Christmas has Come

We've had the kids and grandkid all home for Christmas. It has been a fine time. Here are some shots from various things we've done.

Two days before Christmas, we all zipped up to Targhee for a ski. Em and Rory ready for a thrilling day.

Pete and Madelyn thinking about the snow.

Adam the dude is in there somewhere.

Laura and her new skis.

On Christmas Eve, the grandparents Murdock came over for festivities. Here, Sam is dressed as a ninja shepherd.

Joseph, Mary, Jesus' sister, and Grandma Murdock.

Grandpa traded in Stubby Pringle's cowboy hat and scarf for the hat and handkerchief of a dairy farmer, as he read Christmas Day in the Morning.

Jack as a curious shepherd. 

Adam's favorite present on Christmas morning. (The tee shirt, not the hat.)

Sam and Laura helping Madelyn jump on the tramp, on Christmas day at the Grandparents Murdock.

Emily looking sweet as pie.

Pete went with Em and Rory on a cross country ski trip to Harriman State Park. Here Pete sports his hunters' ed graduation cap.

The next day, Jann, Jack and I went with them to Jackson, to do the same thing. Here's Jann at our half-way spot.

Rory and Madelyn resting. The mountains were clouded over.

Yours truly thinking about something important, I'm sure.

Big Jack.

Jack having a sip before we head back.

Jann's hiding, but it's the whole group.

The O'Connors at play.

Madelyn finally fell asleep.

Yesterday we tried to do a family photo and this is all we got.

Spiffy Blanket

Sara and Deanna and Emily made Jann a nice little blanket just for fun. Sara pieced the top together, Emily did the red edge, and Deanna quilted it.

Sunday afternoon nap. Who took this photo?

It makes the bed. Jann says she loves it.

Tree Hunting

We had two days of tree hunting this year, rather than the usual one. The Adamses wanted to go Wednesday, but didn't have much time, so we tried Canyon Creek, past Green Canyon, and up the Relay Ridge road a but. We came up empty handed. So we went again today (Friday). The Adamses couldn't come, so they asked us to cut one for them. And Sam brought Nick and Ty to cut a tree for their student council.

Jenna Cox needed to see some countryside, so we took her with us on Wednesday.

She said Idaho is so beautiful. We told her Texas is beautiful in its own way too.

The Student Council boys, Sam, Nick and Ty.

On the lookout.

Pete teaching his younger siblings how to whistle. 

Sam trying to cut his leg off.

Not too big, not too little.

Serious timber.

About the same as usual.

Loading up Nick's truck.

Jann's self portrait. Look close.

Sam being helpful, as usual.

Two trees on top. (One backwards.)

Sam Indoors

We went to one of Sam's indoor soccer games. They slayed. He has some skill with a foot. Nick too. Daniel (Ammon Williams' brother) the most. All of the pictures I took were too grainy or slow. (Indoors..)

Strutting..

Customs

That's Ian/Jack in the future ornithologist's costume. Sam in his customary attire. Adam in his Mötly Crü motif. Jann the ever beautiful. And homeless Brian; Idaho native Matthew; and Princess Brooklyn with her coat on, ready to go.

Halloween Partay

Jann and Konda did their usual Halloween party again. What would we do without them on the macabre night? Or at least on a Friday before said night.

Bart and Joanne read the little Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum nursery rhyme for us.  

The Esplins were styley, as ever.

Fred and Wilma left Pebbles home for the evening.

Mike's costume was perhaps somewhat non-commital, don't you think?

Tammy and her mother-in-law.

Tom and Wilson.

Vonda and her primary care-giver.

We found both of them. (Waldo and Waldine?)

The witch and Stitches.

First course. Pocahontas was powdering her nose?

Grandma's Fake Birthday

Many of us gathered Saturday for a day-late celebration of Grandma's birthday. And to install the new sprinkler system in the Small house. I didn't get any photos of the installation, but others did.

Jack played his last soccer game of the year. Here's his team, and his most excellent coach.

Jack, Jarom, and Matthew bouncing Thad.

MadWren needed missed supper, because she got too tired. After her bath, she went to bed.

Scott cooked a most delicious Foreign-oven dinner. Or parts of a dinner. Many others contributed as well.

Scott checking to see if it's done. See how red he looks?

The evening sky while supper was brewing.

Jeff, trying something new.

What a good-looking crew.

Or well, sort of anyway.

Jarom was ordained a teacher by his dad. Grandma cried just a little. It was a fine evening. And we almost finished the sprinkler job.