Christmas in Clarkston!

This year we traveled to Trisha and Danny's house for the Christmas break.  Brent had a week off, and Jacob wanted to work, so we went there for Christmas.  Danny and Trisha were excited to spend their first Christmas in their new home and it was a start to a new Christmas tradition for us...with no one coming home for Christmas anymore...we can travel around and spend it with the kids and grandkids in their own homes.  Our vacation started the first night we got there, Monday, with a visit to the "Train Park".  Lewiston has a park with an old train in it, and they light up all the trees and play music and the kids love to go play on the jumping pads that turn different lights on...and ring the bell on the train...and dance to the music with all the dancing penquin lights...and walk through the tunnels of arches that change color as you walk through.  We have gone before, at Thanksgiving time, and have had a lot of fun, so it was good to go back, and the lights were even prettier than ever!

 

For Christmas Eve, we had a very informal fondue night.  Jacob made us real Swiss Cheese fondue, with amazing bread to dip in it... and Trisha had lots of fruit and Chocolate...and for my birthday, they had given me a marble stone grill for cooking meat, so we had steak and chicken to cook on the marble slab.  It was fun to stand around the island in the kitchen and just dip and eat and visit!  Then the elf brought jammies for the kiddies, and it was time to hang stockings and read the Christmas stories.  Ali read us all, "The Shiniest Star"...it was so cute!

 Jakey in his new Christmas Eve PJ's...

  

It was fun to be there Christmas morning when the kids came to see what Santa had brought them!  Grant was so excited, he was shaking!  We had a wonderful morning opening presents...we were all spoiled rotten!  Brent and I were especially blessed with so many nice things.  It was a great Christmas, and so fun to get to spend the entire day with family.  So many times at home, we would all open presents and then everyone would leave for the in-laws...leaving us to spend a long, quiet day alone, so this year was very rewarding to play all day together and have so much family time!

 And no...Danny has not gotten chubby in the cheeks...he was just having his mini muffins for breakfast and I caught him in the act!  Sorry Danny... We want to give a special thanks to everyone for the nice Christmas we recieved.  We got a new soundbar for our flatscreen, a GPS for the car, a new large set of beautiful silverware, an awesome new canopy for our boating times, a new SodaStream machine for making all the pop we could ever need (even Brent).  We also got a gift card for dinner, a new blu-ray movie, some coveralls for Brent, some perfume, a Cricut cartridge, and decor for Kristi...and we still have some presents yet to open!!  We were truly blessed and very appreciative to all of you for your thoughtfulness!

   Trisha's family got a Wii for Christmas, and it was fun to play games and dance.  Jacob and Ali had a great time dancing to "Just Dance 2"  We even got some video, which I'm sure we will be saving for the perfect time to (blackmail)...umm, I mean view!   We also had a great meal with Prime Rib for Christmas dinner.  All in all, it was one of the funnest Christmases we have had in a long time.  Many thanks to our hosts for entertaining us, and also spending time watching movies and playing games with us.  We had a Great time!  Hope all of you had just as nice of a Christmas!

(Well this may not be the perfect time...but I guess it's as good as any!  lol :-)

 

 

Visit to Pennsylvania and Carter's Baptism!

  We were able to fly to Pennsylvania this weekend for Carter's special day.  We brought Grandma and Grandpa Hamblin with us and arrived in Philadelphia on Thursday afternoon, Dec. 2nd.  Tanessa and her girls, Brielle and Addisyn flew in from Orlando and joined us there.  We rented a couple of cars and drove into Catawissa to Jaron's house.  There they were all waiting for us!  It was great to be there and see all the kids and get hugs from all of them.  It's been a long time!  We just got reaquainted that night and everyone lined up with sleeping arrangements.  Jaron's heating was out and we were all wrapped up in coats and blankets trying to keep warm...it was about 55 degrees in the house!!  But they got it fixed by about 11:00 that night, and the heat started pouring out!  By morning we were all toasty warm again!

 On Friday, Jaron wanted to take us to Ichiban, a Japanese grill for an afternoon dinner.  So we all set off to Williamsport for food!  It was snowing light flakes when we got there...Addi was way excited to see SNOW!

 Jaron was excited to get his sushi!

  

 The kids loved watching the chefs toss the food around and seeing the flames come up from the grill!  It was nice and warm in there, and the hot food tasted so good!

 All of us know that Ashton is one that speaks what he's thinking...so we all laughed when Heather told us the story of Ashton visiting Ichiban for the first time.  He had asked if it was Chinese food, to which the chef told him, "No.... Japanese!" (In his VERY Japanese accent!)  to which Ashton looked him straight in the face and replied, "I can't understand a WORD you're saying!"  haha

 Friday night, we gave Carter his Birthday/Baptism present.  He was pretty proud of his new Scriptures and his carrying case, and excited to try them out!

 Saturday morning everyone was on the move to get ready for the Baptism.  Grandma and Jaron were busy making Texas Sheet Cakes for the refreshments...Tess, Heather, and I were trying to help all the kids get their baths and their clothes on, hair done...and Carter looked so handsome in his new suit!

 The little girls were all so cute in their red Christmas dresses...Brielle did not want to be in the beautiful picture, however!

 Jaron and Heather's darling family!

 Our handsome Carter...ready for the baptism by his dad.

Carter Jaron Simonson...December 4th

 We were so very proud of Carter that day.  He not only looked handsome...he was just so sweet and pure!  At the baptism, Emmy and Carter sang the special number about the Holy Ghost...they did such a great job!  We were very priveledged to be there!

 Saturday night, Grandpa and Grandma Hamblin wanted to pass out their Christmas presents to the little kids so they could be there when they opened them.  The kids got so excited to get to open presents early!!

 

Lilly

 Carter

 Emmy

 Addi

 

Ashton

  Of course, Tess' girls got presents too, since they won't be here for Christmas either.

Little Brielle

 Tanessa had presents of her own to give to Jaron's family.  She had drawn his name for Christmas, so they got to open their presents early also.  

Here is Jaron opening his new Temple picture from Tanessa and Jake.

 Sunday...the Simonson family after church.  They all look so cute!

 Carter's family with the Grandparents and Great-Grandparents!

 Little Brielle is growing up...she is so adorable, and we just love her to death!

 Miss Lilly!  She loved to have her picture taken!  She is getting so big!

 Emmy has grown into quite the young woman...she is such a special girl!

 Last but not least...Carter.  What a sweet, tender spirit he is!  He has grown up so much and is so caring and kind.  There wasn't a day go by that he wouldn't come up to you to give you a couple of hugs or so throughout the day.  He is a great young man, and is happy to be the newest Simonson member of the church!  We love you Carter!

We set out for our journey home on Monday morning with hugs all around for the kids.  We drove down to Amish Country in Lancaster County.  It was fun to see all the farms and green rolling hills (and yes, they were still green!)  Tanessa and Brent really enjoyed seeing everything.  We spent a couple of hours at the Kitchen Kettle Market, tasting the food, admiring the Amish handicrafts and such.  Then it was back to Philly for some last minute Philly Cheese Steak Sandwiches and then on the plane for home!  It was a very fast trip, but wonderful to see everyone and Jaron's and Heather's 'new' surroundings...their three story 'mansion' house was so big and interesting!  Thanks to them for their hospitality, and we had a wonderful time....congratulations Carter!!  Love you all...