Photos from Christmas Week

I wanted to open this portion with the front of a card my Aunt Joanne had printed up before she died. She knew she might not be around for Christmas, and wanted to have the cards ready. For quite a few years now, she's printed her own artwork on the cards she would send. Still hard to believe she's gone, but I'm glad she left so much of her handiwork behind and shared her gifts with the family.

Here is a photo Karen posted on their blog... taken before Christmas:

Our modest little tree after Ron wrapped presents...
Cold front is moving in and wind was blowing snow up onto the porch. These poor frozen apples ended up being tossed out for the robins later in the week... deer also and some critter that crawled into the box at night and gnawed away... leaving a pile of peelings behind. I'm guessing a possum? Will be so glad when Ron closes in the eaves and we can chase the vermin out of the overhead. :-/
Kristine took this photo while the snow was coming down. The next shot was from me a day later after the sun emerged.We had a mini Christmas with Robert and Rachel's family on the 20th. They left for Florida on the 23rd. Thank goodness their flight was scheduled for Tuesday. The airport was a mess over the weekend and travelers got stranded there or had to abandon their plans of leaving until later in the week. They arrived on schedule as far as I could tell. They spent a few hours with Diane on Christmas Eve and she took them to some places in Disney World. I was glad she could spend a little of her Christmas with family. She especially enjoyed the time with Charlotte. :-)

In this next photo we can see some of the family gathered around the table, being entertained by Charlotte. :-) Burt is on the left, Alex and Kristine, and Rachel to the right.

Lynda has gotten herself a chameleon and the family wanted to see it. I'd show a photo if I'd gotten a decent one, but it was hiding in the greenery. So far it seems to be thriving.
Colette trying to hold Calvin while we were in Lynda's room. I'm not sure what he's thinking of the experience. ;-)Rachel crocheted (or knitted?) hats for Michael and Amber's kids and you can see them here...
Everyone chatting after the opening of presents on the 20th. At this point, Robert thought they might still be driving home that evening.
Edward couldn't resist climbing into the car seats sitting in the entry.

Charlotte and Colette watching Christmas specials (the oldies on DVD).Next day (Sunday afternoon)... Robert's family ready to pull out of the driveway for Enumclaw. It was still snowing at this point and it took them 3 hours to get home... twice as long as usual.The next ones start on Christmas Eve, when we usually have dinner and open presents that evening. It's also Karen's birthday (her 25th) and we got on Skype and sang to her. They had a quiet Christmas in Rexburg.

First... you'll see Alex and Kristine on Skype with Alex's family in Bellingham. His brother called home from his mission (Chile) to talk to the family and this way they could all enjoy it. His mother is holding their cell phone up to the microphone on their computer so Alex and Kristine can hear him.
Meanwhile, Michael was up front enjoying Edward. The little guy already seems pretty smitten with Dad. Michael arrived home from San Diego on the 19th after working there all summer. He had quite an adventure getting through the snow and it started right after he got north of Los Angeles. It snowed in Malibu that week as well. Crazy weather!The family in our (messy) room, chatting with Karen and Niklas via the wonders of computer (Skype... love it!). Part of the room is not this bad... the part that isn't showing!

Adrienne loved her Pikachu from Diane.

Adrienne and Colette posing with their toys from Diane (Lynda to right).

Kristine with Edward.
Kristine and Alex posing with Diane's gifts... since she couldn't be here to see them herself. :-) She's going to be packing up her stuff ASAP and flying to Utah on Friday! I probably mentioned that already, but can't remember (in a former post). The following Monday (Jan. 5th) or Tuesday, she'll drive her car from Provo to Rexburg and start school again. I hope the roads will be clear for her. They had a lot of snow the week before.
Wish I'd gotten everyone in a photo on the 20th, but this was better than nothing. The snowstorm on that day was a bit distracting. Before we all hit the door to take Alex and Kristine to a late ferry on Christmas Eve, I asked them to sit on the couch for a few pictures. I think one or two kids might have one shoe on and one off at this point! Ron wasn't in the living room yet either.This last photo is of Lynda, taken at a gathering of her high school friends on the 27th. They had kind of a "formal" Christmas party. One of her friends did up her hair and it turned out really pretty. :-)Think that's enough pictures for now! :-) I hope you all have a Happy New Year! :-)