Christmas highlights

This could also be labeled "the most pictures in one post." I was having such a hard time narrowing down my favorite pictures from Christmas that I decided to just put them all on, sorry.
Christmas break was the funnest 2 weeks we've ever had as a family! We left Oregon right after Shawn's finals (and when our chains arrived UPS) just in time to escape the biggest snow storm this area has had since 1965. Driving 11 hours through the night proved NOT to be as peaceful as we thought, since the kids didn't fall asleep until 2am. But it was worth it. Here are some of our highlights:

Here's the kids with Veronica. She works with my mom and adores the kids, and they love her! Visiting her is like visiting Santa at the North Pole.

We spent our first week staying with the Skinners. We stayed up late playing games and laughing while the kids ran around with their cousins. Late nights and lots of sugar is what makes Christmas break so much fun! Everyone (minus kids) out to eat.

Our favorite cousin picturesPURE JOY!The whole cousin clanI had to throw this picture in because my husband is just so handsome! I was able to get together with my best friends growing up, boy I've missed these girls!
Here's our kiddos, minus my boys because I wouldn't dare bring them somewhere I actually wanted to relax and enjoy. We had dinner and caught up with the Swarbricks, who we just love! Here's Grant with their daughter, Cadance. Seriously, from all this talk, you'd think we've been gone for years. We just really do miss everyone, and 7 months feels like years!
Of course, opening presents was a major highlight!Grant with his PapaThis was Reagan's first Christmas and here she is opening her first gift ever.We spent our second week with my mom, who only lives 10 minutes from the Skinners, so we really didn't have to travel far. Reagan with Uncle IanReagan with her Aunt Bobbie. She really warmed up to both our families, considering the last time she saw anyone was when she was 4 months old. Here she is with her Uncle Ryan.Reagan and her cousin Taven.The Skinner's have a tradition of acting out the Nativity scene on Christmas Eve. This year Jefferson got to be Joseph. This is what Shawn looked like for most of our Christmas vacation. I cut him a little slack because he did just complete his first semester of Optometry school. He's got to enjoy what rest he can get before he starts the next 9.

Christmas was a blast! We'll see you all next year (wow, that sounds sad). I'm sure we'll make an excuse to go down to California before a year, at least I hope.