Christmas Festivities

It's Christmas time! We look forward to this trip every year. We love seeing some of Dan's cousins and to see how their families are growing. We've watched a couple of them get married and now our kids are no longer the youngest ones there!

This year we got to see Shellie's Nephew David and his wife Ivonne. The last time I saw them was 10 years ago and it was my very first Christmas with Dan's family. BOY how their kids have grown. They were around Emma's and Ethan's age and now seeing them as teenagers just seems crazy!

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Ethan's favorite buddy Dayne Draper always has a special surprise for the kids on Christmas Eve and these two are inseparable the entire time. They eat next to each other, are on the same team during the party games, and Ethan loves sitting on his lap during our talent show and signing Christmas carols

There's David. The one in the beard. Ellie did not know what to think about him. Poor David felt so bad when he tried saying hi to her only to have her scream and cry at the site of him. Don't worry David, she'll warm up to you in time.

Glowing light saber pops are what Dayne brought for the kids. So fun!

See! What did I tell ya? Inseparable!

Me and Dan sitting after dinner and waiting for the party games to start.

We brought the kid's Christmas Eve Jammies with us so they would be ready for bed before the late night drive back to Grandma and Grandpas. It's a good thing too. We didn't get back to Bob and Shellie's till about 1:00 am! We were having too much fun!

Christmas Morning! That late night sure paid off and the kids actually slept in. What?! That's unheard of. When everyone did finally wake up we enjoyed opening gifts (thanks Grandma and Grandpa! We sure were spoiled!).

Ellie checking out all the decorations on Grandmas tree.

We decided to get out of the house and took a field trip to go see the dam and walk around some of Oregon City's local parks and sites.

And look who we found!?

In Grandpa's stocking we gave Dan's Dad tickets to go see the new Star Wars movie. Grandma was so nice and stayed home and watched the grand kids so I could go with the guys. We didn't suffer at the theater either that 's for sure! Reclining chairs and everything!

When we got back home we found Santa had been there as well and got to enjoy opening gifts a second time around.

2015 sure was a busy year! We wouldn't have it any other way! Here's to a great new year in 2016!