Matchy.

 Thanks for the pjs Aunt Saundra and Gran Gran!

New Years Christmas

 It was a nice laid-back kind of Christmas here in Mississippi.  Like last year, we did our Christmas morning on New Years day.

 

 Have I mentioned it's nice to be home??  :)

 

 

 

*The kids did have Christmas PJs.  They were just still dirty from our trip.

*I didn't get around to lining our Christmas stockings (it's terrible trying to get gifts in and out- learned that last year), so we used cheapy-last-minute- 75%off-Walmart ones.

*Don't you love the clean towels piled on the couch?  And the blankets piled on the basket by the chair? 

 

Christmas on the road

Stop 1- BENDENA, KS

I can't find my camera card...  :(

 

Stop 2- LAMONI, IA:

Grammy's:

After a week away from Daddy (the poor guy was in Florida with the team), the kids were glad to play anything with him:

My cousin has a new job, editing film for beauty pageants (the real Miss-Whichever-State kind).  We thought it would be appropriate to get him some Barbies so he could practice.  :)

Grammy got a late birthday performance from the entire family entitled "When Grammy was MY age..." along with 80 rolls of toilet paper (a practical gift) and 80 lottery tickets (a fun gift.)

 

Stop 3- LAMONI, IA:

Grandpa Martin & Grandma Jean's: 

Ty got some exercising in while we waited for the (DELICIOUS) lunch to be ready:

 

STOP 4- DES MOINES, IA:

 Tyler & Steph's

LOTS of snow.  Do you see that mini-van compared to the mountain scraped from the parking lot??

 Ready for presents:

Reading with Nana-

(A highlight of every trip.)

Christmas cookies!

 Beautiful, right?  Despite how they might look, they tasted divine.

 

*Stop 5- Batesville, AR:

 Ty and Parker got the seats of honor for the reading of the Christmas story:

With family spread across several states, we travel a LOT during the holidays.  It was a great trip, and I would do it again tomorrow if it were possible.  But it's good to be home.  Even with the laundry piled to the ceiling (six people = ridiculous amounts of dirty clothes) and Christmas presents scattered everywhere in the house, it's a good feeling. 

Thank you, Family, for another happy Christmas.

We love you all.

*There was supposed to be a stop in Branson between Iowa and Arkansas, but the FCA event was canceled due to the snow.

Christmas Swimming Party

 

 

 Thank you, Aunt Steph and Uncle Tyler- what an awesome Christmas present!

Tie-Dyed

Halle, Cate, Maddie, Ty, Sharidyn, Jackson & Isaac:

Thank you for the hand-dyed Christmas shirts, Aunt Debbie!

Jackson and Isaac are only 2 weeks apart:

 Seven kids, six and under:

 

 Fun times.