Family Parties

On Saturday the 29th we had two family parties, the Kenison and Davis parties.  Since Nathan was still getting up earlier than some of the other cousins we had Grandma mostly to ourselves.  Noa also liked to get up early.  She and her dad would get up and watch something on the from Netflix through the Wii.  Their favorite was to watch the "How it is Made" show. 

Grandma, Nathan and Noa

Noa is very mobile and loves to smother people.  She would crawl on top of any of the babies playing on the floor.  Sarah-Jane and Luke were both a little scared of her.  When we arrived we were warned that she has a tendency to traumatize small people.  Nathan didn't seem to mind her though.  He was laying on the floor playing and she crawled over and laid on top of him and he just looked at her.  He has two older brothers and an older sister...he wasn't fazed at all.  :0)

We got Malea and Colton a special gift for Christmas. 

"What is it?  Does it rattle?"

"A Christmas Story?  This means what to me?"



 

"A leg lamp!  Awesome!"

Malea had never seen A Christmas Story so she didn't fully appreciate the gift.

Colton had to fill her in a little.  She did like the lamp though.  Who wouldn't like a leg lamp nightlight?

Noa stilling Grandpa's hugs.  It was so fun to have so many little people to snuggle.

Nathan spend most of the trip being sleep deprived!  We ran from one party to the next.  He thought Uncle Jason was pretty comfy.

Sarah-Jane and Luke

I have never seen a kid get as excited about eating as Luke does.  I thought his mom was over exaggerating, but she wasn't!

Jessica, Malea and Colton

We had some wedding cake for breakfast!

"You take a picture, and I am going to have to beat you."  Good morning sunshine.

Aunt Janna trying to stay warm.  She is a true Floridian now.

 

With breakfast out of the way we started getting ready for the Kenison Christmas party. 

(We had about 20 people at the house.)

Andrea braiding Amy's hair, Janna cutting Katie's hair, and Malea brushing Anna's hair. 

 Ethan was a great supervisor.



Then we moved to the bathroom...one thing we do well around here is hair!

 

The Kenison Christmas party was at the church in Levan.  It was so fun to visit with Aunts, Uncles and cousins I haven't seen for ever.  Scott and Angie were visiting and we got to see them again.  I felt bad the kids weren't with me, but I did enjoy visiting.

Uncle Gord and Jessika were in charge of the party.  Aunt Kim wasn't feeling well that day.

It is tradition to have a pinata.

Tyler, Luke and Amy

Michael, Meghan and their twins.  It was fun to caught up with them.

Grandpa was kind of like the Piped Piper!  He had quite the following when it was time to clean up.

Next we headed to Payson for the Davis Family Christmas party.  This is the temple being built in Payson, UT.  It is so amazing to me that they are building a temple there.  My parents ward with be in the Payson Temple district when it is finished.

The kids had some fun crafts to do.  There was also a bingo card with questions for the adults to fill out.  We had to find a family member that matched each question like: Born east of Mississippi, baptized on your birthday, served in the military, has a Masters Degree, speaks foreign language, etc...  It was fun to learn a little more about our extended family members.

McKell, Luke and Aunt Mary

They had a good volley ball game going.  Malea was rockin' it in her yellow pants!

Amy serving...

Jessica getting ready to return the ball.  Amy and Jessica are such sweet young ladies and they are really good help. 

Grandma and Sara-Jane

I think it is safe to say that Grandma is one of SJ's favorite people, but what's not to love?!

I love getting candid shots of people in conversation!

Janna and Grandpa M.

Luke, Tido, Brendie and Haylie

It was so fun to see Brenda and her kids, it was good to see Neldon too.  :0)



 

Andrea did both Amy and Jessica's hair.  I thought their hair was really cool!

I miss going to these family parties each year and visiting with our extended family.  It is something I grew up doing and was one of the hardest parts about moving from Utah.  I am grateful I was able to make it this year.

Dec. 28, 2012

Levan Reception

We stayed with Bethany and Tory at their new house in Santaquin, UT after the Malea and Colton's wedding.  The next morning, Dec. 28th, we headed down to Levan for the reception.  I dropped Janna off at the church to help finish decorating and I took the babies to Grandma and Grandpa's house. 

When we got to the church there were huge ice cycles!  Janna jumped in the snow to help get an idea about how big they are.

I love snow flocked trees and it has been too long since I have seen this much snow!

Powell Lane was snow packed.  I was so glad they had snow this year.  This is looking towards home and the farm.

This is looking towards Mt. Nebo and Levan.  It was such a beautiful winter morning.

Grandma's gingerbread family

Some of the grand kids went sledding behind Grandpa's truck on the snow packed road.

Jessica just getting back from sledding.  She had a blast!

Uncle Jason

Grandma's school bus and Sheena

This is how I remember things looking at Christmas time when I was a child.

Jessica and Ammon

Nathan was excited to be out of his seat and playing with new toys.

Rorie playing us some tunes.  She kept asking me to sing with her, but I wasn't sure exactly what she was playing.  I told her to start singing and then I would join her.  She is so cute.

Ethan trying out Uncle Jake's new disc shooter!

Amy and Luke watching for his mom and dad to return from decorating the church.

Jessica was good to keep track of Ammon and Nathan.

 

Jason was good to stand and do ALL of the big dishes.  He was also much more pleasant than this picture portrays.  You the Man!

 



Aunt Mary and MaKell helping set the refreshments out.  Mary also did all the floral arrangements.  She does an incredible job!

Nathan and our newest uncle, Uncle Colton.

Uncle Tyler and Sarah-Jane were matchy-patchy!

I got to visit with Tyler more this trip and I learned some things about him that I didn't know before.  I like him more and more with everything I learn about him.

 

Nathan and Luke in their suites 

They looked so handsome!

Karrie, Nathan, Janna, Ammon, Katie and Luke

Everyone thought these boys were so handsome, and they are!

Uncle Jake and his family with the Potters

Colton, Malea, Meghan, Rorie, Jake and Noa

Katie, Luke and Tyler

This picture says a lot...:0)

Janna and I jumped in a picture together since our families weren't there.  It was so fun to be there and see everyone.

Laura, Bethany, Mom, Dad, Colton, Malea, Jake, Andrea, Janna, Katie, Karrie

(Shellie and Brenda are missing)

These are all the new babies and moms.  It was so fun to get all these little people together.  They were so cute and each has a very distinct personality.  We need to do this more often!

 

The parents with the bride and groom.

Potters & Kenisons

Great-Grandpa Marvin with Nathan and mom.

The wedding cake

Aunt Laural made their cake as a wedding present and Aunt Mary added the flowers. 

I handed my camera to my nephew Tyler and asked him to get some pictures of the cake while we were doing pictures with Malea and Colton.  He did a great job and this last one was one of my favorites.  I love that the angel and the temple are in focus and all the activity in the background is blurred. 

 (That is so true of how the wedding went.  The marriage in the temple was the most important and the reception is just an after thought.)

Malea with all her sisters present.

Laura, Brenda, Andrea, Malea, Katie, Janna, Karrie and Bethany



Cutting the cake...

feeding each other. 

They were very nice and civilized about the whole thing even though there were some how thought they should be mean. 

All I can say is Colton is a very smart man!  :0)

Uncle Brian and Nathan

(Brian is actually one of my cousins, but he officially made Darcy part of the family which has earned him the status of "Uncle.")

Dec. 28, 2012