Hold on to your hats...

It would be an understatement to say we had a few things to report on over the last month. So the way I see it is I have 2 options- Drag it out into several posts possibly never catching up to the present time- or give the condensed version in one and get it over with. Hmmmm- sounds like a no brainer. Okay all you lucky people out there in blog land. Here are our Christmas highlights in a nutshell.

Although I swore we would never do it again, we decided to have Christmas down in Utah this year. Our first stop: Fairview, for Great Grandma M's 95th B-day party! (Yeah for Grandma! 95 is really something to bark about! I'm not sure how I managed NOT to get a picture of her)

Grandma's party was at the Senior Citizen's Center so we stayed there and did the Dennis Mower family Christmas party afterwards. I got lots of cute pics of faraway family. Here are a few. Lucas had fun making the rounds-

Our Arizona family even made it! It is always fun to see those guys! We made sure to have snow just for them. Maybe next year we should let them host. We'd be packing our short sleeves.

Uh-oh! Not these guys again!!!!

Since we did both parties (one started at 1 pm and we finally left that night after eight or so) it was a LONG TIME to be in one place with that many people. Around hour 4 things started getting a little crazy...

How crazy? Take a look! This is the kind of psychotic measures you have to come up with to entertain this many kids in this small of a space for this amount of time.
(okay- I confess, this was actually a semi-organized game)

Jeff's parents left to spend Christmas with Jeff's sister back East so we headed over the mountain to see my family. I was excited to get to attend the annual Nielson Christmas Eve party. Because of our growing family, we had to do it at the City building (not many people can house a crowd like that!). It didn't seem as easy to chat with everyone, but I'm not sure there was a better way to do it. It was so fun to see all of my cousins, aunts, uncles, and Grandma N.

The highlight of the evening of course was the reenactment of the Nativity by all the great-grandkids. My dad read the story from the scriptures and we sang the carols which go along with it. Grandma made elaborate costumes which make it even more awesome. Here is Zack and as you can see he is a very wise man. My other kids looked so cute too, but for some reason my pictures were really blurry. I love this part of Christmas Eve because it helps keep the night in perspective and allows you a moment to reflect on what a miracle that night really was.

My mom loves to turn her house into a Christmas wonderland during the holidays. It adds to all the excitement for the kids. Her tree is like solid lights and ornaments. We always open PJ's on Christmas Eve. Jeff always gets some for me- although I have to open them carefully in case something inappropriate falls out. Jeff's came up missing and we didn't find it until we got home to Boise. I gave it to him then along with his main present I left sitting on the closet shelf. :) oops

Here they are sporting the new jammies! Now off to bed so Santa can come!!!

It was Lukie's first Christmas! He sure had fun---watching his brothers and sisters open his presents!

We stayed after Christmas until New Year's before we headed home. It seems we've made it a tradition to go bowling when Christmas is over. We always have a good time.

This is how my mom and dad bowl.

As murphy's law would have it, all these little kids and of course no bumpers. Don't worry, this one was a strike!

It was so fun to hang out with my bros and sisters! (in-laws and babies included!) It's great how your family can be your best friends! Moydie got in enough teasing to hold him over for a little while. Misty is his favorite target, but she asks for it because she is so cute. I'm sure gonna miss these guys when school takes them away. I did get to see Karen, but only for a little bit since she wasn't able to come down to mom's while we were there.

I think Kobe's favorite part of our trip- even more than presents- was making snow caves in the big snow bank at the church. They worked on them for 2 days and had 3 caves (each big enough to hold all 3 kids) which all joined together and then tunneled out the back. I've never seen anything like it! And of course, here I come with the camera- too bad the battery was dead! Dad got some awesome pics. If I can get one from him I'll post it.

Ahhhh- the memories. It was slightly chaotic and rushed (probably because I did all of my shopping and wrapping in the last week) and I've already resolved to be better next year so I can do a little more relaxing.

Well, there you have it! I miss you all already.