Dinner the night before Adrian's farewell

Some of our family was able to go to Utah to listen to Adrian talk before he left on his mission.  It was so nice getting to spend more time with him and get to know him and his family better.  I know I have said this before, but the Brown's are so amazing.  Blake really could not have asked for better adoptive parents.  We also just love Natalie, she is Jerika's age and they had a lot of fun together.  Me and my two kids rode to Utah in KaReena's car with KaReena and her two kids, and mom and dad.  We were packed in, but we had a lot of fun.  We all stayed in the same hotel as Blake and Cindy and the boys and that was fun too.  Shelby and his family live in Utah so they were able to come hang out with us and come to church with us on Sunday.  Jerika actually stayed at Shelby's house, so our hotel room wasn't as crowed.

Jerika (I really wish I could her to act normal for a picture), Cody & Natalie

My two amazing nieces Sydney & Kelsie.

Peyton, Cindy, Brycen and Ashlin

Carter, Daxton & Lydia

Kinlee & Aunt Annie

Shelby & mom - he actually cooperated this time.

Dad and KaReena

Brycen, Ashlin and Adrian.  I think we were all seated by the time Adrian came in, so this is the only picture I got of him, I know I am a slacker.  I took a whole bunch on Sunday that I will post later.

Blake & Cindy and Neil & Cheryl Brown

Missing Rexburg man - please look, he is my friend. Thanks!!

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FINALLY.........2011

We spent New Years eve at the Carlsons.  We had so much fun, even though the power was out for a few hours and it was below zero (not a good combination.)

Allisa & Brandon

Us with Brandon's light so we could see.

Ray had a head lamp and it was everyone's favorite.  DeAnn does however look a little irritated or something.  Maybe she just didn't want her picture taken in the dark or she didn't think we could see her face in the dark.  Thank goodness for the flash, it catches everything.

Even Kinlee's cross eyes, silly kid.  Mya's hair is getting so long.

Allisa's computer was still charged so the kids were able to watch their movie on that.

Wow, that is a little blurry, but you get the point.

Peyton, Kinlee, Reece

Still - More Christmas - this is the last!!

Ray with his Granny.

I'm too sexy for my Dr. Pepper shirt.  Kinlee and her slinky and Grandma Walker with her pet elephant?

I guess I should have put the kids in this one for a 4 generation picture.  Too tired to think.

Tyler, Kinlee and the ex girlfriend Natalie.  She made a haul and then dumped Tyler.

Behind as usual!!! Just posting Christmas morning in February.

Silly family.....

I decided I look much better behind the camera. Also, I give up all control when I have someone else taking the pictures for me. And it looks like I need to take my glasses off for the next family pictures.

Anyway, here are the pictures we took of the adults on Christmas Eve (I know, I know I am really behind). Anyway, I guess you can call us adults, even though we kind of act like silly kids a lot.

I can just hear mom saying "what a bunch of silly kids". She is thinking it, just look at her.

Once again if I would have been behind the camer I would have noticed some of the wives were covered by their husband's big heads. Then there is me again, thinking that if I lift my head up really high nobody will be able to see all my chins. I think I look even more silly than I would have normally.

I think mom and dad missed the "make silly faces" memo.

Christmas Eve at Grandma & Grandpa's house

Every year for Christmas eve we go up to St. Anthony to my mom and dad's house, and by we, I mean everyone in our family.  It is really nice to have all of us there, but it is pretty crazy.  First of all we eat, of course, and then we all go out into the living room and we all have prepared a little thought or song or something to present to the family.  Then we all get in a huge circle and play the right left game.  Mom writes a new story every year to tell about the events that have happened that year.  It gets pretty crazy with all of us.  Mom takes GREAT care in picking out presents for all of us that she knows we will love or something we need.  It is kind of crazy, because I think she listens all year for hints and writes them down as soon as you say something.  So, when the story is over, the youngest (whoever doesn't freak out when they have to give their present away) opens their present.  The person who it belongs to usually figures out it is theirs before anyone else and so they usually go get it pretty fast.  Then that person opens his or her present and it continues like that until everyone has gotten their presents opened.  After those are open, we exchange gifts with the person from the family that we drew.  The adults draw couples and the kids have a separate drawing for them, so they opened those and of course everyone loved what they received.  Then this year mom and dad handed all the grandkids their presents and they opened all of them at the same time and then the adults did the same thing.  This year for our present from mom and dad, they had some pictures taken of them (by yours truly) and I must say they turned out pretty good.  So, they made a little book of quotes and pictures and they are such an amazing gift, mom is always such a amazing gifter for sure. 

Lydia, Brayli, Kinlee, Kaden, Carter, Dax

Tracy, Kayla, Brycen, Linda

 

Brian, KaReena

Ashlin, Cindy, Jerika, Syndey & Kelsie

Me, Cody, Jerika, Rylen, Sydney

Tragen, Peyton, Luke

The Grandparents

Mom made blankets for most of the grandkids this year and they were pretty excited.  Look at Jerika's face, I think she was one pretty happy camper.  I don't know what her fedish with cows is, but whatever rows her boat, I guess.  She really did like her blanket and that is what matters. 

Kinlee's blanket had frogs all over it, and you can't tell she is excited either.  My kids are so funny about blankets, they walk around the house with them all the time.  So, they were really happy about getting new ones to drag around. 

This is the mass chaos that is left after all is said and done.  It looks like I got a picture of Ray's boot too.

Shelby & Anita eating, this picture is a little out of order, but sometimes, that's house I roll. 

Merry Christmas to all and to all a Good Night!!

Even better.....

It is a good thing Ray doesn't know how to look at my blog!!  He would really kill me, but I couldn't resist.  Isn't he sexy.

I really do love him, even though he is a little silly sometimes!!