Cali 3 - Christmas!!

I get so lazy as I write catch-up posts that all I want to do is post pictures and short captions. But that makes me so torn because I just made my ENTIRE blog (minus 2014) into 2 books and I have found that it is 100 times easier and looks 100 times nicer when I write a lot and only put a few pictures. Also, turning your blog into a book is hard work!! Almost not worth it...almost. So we'll see how this post turns out.

Christmas Eve
We celebrated Christmas with my family on Christmas Eve since that was the day my brother and his family would be with us. My nephew, Henry, is in kindergarten now and he read and handed out all the presents. I was at the opposite end of the room as Bryan and Max so I didn't get very good pictures of Max opening his gifts. One thing we did for the first time in our Christmas career at that house was we opened gifts in the front room instead of the big living room! It may not sound like a big deal, but it felt so weird! The big room has HUGE windows and the sunlight was shining through like crazy and it was just way too hot to open presents in there.

 Max loves the piano and that laptop.

 Everyone knows by now what Max likes: trains and vehicles.

 Henry

 Apollo is adorable.

 My niece, Thea, put on the shirt she got, all by herself, over the shirt she was already wearing. So cute!

 Mamacita

 Best shot I could get of Max and his Uncle Kaleb.

 Max's self portraits. I thought this one was just so hilarious!

 My dad.

Christmas

Christmas Day was spent at the Jones'. This was the very last Christmas we will be spending with Grandma and Papa Jones in California since they are moving to Utah in the next month-ish. Since Bryan and I got married, 6 years ago, we have been so lucky to share each and every holiday with both of our families, often together. From now on we will have to split up our vacations and holidays and actually take turns with each family, since our parents will be living in different states. There are downsides and benefits to both. I won't dawdle on the negatives, but the best positive is that when we are with one family, we will BE with only that family and not have to split up our time with them. Anyway, we got there late Christmas morning (meaning, like, 9am) and Daniel's family, Bryan's brother, had already finished opening their gifts. Probably a good thing. Max was such a pro at opening gifts by that time that he was sure so help even Grandma open hers. We had dinner at Hometown Buffet and it was actually really delicious! We had almost a private room off to the side too, so it was nice and quiet and spacious for us.

 Woohoo for Clayton Kershaw and having a woman's jersey for once!

 Cousin Ethan had received this air rocket thing and all the boys had so much fun testing it out!

 Uncle Daniel, cousins Ethan and Carter.

 My niece Hannah was super sweet with me the whole time we were there. She never really talked to me because she was being shy, but she became pretty attached to my hip and would hold my hand and stuff. I don't know how it happened, but I am seriously a little girl magnet! Hannah had to be bribed into taking this picture with me :)

What a wonderful Christmas we had!