Christmas Vacation

This year all 5 of Brian's siblings and their families (14 grandchildren included) made their way to Boise to celebrate the holidays. Boy what a blast! We all pitched in fixing up Diane's house, cleaning, and cooking mission meals.  We had fun playing racket ball and swimming at the YMCA and ice skating at Ice World.  At home we played Christmas Carols with chimes, the Grinch game, and of course we had a big indoor snowball fight with marshmallows. Too bad most of us got sick from being in such close quarters with each other.  However, we felt so blessed to have everyone together again.  T's family flew in from Alaska and Cam's family flew from Michigan.   I didn't get pictures of everything, but here's some of the fun ones I do have.

 Abby having a great time learning how to climb up and down Uncle Ben's stairs over and over again.

 This pretty little dress is actually a 3T skirt Grandma Tanner bought at Moni's boutique.  I just untied the bow and tied it around her neck to hold it up.  Way cute!

 The kids' table

 All of T's kids, including Maddy here, seemed to love carrying all the babies around.

 Christmas Dinner

 Time to act out the Nativity!

 John reading his part

 Drew playing a shepherd.  Is that PVC pipe really supposed to be sheep?

 Lizy and Brinley playing the angels

Essie was a great big baby Jesus, Sass was Marie, and Maddy was Joseph

 Brian, James, and Jake playing Wise Men

 Snowball (marshmallows blown through PVC pipe) fight!

 All the moms got pj's from Aunt Merilyn.

 Abby was feeling sick and just wasn't that interested in opening presents.

 Abby mainly got books....

 ....and dolls.   Just perfect!

 Cam and John's family

 Excuse me folks, I'm hungry!

 Gracie and her dad Steve

 John and Daniel

 Grandma Tanner, Clara, and James

 Brian heavily protested when he saw the larger size on his new jeans....then he tried them on and admitted they were a perfect fit for his growing belly:)  I told him if he lost weight I'd buy him a smaller size.

 Baby doll from Grandma Cathy

 Well no one really looks all that pretty early on Christmas morning do they???

 Gracie really scored with ALL the Disney princes dolls

    Abby is becoming quite the doll lover herself.  She usually smiles and squeals at them for about 20 seconds before she's off exploring the next object of interest.