Christmas

 

We had a delightful Christmas Eve with Sam's family, including the traditional Nativity reenactment.

Ivy and Schofield were Mary and Joseph.

Clayton, Valerie, Jori, and Kendrick were angels, and Penny was the star.

Spencer, Sam, Nate, and I were shepherds, Douglas was the inn keeper, and Kate was a donkey.

Taylor was King (Queen?) Herod and Grandma, Diana, and Harrison were wisemen. Diana insisted she was a wiseWOMAN.

Grandpa Doug was the narrator.

Ivy was good to say "Cheese!" whenever I pointed the camera at her.

We opened some presents. Grandma got a special present from Kate and Clayton. They are going to have child #2 (Ivy is their first child) sometime around August 2024!

Ivy shared her present with the rest of the kids.

Douglas, still in costume, building his present.

Harrison and Ivy playing with Douglas.

We had a couple of crazy games of "Bank" - so fun!

The kids played Christmas Bingo with Grandma.

We adults ate dinner while the kids watched a movie.

Months ago, the Coombs siblings (and their spouses) were assigned one person for whom we would get a Christmas present. Here I am on Christmas Day wearing my Christmas present from Jori: socks with my children's faces on them.

Getting ready to open a few presents.

They are excited to go on a cruise!

We purchased carry-on suitcases for each of the kids, and they got personalized Disney magnets to decorate our cabin door on the cruise ship.

They also received travel pillows (in Arabic and English) from one of my flights to the Middle East.

Sam got us a portable ping-pong table.

Diana on Christmas Day, with Christmas chocolate still on her face.

Today (the day after Christmas) we visited my parents in Provo. Sam gave this cute little Christmas gift to Granny (my Mother). Very appropriate for the large quantity of beans she consumes.

Twas a wonderful day. Our children loved spending time with some of their Frye cousins.

Here's Grandpa (my Dad) eating some delicious food. Granny made the chicken-bean soup. Sam made the bean salad. Ari and his girlfriend, Bella (whose family is from Venezuela), made a traditional Venezuelan bread.

Playing ping-pong with Douglas, Ari, and Maxwell.

We played Bank and Rook.

Maxwell and Douglas pinning Gideon to the floor as Bella enjoys the melee.

Diana and Bella play Volley Shot. Douglas is laughing at something in the background.

Getting a snack before heading home.

Penny and Denali giving goodbye hugs.

Merry Christmas!