the Christmas Marathon Starts in Logan

Gumma's Christmas party is all about family and tradition.  So, here are a few of the traditions:

-A great dinner of ham, turkey & cranberry jelly (someone always inevitably brings up the story of the day that Nicole discovered why there were ridges on the canned stuff), cheesy potatoes, rolls, veggies & dill dip, and more.

-The chocolate fountain and Samuel ends up wearing a lot of the chocolate.

-Tarts.  They hide a nut in a few of the cups and whoever gets a nut gets a prize... a box of my favorite chocolates (I am eating some right now), Alvey's.  Every year Karl (who may or may not be against cheating) seems to win and every year we talk about how Karl always wins.  I (who is against cheating) won one, too.  I was so excited.  I never win things.

-The nativity play.  Samuel, surprise surprise, refused to participate.  It was his year to be Joseph.  Oh well.  Eva was a an angel.  I thought the picture of Gabby crying but still wanting to be on the stage was hilarious (why is it so entertaining when it isn't your kid throwing the fit?).

-The talent show.  I can't remember the bribe but somehow Samuel ended singing Rudolph.  Eva sang up on the house top.  All the grandparents were beaming.  Gumma must be proud of all her great grandchildren.

   

-Dancing around the Christmas tree.  We sing Christmas songs, hold hands and walk around the tree.  Half of us are taking pictures.  I love the shot of Eva and Karl dancing and the one of Samuel peeking.  Okay, Okay, I love all these shots except for the one that I am in.  

-Singing the little Gypsy girl song.  Isn't it great that tradition can make so many full grown men sing, "Oh I am a little gypsy girl!" and be pahhy (a typo of happy that happened long ago but will never ever be forgotten) about it?

-Singing the baby song.  For all the new babies in the family.  Ever since I have been in the family (almost 10 years!) I think there has been at least one new baby.  Amazing.  

 

These two pictures just made me laugh when I am came across them.  Amelia looks like she is carrying a tiny Ava.  Paul and Franny are having a father daughter bonding moment as both of their noses itched at the same time.  

Yes, traditions are great.  Thanks Gumma and everyone that helps keep them going.

After the festivities we stayed over at Grandma and Grandpa's house.  The kids all slept in one big room. Grandma told them stories about their parents when they were young and the kids loved it.  I got a shot of Samuel picking his lips... he does that when he is winding down.  Samuel ended up getting kicked out of the party, the other kids actually wanted to sleep and he wanted to play. 

We woke up to a bountiful breakfast of every breakfast food that I can think of.  

Samuel loves that microphone toy.  Just what he needs, to be louder.  Lauren is telling a made up story about some guy that is allergic to aspirin and has all the kids laughing.  

And to keep the marathon going...

We headed up to the other side of the family and had lunch and opened presents there.  We could do a gender study with the photo on the rights.  All the girls are crowded around the pink princess toy and just Samuel is playing with the blue train toy.  

I am so grateful that my kids have so many grandparents that love them.  I didn't grow up with my grandparents nearby and so I didn't know how great they were.  Man, I was really missing out.

All of this, and it isn't even Christmas yet...  

Samuel's Fourth Birthday

We were staying in a hotel in Orem because Karl was teaching down there. The whole family went down and made a mini-vacation out of it (I know, pretty exotic, Orem). We started the morning off with the hotel breakfast. It was all stuff that I barely consider an acceptable breakfast and so they loved it and ate a ton... French Toast sticks dipped in fake maple syrup, sugary yogurt, Fruit Loops... Then we took quick swim in the pool. We had to rush to get ready and out before check out time. I got a shot of them watching Saturday morning cartoons. I loved the way that Samuel's mouth is open while he is so focused.

We went to the toy store, the mall, and then ate lunch at Gloria's Little Italy. So tasty.

We needed to update our family photo so we headed to Chuck E Cheese. We went to a new one in Layton so the coins were all shiny and the place didn't have a funny smell. Yet. Awesome. Karl's family all came down from Logan and we had quite the celebration.

Thanks, everyone, for coming to celebrate Samuel. Look how many people love Samuel. That place was so crowded. You wouldn't believe how lucky we were to get these tables.

Kathryn used her amazing cake skills and made an Speed Racer cake for Samuel. You can see Samuel helping himself to another piece of cake. When does the point in life come when you no longer see cake as just a frosting holder? He was crazy about the frosting.

Turns out, Samuel is quite the Skeet Ball player. He was cracking us up, he was so good. The kids got popsicles and look how sad Eva is because she go the "wrong" one. Isn't that how it always goes? A night of intense fun ends with someone upset. Karl told her that she got the best one and she got over it. Never mind that both of the kids got sick of them long before they were gone.

An intense, action packed day to celebrate the most intense, action packed boy I know.

Summer Summer Summer

The People...
Cyd & co., Score & co., Kristi & co., Heather & co., and me & co.

23 and a half in all. Heather gets an award just for getting us all up on a mountain at one time.

The Wildlife

This moose just walked through our campsite and then parked itself close enough to entertain us but far enough for us to feel (pseudo?) safe. We weren't sure what these creatures in the water were called but there were a ton of them. Another hiker educated us silly city folk and let us know they are called water dogs. If you ask me, they look nothing like a dog.

The Food

Pork tenderloins, green salad, brown rice, rolls, red vines, s'mores (of course), bacon-fried cheese-egg sandwiches... we, all 23 and 1/2 of us, love food. When we first got set up, the kids raided the Courtney & co. cooler and downed the nectarines like they were candy.

The Dirt

Samuel was right at home.

The Novelty of it All...

Hiking to the lake, walking on "mountains", the hand washing station, snowball fight in August, absolutely perfect hiking weather, Samuel being the water boy, Eva getting devoured by mosquitoes again (they love her and her bites swell up so bad that one on her forehead is making her look like a Klingon today), fearing the words, "I need to go potty," Heather and Cyd's musical talents, Scott saving Samuel from charging into a moose, searching for firewood, taking a walk with glow sticks, fights over flashlights, and Eva illegally picking flowers over and over.

All of this, just 30 minutes from our house. We had such a great time. Three weeks of planning, three days of stressing out, one day of packing, two days of unpacking (um, I am still not done with that one), socks that will never be white again, all for a one night camping trip with some of my favorite people in the world. Totally worth it.