Family Christmas Party in Utah

Every year my we have a Christmas party with my Mom's side of the family.  Out of six living children, there are 28 grandchildren.  (Plus spouses and lots of great-grandchildren!) I love living closer to Utah now because it is fun to see all the cousins, aunts and uncles.  This year the party was a two-day affair and we had a lot of fun!  We started of with bowling on Friday night at an awesome little bowling ally in Preston, Idaho...that's right, home of Napoleon Dynamite!

After bowling we all headed up to my Uncle Kent and Aunt Debbie's BEAUTIFUL home to visit and have hot chocolate.  Uncle Ron took all the kids on a hay ride...burrrrrr. 

The next day we had a yummy breakfast and then it was back up to Kent and Debbie's.  They have lots of beautiful horses and let everyone that wanted have a little ride.  Big thanks to all the men who patiently took everyone for a ride!  We had hoped for more snow, and even though there was not much we could not have asked for a better day!  It was perfect.  Big thanks especially to Eric and Ryan.  I think they spent the whole day outside!

Not only did the kids ride horses...they played in the snow, rode snow mobiles, and took in the "farm" life!

Even Robina and I were able to take a ride, we felt pretty glamorous and did our best pageant waves to the crowd.

Aunt Debbie has all these horses, but we found out she had not had the "opportunity" to go for a ride!  I don't know why not, she was a natural! 

Uncle Kent takes his sister Marilyn for a jaunt.

My cousin Emily recruited us to decorate Rebecca's car...we gladly obliged!  Normally a divorce is not considered cause for celebration...but when it has dragged on a year and a half-let the party begin! If you are wondering the "single and ready to mingle" one is in the bottom right corner!

The kids all agreed that their favorite part of Kent and Debbie's new home is the heated flooring.  Here they are relaxing on the warm tile.

Ryan stayed inside watching Sophie and keeping warm! She is ALMOST walking. She picked the right place to practice, the carpet was divine. I think it was the softest, cushiest carpet I have ever walked on.

Special thanks to UNCLE KENT, AUNT DEBBIE, and their children, for opening their home to a large crowd for the weekend.  We made lots of fun memories and had a great time!  This is the first year in a long time that I thought our Grandpa would have LOVED to be there.  He would surely love their new house and would be giving the grand tour to everyone.  A big thanks to HJ and Edna for  all their sacrifice and work creating such a great family and posterity!