December 31st: New Year's Eve and Bowling

New Year's Eve morning we all decided to go bowling. This is Bob. Bob is my friend and I have known him for at least 1000 years or so. I dated his brother (Jason) in high school and we have been friends ever since. He's like a big bossy brother. It's awesome. I didn't get a picture of Donna, but I will say that these guys are family to me.

We actually went bowling with Jason's kids and mom, but Jason had to work. They are pretty cool kids.

Josh apparently thought that bowling included laying on the floor and watching the ball go.

Clara "granny bowled" but loved it. Especially after we put the bumpers up.

After bowling, Dave and I ran downtown to America's Taco Shop (it was worth the drive) to get a gozillion carne asada burritos and tacos. Our little group inhaled them with a vengeance and then laid around in a coma all afternoon watching movies. We eventually got up and drove to Glendale for the launch of our Earl Family Reunion. It was the Earl Branch that got to plan it this year, and they did an exceptional job. We had a big New Year's Eve party at the church complete with munchies, a huge breakfast, playrooms with dressups, rockband, etc. It was a lot of fun!

Mandy and Darin's family. I love Mitch's expression!

We also had a talent show - Amabuela, Josh and Clara represented our family. Clara was wearing a fairy dress.

Uncle David and Carson performed a duet.

Jordan and Langley performed "Popular" from Wicked

Audrey and Bonnie played a duet on the piano. We are all awesome performers (said by someone who didn't perform and we are all glad of that).

At 11pm or so, we celebrated the new year with balloons flying everywhere, kazoos, and beads. It was very mardi gras.

I don't know where she found this outfit. When we arrived she was wearing her own clothes and I didn't see them on her again until we left.

Josh was in heaven with all of the balloons. He was trying to pop them. I was in heaven talking non-stop with all of my cousins.

December 30th: Carlos O'Brien's

I didn't take pictures of everyone - forgot! But we had a Carlos O'Briens dinner while I was home and I have to say that some of my best friends from high school were there. I loved having Misty and Regina to hug, as well as the Monicas, Jay, and Morgan. This time I brought Dave so that everyone could meet him.

KD (Misty's daughter), Misty, Regina, and me

Class of 90: Tara Ruiz, Morgan Brown, Monica Valdez, Me, and Monica Holguin (maiden names used!)

I love these girls. Seriously - how blessed can one person be to have such wonderful friends that are still around after 20 years?!

December 26-29th: Romilomingers

It's lovely when you and your bestie and your kids and your bestie's kids (besty's?) are besties. It's lovely when you get to go and visit and the kids play and the boys have deep philosophical discussions and the girls are princesses and the baby knows just how funny he is.

Spencer-Bean reading to the princesses

Seriously so cute. I love these kids more than I can possibly express!

Bestie and I got them all matching pajamas a few months ago...just for this moment. And because we are nerds like that.

This is what outside looks like in Phoenix in December.

What a diva!

Ty-Ty is such a funny kid and he knows it.

Barefoot and in a t-shirt. Clearly she is used to much colder weather.

Cutest kids ever. I love all of their feet.

The crazy boys

Future roommates at BYU? I think so.

We Interrupt this January

We have three more days of January and I have to say that on behalf of many friends and family, I will be ready to see it done.

1. Mother-in-law had knee replacement surgery. She is doing really well and recovering nicely.
2. Close family member overdosed on prescription painkillers and after a 40 year battle with addiction, is in rehab for the next few months.
3. Close friend's son was in the hospital for two weeks with RSV, pneumonia, and other issues, and has now been home two weeks and last night my friend and her kids were in a car accident. They are ok - banged up and bruised with stitches.
4. Close friend's husband has been in and out of the hospital with complications and infections from a surgery in December.
5. Close friend headed to Haiti for three weeks wearing a bullet proof vest in order to help get orphans out of the country.

And that is just the beginning of all of the challenges. I am just grateful that things are seemingly calm in my life right now so that if my help is needed, I am available. I am praying daily for inner peace as all of the chaos goes on around me, and thankfully Heavenly Father is helping me out with that. I have several blog posts that I will catch up on one of these days. You may be reading about Christmas...in July.

December 25th: More Presents!

We got back from sledding and started in on the next round of present opening with Ama Ancy and Papa Rick. Clara got a baby doll and Josh got remote motorcycle dude. Dave and I got a floor steamer (which we have loved! Our floors are so clean!). We all napped and watched A Christmas Story, and then had chili and curry squash soup for dinner. It was a very peaceful afternoon!

Clara and her baby doll

Are they asleep? Nope. You can't get decent pictures of any Totten.

Kelly shaking his present.

Ama Ancy and Curt watching the show.

Josh and the motorcycle man

December 25: Christmas Afternoon

Christmas afternoon was pure bliss. We donned our outerwear and grabbed the new Bum Sleds (click to see large picture - they just strap right onto the kids' tushies and off they go!) and headed for the local elementary school. There is a large hill that leads down to the fields that is perfect for sledding whether you are young or old. We spent about two hours going up and down, and the kids were fearless. I think that we will spend all of our Christmas afternoons this way as long as there is snow!

December 25th: Christmas Morning

We are no fools. With kids that wake up in order to wake up the roosters, we knew that holding back the flood on Christmas morning would be next to impossible. So we divided and conquered. Dave slept in Clara's bedroom with Josh, and I slept in our room with Clara. We shut and locked doors and slept with one eye open. It worked. When we heard the rustling of small bodies getting up, we threw them into our room and I ran out to call everyone and say, "Get here faster." As it turned out, having a tv in our bedroom worked wonders, and the kids were engrossed in a "How It's Made" episode at 6:30am on Christmas morning.

Finally the uncles, Amas, etc. arrived and we could get the party started.

I apologize for Uncle Rob's University of Utah attire. That is all he wears. Hopefully grad school will cure him of this particular fashion statement.

The kids descended down the stairs to see what was waiting for them.

Since our plans were to go to Arizona for a week after Christmas for our family reunion, I called Santa and asked him to please bring things that would travel well. He obliged.

Opening the stockings - we had our family plus Uncle Curt, Uncle Kelly, Uncle Rob, Amabuela, Uncle Jack and Aunt Karen

Uncle Kelly reviewing the ward cookbook that Santa brought him.

Uncle Rob, Josh and a snowglobe

Aren't we awesome at 7:00am?

Dave gets his 37th electric screwdriver. But this one is HANDHELD.

Josh tearing open his presents.

Clara tearing open her presents.

There is a story that goes along with my sweet Aunt and Uncle being at my house Christmas morning. It has never happened before. In fact, the vast majority of my Christmases have been spent at their house. Because they celebrated with their kids on the 23rd, we had them come up to our house. It was very special for me to have them there, knowing that a lot of my traditions have come from their traditions. They stayed through our annual breakfast with the Sudweeks (our neighbors across the street) and then headed to their daughter's house to visit.

And finally....the cry present. In our family we have a tradition of coming up with presents that make someone (anyone) cry. My mom went through the Arizona Mesa temple 20 years ago this Fall, and even though she lives in Utah, I know it is a special temple for her. So I got this for her 20th anniversary as well as Christmas.

After all of the gifts were opened, we went upstairs to start making breakfast. Cinnamon rolls, sausage, bacon, fruit salad, juice, etc., was all on the menu. It was heaven in a meal. The Sudweeks came over and all of the kids showed off their stuff and hollered and ran around. Aunt Karen and Uncle Jack left and then Curt and Rob left to go up to Ogden. We sat around for a while digesting and getting up the energy to go sledding.....next up!