Friday, December 31, 2010

Christmas

We started our Christmas adventures by splitting the drive into two parts. We shared a hotel room with Alysha and her two dogs. This is not something any of will repeat soon. Even Evan needed a "coffee" and bagel to get him going the next morning. Christmas Eve photo shoot at the McClure house before all the relatives survived.


Evan wasn't as into it as we had hoped.


The girls were great as always.

Evan pooped out and sat down, so Brynn and Avery tried to work with it.








Uncle Craig got out the big camera to give it another try.


After the party at the McClure's we went to my mom's house to get ready for Santa.


Making the cookies!


The finished products!


It looks like everyone at 205 Low Divide was on the good list!


Santa listened! Evan got his Dora books and a lot more:)





One of the best presents of all was having all my siblings in the same house on Christmas morning. Thank you to all that made it possible!

Christmas, take two! Evan got an easel at Grandma and Papa Mac's house. Eating Christmas breakfast with his cousins.


Playing with his new friends Buddy and Tiny.


Taking a well deserved nap in his new sleeping bag.


Christmas, take 3!


New Thomas trains from Grandpa Bob! Woohoo!


Again, the next Justin Timberlake entertained us all the morning after.





The Annual Gingerbread Contest. The theme was national monuments and memorials.


Mt. Santamore by Seth and Izaabella


Window Rock by Acacia and Theresa



Iwo Jima by me and my mom


All the cousins playing together. They were all so engaged, I don't even think they knew I was there.






Except of course for those that have a built in camera sensor!








Cousins photo shoot, take two.


Alysha loves having her picture taken, but I think it might be possible she loved her new ipod more.


We taught him a cheezy smile, like it?





Pillow fight!


Watching Fantasia with his cousin.


Good night books with Papa Kirk





Showing off his Jayhawk gear before we get in the car and head for Uncle Skeeter's, our stop to break up the drive on the way home. Thank goodness we did since Evan got carsick 40 minutes out of Crescent City. In the dark. In the middle of a rainstorm. On the middle of the overpass. Fabulous times. Those snowman hand towels he chose to take home from Grandma Mac's Christmas collection sure did come in handy!


Time to go:(


Go Jayhawks!


Getting ready to head to Gasquet after a long night in Redding.



Making Santa's cookies



Opening presents



Papa Kirk's present




Evan performs








Skeeter and Marisa's gingerbread contest entry. They are always so creative! We look forward to theirs every year, but none of us saw this coming.




Cousins playing



Titi's Birthday

We helped Titi Alysha celebrate her 34th birthday. She invited us to her dinner party and the next day we went ice skating. It was a great way to kick off our vacation. Evan of course passed up the Bandera prime rib and fixings for his dinner of crackers and blueberries. He would have this same dinner far too many times over the next two weeks. Titi's dinner party decor

Birthday outfit!

Ice skating outfit


Evan wasn't too sure about the whole ice skating thing. He wouldn't put skates on, but once we warmed up (after, I don't know, a 20 year break from the sport), he would go on the ice with us. It was fun, and nobody got hurt! Hot chocolate, yum!

Skating with Titi


The hot chocolate dance, followed by the wiggle dance.





Getting Ready for Christmas

Evan really enjoyed everything about Christmas this year. He helped bring out all of the decorations and decorated the tree (over and over again all month). The first word out of his mouth in the morning was calendars because he wanted to open his three advent calendars. Here he is showing Slamson our tree.

Santa sent him and email!

Santa's true elves, the UPS drivers!
Mailing his letter to Santa. Of course he asked for Dora Books.


His first hot chocolate, and his first viewing of Frosty the Snowman.


Shopping at Trader Joe's, he had to stop and smell the flowers because they are my favorite. Isn't he sweet?
Watching his message from Santa