Christmas 2009

Week 1

We have been able to spend Christmas with my family in Fresno, CA. Here are some pictures of our festivities:

Us at our annual Christmas Eve Eve party with the Ashby family (my mom's family) at my aunt and uncle's dance studio.

(Do you like how my brother Scotty snuck in?)

It's a tradition to light candles and sing carols around a Christmas tree. It's usually a live tree but since we were inside we made due with this awesome fake tree!

We have a cousin gift exchange. Anyone who wants to participate brings a gift and then we bowl for one!

Santa came to visit, (my dad) and this is how Lily reacted!

My grandparents gave all the great-grand kids new jammies.

Lily playing at Grandma Dawna's (my dad's mom) She would make Grandpa Dave proud!

It's our family tradition to "Light the Sacks" on Christmas Eve with the McLelland family. There were several of us there and it was so much fun to see everyone!

Lily Christmas morning

(Caroline, Cousin Kate's daughter)

The day after Christmas, my Aunt and her kids and grand kids came to my parents' house to let the guys shoot guns and the little cousins play.

(James, Cousin Kate's son.)

He kept giving me that look all day. He obviously didn't want his picture taken!

(Lauren, Cousin Kate's daughter)

She was so cute sitting on the fence posts, drawing.

I got in on the shooting action!

My cousin Brad, visiting from Romania, helping his niece, Lauren, shoot. She did pretty good!

Cousin Brad releasing the skeets, while Cousin Joel and Scotty shoot!

My dad and Cousin Brad

"For the Light of the World was Born"

I made these candles for my Young Women, I made several, in fact 20. All of them were different and unique. I meant to take a picture of them all but I wrapped them in cellophane and forgot. I at least got a couple of them.

Attached to each candle it said:

"For the Light of the World was Born"

Merry Christmas

"Those are known to kill people"

Here are the awesome icicles on our neighbor's house! Aren't they cool?!

Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!

We went to bed with about 2 inches and woke up to this!

More than a foot has accumulated!

Opened up the side door and this is what we got!

It's Beginning to Look a lot Like Christmas...

We went and cut our own, fresh Christmas tree this year. We enjoyed driving up the mountains, right behind our house and pick which ever one we wanted! We chose a short, fat, bushy one! (kinda like me!) Brian was having fun with the settings on the camera,

so the tree looks like it's on fire.

Lily kept walking over to it and sitting to look at the lights.

It's always been a tradition to have the Christmas lights up before my birthday, the 7th. This is what our house looks like this year.

Lily walking around in her new winter coat!