Christmas Reunion- Part 1

We held our annual family reunion the week before Christmas! I know, crazy. . .but with Brian and Blake still in school, and working around other family schedules, it's what worked this year. I want to just start by thanking my wonderful family. They SACRIFICE to make it work; to get together. I appreciate their commitment. And the rewards were boundless! It was so fun to be together and share the Christmas spirit. I've broken this up into two posts. I've been downloading pictures for hours! Maybe I've put on too many . . . but what you don't see is all the wonderful pictures I didn't include. I hope it won't be too long. Okay, here we go . . . .

Shonna and Blake came first on Thursday. I picked them up at the airport in Vegas and we enjoyed Inn and Out Burgers on the way home. Thursday, Shonna and I did all the grocery and Costco shopping for the week, while Blake tended the kids. We got home in time for Blake's family to pick him up to take him to Arizona. Blake's wonderful grandma was dying, so they all went to bid her farewell (she actually passed away on Christmas day, so their holiday was marred by that.) He was gone until Sunday afternoon.

FRIDAY, DEC. 16th

Kristen and Jared flew in on Friday. Jared was sustained in his bishopric the week before, so he needed to be ordained a high priest. So, his father (who was in California on business) rerouted his flight to meet them in Vegas that evening. Ken drove down so that the two of them could ordain him in a Vegas hotel room. (I wonder if that's ever been done before?)

After enjoying dinner together, they drove up here late Friday night.

SATURDAY, DEC. 17th

Saturday was a pretty relaxed day. Ken and Jared went on the bird count. That evening, we attended the Hinton Family Party in Hurricane. Dave and Gerri just left on a mission, so this was kind of a farewell party for them, as well. It was fun to be together.

The kids meet exteneded family cousins and "run the halls" with them.

Michelle and Brian arrived late that night.

SUNDAY, DEC. 18th

Sunday was our ward's Christmas program. I appreciated Kristen singing in it and Shonna playing the flute on one of the numbers (she's really good!) Everyone else did a great job taking care of seven grandchildren under the age of six during the meeting!

A favorite activity all week was rearranging the nativities. Kids are SO drawn to those, especially baby Jesus. All week, we kept finding the baby Jesus in the laundry room sink. Then, one day, Caleb was crying, trying to get him back out, but he couldn't reach it. The next day, I found him throwing him in there. Why? We're not sure. The sink is one of those free-standing ones . . .maybe he thought it looked like a manger? Or maybe he thought the baby Jesus needed a bath?

Sunday evening, we went to the temple visitor's center to see the nativity and lights. All but Lily in this picture.

Caleb was mesmerized by the statue of Jesus:

The kids headed right for the temple and climbed the stairs to "touch" the temple.

MONDAY, DECEMBER 19th

Kristen had an idea in mind for a great craft, so the day started with getting a picture of all seven cousins together. Oh my! We got a taste of what picture taking was going to entail all week. . . . It takes an army . ..

We then got ready and went out to Walmart to do Sub For Santa shopping. I was aware of a family with seven children that we could help out. So we divided up the children, and took over Walmart. It was so fun.

After lunch, we did some random activities.

While I folded laundry, many joined on my bed to watch Wordworld.

Grandpa, Brielle (Kristen's) and Lily (Shonna's)

Grandpa helps Nathan (Kristen's) on with his shoes.

Feeding the ducks in the pond on the golf course by our house was a favorite activity all week. This is Jacob (Kristen's)

Monday afternoon, the kids all did crafts. Here, they are writing notes to go in a treasure chest for Grandpa and Grandma:

And mugs with their fingerprints for a Christmas gift for Grandpa and Grandma.

That evening was the reenactment of the nativity. It was a bit chaotic, but it was such a sweet little show. Jaron (Michelle's) was baby Jesus.

Joseph, Mary, and the baby.

A very handsome Mary and Joseph, I do believe.

Caleb (Shonna's) was our wiseman- shown here with his gift of a cupcake

And Jacob was our unruly sheep

Gabbi (Michelle's) was a shepherd, but had a hard time getting her little lamb to follow her!

The sheep visiting baby Jesus

The chaotic cast being instructed by Shonna

Here's most of them, with the sheep escaping.

We had some good laughs.

Each evening, the kids opened a book and we enjoyed a Christmas story together.

TUESDAY, DEC. 20th

We started the day with more fun crafts. Kristen and Jared got prints of those cousin pics we took yesterday and made ornaments with them with wreaths made from puzzle pieces. They turned out so cute.

And they made reindeer from traces of their hands and feet!

Brielle was in charge of costuming for the nativity on Monday, and was DELIGHTED to find this "Laura dress" in the dress up box. She has been reading the Little House series and loves Laura. So for the rest of the week (most of the time) she wore the dress and instructed us to call her Laura. Here, she's dancing in the dress. .

Pictures were scheduled for Tuesday afternoon, so baths and preparations went on all morning

Pictures. If you've ever tried to take pictures with little ones, you know what it was like! Crazy.

Brian chasing Nathan.

It took an army to evoke smiles. It was pretty funny.

I love this shot of the Daddy's tending their babies, trying to keep them warm and happy.

It was chilly, but a beautiful day.

We haven't got the pictures yet, but honestly, I like this one better than any of the professional ones of Ken and I.

There was lots of this, but we made it and got some nice pictures that I'll be posting sometime.

We came home and fed the kids and the kids opened matching Christmas jammies from Grandpa and Grandma. Here's Lily in her new jammies:

And baby Jaron in his:

The girls inspecting their new jammies

And the boys doing their inspection:

Another Christmas story:

Since tomorrow was to be our "pretend" Christmas, the stockings were hung by the chimney with care . . .in hopes that Grandpa and Grandma would fill them up!

(Please click "older posts" to read the rest of our reunion.)