La Navidad

I've been a slacker at posting these because JoDee was here and we stayed up too late every night -- mostly playing rock band until we all felt like we had carpal tunnel (Amy and Andee at least). One night was devoted to my new favorite movie though. And I'm so not used to staying up past midnight anymore so the 2:30 bedtime on New Years about did me in the next day. . . week (more on that later as I steal pictures from Amy).

So now today has been devoted to deep cleaning and laundry. Seriously, it's 3:32 and this is the first time I've sat down today -- and I'm far from done.

So here we go!

Christmas was fast, chaotic and fun. Isn't it always? Seeing Tyler's family is always fun and then as soon as they were ready to go, JoDee came down with the girls for a "cousins Christmas party" and a weeks worth of fun.

(picture overload, as usual)

Reagan was just excited to have the whole family in "her world" (the floor).

I about died at the difference in these two girls Christmas morning. Every present evoked a squeal of delight from Savannah while London appeared rather stoic while opening hers. I was a bit worried that she was unhappy with her loot until Nate informed me that she whispered to him that this was the best Christmas ever. I guess that's just the difference in their personalities.London with her presents from Savannah. I was so excited that Savs got to go to "Santa's Workshop" at school because I remembered going as a child. Yeah for Mr. C. - the P.E. teacher who instilled a love of hula hooping in my little girl! If you haven't had a good laugh lately, you should watch this girl hula-hoop! It's the best thing in the world! I'll have to see if I can figure out how to put a video of it on here.

I must say that it was one of the best meals EVER!. Amy made the same (amazing) turkey I made for Thanksgiving and I made the same stuffing and then mom's rolls were fabulous, as usual. . . I could go on and on, but I already have.

Davyn, Wyatt, London and Noah

Ryder was excited to have another little person. Here he is trying to blow on her tummy -- like everyone always does to him.

And here he is just flat out pestering the poor girl. It was quite entertaining to watch and Reagan didn't get upset at all. Cyn and Noah. London and Ryder with D's new "Wall-e computer." London's always attaching herself to a little one - she likes being older and tending them.
Noah - the boy is seriously an exact replica of Tyler at that age. Cutie Ryder.

Wesley

Savster

Reagan's Christmas bottle with Grandma Jones.Merry Christmas!

Christmas Eve

We spent Christmas Eve at Nate's parents' house. Pat is the favorite amongst the grandchildren - they're all borderline obsessed with "Papa." Here he is with Paige and Reagan. Reagan immediately decided she loved Paige and started in on the besitos (kisses in Spanish). If Reagan really likes you, you're likely to randomly be attacked and slimed with numerous besitos. Paige's head was nice and slobbery by the time Reagan finished with her (I'm sure Jill appreciated that).After a fabulous dinner, we retired to the living room for a great evening planned by Aunt Jill. First up was Grandpa reading from Luke about the birth of the Savior while Jill had a book of illustrations to go along with the story. Then each child received a present to open -- pajamas, of course. London, Dallin, Ryan, Luke and Savannah.

London LOVED those pajamas when we went to the store. We saw girl Wall-e jammies, but she insisted that she preferred the boy ones. Grandma Norma ended up getting her the girl ones also and she adores both and is so excited that she can wear one pair when the other is dirty.

Then Nate was assigned to read them "The Night Before Christmas."
After that, we gave Pat and Norma a dvd that Marc made with tons of pictures of all the grandkids -- from here and Denver and Paris. It was fun to sit and see how much the cousins we don't see much have grown and changed. Marc really did a fabulous job on the dvd.

Reagan and Grandma.

Doesn't she look delicious?
I could just eat her up!

Pat and Paige (in her new jammies)

The whole evening the children would run back into Papa's study to check the internet. Papa found a website that tracked Santa (you could even zoom in and it google-earthed where he was down to the neighborhood). Pretty darn neat. Soon we couldn't keep them any longer and they were all begging to go home and get to bed, fearful of missing Santa. So we headed home and there were no problems getting to bed . . . no extra drinks, no getting up to blow a nose, no extra "things" to tell me, etc. No problems, not a peep.

Now that's what I call "Magic."

Jones Christmas Party

I never posted this and yet I wrote it like two or three weeks ago.

Sunday night the girls and I attended the Jones Christmas party while Nate stayed home sick (as well as Monday,but was back to work yesterday). Above are Corey and Reagan -- Corey took over father duties for the absentee Nate. I kept waiting for Reagan to complain, but she really liked him (and his antlers he won). The girls loved the craft table set up for the kids and it wouldn't be a Jones party without the Suns on or a football game (for Grandpa).

When we were little, Grandpa would always call us "boys" despite the fact that Tyler was the only boy in the family. We just got used to it and now I have to tell my girls that story so they don't get so offended when he calls them boys. Anyway -- Grandpa and all his brothers are sports fanatics so I think it's rather funny that of all his boy grandchildren, only one has gotten a basketball scholarship to college . . . and it's a GIRL!!! Go Cassi! The other day I asked how he felt about that and he said he'd take it -- he's totally proud of her.

Sorry about the tangent - back to the party.

Scott, Chris and Corey. Okay, these boys will never be grown-up men in my mind because I will always have fond memories of growing up with them. So when I see them with families, I have to remind myself that it's been a long time and I'm old now too. These are three great men.

Reagan got Corey's antlers for her own and then headed to Grandma Cyndee.