Christmas 2009

Just got back from a fabulous-0 week and a half long Christmas Vacation in Flagstaff with my family, and Jaspers. There were a mere 33 of us at my Moms. It was insanly LOUD, but really so fun.

Here's our entire brood at my mamas.

And since we were unable to do an official music video due to much sickness in the house of millions, here is our "soap opera picture". This will have to do until July when we're all together again.

It was so fun (except for the stomach flu we passed around for 3 or 4 days) and loud and crazy!
Some of our exploits included:

ice skating

twisties behind the car

skiing

curses and balderdash

a snow cave

hula hoop craziness

a talent show ho-down

shakes, poodle skirts and pinatas

One of the days it snowed while we were in Flagstaff, Eric took kids out and pulled them on sleds behind the van. He declared the adults would do it that night, but some of us were a little skeptical. It got to be about 10:15 that night and here comes Eric, asking if we're all ready. (It was our only chance because once the snowplow came, we wouldn't be able to do it anymore.) We moaned and made excuses for a minute, then just decided to DO it! So we got all bundled up and went out--just the grownups.

The "men" fixing the sleds with trusty duct tape.

We had SO MUCH FUN! We had two sleds connected to the back of his van, one behind the other. The roads were perfect for it. We went two at a time and there was much laughing and screaming. Here are all the girls! (Cherise had to leave early, we missed her!)For some reason, in my family, all you have to do to be funny is use an accent. We go through English, French, Indian, Russian, and lately Mexican. Tonight though, Jasper busted out some sort of Scottish accent and started calling out yelling about Twisties, which actually meant the the swerving maneuvers that threw us back and forth and ran us into snowbanks. "Are yeh ready far yer ferst twistay? Here comes yer second twistay!"

Christine and Jana going on their Twistay....

Now on to the Fauset side of the fam. A few less people in this one. :) We had such a great time, played lots of wii, until we laughed so hard our bellies hurt. Renee did a lot of cooking for us. SO YUMMMMMM!!! We went and saw a few movies, it had only been a YEAR since Jasper and I went to a movie together. We made up for that this year.

Can I just tell you how nice it was to have Ashley an official member of the fam? It's only been 9 years....sheesh. Their wedding in France this year was definitely a highlight to our year.

I'm so thankful for family!! Love ya'll's!!