Dec 25-Jan 1

Sunday:

We went over to Kim and Pat's house, with the rest of Adam's brothers and sisters to celebrate Christmas. We had a wonderful dinner, and a great time hanging out with each other. Finally, Grandma and Grandpa were ready to hand out their presents to the grandkids and it was a mad house as they all raced up the stairs to the family room. Pat handed out the presents one by one and we watched 17 children open their presents. Madeleine was the last one, and Adam and I sat there watching her across the room as everyone else got a present but her. She was starting to get a little sad, thinking that maybe Grandma forgot her. As Pat handed her the last present she was still a little sulky. But we watched her transform as she tore off the paper and saw the American Girl doll inside.

Monday:

These kids spent practically the whole day playing their D.S.'s together. They are really great friends, and it's always fun to see how happy they are to be together. We were especially happy to have Mason and Parker with us, since they've moved half way across the country!

Tuesday:

So probably the funniest Christmas present we received this year was from my brother David and his family. It's a shark shaped balloon that you fill with helium, attach a motorized fin to it and steer it via remote control. Hilarious! It was so creepy to see that shark swimming around our living room, diving and rising. I kept feeling like I should sing the theme to "Jaws."

Wednesday:

Andrew LOVES to steal an D.S. he can find and start to play it. Madeleine has yet to learn that she can't leave it lying around or he'll snatch it up and run away!

Thursday:

We were having a new countertop installed on Friday morning, and we were in charge of pulling off the old countertop. Adam was hacking away at the laminate that had been glued, nailed and screwed onto the cupboards and finally revealed the top of the dishwasher. Many months ago Andrew was seen walking around with the Apple TV remote and it was never seen again. Adam looked up curiously as I started laughing out loud when I saw the remote stuck on top of the dishwasher, which would have been hidden under the countertop!

Friday:

A new, beautiful countertop! Love Love Love it!!

Saturday:

We spent our New Year's Eve in Twin Falls and the kids' favorite store ever: Home Depot. Oh how they hate going into Home Depot, and how we hate taking them there because they just run up and down the aisles. Anyway, while we were there picking up supplies to hook the new sink up to the plumbing we looked at some tile options for our backsplash. This is what we chose.

Sunday:

I took a picture of this little boy today because as I put that sweater vest on him, I had the visions of the two other little boys who I'd put into the same sweater vest.