Well, the last few weeks seem to have flown by, but at the same time, not. There is so much to tell, but will probably get really boring, so, sorry in advance.
Damon and I flew to California and survived. You'd think this was this little one-year-old's first time on a plane, but you'd be wrong, it was his FOURTH TRIP!!
Kim flew in the next day. We had tons of fun. Kim was my personal shopper and helped me get lots of new, hip clothes, which mom wrapped up for Christmas. Dad took us to see Riverdance in Fresno one night while mom took Damon to our cousin's bridal shower. Thanks again mom!
Damon loved having so much space to explore and move around in. He loved my parents and would follow my Dad around when he came home for lunch. He learned how to sign "please" and was there when anyone was eating something, rubbing his chest/belly asking for some. It was too cute to ignore--it still is!
Barrett finally came and we all enjoyed another person around. Growing up, Dad would always take us kids to Yosemite Christmas Eve day so mom could finish up with last minute gifts. So, Dad, Kim, Barrett, and I made the excursion. It was a gorgeous day and we had fun eating at flat rock (actually, this time we ate at a picnic table), walking through the fancy hotel (which I just forgot the name of), taking pictures in "the mea-dow!", and taking a little hike past Indian Caves up to Mirror Lake, which isn't there anymore (all this in the snow). It was really fun!
We broke away from our childhood traditions for Christmas Eve, but it was fun and there WAS singing! I really missed Dad not reading Jonathan Toomey, but we all got the book for Christmas, so maybe we'll just have to make a recording of him reading it. We watched The Nativity movie and I was very impressed. I really, really liked it.
Christmas morning was nice, but our present opening kept getting delayed because other family members kept calling:) Damon and Kim were little buddies that day until she opened her ipod and then Barrett squeezed himself in on the fun of teaching her how to use it.
Poor girl only had 3 or 4 gifts and one that she was so excited for ended up being slippers that she had ordered and they were the the same foot--both right feet! Funny, but sad:) We talked to Jenny (she's in Hong Kong on a mission) and she is doing so good. What a funny, funny girl...I miss her. Julie and her fam came down the next day, then Becca and Paul came, and then Mark and his fam came. The house had 11 adults and 7 grandkids--so fun, but crazy at times. We watched kids, ate lots of yummy food, played with new toys, played games, played the candy bar game and Big Booty (thanks to me!!), and enjoyed each other.
One day, the kids wanted to rollerblade, so Kim went out there too--blackmail on both camera and video:) We went to cousin Ahsley's wedding reception which was totally awesome and so fun to see people we grew up with. We ate In N Out Burgers so many times I'm embarassed to say. Yummmm! One day we went to the Cabin hoping there'd be snow...only a little that the snowplow left behind, but still good for snowballs.
For New Year's Eve, the parentals watched all the kiddies while the big kids and spouses went out to Thai food. We played games and counted down till midnight. The next day Dad took the boys golfing while the rest of us girls watched movies on tv and ate treats. I'm already forgetting all the stuff we did...I just didn't write it down soon enough!
Oh! How could I forget! Barrett had mentioned to our little neice that we should have a dance contest. Well she didn't forget it and kept asking when it was going to be. Boy, was that the funniest thing ever! Mom was laughing so hard because the girls were dancing so intently and seriously and Damon was sitting beside her bobbing his head away.
We also pulled out Julie's wedding video so her kids could see it. I had forgotten that Grandpa and my aunt sang at her reception with Grandma playing the piano. Their personalities, how I remember them, were there and it was really touching for us all to see it again now that Grandpa has recently passed away and Grandma has alzheimers. An unexpected treasure. We also saw a video that we had made for Matt when he was in college. It was full of Spencer's magic tricks, piano concerts, a tour of his old room, and the girls dancing. So funny!
It was so good to be home. Home will always be "home," eventhough SO much has changed in our little town.
4 comments:
Wow!!!! It sounds like you had a GREAT holiday. I'm so glad you got to spend time with so much of your family. It's hard when we are all over the country, but there really is something about being "home".
Sounds like fun! Our Christmas was a little boring but it was still good to be "home".
So my question is: are you moving to a new state in 2008? Can we bribe you in to coming out to the bay area?????
We should have crept up to the cabin early to see you guys. It's fun to see all the little ones in your family pictures. Kya is dying for cousins (she cried sledding with me at the cabin--I guess a mum is only so much fun).
Great photos!
What a great holiday. I enjoyed readng about a T M Weed Christmas. In my mind's eye and life experience, your Dad is the perennial college student home for the holidays in Delaware. Your post serves to remind me that we all have a lifetime of other rich experiences--it's too bad we don't all live closer to be able to share them.
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