Family Time

I'm just now getting around to posting about the Christmas and New Year's holidays we spent in Tulsa with my family.

Christmas Eve we went to my aunt & uncle's house for dinner and a candlelight service that my dad created years ago (involves Scripture reading while gradually lighting the candles around the circle, singing of Christmas songs and then maybe sharing whatever is on your mind). This year we also looked at lots of old pictures of family gatherings (from the 70's and 80's). There were some hilarious photos of us cousins when we were cute little kids.

Christmas Day my parents had all the family over for dinner, games and the gift exchange. We do the gift exchange game where everyone draws a number from the hat to see what order we go in. #1 opens a present. #2 can take #1's present or open another present. #3 can take #1's or #2's present or open their own present from the pile...and so on. A gift is "safe" and can no longer be taken once it's been taken twice (so the 3rd person to get it, keeps it). It is really fun and quite hilarious at times. We do $20 gifts so you end up with some good stuff.

Here is Aunt Cindy passing out the numbers:



This year we had some guests join us--Tonia and her boyfriend Ken. Tonia is good friends with Craig and I, as well as with my cousin and sister. Craig introduced me to her and she was my roommate the year after college. Ken, Tonia, sister Karen, cousin-in-law Becca, cousin Ben:



On Christmas Day and New Year's Eve & Day we played the usual Around the World Ping Pong. It's a great ping pong game that everyone can participate in at once. When it's your turn, you step up to the table, pick up the paddle, hit the ball over the net, set the paddle down on the table and move around the table to the right, standing behind the person who hits before you. This goes on and on with everyone rotating around the table, hitting from a different side each time, until all but 2 people are out. You are out if you have 3 strikes against you and the way you get a strike is if you don't hit the ball on your turn (if the person hitting the ball to you didn't strike on their turn) or you hit it but it doesn't hit the table on the other side of the net. Since it's impossible for the last 2 people to run around the table hitting in the same manner, they have to hit the ball then place the paddle on the table, spin around in place one time and pick up the paddle for the next hit (they stay on the same side of the table the whole time). The winner is the one who lasts longest without getting 3 strikes. It's very fun and high energy!



You are really racing to get to the other side of the table when there are only 4 people left!



Cousin Christy and sister Karen playing cards on New Year's Eve:



Christy pinching her baby Chloe's cheeks--so cute!



My brother John and his family travelled from Breckenridge, CO to Missouri to spend Christmas at Lindsay's sister's house with her family. Then they came to Tulsa on December 27th and stayed until January 1st.

Nieces & nephews Gracie (5), Isaac (4), Ella (3), Noah (1, but 2 in February!):



The night they arrived, the kids opened their presents from us while wearing their matching pj's:



Lindsay holds up the I Spy quilt my mom made for the kids. It has all sorts of great things on it for them to play the I Spy game with. They loved it!



Fun times playing with homemade playdough and drawing:









We went to Incredible Pizza one day for lunch (all-you-can-eat pizza/pasta/potato/dessert buffet). The kids played arcade games and rode go-karts and the carousel, etc.





Ella turned 3 on December 31st so we had a party for her. The cousins and one aunt were present for the festivities.



Noah was being funny on New Year's Eve. He spent a good deal of time running around the big room naked before getting his pj's on. He loved being the center of attention. He would run around and around and occassionally stop and bend over slightly to pat his little bare bottom. It cracked us up every time! I got it on video...oh yeah.



Minga had to be put outside a lot during our visit because she was so hyper, especially around the kids. She started spending lots of time on the picnic table because she could then see in the kitchen window better.