Christmas Eve excursion

Over the river and thru the woods, to grandmother's house we go...

but first, a quick visit to Aunt Linda's bustling house(this is where the Y reunion was a few weeks earlier)...where we got to see Kara and Jason, Hannah, Josie, and Cameron and 87 other people...including Kara's brother, Jeff and his lovely fiancee Erin, pictured above, on either side of E. Warm congratulations on your engagement, lovelies. It was so nice to see you ALL...and look forward to seeing you all again, come June 2009!

Melanie, Abigail, and Alexandra!

Nathan and Emilie...horsin' around

Amy's friend, John, with Adelaide...whatta nice little smile for the camera, A.

Natalie with Molly, Matt, Sarah, and Mel, with the devil red eyes...

I feel that the Charlie Brown Christmas music should be inserted here..

we played a "rousing" game of charades...and then Catch Phrase...good times, good times.

this actually happened upon first arriving but my pix are kinda outta order...

mm mmmm good eatin...steak, humongous baked potatoes...I mean, these were as big as a baby's head. delish...good meal, Mom Y...all that hard work slaving in the kitchen was not in vain!

Natalie and the boys, sporting matching earth tones...greens, browns...there was a theme and I missed that memo and wore gray.

thanks, Uncle Matt, for the cool kid tough camera! Levi has had lots of fun taking pics of people's (clothed) bums and such.

Will in his cool air soft gun garb...

more charades and such.

this is the only pic that I got of Miss Cool Whip...she took advantage of all of the grown ups being distracted and dug into the tub of whip...she did not like being pulled away. drama brat.

Molly was fascinated with Adelaide's thick, dark hair! A. was a good sport!



we got home from Illinois at 3 a.m. and I still had all of the Christmas morning wrapping to do...someone pleeeease remind me NOT to do that next year! O man, that was tuff!


stockings were laid on the couch with care...

the captions pretty much explain our Christmas Eve adventures...

It was a rather air-sucked right outta your lungs kinda day..since I seemed to procrastinate on every front this year....note to self...don't do THAT again! We got our stuff done around the homestead, David worked and we left to take clothes to him and head to Illinois at about 4 pm.

I wish it was that easy. the clothing he told me to bring him was rather casual. but I brought it anyways...and thought he knew what he was doing. He walked out of his workplace, and stood on the sidewalk...and told me that he looked "gay"...meaning, weird...no offense intended...so long story short...we drove alllllllllllll the way back home...he changed, Levi pooed his pants and we were able to change him and get new tights for Molly, who had discovered a hole in her other ones and made it way bigger. ahhh. starting off on a rotten foot.

Ok, let's do that again...call Kara and family, tell them we were running late....get to their house at 6 ish Illinois time...I think. I dunno. It's all blurry to me....had a very nice visit with the T and D families...but too short! I'm just thankful that I got to see you guys at all! You all are such fun to be around! really. I mean it.

Got out to G-town to the cabin in the woods at 7:15 or so....Illinois time....8 our time...almost Molly's bedtime....imagine this.

ate a delish meal of steak and such...Thanks, Mom and Dad...good food and good fellowship!

Games, presents, dessert, Molly in buckets of whipped cream....whew...a good time for all. I think we were a good argument for BIRTH CONTROL! yah! I know I was. This girl makes me tired. And I'll say it again...good, very good thing that she is so amazingly cutesy. I'da kilt her by now. you know I joke. but she's something ELSE. Are you sure this isn't your kid, Beck?

We are heading out tonight to visit the downtown Indpls circle....wanna see the circle of lights before it's gone for this year! pictures, sights, pizza and hopefully coffee in there somewhere...and eventually, when I'm caught up, BLOGGIN' it!

Hope you all have had a lovely Christmas and look forward to the coming New Year. Get yer rezzzzzolutions ready! Big hugs from this tired, yet JOYFUL blogger!