Pure Joy!

Dec 28
Amy

I don’t know how to explain the past three days any other way than that ~ Pure Relaxation. Pure Fun. Pure Love.

Pure Joy.

This is going to be one giant post (click on small pictures to view them larger)!

The last time I was at my parent’s home on Christmas Day was four years ago, when I was still pregnant with Reagan. This was officially her first Christmas with Nana and Papa. She had such a good time, as did all of us.

One of my favorite traditions growing up was having a fondue dinner Christmas Eve. My mom would cut up all sorts of vegetables and meat, make cheese dipping sauce, tempura batter, and hot oil. We would sit around the table cooking our own meals, just how we wanted them, visiting, and enjoying each others’ company. I was so excited my mom agreed to have fondue this year (it’s pretty hard work getting it all set up, and can be dangerous — boiling oil and melted cheese — with little ones), and the girls LOVED it!

After dinner was cleaned up, we managed a few more Betts Family Traditions. The girls each got a plate of sugar cookies and a plate of icing “paints” with brushes. They each got to decorate their own cookies, then pick one to leave for Santa. They had a great time deciding which color to paint which shape, and which colors looked good mixed together. Then Reagan had the privelage of hanging the “magic key” that Santa uses to get into Nana and Papa’s house on the outside of the front door. All four girilies got to open one gift Christmas Eve, the traditional new pajamas, then it was off to bed and time for the elves to get to work.

First thing Christmas morning, Reagan noticed the “magic key” hung back on the inside of the front door, which caused her some mild excitement. Everyone had a great time opening gifts and seeing what everyone else got. Santa brought Emma the iPod she was wanting, Harley a guitar, Katelyn the white board and bulletin board she asked for, and Reagan got the HotWheels track she had asked for. As for the big kids, Aaron was good enough this year Santa brought him a new sander and a game camera, I received some very nice clothes and a deep fryer, Nana and Papa got new boots and bindings for their cross country skis.

My sister, Erika, and her kiddos (all six of them ~ Tymek-10, Benjamin-8, Konrad-5, Lillian-18mos, and Kendric & Kayleigh-2mos) came over Christmas Day afternoon to play and visit until her husband, Scotty, woke up (he works nights) and then we all had dinner. The kids all had a great time playing, and they got along SO well! I even caught Uncle Aaron holding the babies a couple times, but I was only able to capture it for proof once or twice.

Tuesday, Aaron and I took the girls up near Anthony Lakes to play in the snow and go sledding. We all had a complete blast! We sledded, had snowball fights, built ramps, sledded some more, and just made wonderful memories the girls (and Aaron and I) will cherish forever. For a while at the beginning, the snow was too deep for Reagan, so she and I made a snowman. Once the other girls and Aaron had the snow packed down really well, she had a great time sledding, too.
On the way to Anthony Lakes, we stopped at the Elk Feeding Station in North Powder to check out all the elk; there were about 100 head there, with the expectation of nearly 300-400 by the end of winter. It was great getting to see those awesome beasts so close.

We came home today, and the pass was horrible! I haven’t been on Cabbage when the roads were that bad in a long time, and it took us nearly 3 hours to get home.

So, now the T.O.D. (Tolar, Osmin, Davis) Family is home, and we are very thankful. We had a wonderful time at Nana and Papa’s house, but it is so nice to be home. Back in our own beds, back to our own routine, and back to being us.