Take What You Can Get

The Christmas break came just in time. My last semester went well and I got a 4.0 (woohoo!) but toward the end I was feeling some stress. In fact, I was so eager to get my relaxation on that I didn't sweat taking pictures. So you'll have to take what you can get from what I could scrape up. And let's just overlook the fact that I'm not getting to this post until MLK day. Get used to it. This semester is going to be crazy.

A few days before Christmas my sister Sambo and her husband and youngest daughter came from St. Louis to stay with us. We had them here for Christmas morning, along with my parents, and it was fun to have the kids' cousin with us for Santa's arrival. She and T got matching outfits from Santa. These girls are exactly 1 month apart.

Christmas morning was great! DH got me a new camera! Woot. Unfortunately, I haven't used it much at all. As I previously stated, taking pictures has not been high on my priority list. I was able to surprise DH by getting one of his prized paintings framed. He had them done on his mission by a painter who specializes in church reproduction paintings. He had three made and we've been waiting until we had the funds to frame them. I was able to get the one of Christ framed without breathing a hint of it to him. He was surprised and pleased (yeah, he cried). Come over some time and see it.

On the 26 we went to my parents house for an authentic Mexican dinner. My parents have been teaching English to the Mexican immigrants in their area, so they were taught how to make tamales and "Guatemalan Wassail" (made from plantains!). Before dinner my sisters and I happened upon my mother's wig collection-

And then, by holiday mandate, we played games. T even found a few words in Boggle that the rest of us missed!

The next day we headed over to DH's dad's house. The kids were pretty excited when they saw the size of their gifts.

Thanks for the Pillow Pets, Grandpa! And thanks for the really nice knives. They are very, very sharp! (I've only cut myself once.)

That night everyone made the pilgrimage to DH's dad's extended family Christmas party. They looked at slides of when DH and all his cousins were just kids acting out the nativity. Then the next generation took a turn.

E got jealous of baby Jesus' sweet manger and helped herself while unsanctimoniously gouging his eye out.

I, actually, was not in attendance because I wasn't feeling well. It looked like a great time, though.

We spent most of that week at DH's mom's house, mostly playing Kinect on the XBox. I must say, it is pretty dang cool. I loved dancing with A and TLee and especially loved watching Jord dance! I spent one morning perfecting the Bust a Move routine. Aw Yee-ah. The kids love staying at Grandma's house and we all feel comfy and at home there. We also, as always, played a lot of games, especially while TLee and Jonboy were there.

Of course, we had to get together with Dandi and Stanny while Stanny was in town.

Note: This is a horrible angle for pictures. I had to crop this one to avoid, what Dr. Dandi called, the "whale in skinny jeans" look. It was not a flattering shot for anyone. We did, however, have a great time eating Swedish meatballs and playing Word on the Street.

The weekend brought the first ever Sisters' Retreat for my four sisters, my mother and me. We stayed at Auntie M's, worked on a quilt, watched movies and talked about everything under the sun. It was so fun to be all together. DH stayed at his mom's with the kids. Thanks DH.

One day we drove down to Salt Lake and did a session at the Salt Lake temple. This was a very enjoyable time, though we had to remove ourselves from the Celestial Room because we didn't think it was appropriate that we couldn't stop laughing.

On the way there we hijacked Auntie M's camera while she ducked into a beauty supply. Auntie M was sweet enough to send me the photo I took of myself.

It was a COLD day at the temple. My poor sister R, who lives in Southern California, was especially uncomfortable.

We also had dinner at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building at that restaurant on the top floor. I can't remember what it's called.

All of us together!

We spent New Years Eve together and Sambo's older girls were able to come from their Dad's long enough for us to visit with them.

It was a long, fun, holiday and I was relieved for it to begin and for it to end. I got a couple of days to breathe before school started again.

Now we're in the middle of what we've been mentally preparing ourselves for for months. Last week was grueling, with DH working well past bedtime each night, while being sick, but we're making it and God is blessing us beyond measure. Life is good!