A wonderful night!

I wanted to tell everyone about my night, while my heart is still so full.

Kacy and her girls had planned a Christmas party, and had asked us more than a month ago to save tonight. The guest list was "the girls" (also known as "the singing Bridesmaids"), Kahla's sister-in-law Tenille (whom we've known since grade school), and all of their mothers and sisters. Well, it turned out to be much more than just a Christmas party.

When we got there, we sat around visiting and eating the yummy stuff they'd made. (The girls had met several times to plan, and had done all the cleaning, planning, baking, etc.) They had us decorate some ornaments... I was determined to recreate the entire nativity in glue and glitter. They didn't believe I could. They were right. While we were busy, the girls left for a minute, and then Kacy came in and told us that even though they'd told us it was just a Christmas party, that wasn't really true. They wanted to honor their mothers. They had decided to do this last summer at one of Jessica's bridal showers. They decided that their own mothers deserved a shower. (All of us but one have married off a daughter or son in the last two years, and the one remaining will be doing it soon.)

Then the other girls came down the stairs, each carrying a vase of flowers. The flowers were the same (or as close as they could get) to the flowers that were in our weddings. We moved into the living room, and they brought out our wedding albums. (Those thieves!) They gave each of us someone else's album, and, at their request, we took turns asking each other questions about the wedding, and what we remembered. We were all married within a span of about five years, so it was really fun to look at the pictures and talk about it. The girls just drank it all in.

Then they had us draw questions out of a bag, and answer them... it was things like "What is the best part of being a mother?" "What has been your greatest challenge as a mother?" "What one thing could you not live without?" "What was your best vacation?" Some were "light" and some were thought-provoking. Between each thing, they gave us each little door prizes... candles, nail polish, bath stuff... just sweet gifts.

Then they went and got some other boxes, and made us all open them together. I could tell they were excited about it, because they all had their cameras out, haha. Each daughter (or sister group) bought their mother some lingerie! It was so fun and sweet. (Mine RAWKS, btw. My girls know me.) There were several other gifts... my girls gave me Bath and Body Works "Vanilla Bean Noel" lotion and shower gel... I love that stuff! We took a ton of pictures, did a lot of laughing and hugging, and just had a great time.

Jessica, one of the girls, lives in Arizona now... she's only here in town for 3 nights. I know that those girls would have rather spent time with just them, catching up, laughing, spending time together with their best friends. I was already moved that they'd included their moms and sisters, and then it turns out that they instead turned the whole focus onto us, and let us know in a very special way how much they love us.

I'll share some pictures of the night, although they really don't do it justice.

Pretty Nativity

So, while we were decorating for Christmas, Kacy got out her beautiful Willow Tree Nativity set. Bonnie and I kept adding random "worshippers" to the set, and she kept removing them. I caught this picture while Weird Indian Guy and Cactus Santa were worshipping the Baby Jesus.

A Byte Christmas in Iowa

Well, everyone is home, which means that the family room is once again a computer lab. Seven people, six computers. It's like musical chairs, only with computers. Plus, Brad has two monitors. He's using the couch as his chair, and may never switch back. And even while in the same room, we STILL use AIM to talk to each other. A true family of the new millennium.

A White Christmas in Chino?

Wow, is it cold here! It's been soooo cold in Chino I know you all are feeling so bad for us. We had to get out jackets and we even had a hazing of the white stuff yesterday and this morning to wake up. I'm starting to relate to Suz and family out there in the midwest, though I know it's probably a couple of degrees cooler. Who knows, we may even have a California White Christmas! Here are a couple of pics just to let you feel our pain.

Both of these pics are of houses across the street. The first one shows BJ's new (used) Toyota Tundra truck he got to replace his lemon Impala that GM has paid him off on, or will soon as the "check" is being processed now. You'll have to hear that story at Christmas, but basically, he found a lawyer, who sent letters and promised to sue, after a few months GM is paying back everything he's paid in, down payment, all monthly payments, etc. and will be getting their car back at very little loss to BJ of out-of-pocket money invested in that lemon.

The glare from the misleading sun slightly masks the cold and pic of the other house across the street and their roof covered white stuff... Brrrrrrr

Poor little Brad

well I had my first track meet thursday night, it was only a 'practice meet' but i love to go to win. well as i was warming up for the pole vault, the first event i was doing, i twisted my ankle pretty bad. i just went to the doctor and got it x-rayed and there are no breaks but the crutches are giving me bruises on the huge muscles under my arms.

I miss this kid!

When is everyone arriving at Christmas?

Hammers Are Cool
Hi all, just wondering when everyone is arriving at Mom and Dad's, who is coming and how long you are staying. Jill and I will arrive mid-day on Dec. 26th and will leave mid-day on Dec. 29th. Bethany and Angela and Steven will arrive at the same time as us, but I think are staying until Saturday or Sunday.

SHOULD I BE CONCERNED?

I keep reading about this guy from Russia who was poisoned....and he had been on a Virgin Airlines airplane....Well I was on a Virgin Airline plane to Scotland and I was wondering if I could possibly have been poisoned....since I do feel somewhat puny...OK so I might be taking this too far but I wonder how Steve and Jill are feeling.....Vic is also puny....sounds weird to me....how about you guys????? If we aren't here on the 26th you will know that the Russian KGB got us too.....hehehe..