Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Lewis!

Congratulations K and J, aren't they so cute?! We were home last week for my sister's wedding. She married Jordan Lewis and we are loving our new brother-in-law. Ben is very excited for more testosterone to join the family for sure.

The wedding was on Thursday and it was a beautiful ceremony. The reception was so much fun {for me, not so much for Ben and the kids} It was great to see so many friends that we hadn't seen in years. Since my parents moved from the house we grew up in, it has been difficult to see or catch up with anybody from back home. Needless to say it was the greatest to see all of our friends from growing up and be all together again! Some of our extended family came out as well, and it was great to see them too. I love weddings!

Our fam on the left and Jordan's on the right. This pic didn't quite capture the extreme height difference! It was so great to finally meet everyone that we had heard all about, we really had a fun time with Jordan's fam.

We decided to torture Jordan since it is usually the bride having to take lame pictures. I am not sure if Ben managed to talk the photographers into making Jordan take a "Toyota Jump" pic. They made Ben take one on our wedding day and he wanted to make sure that Jordan was not left out of the "fun". Jordan was such a good sport. That's why we love him! That was just of the tip of the iceberg on the antics you are going to have to put up with, I hope you realize that! Perhaps I should have warned you before the wedding...


The family of the bride, L-R: Nicole, Hannah, Avery, Katie, Nick, Hallie, Kristine, Jordan, Mom, Dad, me, Ben More to come on the other adventures we had together asap.


The best pic I could get, the kids were not cooperating. I didn't even get a pic of Gabe in his tux! He was so cute, and cranky.


Congrats to the happy couple! Have fun on your cruise and we were so glad we could come home to be with you guys on your special day. We love you guys, we wouldn't have missed it for anything!

Hallei-freakin-luja

It's here, it's here, it's finally here! After nearly 2 1/2 months without our stuff, a man named Tina delivered it to us! Thanks Tina! It is so weird to say that and think that it is a man I am talking about. Anyway, it actually came last Thursday, just in time for us to leave the very next day for the US. Yay! Thanks A-1 Pioneer! For making this move as difficult and painful as possible! Don't forget to not remember them next time you are in need of a speedy and reliable mover in the greater Salt Lake Area!

So our house looks like a bomb blew off, and I can't wait to get back to all those boxes and crap everywhere after 20 hours on a plane with two kids and jetlag! Another tasty treat for us was the fact that they packed up and sent dirty dishes. Do you know what dirty dishes look like after 2 1/2 months? They're black. Moving day was such a blur, but if one of them had told me that they needed to pack the dishes and could I please wash them, I'm pretty sure I would have obliged. It's like a journal entry of what we ate the night before and for breakfast {It was hard to tell, but it was German Pancakes and Almond Poppyseed bread in case you wondered}

Anyway, the above picture is how Laine entertained herself while we frantically packed and unpacked in the short 24 hour period before we came. I know this probably sounds so materialistic, but it was almost a tearful moment to see MY {okay our} stuff after that long! Over the last few months many people have said, "Isn't it amazing to see how little you really can live on when you are forced to do something like this?" No you fools, it's not amazing! Life with 4 perpetually dirty plates really sucks! Life with no pictures, no clothes, no chairs, no desk, no hobbies is really quite crappy. Life with your belongings is really a lot better if you ask me!

At least one of us looks good!

So there is this family inside joke we have. A few years ago, someone who will remain nameless, told me that I had a great figure for "leggings and an oversized shirt". Yah, Nice.

"Oh Natalie, know what you would look great in? Yes girl -leggings and an oversized shirt! It would be so great! What? You don't have any leggings or oversized shirts? That's madness, MADNESS I say! Why when you have just the PERFECT figure for leggings and an oversized shirt?! We really need to get you some, it would just be Heavenly! You say that last sentence while simultaneously performing "stink eye" -I will have my sister Katie demonstrate what stink eye is, if you don't already know, in a future post. For now, suffice it to say that one eye is open and the other eye is half open and half closed with the lid fluttering, a gesture used to signify EXTREME significance or importance.

This might not be as funny as it would have been before "leggings and an oversized shirt" came back into style somewhat. Or at least skinny jeans with an oversized shirt. However, I just wanted to post some pictures showing that at least Gabe looks good in his leggings and oversized shirt! The matching shirt for these jammies was MIA, so I threw this one on and he is rockin' the look!

I also wanted to post some better pics of my little eater. Those other ones from the last post are so weak in showing the magnitude of how this boy puts down the food.

Don't forget to notice the white-trash high-chair, i.e. a "borrowed" bumbo sitting on top of chair "borrowed" from Ben's office {-Yeah, their not getting that beauty back! Shhhh, don' tell} We also finally have a table as of a few weeks ago when Ben also "borrowed" a side-table that belongs in a hall from the office.

I must be crazy!

I went grocery shopping today and saw this and just for shits and giggles decided to buy it {Oh, no worries mate, words like hell and damn and the s-word are not swears here -it's cool...except that I'll have the mouth of a sailor when I come home! Jason told us that when he was here, he honestly heard the Bishop say over the pulpit Sunday morning, "We sure had a hell of a ward party last night didn't we?! -on more than one occasion}

Anyway, back to the Kangaroo Mince, I am now I am wondering what the hell I was thinking! I know this is just going to sit and sit in my freezer because I am growing more terrified of it by the minute! I'll let you know if the fear ever ceases I actually make some Kangaroo burgers!

Feeling silly

So we walk into church Sunday {late} and we haven't been sitting down 2 minutes before poor Laine just loses it and pukes all over me. There was so much that I didn't think she could possibly spew more, plus it was pooling in my lap, so I didn't stand up an walk out as I now realize I should have. Instead I sent Jason Norton for some towels {friend / Ben's boss in town with the company} But of course she wasn't done and I was then forced to stand up and run out, cradling my puking child in the middle of the sacrament. She did one more big one for a total of 3 before I could get her outside. My shirt was so covered that I had to just strip right outside the foyer. So there I was in my white, sleeveless undershirt like a wet t-shirt contest with my garments hanging out for all to see, which by then was a lot since we had gathered quite a crowd by then as you can imagine.

Our ward friend were so great! Women rushed out of the meeting to help me. My friend Linda had her beach bag in the car and ran and grabbed towels, others grabbed wipes. One helped strip Laine down and wrapped her in a towel. All of this while Ben did his best to clean the pew. Everyone just told him to leave, that they would take care of it. Poor Girl! She was asleep before we reached home, which was only 10 minutes away. I am so happy to report she is finally back to her happy, cheerful self as of yesterday.


In other news I am really ready to finally get down with the local lingo and customs so I can stop feeling like people think I am slow. People are always saying things and I have no idea what they are talking about! When I was signing Laine up for school they were telling me about "Morning and Afternoon Tea." I thought that was so refined of 3 year olds to be having tea, but was still very confused as to why. After asking several questions about the tea {that they must have thought were so ridiculous}, I came to find Tea means snack or meal here.

As a culture, you kind of forget that you speak a certain way that is unique to you as a culture only. It is completely out of our realm to consider it as unique. We as humans live in the here and now of our own existences, and we fall into assuming {or ashyooming as they say here} that everyone knows how things are done and said as we do them and say them.

I am probably being too hard on myself, but it does make you feel stupid to constantly not know what is going on or what the simplest of things mean! The first time we filled up our car with "Petrol", Ben walked into the station to pay and grabbed a drink as well. He put it on the counter and said "and I have gas too" -they guy just looked at him and must have been thinking, "so did you want me to point out where the gas-x is, or were you just making conversation?" since it is not called "gas" here.

So many times I have had to have people spell out their names because I can't understand them. And it is really wierd to say certain names because they say them with an accent and you feel the pressure to say things the way they say them but at the same time you feel ridiculous speaking in this fake accent. And it isn't just people's names, it is all sorts of things that they can't understand you saying unless you say it in their accent. Ahhh! What an adventure!

Puke Beard

I don't know what is going on at our house. I threw up two days ago, Ben has been nautious, Gabe smells like something crawled up inside of him and died, and now this. Some of you may think I am possibly the worst mother in the world to take a picture of my girl at a time like this but that's how we roll. Last night when at 1:15 in the morning I hear some whimpering and then "Mom, Mom, I'm spitting!" I ran in to see her hunched over tossing her cookies {literally, Clara had given her chocolate cookies}. I rushed her to the toilet and told her to stay there and I went to her room to start the cleanup process. After I was done I went and gently rubbed her back and asked if she was okay. Then she turned around and I saw her chocolatey puke beard and I just lost it. It was so hilarious, I am not sure if it will translate quiet as well on the blog. We had a good laugh together and then showered and she was so sweet, she just needed some Mama cuddles.

Today we got Happy Meals and I took the kids to the park to eat and play. But she just puked again poor girl! Since Laine wasn't hungry, Gabe decided to polish Laine's meal off as well. Okay, I know this is going to sound funny, and I mean no disrespect to person's who have this disorder, but I seriously have to wonder if my son has Prader Willi Syndrome! The kid really puts it down! If you are unfamiliar with Prader Willi, it is the disorder in which the person doesn't have the mechanism in their brain that tells them they are full so they constantly feel like they are starving. Sad. Anyway, I am going to have to keep and eye on it with Gabe. Those of you who have spent any amount of time with the kid have probably wondered yourself!

All the latest...

Supposedly we are hearing that the boat containing the container that contains all of our earthly possessions has indeed arrived in Sydney. It still needs to clear customs and quarantine but we could possibly have chairs / plates / towels / toys / clothes and the like soon! 3 cheers for somewhere to sit!!

In other news, our next door neighbors are Korean and they are great! The parents don't even speak English, it is fabulous! There are Kimchi pots and Hot chilis everywhere! Here is a pic of their front porch, which is huge!

Clara, the daughter-in-law is so great, she had us over for dinner the first day I met her. She has this hilarious high-pitched laugh and she is so so 100% Korean, something only my Asia friends might understand.

Yesterday I was in a jam, I had obligated myself to make lunch for Ben's entire office. I ran over to see if she could help me with the kids and thankfully she was really excited. Later when I got back she told me Laine kept telling her that she was going to a Party. Clara thought this was so very continental of a 3 year old. She was very impressed until she realized that Laine was speaking with an American accent, not Australian, and that she was trying to tell her she needed to go POTTY. I got to hear that great high-pitched laugh and some hearty claps when she related this story to me.

She is obsessed with Gabe and he loves her right back, it is so cute!

So here are some pics from the weekend. They were supposed to be of us with Kangaroos, but whatever. Those of you who know me well, know that I am PAINFULLY Optimistic. On Sunday we went for a drive to the country and I was just positve that we would run into some kangaroos. My thinking was along the lines that if we drove out a ways to the boonies and parked the car for a while we would have Roos swarming. Okay, it didn't happen. I guess that they have Wallabys close, but you have to drive a bit further for the actual Kangaroo and nighttime is the best time to spot them. People keep telling me to just go to the zoo, I was like, I can see a kangaroo at the zoo in Utah, what did I come all this way for?!

In any case, since we had our camera we thought we'd catch a few shots of us in the country stopping at road sides stands. They have all of these Mom and Pop stands of fresh produce with prices written on them and you just put your money in a cup. It was absolutely gorgeous. Since Laine took most of the pictures, these were the best we had.

This Is Totally Real!

Okay, I was totally kidding but leave it to Lindsey to take it to the next level. You're awesome, thanks!

Kangaroos, Koalas, Kookaburras Oh My!

Okay, it is seriously a JUNGLE here. I love the warmth but I am going to need several thousand dollars worth of therapy and some hypnotism treatments post haste. I hate REPTILES, but I love the tropical weather! What is a girl to do?! Today I saw a lizard in our yard just a few feet away from myself, it was quite small compared to the large iguana sized one I saw climb into the sewer when I was on a walk. FYI I was only next door to Laine's school at the time, freaky...

There are SERIOUS kookaburras and they are very, very loud. If you were into birding you would be in heaven. The birds are everywhere all of the time. Yesterday a bird landed in one of our trees that I swear I could have sold for thousands of dollars if I could have caught it, they are beautiful!

We haven't seen any kangaroos yet, we live in an area that is too urban. However I heard that it is not uncommon to see them around in areas that are only 20 kilometers away, can you imagine?! That would seriously be awesome. I will find one and put Gabey in the pouch and take a picture. If I were good at photoshop I would doctor up a pic right now, Lindsey M. help a sister out!

Possibly the world's most random post ever...in the history of the world

Many of you are already aware that the most crazy, stupid, random, hilarious things happen to me. Here are a few that haven't been mentioned yet.

1. The other day I was shopping for produce at Freshworld and a guy {yeah, perfect stranger} walks up to me and asks me to read some text messages from the girl he is dating. He wanted my expert opinon on whether I think she likes him or if she is just being polite when he continues to ask her on dates as she always has an excuse why she can't go but would really love to take a raincheck. He proceded to give me their complete dating history. I continued to wonder why this guy thought I had the time to just listen to all of these tiny, inconsequential details about 2 people I have never met! Even though he is a man, I told him to read the book "He's Just Not That Into You"

2. Ben and I were on our way to a car lot and ran into a major wreck. Traffic was going no where so we hopped the median and turned around, hoping our GPS would re-route us. I was driving, and listening intently as the directions told us to make a right and then an immediate left. When the light turned green I proceded right and then got in the far left lane so that I could go left. There was a pretty long line-up of cars, so I was thinking the must be a pretty popular road we were turning onto. We waited for a while and the light turned green but no cars went. After 3-4 lights we were getting rather furious that we hadn't moved at all. Traffic must be pretty bad up there we thought! Then Ben, the genious of the bunch appearantly, realized that even though the cars were in a lane of traffic, they were all parked with no one in them! Idiots! By that time we had seriously been waiting for like 10 minutes or more.

3. Last night we went to the movies. We stood in line to by tickets and as we got up to the front of the line there were two handicaped teenagers standing there. The girl, who was dressed in a gothic fashion, out of no where grabs me and throws her arms around me {VERY tightly} and just starts crying and saying that she is very scared. As I got her to talk and loosen up her grip on me, she said that she and her brother were waiting for their Mom, who said she would be right back. She was just crying and crying and holding on to me and saying that the crowds were making her so scared. I just held her tight right back and tried to reassure her that it was all going to be find and that there was nothing to worry about. Ben bought the tickets and even though our movie had already started we felt bad just leaving her there so we waited a few more minutes for her Mom who finally came. Even though she was wearing a dog collar with spikes around her neck, she really was so sweet! {I just reread that, K it was the young girl, not the Mom who was wearing a dog collar}

4. It would be really great if our stuff would get here sometime soon. My entire body is incredibly sore from sitting on the ground. All of our 5 dishes are perpetually dirty so we ususally have to resort to using my blender or my food processor bowl as a cup, or bowl for that matter. I also am using Gabe's shirt as a washcloth at the moment.

5. Yes, those are the gloves that my Dad made me for Christmas, they so do inpire me to get this house clean! Thanks Dad!

6. Here is a picture of the view from my bathroom window, I love the tropics! And needless to say, that is Ben and the kids in front of the house. We'll get more pics soon!

FYI We are doing much better since the last post. The babysitter I had arranged wouldn't allow me to pay her and a woman from the ward heard about my day and showed up that afternoon with dinner, dessert, and chocolates just for me. Everyone has just been so great. The next day the A/C people came and we are all fixed up. We really love it here, and even though it is so hard and stressful at times {even the happy good times are stressful at times!} we know that this is where we are supposed to be and we will get over this adjustment phase and we'll be laughing {to borrow and Australian expression}

Ups and Downs

Lately my life has felt like a roller coaster of emotions. It starts out and then something drastic and terrible happens and I am sure it is the end of the world. It feels like my life is falling apart and I have my "what have I done!?" moment. But then some cheesy music starts playing in the background {like on Full House, then Danny gives a great pep-talk} and I have a change of heart or I see the situation in a new light and suddenly everything works out. Crisis averted! Like sitcoms, this cycle seems to be running every half hour as well unfortunatly!

I have been feeling so emotional and so stressed. Since we moved into our house everything that can go wrong has gone wrong. Yesterday our Air Con went out {I know I am not getting any sympathy over there on account of it being Winter! But it is so hot here!} Last night it got so hot that I had to take a cold shower at 2 AM. We had to keep the doors and windows open to get some breeze, but we don't have screens so when Gabe woke up he was covered in bug bites {we all were actually, but it is so sad to see it on your little baby!}

After that night from h_ll, literally, I think it got as hot, I had a doctor's appointment I had to be to in the morning. I got a sitter for the kids and got everything all organized so I could go and do the things I needed to do. It was a lot of work and it took me like 15 minutes to find a parking spot which is always really stressful when you are running late. When I get there the receptionist tells me that I wasn't supposed to be there until FEBRUARY 29TH! I couldn't believe I could be that off. We talked and went back and forth before I conceded and left, but I was so bugged!

When I had called and made the appointment she had told me that I could come "Thursday of next week" and I asked her if I could come Wednesday or Friday thinking Laine would be in school and I could probably handle bringing just Gabe. But she said that the only reason I was able to come so soon was because of a cancellation, otherwise it wouldn't be until the end of February that they could see me. It was such a unique conversation, so it was like I was walking into the Twighlight Zone when she told me it was the wrong day. As I thought about it and replayed the orignal conversation in my mind, I just couldn't reconcile it. I turned around and walked back in to just tell her to forget it, I'll go find someone else. I got just a few words into my explanation and then I just lost it! I started bawling like a baby and an old woman had to come over and rub my back and tell me to breathe. All I could mutter is, "I'm so sorry, this isn't me! I'm not like this, it's just...' No matter how many times you you say that, you will always be that girl who lost it. She said that the doctor would see me. So I then had to sit with my tail between my legs until the doctor, who by then probably knew what had happened, called my name. They were all so nice about it, but I know that no one is going to take the blame for the mistake and I will always be that crazy girl who came for her appointment a month early and was a brat about not being seen. But I KNOW they told me to come that day!! So weird.

Please don't feel sorry for me or tell me how bad you feel for me, that is not why I mention these things. Sometimes I have to remind myself what I have been through and that there SHOULD be some growing pains associated with it. I just feel it is important to mention though, so that I can be honest. I don't want it to seem that this big huge major life altering decision we have made to come here looks so effortlessly easy! It has been very trying! It is so stressful that even the happy, fun, exciting, up times are stressful and emotional! Again, no sympathy needed, right now I am in the good, happy place part of the sitcom and the crisis is once again averted.

Okay, so for a total change in gears, here are some pics from Christmas that I just couldn't not post! I think I mentioned a few posts ago that Gabe didn't have a snow suit so I put an Elmo costume that we had lying around the house on him for sledding. Here are some way cute pics of him and Laine and the cousins and Aunts and Uncles.

Forming up a sweet train

Looking good in my borrowed snow gear

Though with Noah in his Carhartt jumpsuit, and Allison in Noah's clothes, I think they might pull out the win for the best

Me and my little Elmo

Runnaway train never coming back, wrong way on a one way tra-ack... Elmo makes a run for it

Happy Australia Day!

This weekend was so much fun. It was Australia Day here on Saturday, but since the Holiday fell on a weekend they decided to take Monday . Then most people thought as long as it was a 3-day weekend, why not make it 4 and take off Friday as well. I love this country already.

Mark from the home office was in town Friday night. Victor, the accountant here in the Sydney office, thought he would treat us to our first Persian. It was our first experience so it was good to have native Iranians {Assyrians actually} show us the ropes, and we had a great time. The food was wonderful, and we loved the Arabic music and especially the Belly Dancer, she really put her back into it.

Saturday we celebrated by going to the city for dinner and fireworks at Darling Harbor. It was incredible. It was packed with people and food and vendors and live music. It was like a huge country fair {minus the white-trash} but you were surrounded in all directions with massive, illuminated skyscrapers. We loved every minute of it! Australia Day has been described to us as the equivalent of the American 4th of July. It was great.

Ben and the kids in front of the Thai Restaurant where we ate, so yummy!

Gabe was really not too sure about the fireworks!

After the fireworks Laine got to ride the Ferris Wheel all by herself, Gabe was very jealous. Then we let the kids play at the park until late, I wasn't ready to leave the beautiful sights anyway!

Me and Darling Harbor


Sunday was a nice relaxing day and then we spent Monday at beach, FINALLY! Some friends from the ward invited us to go spend the day with their family and it was such a fun group. They brought a BBQ right down to the beach and we ate and played all day long. We went to a gorgeous and very kid friendly beach called Crunella. Pics to come.

Though we have had some nice highs this week, it has also been trying. Along with the high profile deaths we all heard about this week, my Maternal Grandmother also passed away. She was sick so I was glad that she no longer has to live in pain and suffering . But I also felt that everything in my life had been so crazy lately that I didn't really get a chance to say goodbye before I left. I also feel terrible that I wasn't able to make it to her funeral. My 4 sisters sang "How Great Thou Art" together. It makes me most sad that I wasn't able to join in and that I wasn't able to be there and mourn together with my family. I feel terrible that I couldn't be there to support my Grandpa most of all. This is the really hard part about being so far away!

Life in the Shire

We still don't have Internet at home, sorry for not being able to respond to emails etc! We almost finally have it though! Otherwise life in the Shire is moving along nicely. We are now living in "the Shire of Baulkham Hills", it sounds nice doesn't it? It also sounds like I should be half my length with large knobby feet and have elfish ears. I love it, it makes me laugh. I also enjoy the fact that I could buy both Hot Cross Buns and Mincemeat Pie at my local grocers, true story.

Laine started preschool today which is GREAT for both of us. It is a full day here, I can't believe it. She is just going twice a week but next year when she starts Nursery School she will be going a full day every day. No complaints, but certainly different than home.

Ben is as busy as ever at work, he has traveled on short trips to both Melbourne and the Gold Coast. He was very disappointed not to have the time to catch a game at the Australian Open, but vowed to be front and center there as early as next year.

We have made some great friends, mostly at church. Our ward was fabulous, we got invited to dinner by at least 6 families! We have so far dined with 3 of them this week, that has been so fun for us and we have really enjoyed a break from eating on the floor or standing up. One family even lent us some towels and toys and some bean bags, much appreciated!

New Firsts

We have achieved some new highs as well as reached new lows over the past few days. We had our first trip to the Emergency room, that record timing for us. We were furniture shopping and Gabe tripped and hit his head on a bed and got a nasty gash. We took him to the ER and after a very long wait, it was decided that she would glue the wound together instead of use stitches. So we waited some more, and some more, and some more, and then some more. We finally decided to just leave and ended up walking out of the ER! {Also a first} We went to the Chemist and got some new fandangled latex glue and glued it ourselves. It worked great and Gabe is doing just fine.

A pic of Gabe's cut, and a large drool string

Yesterday Ben had his first experience forgetting that we drive on the other side of the road here. He did it 3 times in one night! The first two weren't so bad, they were pretty small streets. But then the 3rd time he turned right onto a major road driving he wrong direction and we got some nasty honks. I hadn't been paying attention, I was looking for a restaurant, so neither of us could figure out what was going on, though the honks did seem directed to us. Once we finally figured it out and got over to the left side of the road, we had a good laugh. Since no one was hurt, it ended up being quite funny.

Next we experienced our first time getting really, REALLY lost. We drove so far we almost drove ourselves right into the city. We had a nice little detour trying to find our way home after going to a neighboring suburb for dinner. What should have been a short 10 minute or less car ride home turned into our an hour long fiasco after a long day. I guess it is good to acquaint ourselves with new routes.

Up to this point I guess our new firsts have been mostly lows, but for a high, today will be our first day in our new house! Laine will be sleeping on an air mattress and Gabe in a pack and play. Our new mattress should be arriving today, we hope but other than that we will not have much for another 6+ weeks. We will try to make do the best we can as we continue to set up shop with what we have. Even though the time has been stressful since we left our house and then again here in the hotel, we feel so blessed and are really looking forward to getting settled here, so far it is a great place and we are loving it!

Here are Laine and Gabe getting a small repreive from all of the shopping and working

How Ya Going?

Well, we have arrived! And despite using Hotel Room Shampoo to wash my face last night and reading Laine the In-Room Dining Service Menu for a bedtime story, we are no worse for the ware!

We arrived 2 days ago and have been very busy trying to set up house. Ben has been swamped at work already, but is loving his new job. The kids have done their best to be troopers as we drag them here there and everywhere from sunup to sundown. They say, "How Ya Going" here, so far that has been the hardest thing to get used to, I still say, "Good, how are you doing?" Anyhow, we will get some pics of our new adventures up soon! For now, enjoy some pics from Christmas at the Gildea's.

Pop Pop with all of the Grandkiddies

The Girls: Nicole, Katie and Hannah in the back, Kristine and Me in front

The Boys: Gabe and Ben, Dad, Nick and Jax

All of the girls and Gaegy, Laine was a little bit into being Mary, she carried on with it all night

Gaengy and Katie with Laine and Gabe

Laine and Jax having a snuggle

Everyone was able to be there together, except Jordan {Kristine's fiancee} had to leave early to join his family. We had a great time skating at Roller Towne, a new family tradition. Another yearly tradition we all look forward to is receiving our Christmas shirts from Dad {he goes to Gen-X clothing or something akin to find the most hideous things he can find}. Unfortunately we didn't get a pic of all of us with our shirts on, nor did we get one of our lovely gloves we also got from Dad. In order to inspire us to do our chores, my dad purchases a set of house cleaning gloves for all of us and then drew in fingernails on all of them {as well as our names on each set so we "don't get into fights about who's are who's"}. This is a semi-annual tradition to receive these. We all about wet our pants, I WILL get a pic of mine so that you can see them. I didn't get a pic of us watching the worst move EVER made, Elizabethtown, but I did take an air camera pic so I can treasure it in my heart always {you will only understand that last one if you have indeed seen this truly horrible movie}.