We're back! We spent almost two weeks in So. Cal with my family. It would be very difficult to recap the entire week, so I came up with my top ten list...Of course, these are my top ten moments and not everyone else's, so feel free to comment with ones I left out...
10. The almost disasterous family photo session. This session could've been disasterous in so many ways. Let's be honest folks, 38 people (I think) and 18 of those children...four of them babies. Recipe for complete disaster. Our fabulous photographer who graciously agreed to this totally out of control request almost slept though our session! Luckily, one phone call and some serious scurrying around and all was well. We love you Judy! Thanks for doing that for us.
9. Watching my siblings parent. You know, things are highly amusing when they don't involve your children. Somehow, watching my sibings and their spouses deal with their children was great entertainment for me. You know how all parents wish for their child to get a kid exactly like them...let's just say my parents' wishes have been granted MANY times over.
8. The hugest pile of presents I have ever seen under the Christmas tree. Let's face it folks...that many people opening up all of their Christmas gifts together makes for a serious mountain of presents. Of course I'm a dork and I didn't take any pictures of that...or maybe I did. I'll have to look. But, the look on the kids' faces...worth it all.
7. Kristin's (aka Bond's) chex mix. YUMMMMMMM. Enough said. Parting is such sweet sorrow. I had to make it again for my friends to try. It got very good reviews. I think it's a new Christmas must for me. I'm not making it again until the holidays next year.
6. Watching the boys play baseball together at the park. I'm not sure who had more fun...the dads or the boys. It brought back memories of bonus room baseball. Good times.
5. Hearing several of the nieces/nephews yell, "I quit" while practicing the Nativity play they were going to do for us. Apparently, the directors (AKA Kenzie and Emma) were not treating the "talent" with due respect. When the "talent" were offered bribes, they wouldn't even come back for that! Nothing says the Christmas spirit like refusing to act out Luke 2!
4. Jake in full UCLA attire (pants, jersey and full pads) every day after Christmas. Okay, maybe it wasn't every day, but when I asked him if he was wearing it again one day, he said, "I couldn't find any other clothes." Sure you couldn't. Whatever. He thought he looked pretty cool and let's be honest...he did. I especially liked it when he would punch his crotch to show me the pad that he was wearing there. gotta love that.
3. The evenings, specifically after 8:00 PM when the kids were in bed. It was so nice to have time with the adults. Sure it was interrupted by kids complaining about their siblings or someone smelling brownies, but still, it was nice. My favorite was the game night. Whey did you chickens only play sorry one time? Nobody got injured! And the graet name game where the girls annhialated the boys. Or was it the other way around? I get so easily confused.
2. Knotts Berry Farm. My kids had such a great time. It was fabulous not to have Malia with us because I could be with the bigger kids. It wasn't crowded. The food was great. And, I got to see one of the funniest things I have ever witnessed in my life. Courtney riding that kiddie version of "Supreme Scream." I have not laughed that hard in FOREVER. For those of you who missed it, Courtney pretended to be a terrified child on the ride. Her screaming and crazy seizure-like gestures caused passers-by to stop and either laugh hysterically or quickly hurry by so as not to be seen near the CRAZY on the ride. Sure, small children on the ride may have been frightened, but the rest of us were highly entertained. Thanks for that Courtney. You made my list of all time hysterical moments.
1. Being together with all 8 of my siblings on Christmas Eve. It was only for a little while before Matty had to go, but it was awesome. Mark mentioned that Christmas Eve was the first time ALL of us had been together in a very long time and he was right. I don't know when it will happen again, but it was pretty amazing to see how everybody's grown and changed. This was certainly a memorable Christmas...Thanks everybody for putting up with "life" so we could spend some time together! Now, go home and recuperate!!!
Yes, it was definitely a memorable holiday season for us all. I enjoyed the time spent at my house with my children. It was a good time for our family. I really enjoyed the simplicity of the season as we focused on what was most important to us.
And, to Mom and Dad. Not many people would be willing to give up their own bed and control of their home to provide sleeping arrangements, food, etc. for 23 people at night and some 35+ people all day long for 9 days straight in the middle of the holiday season. It takes a special kind of person to not only allow that chaos, but to welcome it, and enjoy it for what it is. So thanks guys for making this happen. I know that even in the moments where you're enjoying the silence and comfort of your own beds, you're wishing we'd all come back sooner rather than later. We love you...
12 comments:
If that is the same Chex Mix that you brought to New Years...I so want the recipe!!!
Good times, good times.
From the traveling Lazerbeams, let me add a few:
1. The beautiful scenery between Dallas and L.A. I mean, you can't get enough of those cacti and tumbleweeds.
2. Judging by the number of trains between El Paso and Phoenix, trucking costs must be high because everything travels by train.
3. Counting the coyote roadkill along the way.
4. Team driving. Adam - nice work letting me cut in front of Miss "I'm pretending to look at my nails and not realize that I am blatantly attempting to sneak up on you and cut you off."
5. Dale's speedometer being a few miles slow, as if his slow driving habits didn't make him go slow enough as it was.
6. The remarkable fashion show put on by the kids at any given point in the trip.
7. Katie's pregnancy being revealed at breakfast at the hotel.
8. How much fun it was getting the kids to go to sleep in the hotel.
9. Rudy's BBQ!! I'm hooked.
10. In-n-out
11. Being just about at the point where I was getting over my cold when I got home, then reaching into my bag to get out my toothbrush, and being halfway through brushing my teeth before I realized it was Brandon's toothbrush. He had an entirely different cold which then got passed on to me.
12. Weather that made Texas feel warm.
Amen. Hallelujah! Holy Freak, where's the Tylenol?
Really, we had such a blast too. Only disclaimer is: next time we fly.
Please hold. Dale looked at me holding a pitcher of milk and thought I was prego, which I'm not, thank heaven.
Let me add a few also:
13. Getting crushed in Super Smash Bros by Rick, Carter, Brett, Brando...pretty much everybody that felt like playing beat me.
14. The Dream Team failing to beat Super Mario Bros after repeated late night attempts.
15. Getting some video game redemtion by beating up on Jake and Brando in Techmo Bowl.
16. Lunch with Pepper.
I'll add my own as well:
17. Getting to watch football with Dad and Mark. It is just not hte same without them and it never gets better than it is with them.
18. Mom's cooking for Christmas dinner. 2 full meals, one gluten free and one not, was heroic.
19. Running around with the "big kids" (Dad included) getting on one rollercoaster after another, just like the good old days.
20. The look on mom's face when she saw all of those little ones tearing into the far too generous Christmas bounty that she and Dad worked so hard to make happen.
We love you guys so much. Can't wait until next time we all get together and this time, we're all treating you guys. No choice!
Thanks for all the positive comments - and thanks to all who made the heroic effort to get here during the holidays - Matt & Lisa for driving 7 hours to get here when the grapevine was closed, Tammy, Justin and Dale for driving
for 24 hours so you could be here in the nut house, Mark & Carrie for sharing their home with a baby who (rumor has it) doesnt sleep much, Michelle & Rick for driving 2 cars which allowed us to spend more time with the family, Kristin & Stephen for moving out of their bed and room into another house altogether so that mom & dad had a comfy (and I do mean COMFY) bed to sleep on and Brett and Courtney for their endless entertainment - it was a wonderful holiday and I cant thank you all enough for making it happen - you guys are the best.
Good point Mom. Brett and Courtney rocked the his-ouse.
Gosh there were so many I could comment on (we did the family picture thing too with no babies and similar results!), but I did have to laugh about the crotch pad since Justin refused to wear a cup for football because "no one does, mom, sheesh!" Well, just ask him about the Valencia game next time you see him ;)I love the Lisonbees! I miss my walking partner!
Those were all very good times. I'd probably have a similar top 10 list except I'd add one of my personal favorites which was the gingerbread man story with the kids. I had soooo much fun doing that with them. Oh and sushi with the boys. Not only was it a delicious meal but adam and mark provided some serious entertainment. Oh and towards the end when there were only a few of us, Judy and I got in a lip gloss fight...that one would be up there too. And someone already mentioned the rides at Knotts but sitting next to someone different on each ride was hilarious. Watching each of their unique freak outs make it worth my while.
And even though I am STILL sick from all the walking petri dishes you brought with you, yup...we're going on 11 days folks...it was so worth it!
Courtney, if it is any consolation, I am still sick. So are the three Br's.
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