Christmas Surprise

Well Tyler and I were really looking forward to having a nice quiet Christmas at home this year, just the four of us. We got a tree and decorated even. We wanted to stay home and not travel with baby Lia (hoping it would spare her from any germs -- she unluckily got three colds anyway). But plans changed. We had this strong feeling that we should be with Tyler's family this year. So two days before Christmas we decided to pack up the car and make the drive all the way up to Sonora to surprise Grammie and Papa and the rest of the family. It would be the first time that whole side of the family would be together since before Cory left on his mission.

We did the drive in two days, staying overnight in Visalia. We also bought a DVD player for the car. Lifesaver. Seriously. Max did great and Lia just slept the whole time. It was a rough trip, but we weathered the storm and made it mostly intact. We got there on Christmas Eve and totally surprised the whole family. It was great!

So I'll let the pictures do the talking... these are some of the only ones I was able to save from my hard drive disaster!

Love this picture of Jordy! She's a doll face and she was so gentle with Lia.



And here's Grandma and Lia. Love this!



Christmas Eve we did a wonderful version of the nativity -- narrated (and costumed) by Andy and performed by everyone (but me, I was the photographer).



Our Joseph (not very cooperative but dang cute).





Cory was a good sport to be the donkey that carried Mary.



Our angel (and a wiseman? Can't remember). She wanted to go to bed.



Mary and baby Jesus. So cute!



Here's the whole group.


But I like this one better...


We also did a pinata. It was raining and freezing outside, but all the kids got a whack at it (even Grandma did!)





Christmas day was so fun. We had a great breakfast made by Molly (quiche!) and then watched everyone open their Christmas presents. Tyler and I had opened all of ours before we left because we couldn't fit all of them in our car. We packed as many as we could for Max so he had some to open on Christmas day with the rest of the cousins. He kind of had a ghetto stocking but he didn't notice.



In case you can't tell, Max is unwrapping a one of those really bad games from the early 90's. He loved it. Little did he know we found it in the back of a closet to wrap up for him. (He really did get real presents, he just opened a lot of them before we got to Sonora because we couldn't fit all of them. He got great presents from my dad -- a keyboard, a motorcycle -- and from Grammie and Papa -- guitar, Rody horse, musical instruments -- and mom and dad -- a laptop, books, clothes -- Mimi and Da got him an Elmo and puzzles... this kid DID NOT miss out, trust me).




Some of the gang on Christmas morning.



Max and Jessica playing with Jessica's new tea set.

Baby Lia's first Christmas!




Okay, so these next pictures aren't the best. This is not professional photographer Nina, this is mom Nina taking blurry pictures of her cutie kids!!



Max holding baby Max. This kid is almost as big as him and he's 3 months old.


Max having some fun with Papa -- tackling (it's one of his favorite things to do).


Three beautiful girl cousins -- Jordy, Jessica and baby Lia!!


The two littlest cousins, just two months apart!


And this was the best I could get of all of them... it was late and we were all tired.


We left the day after Christmas but we had a really great time seeing everyone again. It was a much needed family reunion and family get-away for us, too. It even snowed on Christmas Day! It was the first white Christmas for me in a long time!