New Year’s Eve

For New Year’s Eve, we were lucky enough to have Jake and Stacey and co. come up and spend the weekend with us.  We had a fun New Year’s Eve planned, with some delicious (and way too much!) take out Chinese food for dinner, a game of glow stick hide-and-seek, a craft of making Chinese lanterns, and best of all, a dance party of the top dance hits of 2011.  We even did our dance party in the dark, with the kids’ glow sticks and Jake and Stacey’s strobe lights on their iphones turned on.  It was quite the event.  After the kids went to bed, we played a little Super Mario and Mario Kart on the wii, and then watched the ball drop while toasting some Martinellis.  It was a great night.
   
Sunday evening, the weather was cool but nice, so we went out on a short walk.  I got a picture of our Christmas lights as we headed out.  The kids had fun running up and down the path together, and it was nice to get outside.
     
Sunday was also Davis’s first day as a Sunbeam.  He was very excited to be in the big kid Primary with Landon!  His teacher made him this cute hat, so we got a picture of him showing it off.  Of course, he couldn’t do a normal face for either picture.
 
By Monday morning, it was official – Christmas was over.  We took down our Christmas decorations and got the house back to normal.  Before I did, I took one last picture of Davis playing with our Fisher Price nativity.  He had everyone lined up looking at the baby Jesus.
 

Jimmer Time!–December 27

While we were on Christmas vacation, we noticed a Groupon deal come up for tickets to a Portland Trail Blazers game with hot dogs and drink.  The first one available was when the Blazers played the Kings on December 27.  We jumped at the chance to see Jimmer play in the NBA, our first time seeing him play live.  My mom and dad joined us too, so on Tuesday, we drove back home from Ashland, hurried in the house to grab a few things, and headed straight to the game. Our friends the Lovelands got tickets too and sat right behind us, and we all had a great time cheering Jimmer on!
   

Christmas Wrap-up–Monday and Tuesday, December 26 & 27

On Monday, we all just relaxed and rested. By Monday evening, Dave and Liz had to leave, and Camille and Bryce, and Becky and Nate and family left early the next morning. We headed home that afternoon. Before everyone left Monday, we did get a chance to go out and play some tennis.  Liz was smart enough to take a picture of us all together.  It was fun to play!

We also had to try to get a picture of all of us together.  Here are a few of them:

Stacey and Becky also gave me a quick tutorial on my camera.  I have a lot to learn, but it has been fun playing around with it the past few weeks.  Here are a few I took that day.

   

And just before we left on Tuesday morning, I got a picture of the boys with their Christmas presents.

   

Christmas Day

This Christmas Day a wonderful day – as hopefully all Christmas days are.  Because it was on a Sunday, and because Dave and Liz weren’t able to join us until later in the afternoon, it felt like we were opening presents almost all day.  We began the morning by looking at what Santa had brought us in our stockings and for our presents, then we enjoyed a delicious traditional breakfast of croissants and hot chocolate.  We then went to church and heard some great talks and beautiful music.  After church, we set out our traditional lunch – yummy snacks and appetizers to eat all afternoon.  We opened a few more of the presents from us to our kids, then had a short nap while we waited for Dave and Liz to arrive.  Once they did, we finished opening our presents and had fun sharing with each other what we got.  It seems like we didn’t have time to do too much else that day with so many people to watch open presents, and with the several gift-opening sessions, but it was a fun and relaxing day.

 

All the gifts set out from Santa, and Shane with the boys in bed before we heard the Christmas music signaling we could get up and come and see our presents.

   

Opening gifts, and the table all set for breakfast (B&W pics by Stacey)

Landon and Davis opening their angry birds from G&G Malan just before church.

Some family pictures after church: (By Stacey)

     

I of course had to include this great picture of my mom!

All the grandkids

More Present Opening:

(B&W Pictures by Stacey)

       

Ethan and James playing with Kallie’s new cash register

   

Kallie with her new pink vacuum, Hello Kitty PJs and slippers, and cupcake hat; Bennett on his new trike; Liz trying on her new boots.  The pink vacuum for Kallie was quite the hot item, and James and Ethan were often trying to steal it from her.  Guess someone should have told Santa we needed a few more pink vacuums!

   

Stacey opening her second Nikon D7000 camera box (the first was empty since it was the box I had got yesterday for my camera.  She opened this one second with the real camera in it – one of Jake’s favorite tricks); Jake and Kallie looking at a gift, and a picture of me holding up my new camera lens.

   

Dad’s new dress coat from Mom; Bryce opening his wii from Cam; Dave opening another Kohls gift :)

 

Landon and Davis with their new Cars and Mario PJs, and James opening some cars

    

Landon and Davis excitedly opening their new Mario Kart game from G&G Malan

 

A classic cheezer grin from Davis, and James and Bennett taking a break from too much Christmas

 

Davis and Landon showing off their new Scholastic videos and Mario Kart racers from G&G Morris

It was a great Christmas day, and we all had fun being together for the short 24 hours that we were, since those moments are few and short these days.  Thank you everyone for helping make it a wonderful Christmas!