Christmas in a nutshell, a large nutshell

Well, it's almost January, but better late than never to document Christmas 2008.

Christmas Eve Family Photo..........Let's try that again...Jordan!

The festivities started on the 20th when Carlos, Julie, Gavin, and Taylor made it here from California. I say it started then because we stayed up late watching a movie and playing games every single night through the whole Christmas Break. Sometimes with my side of the family, sometimes with Brendan's, and sometimes just "us." One night we called it quits just after midnight and then the kids decided that they just had to watch one more movie. Allison woke up around 4 am a few nights to find herself abandoned on the family room floor. Apparently everyone else was too tired to wake her up when they all went to bed.

Christmas Eve was a double header for us. We started out at Brendan's parents' house where we had his mom's famous chimichangas! YUMMY

His mom surprised us all by giving us each a quilt that she made and tied herself. She made one for everybody in the whole family. That's 39 total including in-laws and grandkids! Wow! What a labor of love. Thank you!!!!

Speaking of labor, we had a little scare thinking that Lauren was in premature labor on Christmas Eve after falling on the ice. She and Brian spent a day and a half in the hospital, but all is good and the baby should be here in a few weeks.

With mommy and daddy in the hospital, little Jack spent Christmas Eve glued to Jake. He wouldn't go to anyone else. Jake has a very special place in his heart for all of his little cousins.

Here are the cousins on Brendan's side minus 7 more who live far away in Florida and Minnesota. We missed you guys! Currently there are 20...10 boys and 10 girls with 2 on the way this coming year.

We headed out a little early to catch some time to spend with my brothers and their families at Ed's house. We played our traditional white elephant game where Allison opened a portable urinal. Nice!!

Taya was the big winner in our other traditional "money game." My parents called from Colombia and it was SO GREAT to be able to talk to them and have ALL of their kids and grandkids together to each take a turn. We missed them so much. Brendan, Jordan, Allison, and Noah all played some Christmas songs on the piano and then we opened up cousin gifts.

The cutest was when Ian saw the Star Wars packaging when Gavin opened his gift. He ran over to him with lightning speed and yelled, "What The!" There is something magical between little boys and Star Wars! We got home just as the snow began to fall...and fall....and fall...and fall! By morning we had over a foot and it didn't stop all day. But what better day to be snowed in than on Christmas!

I know I'm always commenting about being bummed that my kids are all grown up, but when we get to sleep in until 9:45 on Christmas morning....I like teenagers very much! I think we did a good job in surprising the kids this year.

Jordan got an I-pod (his 4th one thanks to his bad luck in having them stolen), a digital camera to document his senior year and for his upcoming mission, a few video games and some clothes.

Jake got his much anticipated new basketball and knee-high socks, but was very surprised to find a Wii with all the trimmings under the tree. This is how we have spent way too much time since Christmas...

Allison got some boots and several pairs of shoes because a girl can NEVER have enough shoes, some games, clothes, jewelry, a Taylor Swift CD from Jordan and new slippers from Jake. The highlight of her Christmas came the next night...a newly decorated room. More on that on a later post.

I was very surprised to get a purple I-pod complete with an I-Home from Brendan. Now I can finally feel like I'm living in the 21st century. I spent several hours with Jordan on the computer picking out songs from his I-tunes library. I've yet to figure out how to download my own music. That will be lesson #2. Brendan just got a bunch of much needed clothes so his worst part of the day can stop being when he picks out what to wear for the day.

I had to spend part of my Christmas week preparing to teach a Relief Society lesson that I got asked to sub. Very scary and intimidating, but I got a lot of help from my good friends who were very gracious in being guest speakers during the lesson.

Brendan took the kids skiing on the 27th. They froze but had fun...even though Allison crashed and her braces cut her lip and her ski left a C-shaped bruise on her cheek for a week!

We've had an incredible time with each other and with extended family which is what we always love about this time of year.