Happy Holidays

Well, how to recap practically the whole last month?  Sigh.  There have been many funny stories and even more fun people.  I had a women's gift exchange and then we hosted both for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day- our house is not big, but we enjoy it anyway.  We counted in 8 days that 47 party-ers had come to our house and that is subtracting our own family from the fun.  I am really enjoying the break from school, once we found a rhythm, the days have not been bad at all.  The girls have said some funny things lately.  Odessa is always calling things "e-dorable".  We had fruit salad with some pomegranate seeds and Ada said "I love pomegramma seeds!"  There have been countless others, but those will have to suffice it for now.

Next year maybe we will have a real Christmas card to send out . . . 

Christmas Eve revelers

Oh, the food!

A few willing participants in the Nativity

Matching babies

Matching Christmas Eve pajamas (totally unplanned)

AGAIN matching Christmas Eve pajamas, (starting to get freaky)

Yakkity yak, I could gab for hours with these 2

Here is what I wanted- a picture of Mandy and her necklace I made her  when Grayson was born.  I never craft!

Santa found us afterall

Christmas dresses from the grandparents- ready for church!

Then I looked down the hall and someone else had gotten ready for church too!  I sewed the bottom of a onesie to his dress shirt so it would stay tucked in.  See HERE for a tutorial.  I did not cut off the ends of his dress shirt.

love the hat and scarf!

Adorable homemade skirts from Aunt Beth!

Excited about his first present

It's a glowworm baby

Note he is chewing on the wrapping paper, not the new rattles

Stephen's new rice heat pads

9 of the 12 kids we had Christmas Day- they were so well behaved!

A few of the rabble rousers- E. Rowley played guitar most of the time as Mark did the night before- live music makes a party!!

Yes, those are press-on Hello Kitty nails- they lasted about 3 hours

clear back on her birthday in Nov- the Mathew family was here to celebrate and took our pic

It's a packing box, with a baby!

No, it's a carriage with 2 princesses being pulled by a Unicorn

Complete with decorations on the sides

I wear my sunglasses at night

One weekend we went up to Leavenworth for the nightly village lighting.  Pure madness, but gorgeous.

So, we had some Victoria Clipper refund to use and we took their charter bus up to Leavenworth.  Sure beats driving yourself, although they don't tell you that you will have to listen to a "tour guide" talk the whole way.  Anyway, we made friends with a couple of people sitting next to us.  I asked where they were from, they asked where we were from. 

Me:  We are both from Boise

Andy (girl):  Oh, I know some people in Boise.

Me:  (oh brother, like we are going to know these people, Boise is not as small as people think!)

Andy:  (continuing)  They are veterinarians. 

Me:  (looking at Stephen and laughing)  Well, we know 3 vets in Boise.

Andy:  Are they the Hunts?

Me:  No way, Chad and Julie Hunt???  Chad is his (pointing to Stephen) twin brother!!!

Andy:  Julie is one of my BEST FRIENDS!  I just went to Chile with her for (their other best friend)'s wedding!!!  I am getting light headed.  

As you can imagine, many exclamations ensued and we quickly became best bus friends.  JK- too funny though.

The weekend before Leavenworth, we went up and got our tree.  Best $10 tree permit experience so far and best tree so far.

His first car toy- given to him by an older couple at church, he loves it!!