It's that time of year again when the tree is trimmed and the stockings are hung by the fireplace. The pies are baked, the pull apart bread is made. The presents are bought and wrapped and the family is gathered together to enjoy our time with each other. I love how excited the grandkids are for Christmathanks. This is the first year that the whole family all stayed here at the house. It worked out just grand. I still wish for the time when the garage will be finished into our family room though. Maybe next year... Ok now for the festivities.
I really liked both of these pictures so I put them both in. Which is your favorite? This one or
this one?
Larry, Michael and I didn't get home until almost 3:00 am because after we picked up Michael from the airport we had to drive him to be released as a missionary by President Brown. Since we all know Santa doesn't come until Christmas Eve and it's Papa and Grandma J that fill the stockings on Christmathanks we had a late night or early morning you could say. Michael stayed up to help me fill the stockings and set them out. Then at 7:30 am I got up to watch Mae and Owen since Rachel and Sean went to run a 5 k Turkey trot. I do believe though that right after I fell asleep I thought I heard one of the grand kids come down and open up their stocking and then go back to bed. Which I found out was Nathan. We ate a simple breakfast which consisted of scrambled eggs, bacon ect. and Misty's wonderful tasting cinnamon rolls she brings while we waited for Rachel and Sean to come back. We needed to wait for them to open presents anyway.
Do you think they are solving the world's problems again?
Ethan enjoying his scrambled eggs.
Michael learned some piano music while he was gone and it sounds darn right good.
Here are some pretty cute girls. Aria, Jess and Ruby hanging out on the bed Papa J and I were sleeping on while everyone was home patiently waiting for the gift opening to begin.
Clara and Owen were enjoying an old fashion spinning top.
Gabe got a cool toy from Mae and was trying it out. Nothing was broken in the process.
Whoa, Papa J catch it!
Look she's in front of the camera! Misty holding up one of her gifts.
Ainsley and Owen taking a break in the action to play. They are SO cute.
It was funny when we had Clara, Jovie and Mae open up their stick horses all at the same time and then all of a sudden they just started walking slowly in a row into the exercise room and back. So cute.
I took this picture of Nathan opening his gift and Misty taking his picture.
Misty and I were taking this picture at the same time. Can you see me in the back ground taking the previous picture?
My gifts were awesome! The blue cardigan from Shannon and Joshua and I'm holding a ticket the musical Wicked this next spring that Misty, Rachel and April got me. I love them!
A family that plays together stays together. They're playing Nathan's game The Diary of a Wimpy Kid we got him.
We got a family game to play this weekend. Just Dance 2 for the Wii. It was a hit to say the least! So much fun and it proved to be a good baby sitter if you know what I mean. Rachel and Michael going head to head.
Joshua and Michael could be the next back up dancers for a pop singer.
Aria, Rachel, Papa J and Joshua battle it out. Like I said everyone loved it.
Jess and Shannon joining the action.
Do you see that smile on Nathan's face? Yep it's Nathan approved. He was really good at it and won often. I think his Karate skills helped him out.
It's time for dinner. We had the regular Thanksgiving dinner. I really appreciated the help that was given to get it on the table. The success story is that the turkey was moist. I dried the bird and rubbed it with butter, lots of butter also I did not put stuffing in the bird so I wouldn't have to cook it as long. And I cooked the stuffing separately. We've outgrown one table and now fit at two. Table one.
Table two.
Both tables. You notice we do not have a kids table and a grown up table. We have guest this year Grandpa and Grandma J, Chantal and Will (cousin and her husband) and then Jake ( a YSA that was living with us).
Clara and Ainsley sound asleep during dinner.
Later on Christmathanks day we headed over to the church to play and let the kids run a bit. We invited Wayne and Gwen and their family. A few extra's showed up too for a short bit. You go Rachel! Sean has a high vertical leap.
Michael learned a few things from playing basket ball in the ghetto in Missouri.
Joshua is say what? Cool. He's posing.
A fun game of Red Rover, Red rover send Papa J right over. He's charging like a bull.
They stop him he can't get through! Yay!
I love to see Nathan smile and laugh because I know he's having fun. He doesn't share those to freely.
OK everyone who is going to be coming on over?
Even the littlest got in on the action.
Ruby is Ainsley's personal laughter machine. Ainsley loves Ruby. Ruby love Ainsley, especially when she drops food on the floor.
Later that evening we got to watch a performance of Jessica's cheer leading routine. It was terrific! Shannon did great too.
This is the end of Christmathanks but not the end of the weekend. Everyone stayed to be here for Michael's welcome home open house and to listen to his talks at church on Sunday plus to hear April sing. Which both of them did an amazing job. I believe it went well and they'll be back next year.
