Boxing Day and Christmas Day 2008

So I am still updating from the holidays as you can see, but I'm trying to make the posts briefer because no one comments because I think they get bored even though I do post pictures for all to see but I guess everyone sees them on facebook and then just doesn't care anymore... who knows... but I'm going to keep posting anyway!

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So these are working backwards, but here we go! We had a boxing day celebration at my parents. We've been doing it for the past few years at my parents house and it's wonderful. All my mom's side of the family as well as a few of my dad's family all come together, we have food and visit and it's wonderful. This year we did the white elephant game, and everyone got very into it... Ask Kathy about her beautiful fan! I took a bunch of pictures but here are a few favorites! I left my parents stuffed with delicious food!!!

Sarah Grace looking as pretty as ever in her shirt from me and uncle brandon

My parents looking as festive as ever... don't you love the matching Santa aprons

This is my mom's teaching partner Kathi, and for as long as I can remember she's been making these at Christmas and I LOVE them... they are holly clusters... they're like rice krispies but a million times more delicious, and some day I will learn how to make them. She made our Christmas by making us each a plate... I ate them all myself... but shhh don't tell brandon!

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Brandon and I had a BUSY but wonderful Christmas as always... we started at our home opening presents... Brandon got me a cuttle bug and I love love love it!! After our home we headed over to my parents... I think Laura was happy to have us there since she was alone with my parents Christmas morning which wasn't the same. We had a delicious breakfast there, with Cinnabon this year...YUM! We open presents and visited with the fam for a little bit. This year for the holidays I made my parents and Bran's parents a DVD of pictures I've taken since our wedding, so we watched mom's and she loved it.. I think I might make this a tradition! They are so fun to make on my MacBook. After my parents we headed over to the Nelson home to give the kiddies their gifts and even though they had no power the kids were in great spirits and showed us all their fun gifts. It is always nice to see them on Christmas. After that we made it to our last stop, the Bing home, were we had another breakfast, opened gifts and then had another delicious Christmas Dinner there, it was wonderful!!! Brandon and I were given many wonderful things this year but I think the most unique gift is our fireplace...that's right you read correct we have a new fireplace... it's pretty dang cool. We had a wonderful holiday season surrounded by family which was wonderful, we love our family so much and feel so very blessed.

Meaghan and Jason Stewart, Christmas 2008

Brandon and I with the Nelson Girls, Jake was too busy playing... could these kids be any cuter!

Brandon and I Christmas 2008 at the Bings!

who wouldn't love this face... Jay shaved off the Christmas beard but kept the moustache

Our new fireplace

Brandon and I Christmas Morning at my parents

Dad took this wonderful ariel shot Christmas Morning... yummm Cinnabon!!

Christmas Eve 2008

So here is another December Update! Christmas Eve has come and gone. Brandon and I feel very fortunate that we are able to have family so close that we are able to spend the holiday with both of our families. Christmas Eve is a lot of fun in the Bing home, I look forward to it every year and it never disappoints! We always start the day off with a movie, then dinner, then the pageant, then back home for food and then normally we watch National Lampoons Christmas Vacation... which sadly we didn't this year... but we did play a SUPER fun game called Apples to Apples! I figured I would show pictures of the day, it's easier to talk about the day by showing you the fun!

When we arrived at the house on Christmas Eve the girls were playing monopoly, and you should watch these girls play they are quite good! The little guy is Malcolm he lives across the street and is just part of the family. He was on Brittany's team and was making some deals for her that I don't think she would have normally made! She's a good sport and went along with them!

Malcolm came back just before we were about to go to the movie to bring the family something his mother had made... it was so cool... it's a vase with some festive plants in it, but what is cool is that the vase is star shaped and made out of ICE! It was simply beautiful, we had to put it in the freezer so it wouldn't melt since it was pretty mind during the day on Christmas Eve!

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After this picture we went and saw Four Christmases... Reese Witherspoon and Vince Vaughn... which was actually pretty funny, although there were some spots that were a bit awkward to see with your in-laws/parents sitting right there with you! It brought many laughs though and we had a fun time together as a family!

After the movie we went back home to relax before dinner... Meg and I had to get a picture together since we were twins and we hadn't even planned it... gotta love the GAP red cable knit sweater... I think we were looking Good!

I also wanted to share this picture from the Bing's, my mother-in-law always decorates the house so beautifully for the holidays, this is one of my favorite decorations, which is the nativity, and it holds candles and it just so beautiful!

After a break at home Peter and Laureen took us all out for Chinese Food for Christmas Eve dinner, we were trying to figure out what meals to get so since there were eight of us I think we got a meal for four and a meal for two...or something like that and we soooo didn't need to get more then one meal we had sooooo much Chinese food which was yummy and delicious! Peter wore his Santa hat all day, to everywhere we went which was cute!

This is a shot of the fam at the Chinese Restaurant, Peter took it for us so it's everyone but him and Jaccob since he was still at work. L-R... Laureen, Me, Brandon, Jason, Meaghan, Chelsey and Brittany.

After dinner we headed to the Nativity at the Church which I always love going to. This year Simon and Danielle were Mary and Joseph and were so cute!! I love going to the nativity because I not only get to be with family but I get to see some wonderful friends on the holidays too. I was a little bummed though that we missed seeing my family at the Nativity, since we came to the later performance! This top picture is of Julia, Kristine, Kailey and Adam and below is Kristine and Morgan... it was so wonderful to see Kristiane and we just wish she'd move back home for good!

When we got home it was time for more food and fun... in our family we do something called Jack Corner Pie, which basically is a gift exchange between all the siblings. We draw a name and have a price limit and then we exchange them on Christmas Eve... it's nice since there are so many of us! This year I had Jaccob and Jaccob had me... I gave him a new shirt which he is modeling below with his egg nog mustache, what was funny was that he was given PJ pants in the same color so he had a little blue and white outfit going on. Anyway Jay bought me two new books which I was excited about since I needed some new books. Meaghan and Brandon and bought him a magic bullet which is pretty fun and what is funny about that is that Chelsey had Meaghan and bought her a magic bullet....it was a great laugh!! We also all got new Christmas PJ's which were a lot of fun and so comfy to put on for game playing!

It was really great to have Jaccob home this year, we were a complete family again! He was away on his mission last year and we missed him... glad he's home!

Brandon and I Christmas eve 2008

Part of Brandon's Jack Corner Pie gift was that Meaghan and Jason after the movie drove out to the airport and bought crab legs for Brandon, which was shared with everyone. He had wanted them on his birthday and wasn't able to get them, so it was really sweet for them to remember. He loved them and said they were super delicious!

chelsey and brittany during the gift exchange... chels was excited about her new shuffle... it's going to be a family of shuffles... peter, chelsey and brandon for sure have them now!

Brothers together again playing apples to apples, so much fun!

Bing Family 2008

Peter wanted to take a group shot to send along to family who live all across the country so we set up the camera and their timers and took a great family shot!!

Coming Next Post Christmas 2008!

DARN IT! Posting Issues... Please Read!!

So this is my DARN-IT face!! So this is a little post so that everyone knows I updated my blog. Did you know that if you start a post on January 1st and your don't post it until January 9th, it will still say the 1st on it, so no one will know you updated... It's the truth... I posted on the 1st, but I started it on the 23rd, so I don't know if anyone got to see it. So if you are feeling brave please check out the last two posts, they're longer but they have PICTURES!! I was also posting this because I got my hair cut... it had been over a year... so they trimmed the ends, layered it up and gave me some bangs, I decided to keep the length for a little bit longer! Check out my posts!! Love you all!!!

Wii Like to Have Fun... December 2008 Update #2

So from today on I've decided to be a better comment giver... I hate when I do a big post and then it gets like two comments, but I really can't complain because just like blogging I've been a slacker there too... so it's January 9th, 2009 and from now on whenever I read a blog I am going to leave a comment...and I encourage everyone else to take up the challenge, because I know I appreciate all the comments from everyone!

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So this is December update number two... for those of you who don't know my friend Jeff, he's the best! We met through working at Roots, we were such a dream team. He moved to England this year for school and he's been doing an awesome job over there! He came home for the holidays and we were able to hangout at the Nelson home. Kathy and Jeff M. because buddies through talking on the phone at Roots. Before Jeff moved we had a wii night at Kathy's place which was a blast, we were both aching at work the next day. So while jeff was home for Christmas we headed back over, this time he brought his adorable niece Rion, to play with the kids. I think she took a little time to adjust to the crazy nieces and nephew I have, but soon enough she was part of the gang. We had a blast eating snack and playing wii. I think this will definitely turn into a regular event every time Jeff makes it back to the country!!

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Jeff is a blogger friend too, so hopefully he'll see this post soon... Hope you had a great flight back home Jeff and got all the paper done!!!

This is what happens when you give your digital camera to a four year old...Jake was being very creative that night with his photography...My sister had beautiful appliances!

Miss Georgia being as cute as always... when kathy was pregnant with Georgia the kids wanted to name her Dexter, like the monkey from night at the museum because he was "a little ball of fun"- I think the name description still fits with Georgia...she's totally a little ball of fun!

Uncle Brandon joined us on our wii night, even though he fell asleep... this is such a cute picture of Georgia... the others, so-so... ha ha ha... creepy uncle Brandon!

This is my friend Jeff... he is so cool... can you tell?? This was Jessica's photo skill!! Jeff is such a good sport to play along!

These are the wii girls... me, rion, sarah and jessica

Uncle Brandon and Jake were Twins that night...green shirt and dark pants- so adorable!

Rion and I doing the we won dance!!!

This is another one of jessica's photo talents... we loved Sarah in this picture!!

This was a group shot just before Jeff and Rion had to go, we had a great night and are so glad we were able to make a new friend, Rion is always welcome back at the Nelson home. As usual Jessica is being her silly self in this shot!!