Saturday afternoon cousin fun....

Before Chantel and Scott left our house Friday night, they arranged the first cousin "play date" for Saturday afternoon at Scarlett's house.  I got myself invited and Jena and I spent the afternoon playing on the floor with Niki and Scarlett.  At one point, Scott said, "Mom, I can't believe you have this much free time."  Certain things you make time for and being with two grandkids at once is very high on the list.  They are 4 weeks apart and you can tell that difference in that things Scarlett was working on last month is exactly what Niki is working on.  However you can also see their own little personalities emerging as well.  They are both engaging and open kids who love people so what's not to like.  It was so fun.

Aunt Jena loves them and loves being an aunt.

 They played with toys, with each other, and tolerated us talking about them, passing them around, and taking lots of pictures with different cameras.  They are each other's only cousins at this point.

Have I mentioned that I love these little people?

 

No visit to Scott and Chantel's would be complete without checking in on the fish.  Scott has three aquariums including this beautiful one on their counter by the kitchen sink.  It is so striking.  Scott, as you remember, was the reptile guy who used to feed gold fish to his snakes.  Now he has moved to fish as his passion and hobby.  I love fish too.  Maybe when I graduate from school I will get myself an aquarium again.....we will see.

On the Monday before Christmas....

We held the first Monday version of the Hall Christmas Eve program.  The meal was catered by Kneaders (yummy), the company was excellent, and Charon had put together a couple of sweet Christmas videos for our program along with the annual reading of the Christmas story.  This year it was read by Bruce Nakae, a nephew-in-law.

Crew Manning, Niki and Scarlett

It was fun for the 2014 great-grandchildren to be together.  Crew and Scarlett were born on the same day in July and then Niki in August.  Their moms had fun talking "baby stuff" together.

Jessica with Niki who is meeting the Hall
great-grandchildren for the first time

Scarlett playing with Hayden Nakae
with Aunt Jena's help

Austen and Tosha
This is Austen's first Hall Gathering so
it was fun to introduce him to his new cousins.
Background is Grandma Hall's basement where we all eat dinner-
soups and sandwiches from Kneaders

Great Grandma Hall's rocking chair
Scarlett's first "ride"

 

The Halls together in the living room.  I can remember our first Christmas eves with Jessica and Jacob BIrd and Matt, Bryon, Chris and Nathan Page. Now it is their children getting pjs from Great Grandma Hall.  Time goes by much faster than it seems.



Niki was a good sport with all of the
people who wanted to hold and love
him during his stay  in Utah.

Scarlett with her almost always smile on her face.

 Afterwards, we headed to our house to try to get a family picture as it is likely to be many years until we are all together for a picture.  I tried to find a professional person but no luck on such short notice.  Instead we just tried our new camera and our tri-pod.  The lighting was difficult and it was hard to get the babies attention when no one is standing at the camera.  Here is documentation we were all in the same spot in 2014.  The next day Jessica and Elessia headed to spend Christmas with Elessia's family in Arizona.

Jessica and Elessia with baby boy on the way (Liam)

Scott, Chantel, and Scarlett

Tosha, Austen and Niki

Jena

 Ben somehow missed on the solo Christmas pictures but here is him a bit later in the evening when gift were opened.

Ben with his new "Herbs" book

Jessica painted these cute piggy banks for Niki and Scarlett with their names on one side and their birthdate on the other.  I am not sure how I got such crafty daughters since I am not, but it is fun to see what they create.

 

A Christmas gift for Liam--his first shoes

Scarlett is telling us that the party is over for her.  That was a lot of activity for two little babies.  We are trying to get her to model her new cute hat but it was time to go.

There you have it--the last time we will likely all be together with pictures to prove it.  We hope to see Tosha, Austen and Niki one more time before they leave for Okinawa but if it happens it will be in late April a month before Liam's arrival and Jessica isn't committing to any pictures then.  They will be gone for four years.  That is a very long time until we might all be together again.  Love these people with all of my heart from the tallest to the smallest and everyone in between. 

Went to sleep with another big smile on my face.  Merry Christmas everyone!

My Best Christmas Present this year...

Friday was a fun day as I was busy getting ready to have dinner with the kids that night.  With everyone's work schedules, it is hard to get everyone together so I really appreciate it when we can gather.  This night, Jessica and Elessia were going to do the "gender reveal" for grand child number three who is arriving this upcoming May.  Scott and Chantel with Scarlett would be there for a short time, Ben was able to get a pass to spend the evening with us (on Thursday he had been transferred to the CRU--an impatient unit near our house as he has been making some progress and could go to a more open situation), and Tosha and Austen were going to Face Time with us at 6:45 for the big reveal.  Almost perfect plan for the evening!

Everyone arrived but Tosha and Austen were late getting to their Wi-Fi spot.  They don't have internet so they were heading somewhere else to get Wi-Fi to do Face Time.  Scott and Chantel had to leave early because they had another party that night so we were all anxious for the big reveal.  About 6:55 Jessica reported that Tosha said they were about 5 minutes from their Wi-Fi spot.  A few minutes later, our front door opened and we heard people coming in.  I mentally was checking the kids to see if someone had headed out to their car or something and then I saw Tosha and Austen holding Niki heading into the kitchen.  I grabbed Tosha and just held her.  It was so amazing and such a perfect Christmas surprise.  And after that hug, I grabbed that cute little Niki and held him for the rest of the night...okay, I did let everyone else have short turns with him. It was so great to have Scarlett and Niki in the same room together for the very first time.

Austen and Tosha meeting Scarlett in person
 

Tosha felt bad that Scarlett was a bit upset for a second while she was holding her.
It is such an unusual face for Scarlett that I had to post it.  I think Scarlett
could sense all of our emotions but couldn't understand what it all meant.
Niki takes it all in.

With truly everyone in the same room, Jessica handed Jena a small white box which she ...slowly...opened..to reveal---A little boy is on his way.  His ornament is now hanging up on our Christmas tree. 

Everything is looking great so far.  Their plan for a name at the moment is Liam Michael Hall.  Things can change of course, but they are pretty sure that is the name they are going with.  Scott and Chantel had to hurry off but not without promises from Tosha and Austen to spend sometime with them so that the cousins can spend time together.

Niki and Aunt Jessica

Gary called his mom and asked her if she would like to come over and find out about the new great grand child.  She did so he headed off to pick her up.  Just when they pulled into the garage I said, "I bet Dad didn't tell grandma about Tosha and Austen being here."  Seconds later, she walked in and did a double take, "TOSHA".  The kids said it was almost as good as my face when I saw her.  I won't lie, I was shocked and cried as I held her.  No picture proof for the event however.  It was just awesome.

Niki and Great grandma Hall

The rest of us talked about babies, ate, and talked some more.  I think we might have played a game but I can't really remember that.  I mostly just held Niki and talked to him.  He is a very mellow baby with a great smile. And seriously the biggest brown eyes! So cute.

Sisters and now they are both going to be parenting boys.

Austen is still getting to know the family...
and how to work our banana chairs...

Tosha actually videoed his first attempts to
pull the chair back upwards because it took
him a couple of tries.
 

 I dreamed about the kids all night Friday night and woke with a big smile.  I couldn't believe my kids were all in the same state.  It was awesome.

Christmas Eve and Morning 2014

This was a very significant Christmas.  First and most important, it was our first Christmas with grandchildren!  Yeah and one on the way in 2015.  Second, for the first time since our first couple of years of marriage, Grandma Hall didn't have Christmas Eve at her house.  Instead we decided as a family to move it to the Monday prior to Christmas so that the grandchildren can stay rather than trying to rush off to meet obligations at their other extended families parties.  As a result of both of those, the third thing we decided was that as a family with grandchildren we were going to hold our special holiday time together on Christmas Night with dinner, games, and whatever.  Christmas Eve they can spend with other family or just their own family. 

 

This year for Christmas Eve, the four of us (Ben, Jena, Gary and I) headed out for Chinese food (this year-Panda Express) and then watched the Mormon Tabernacle Christmas Program and another Christmas show.  Then we hung our stockings in our shortened but still crazy Train with Gary in the lead.  Ben headed back to the CRU for the night and we headed to bed to dreams "of sugar plums" or whatever dancing in our heads.

Christmas morning:



Youngest to older to retrieve the stockings

New ornaments from Jessica and Elessia

Jena has taken over Jessica's job of shopping with Gary for my gifts on the day before Christmas.  She also helped him wrapped most of the gifts as well.  I sometimes use random Christmas people to put in the "From" slot so Jena does that as well.  I loved this one from "Trees".  Makes sense with the tag.

I still hang up all of the stockings even though "Santa" no longer fills Jessica's, Scott's or Tosha's.  I love seeing them hanging over the fireplace and love the colors and design of the stockings.  Jena is campaigning for new stockings as she would like one with her name on it.  I am resisting because these are history for me.  I feel justified because Jessica told me that she likes seeing the stockings hanging over the fireplace at Christmas time, too.

As the youngest, Jena passes out the presents to each of us.  It was a great relaxing morning and I was content.  I was glad to know that each of my kids were surrounded by people they love and love them and having a good day.  I am okay that my kids are growing up and having sweet moments with their families.  That is what I wanted for them.  It only will keep getting better for them as they love their mates and strengthen their families which they are building.

 

Of course, it helps that I knew that they all (except for Jessica and Elessia who were in Arizona for the holiday with Elessia's family) coming for dinner and games that night.

 

We headed over to Scott's and Chantel's to enjoy a bit of Christmas morning time with them and Scarlett.  That will be part of our tradition for the families who live close by that we will try to make a visit during the morning.  Scarlett was happy as usual and loved trying to rip open the presents.

 

Opening a present

It snowed on Christmas morning so Scott got a bowl
for Scarlett to check out.  I don't think she was impressed.

New clothes for Christmas
 

We headed back home and began making our preparations for Christmas dinner.