Strong Family

Christmas Eve after church and Christmas morning waiting for the okay!! Happy New Year everyone. We have had a wonderful last few weeks spent with lots of family and friends. A few days before Christmas we met with a group of friends and went caroling. It was so much fun. The kids weren't sure at first but then had such a great time, were upset when we were all cold and tired and ready to go. The hot chocolate and cookies after made them feel better about it!! We had a great Christmas morning at home. The kids were thrilled to find the air hockey table Santa left for them. They had a little scavenger hunt set up for them to find it, since Santa had set it up the night before in the basement. It didn't take them too long to figure it out. The hardest part was getting them back up stairs to open the rest of their presents. They all said they were happy with everything. Thomas and I were pleased with each others gifts also. I got a nice stereo/dock for my ipod, and Thomas got the water pressure sprayer thing he's been wanting. Like my name for it!! After presents and the traditional Eggs Golden Rod for breakfast we cleaned up, packed and drove to Nevada City. We were able to talk to Thomas' brother John on the way there. He is serving a mission in Alaska and called to say hi. It was great to talk to him. He gets home in just 6 weeks!!

The next day we all went out to lunch for Thomas' birthday. He picked Maria's, of course. We spent the next 8 days at my parents house, with Thomas going home to work a few days, then coming back. My sister and her husband just moved there from Arizona so it was great to see them again. And my littlest sister was home from Utah. She is getting married next week, Jan 11th. My brothers family came over and my older sister. We had a great day and the kids played hard and long. It was so good to be able to spend a wonderful day with so much family.

We spent the next week wedding planning and playing with cousins. The girls all took turns spending a couple of nights at my brothers with their kids and we took their oldest the day Chey came back from their house. Broc was invited, but was feeling a bit clingy and a bit sickish, so he stayed with me. Thomas came back Friday in time to go with us to the Sacramento Temple with Ashley as she went through for the first time. It was really special.

Saturday night we attended a reception for a girl I've known ever since she was adopted about 10 years ago by my old cheer leading coach/Sunday school teacher/counselor/great friend. It was a beautiful reception in an old building in Nevada City now called The Stonehouse Restaurant. It was originally a carriage house and still has the huge wooden doors and beautiful beams and rock walls and floors. And it serves fabulous food too. She looked happy and beautiful and we all had a great time.

New Years Eve was Sunday so we all stayed home and had a great time playing games, visiting with more visiting family and eating way to much. The kids actually stayed up until 1 ish also which was so strange that they "happily" made it that long. Chey spent 7 hours straight on my parents bed playing her aunts new Nintendo DS. Everyone else was happy watching movies, playing games and checking out new toys. We had a great time playing a new version of UNO that my brother in law taught us. He called it UNO House Rules. Basically every time a 7 is played, that person gets to make up a new rule for that game. Example: every time a 0 is played everyone has to pass their whole hand to the person on their right. Our funniest and hardest to keep rule: NO POINTING. Believe me it is really hard to call a person for pointing without pointing yourself. We laughed hard and played for hours.

The next day we threw together a bridal shower for Ashley. She didn't think she would have time for one, but we made it happen. It was kinda a surprise, but she wasn't that surprised. It was fun and we had a good turnout, great actually, for 24 hours notice!!

We came home the next day with mom and Ashley, on her way to the airport. Thomas had left Monday morning to get some work done. And thanks to Breanne and Blake I was sick for the next 2 days. Wednesday I don't think I made it out of bed at all, and Thursday after K&K's dentist appointment I went right back to bed for most of the afternoon. Thankfully I have very capable children and they took care of everything for 2 days. Chey even made everyone pancakes Wednesday morning. All the rooms were picked up, chores done and laundry put away. I am feeling a bit better now, thanks to Sudafed!! Thursday evening my dad called and asked if I would pick up Jeremy, Becca and Conrad at the airport the next morning because Donner Pass was a nasty mess and he didn't want to try to get over that morning. So we got to go pick them up and have them for a day. It was great to see them and play with Conrad. Dad came Saturday afternoon for them. I think granma was a bit anxious to get a hold of Conrad!!

Well that is what we've been doing. The girls are really excited to get back to school on Monday. I am excited to get back into a routine.

We hope you all had a wonderful holiday season and make the best of this new year!