Christmas Eve

Never finished the write-up for Christmas. Lots of pictures and memories to be remembered. Christmas Eve deserves it’s own post. The dinner was delicious! Ham, cheesy potatoes, homemade rolls from Grandpa Hunt – all around good food and company. Hunsters: Kristin, Jonathan, Dallin, Aubrey, Calla, Lizzie, Our little family, Grandpa & Grandma Hunt (brother-in-law’s parents) and Great Grandma Jones. She LOVED Ammon! She asked my sister before we ever left on our trip, if we’d come over so she could hold Ammon. Sure! It was so sweet. She doesn’t hear very well so his fussing doesn’t bother her and Grandma Hunt told me she can’t focus on so many conversations so it gave her something to do. She even gave up her dessert to hold him! I tried to take him back, but no such luck.

 

The infamous play: Jonathan’s nieces Katie and Stephanie would put together plays every year for Christmas. We’ve been a part of a couple of them as they used to live in Phoenix too. Now they are married and have babies of their own. Well Kristin’s kids still had some of the plays, so her girls adapted it for our kids and thus the play was done. Something about the parents (two oldest kids) left the youngers with a baby-sitter. An elf came and said Santa needed help getting toys ready for Christmas. Some played double rolls, but they had a great time and were good sports.

The cast: Lizzie, Calla, Lea, Abbey, Dallin, Lucas & Aubrey

 

The Nativity:

Liz: Narrator and sheep

Jonathan: Shepherd

Lea: Angel

Abbey: star

Calla: Mary

Lucas: Joseph

Grandparents: 3 wisemen

It was a toss up between Dallin and Jeff who got to be the donkey – Dallin won.

 

Christmas eve gift: Presents are opening in order of shortest to tallest. This benefits my sister most because she come soon after the little kids. They also find it humorous to give our kids LOUD NOISY toys with no volume buttons or off/on switches……twinkle, twinkle…inside joke.

Had to bring out the level for Calla and Liz. Calla won by a smidge. Lea is hoping to be as tall as they are some day.

 

 

Never complete without a little gaming.

To the beach

After visiting with the Reynolds in Portland, we headed to the Washington coast to stay at their place in Long Beach, Washington.

I was feeling better, but not up to much. We grabbed a pizza and headed out on another long drive – sounds messy and the kids were really good and inhaled the entire pizza. (along with Jeff’s help)

As we made our way to the bridge from OR – WA, FLASHING LIGHTS…….ugh. This was after having a lengthy discussion of how Jeff and his cousins (Lovegrens) never get out of tickets.

She was a nice officer, told him to slow down and could obviously tell we were from out of state. I couldn’t tell if we were still in OR or WA. (had just crossed the Astoria bridge, still in OR)

Finally found our way to the trailer and collapsed for sleep.

Next day the sun actually was shining – Jeff took #1, 2 and 3 to the beach while #4 and I stayed indoors watched movies and read books. And slept – A LOT.

They walked, walked, walked and walked some more. Made sand castles, wrote in the sand, Jeff has antlers like Rudolph and tried to hike to a light house. On the way back to the car, a nice couple picked them up on the beach and drove them the rest of the way – several miles. Just in time for another storm.

 

We watched a LOT of movies, did puzzles and enjoyed being on our schedule of no schedule at all and just our little family. Saved a bear with CPR, ate yummy food and watched Toy Story 3, Scooby-Doo, Tom and Jerry – good investments.

Christmas Eve,  we headed east to Richland to stay with my sister’s family for a week. So long Washington Coast – we’ll be back – hopefully during a little warmer time of the year.

That was the bridge we just crossed from WA back to OR and yes MORE rain.