We had some wonderful dinners and lots of beautiful singing during our Christmas week. It was so much fun to see everyone enjoying one another and Christmas music always brings such a beautiful spirit. I had been a bit worried about the grandkids not having enough to do without the pool. However, the weather was so beautiful and warm. We played basketball and the grandkids played a lot of "hide and tag". It was fun to have Heidi, Sam, Steve and Yihua running around and joining in the fun with the grandchildren. We took a hike down to the lake and just enjoyed being together in the beautiful sunshine in California.
Heidi, Sam and Elise helping with dinner prep and holding Elise.
Amy helping roll out one of the many batches of rolls we made:).
Beautiful Amy helping in the kitchen.
One of the ladies in our ward had dropped off a package of gingerbread cookies with decorating supplies for the grandchildren to do. Heidi and Sam were wonderful to help facilitate the decorating activity. All the great artists at work.
I realized when I was doing my Christmas part 1 yesterday I had not included some pictures of our mandarin picking. So these are a bit out of order but I wanted to document the day anyway.
Yihua and Grant
More mandarin pickers...Seth, Amy, Yihua, Russell, Heidi, Brenna and Grant
Ken and Sam
Heidi and Sam
Now we are back to our awesome cookie decorators. Russell, Brenna, Grant, Heidi, Sam and Seth!
Sam is concentrating very hard on this design.
Heidi, Seth and Sam with their masterpieces.
Rob and Elise. Staying up late and having fun is taking its toll...of course you see Elise is awake:)
Sydney and Amy (our worker bee) helping in the kitchen. Amy looks beautiful with her new haircut!
Yihua and niece Elise
setting the table for Christmas Eve dinner
Russell and Grant patiently and cheerfully waiting for Christmas Eve dinner.
Sam
Dinner preparations
I went to take a quick nap on the afternoon of Christmas Eve. When I came out Amy had whipped up these delicious pies. She is truly amazing in the kitchen...and in everything else she does too! Thank you Amy!
My favorite helper in the kitchen.
Our handsome oldest grandson Seth looking so grown up.
Ken using his skills to cut the ham.
Steve and Yihua with niece Elise
Sydney admiring the tree and the presents
Having fun working in the kitchen with some of my favorite people.
Russell
Seth, Sam, Heidi, Russell and Brenna
Lining up for Christmas morning.
Marching down the stairs in anticipation...
The excitement of Christmas morning! Seth, Brenna, Grant, Russell and Sydney
When Sydney put on her Princess dress the funniest thing happened. She was transformed into this persona of the "Princess" and immediately starting posing for the camera. It was hilarious:). I kept thinking of Marie Antoinette the Queen of France.
Russell and Grant as Ninja warriors. Boys and girls are really so different:)
Sam with his new musical instrument.
Ken always working hard and helping where needed.
Sam always the cheerful helper with his big trademark smile!
I enjoyed working with Amy in the kitchen. She is such a hard worker and so pleasant to talk with. We had lots of fun cooking for the crew.
Rob helping with baby Elise.
Sam and Heidi making their awesome trademark mashed potatoes.
I decided to cook a ham for Christmas Eve dinner and a turkey for the day after. We were busy in the kitchen a lot but the food and leftovers were great to have. Here is Ken getting ready to cut up the turkey.
Ken, Steve and Yihua
Sarah and Jeremy and their sweet children left at 4 am the day after Christmas. They arrived around 2:00 and we had a wonderful turkey dinner with them that evening. With the addition of their family we had 19 around our table. It was so much fun!
Steve and Yihua
Sam and Heidi
Steve and Yihua made us some delicious Chinese food. Sarah wanted to learn how and was a great helper.
Yihua's homemade dumplings or as we call them pot stickers. They were amazing!
When it was time to clean up the play room Steve and Yihua got distracted with building the legos.
Amy and Rob left and Sarah and Jeremy went over to the Nowlands for a few days. Sam and Heidi flew out the next morning and it was very quiet around our home again for a day or two. Sarah and Jeremy returned on New Year's day and we had a very quiet few days with them and Steve and Yihua. I realized I didn't get very many pictures with the Nowland family. We had gone to the park one day and taken a hike down to the lake. I am sorry I don't have those fun pictures to show but I know Sarah put some up on her blog.
Ken and I feel so blessed to have such wonderful children, in-laws, and grandchildren. It is a beautiful life to have a family to share with and enjoy. We love the Lord and truly believe his Plan of Happiness is a plan of family love. Thank you to all who came to spend this Christmas with us and make it so special. We are excited for 2014 and think it will bring many joys and blessings.
Last year I traveled on a plane 8 times to come and visit everyone. Ken was with me 4 out of the 8 times. I thought this year might be a little slower but we already have seven trips planned with Heidi's Master's recital in February, new McNiven baby girl in March (hopefully she comes in March:), babysitting for Sarah and Jeremy to get away in May (first time babysitting for them), Grant's baptism in May, Steve and Yihua's graduation in June, Shannon's baptism in August or September and a trip to China sometime for Steve and Yihua. Not to mention all the other surprises that lie ahead for us:). We feel so blessed to be healthy, happy and know why we are here and have the Lord to guide our lives. I love the Lord, Ken, who is my favorite person ever and I LOVE MY FAMILY!
