Events

Christmas Season - Family Time

Christmas was really family time this year. We had a number of events and each of them filled somebodies house to the brim. It is so nice to have adult children. No one has to do everything. They just get together and say, "you bring this and you bring this and I'll bring this – and voila – an event happens. Mind you, this is all happening in spite of all of the regular Christmas season craziness.

December 18 – Family Birthday Party
We opted to have this at Mat and Andi's house. December is the birthday month for Erica, Lar and Mathew so we all get together and celebrate them together. This year's attendees – Lar and Mar and Grandma Baker (3), Mat and Andi (5), Erica and Rich (4), Breanne and Ben (2), Ricky and Deanna (6) – Total 20. We ate, played with the Wii and other games and just did family things.

December 24 – Christmas Eve
We have the big holiday dinner on Christmas Eve. We held this one at our house. Lar and Mar and Grandma Baker (3), Mat and Andi (5), Erica and Rich (4), Breanne and Ben (2), Michael and Taylor – who flew in from Southern California early that morning (2), Ricky and Deanna (6), Sean and Heather (2) – Total – 24. We mostly just ate and played.

December 25 – Christmas
This is an open buffet sort of get together where we just eat all sorts of goodies we put out for the day – and of course show everyone what we got for Christmas – and play with it. Lar and Mar and Grandma Baker (3), Erica and Rich (4), Breanne and Ben (2), Michael and Taylor (2), Sean and Heather (2) – and the Missionaries (2) – Total 15.

December 26 – FHE
We just had fun with Brea and Ben, Michael and Taylor, Michaels friend Amanda and her husband Neal. Danced to the Wii and played Psychiatrist after eating Pizza.

December 27 – Baby Shower
Breanne and Erica had a Colorado Baby Shower for Taylor. It's a girl,s thing with food and games and just talking – Total 12. No wait – Michael and I kept a low profile and watched kiddos – 5 of them – making a Grand Total of 24.

December 29-30 – Play Day and Goodbye to Michael
Not a real event – just a good family time. It happened at Mat and Andi's. Breanne and Ben took Michael and Taylor up to Mat and Andi's on Thursday night. They ate and played games and Breanne and Ben came home and left Michael and Taylor there. Friday, Mar and Lar drove to Mat and Andi's. We had pizza and just goofed around. Then we drove Michael and Taylor to the airport where they flew home after a brief delay. Over the evening, Mat and Andi hosted 11 – just for fun.

January 1 – Not it's not a New Year Party – It's Ben's Birthday
We had Ben's birthday party at our house – dinner, presents and games. Lar and Mar and Grandma Baker (3), Mat and Andi (5), Erica and Rich (4), Breanne and Ben (2), Ben's parents, Ron and Nedra and his sister Rachel (3), Bens' brother's family Jessie and Becky (6), Ben's friend Danny and his wife Ammy (4), and our missionaries (2) – Total 29 – Yikes.

January 2
No one came over. We took down all of the Christmas decorations. I have to go back to work tomorrow. I guess it is over – until February – when we are having the February Birthday Party at Erica's, because she will have her remodel finished.