Christmas roundup

Well, we managed to visit both Eugene and Seattle, visit ALL of our immediate family members, and have lots of freakin' holiday fun.
In 7 days.
It was a little crazy, well honestly ... a lot crazy, but worth all the driving around.
We started in Eugene two days before Christmas.
We decorated gingerbread houses, Scott went skiing with Rex, we made treats, ate lasagna, refereed kids, and geared up for our big feast on Christmas eve.

The night before Christmas was spent eating an enormous cheese tray, and bon-bons, and sugar cookies; plus we did a little cooking in order to prepare our traditional Mexican spread.
Britney basically orchestrated an incredible meal in my mother's stead, but it wasn't without a little stress and some dragging of the brothers from the x-box to come in the kitchen an help already ... what are we in high school and we can't stop playing mindless video games whilst the women-folk sweat and toil over the stove?
I mean really!?!
Anyway, everything is under control.
The dinner was a success.
And yes, I ate too many chips and salsa and was stuffed to the gills halfway through dinner.
Never mind dessert.
Although I managed to struggle through that as well and try all four pies.
Anyway, we set out treats for Santa, plugged the kids into a movie, and played games.

Christmas morning, was a tornado of wrapping paper because the kids are finally old enough to understand what is happening.
Ezra was gifted a lot of trucks and boy-ish toys (which is great because I feel a little sorry for him when he is walking around on Ryan's princess heels back home).
Ryan was also given a lot of accessories.
And Scott got zhu-zhu pets. I mean he got them for the kids, not himself. Silly me.
We had a great time and really appreciated all of Britney's hard work, and my Dad and Heather's thoughtful gifts.

But it was time to go to Seattle. Like as soon as we opened the presents we dashed out the door for a fun four-hour drive.

We made it just in time for another big dinn-ah. Courtesy of Scott's sister, we enjoyed a Hawaiian turkey wrapped in palm leaves.
Scott's whole fam was there which was fun because it has been at least four years since all five siblings were together under one roof.
So we spent the next four days playing with cousins, visiting China town in Seattle, enjoying the snow, and watching movies.
Plus, I managed a three-hour marathon of Keeping up with the Kardashians while nursing the flu.
All those shenanigans had my children in a sugar-induced, sleep-deprived wreck by the time we headed back home, exactly a week after the celebrations began.
So we are back.
We are still trying to get back on to some sort of schedule.
And my house is badly in need of a good cleaning.
And if you read through this very long-winded post, well than thanks for indulging me.
Happy New Year!