Week 20 Thursday December 24th- Tuesday December 29th

Christmas Vacation

On Vacation weekends we don't follow our traditional dinner/dessert line-up. I do try to highlight a meal in some way if possible but this time through the business of helping with the Christmas Eve dinner and then the frenzy of snarfing it down, I didn't get pictures of it. But I do have some photographic representation of some of the highlights of our vacation. That will have to do for this week.

We had such a wonderful visit with JJ's family. The kids had a great time bonding with thier cousins, aunts, uncles, and of course, their grammy and grandpa. I am so thankful they get a chance to develop those relationships while they are young and hopefully they will only get stronger as they grow. JJ's family has the traditional big dinner on Christmas eve which makes Christmas day a time of lounging in our pajamas enjoying the fruits of our labor from the previous day.

In addition, the near week long vacation was filled with good food, conversation, trips to several parks, a tour of the new Las Vegas City Center, "Princess and the Frog"," Sherlock Holmes", a cousin sleepover, many Mastermind games, thoughtful Christmas gifts, bike rides, more games, double dates-- what more could we ask for?

After Christmas Eve dinner, the kids decorate ginger bread houses. They love decorating and eating the candy. Every year I am amazed at how unique each house is even when everyone is using the same kinds of candy. Their little personalities show on each one.

What a cute line-up

Jordan's Stocking Socks

I don't think he remembers that candy goes in those!

We do the traditional Christmas Eve jammies. This year JJ's mom got all the kids cute jammie sets and robes for Christmas presents. The kids loved them!

JJ chilling with his sister Vanessa and brother Zach

My adorable little niece Olivia snuggling her dad. JJ's sister Stephanie had three boys and then finally got a little girl! She's a tough cookie, who holds her own with her brothers.

Auntie Vanessa did the girls hair and make-up.

They loooove Vanessa.

Crazy Lane!

Laney and Nathan were pals at the park

What a cutie!

Isabel with her cousin Levi

They are great friends- Levi is the big brother she never had.

Riding her new bike. This is how she spent most of her time at the parks!

And this too!

We took the kids to some fun parks over the weekend. They call this the flower park. It is such a fun place and a great spot for pictures. We had a blast playing hide and go seek tag with the kids!

My little nephew Johnnie- He so cute!

Those were some serious slides. We had a great time racing.

At the Dinasoaur Park

I don't have a picture of it but there is this huge dinasaur cave the kids can crawl through and bones etc. around the park.

The kids enjoyed biking, running, and rolling down this hill

Videos of Some Park Adventures

Riding down the hill-
too bad my laugh on the video sound like a goat :)

Down the slide--

Some thrills you are never too old for.