't have very many we haven't taken ourselves.
Here is the whole family!
Even though it was a short trip it was so worth it. The drive was long, but the kids were amazingly good.
I had a little cold before we went up and thought it was getting better, but Saturday after Christmas I started having a hard time breather and it kept getting worse. Finally Ryan told me I needed to go to the doctor. I think I was scaring him. So Monday when we got back I went to the doctor and it turned out I had bronchitis. I felt so bad being around everyone the whole weekend and being sick, but fortunately I don't think anyone else got sick!
These holidays have been some of the best since we have been married. Ryan quit SkyWest before Thanksgiving so we had thanksgiving together with my family. He didn't have a ton of time off for Christmas but he did have Christmas Eve, and Christmas off so we had a nice weekend, then he had New Years off! That was the greatest present of all! New Years day my grandparents take the whole family bowling it is always something we look forward to.
Oh yes and one of our presents was a remote start for our Four Runner and we got it installed yesterday. It is AMAZING. We were kind of nervous it might not work, if we couldn't park close enough, but when we pressed the button and it went green I have to admit I jumped up and down and screamed! I know kind of lame. But it is so exciting!
Sorry about the super long post. That is why I don't do it too often! 3 hours later at 1:30 in the morning I am definitely done.
