Friday, January 15, 2010

Christmas and a New Year!

This post is going to be all over the place. I downloaded pictures first in somewhat random order and it takes alot of time and irritation to move the pictures in a different order. So I am leaving them in the order they are in and will have a running commentary and tell about the wonderful break that I got from work and the time with family! First... Kendra's new house in Idaho Falls! it is wonderful! We spent 2 weeks and it snowed tons! Dustin and a friend Jane drove out to Idaho the weeekend before Christmas arriving just ahead of the first snowstorm. Jane met up with her family in Pocatello for a ride over to Boise where her family lives. Kevin flew out on Christmas day and had delays and arrived around 11pm Christmas day night. We waited for his arrival to open gifts. Kennady had already fallen asleep so she opened her gifts the morning after Christmas. We were just happy that Kevin did make it out. We all went to a hamburger joint called "Big Judds". You can order a 2 lb. hamburger. If you eat the whole thing by yourself, you get your picture on the wall. Kendra and Dustin managed to get their picture on the wall. Kennady really enjoyed the food there too.
Here we all are!

Kennady really is alot of fun and we really do miss our girl!
She loves to pull on Papa's ear and make him yell!
Kendra and Nathan are so cute!!
So is Kennady!!
Nice Family picture!! That is a story in itself! To get my family in one place at one time and everyone to smile and cooperate... Forget it. One of these days we need to go to a studio and let a professional try. So, we set the camera up and push the button and run to be in the picture. Can you guess which person in this picture did the push and run??
If you Guessed Kendra, you were right. And by the time we got the first one taken, Kennady said she was done and Kendra was frazzled and that is that... One shot is all you get!
Kennady looked so cute in her car seat that I couldn't help taking a picture!

Back to Christmas. As you can see from the next several pictures, All the kids got footie pajamas!! I thought they were cute! Rock Star Band kept everyone entertained!
Dustin and Kennady !
The Nelson family! Kortney hated the PJ's. Ben seemed to think they were fine!
The Carlson Family!
All my kids!! I sure do love them!!
A day of Skiing was squeezed in too! Dustin had fun! we discovered it is "cool" to wear a helmet and goggles. (not to mention safe!)
I look horrible- but had a blast! I didn't snowboard- I am a Skier. Ben and Kortney have the boards and are boarders. We were at Targhee Ski resort, not too far from Jackson Hole WY. It snowed the entire day (HARD) and the visibility on the mountain was poor, but the powder was awesome!!
Now time to back up. Before we left for this awesome trip, we had Christmas at home in Missouri with my family. Mica and JB gave my cats gifts this year. Christmas attire!
Here is Santa Cat...
(Grumpy Santa Cat!)
Here is Grumpy Elf Cat....
and Mad Mrs. Santa Cat.
Cats just really don't seem to appreciate receiving fun Christmas gifts. I now know that Mica REALLY does not like cats!! and my cats don't really like her either!! (we laughed so hard, the cats run around backwards when you put things on their heads.I tried to get a nice group picture, but they refused to cooperate.)
Mica and Jovie posed for a picture for me. A few days later Mica had the new baby and Jovie has a new baby sister Harper. I will work on getting pictures one of these days!
Avery and Evan and Dustin!!
The old guys take a moment to take it all in... We love you Donald

Jovie loved the new Mickey Mouse PJ's I got her. She stripped down right in the middle of the room and put them on!! I love 2 year olds!!!
Now i am back at work and it has been a very busy time since retuning. Jane, Dustin, and I headed back to Missouri on New Years Day. A big storm was heading across the country and so we left a day early to come home and we did not stop on the way home at all. If you drive straight through from Idaho Falls to Branson Missouri, it is right at a 24 hour drive.. The storm hit after we got home and we had snow here for almost two weeks on the ground. We had record setting low temperatures hit here too. It was actually colder here in MO. than it was in Idaho after we got back. it was in the negative digits for a few days as high temps. Now the weather has gotten back to reasonable and things are slowing down at work. Monday is a holiday for our college so I get a 3 day weekend to re-group and rest up!! All is well!!

2 comments:

djwillden said...

Oh my gosh I can't believe it's been that long, Kennady is huge she looks so grown up. I bet you had a great christmas with the whole family, we missed you here.

The Ballard Family said...

That was a really fun post to read and feel a little caught up on your fun family! You guys always keep so very busy! I am really happy that you had a great Christmas and got to be with all of your kids!