Home for the Holidays

What a great 2 weeks we got to spend on the snowy farm in Edwall for Christmas break with the Klein family! Uncle Jeff and Aunt Janelle flew in the evening after we arrived, so Wednesday, Dec. 22, the boys didn't waste any time building a snowman and racing their uncle down the hill! His "helmet cam" was the newest toy providing hours of video fun. :)

Wednesday night we were invited to dinner at the Bowman's and had a grand time visiting and playing "Rock Band - Country" on their Wii!

Thursday, Dec. 23, we went to Ritzville for pizza lunch and afternoon with my brother Jake's family. What fun to meet our newest cousin Joel, just 6 weeks old!

But the real fun began when they found the dirt bikes and 4-wheelers! Oh boy!

Christmas Eve we got the whole family together ... PICTURE TIME!

Mom's sister Aunt Amy joined us for a yummy HAM dinner and gifts.

Can we open our presents yet, Grandma??

So thankful for time with my brothers!! My twin Kevin and Karen.

Jake and Alisha with Joel.

Jeff and Janelle with the most creative gift of the season - his request to spend some welding time in the shop to make an end table with Kev out of the bike he learned to ride!

And Dad's fancy ladder and scaffold gift was perfect for getting into all kinds of things!

Then the boys' tradition of skeet shooting from the porch!

After Christmas Eve candlelight service at the Edwall Methodist Church, the party moved to Great Grandpa Kleins for baked potato bar and chili with acapella carols, and Grandpa's stories...

...and the cousins gift exchange!

Christmas Day Mom roasted a TURKEY for another big family dinner and lazy day together. MMmmm... Great Grandpa and Uncle Marty and the cousins all hung out...

until we made it to the sledding hill for more wild tubing and tobaggan rides!

After church on Sunday where I got to play the piano and listen to Dad teach Sunday School on James, we had a shopping day on Monday, Dec. 27. Post Falls, ID, to Cabela's and Wal-Mart!

The boys had fun looking at the fish and shooting the guns. Sheldon would've liked to have picked up a couple fishing poles, but the T-shirts fit better in his suitcase. :)

Tuesday, Dec. 28, it was time for the next Klein Gathering... 50+ relatives including my Grandpa's cousins and their generations. Brandon was in awe, "I can't really be related to ALL of these people I've never seen before, Mom!?"

The 2-deck, 3-hr. Dutch Blitz game with my second and third cousins was a highlight!

We snow machined and tubed with the cousins EVERY DAY!

"This is AWESOME EXTREME TUBING FOR FREE, MOM!!"

Beautiful cold and clear days with amazing sunsets over the fields.

December 31 we celebrated New Years with Dad and Mom's Happy Anniversary #40!! Sparkling cider, salmon, and angel food cake.

Then Dominoes and stories with Great Grandpa.

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2011!

The Wollwebers came over for the traditional roast beef, sledding, and homemade doughnuts... missing a few for the arrival of Sheila's little boy Ryland- congratulations!