Christmas with the family

Busy is the season but had a few minutes to write up this past weekends events. First off, my parents came into town on Thursday night. It was a relaxing night, we settled in and tried to remedy the cold we are all harboring.

The next day, my sister drove down from Evanston, WY and as we were already a tight household in my 1200sqft house, we managed.

She brought with her, her husband, three boys and one daughter-in-law with their little (nearly) two year old son.

It has been a while since there was a baby in the family and Hunter is the latest addition. Just makes the holidays a little more fun to have a toddler in the mix.

My dogs have also not had any children around and it took them quite a while to settle down and give him some peace, but then, he warmed to them and vise-verse.

My daughter scavenged our house for toys fit for a youngster and found two singing toys. Hunter barely let them out of his sight. Here he is with my sisters youngest, Christopher. (Pardon the towel on the floor, it was wet outside and what is outside- comes inside.)

Here is hunters daddy, Anthony. Once again, avoiding the curious dogs. And their wet tongues.

My mother may not forgive me for posting this picture as she cant believe she was in so much red and that we let her do it! But wanted to share, Hunter helped everyone open their presents.

Cassidy, My sisters third child, in the back, is more interested in the football game than the presents.
Hunter moves on to the next present. Not sure what Chantel is doing here... and the football game got more snow than we did. However- we are to get ours today.

What holiday is complete without funky board games? Rachel had to hold a spoon in her mouth for two whole turns... Ignore the messiness of the holiday, we have been sick-- gees!

then Chantel had to feel our faces, to figure out who was who.... If we could have only held in the giggles, she never would have known.

My sister and family had to leave town yesterday afternoon, as she has to work today. The surprise that I have not been able to share here is that my son, whom we have not seen since August, is now home. His flight was to come in on Saturday night at 6:00 but because of a reservation glitch and then delays, he didn't arrive until last night at 10:30.

My sister didn't get to see him but we are working out another meet-up before he leaves again on the 3rd of January.

Boy it is difficult to keep a secret like that from my girls.. especially with the delays. But they were so excited to get to see him. And now, I too, will go and share the holidays with him and my family- there is a huge storm coming, time to batten down the hatch.

Merry Christmas!