Family fun before Christmas...

Every year we always have some fun family time before Christmas day. We usually get to have a fun family party with my mom's side of the family and then also a fun family party with my dad's side of the family too. We have had Family Christmas parties with both family's for as long as I can remember. So it is lots of fun to get to do it now and have my family involved too. :) This year I forgot to take my camera up with us to my mom's family Christmas party. But we had lots of great times like every year. We got to hang out with family we don't get to see much and eat lots of yummy food and just talk and remember all the fun past parties. We also got to go watch the Holbrook Light parade, which we have been doing for quite sometime too. I stayed in the warm car with Cy for the parade and Justin braved the cold and watched it outside with Ryken. Ryken had so much fun just watching all the people and floats in the parade. :) And of course we got to have some fun at my parents house, and Ryken LOVED getting to hangout and play with is cousins.

Before we had the party for my dad's side of the family we got some of us together and went to Mccormick Ranch Railroad park and rode the train and saw all the lights out there. Everyone else stayed later and saw Santa but we had to be on the road for our little guys to get to bed. But we enjoyed the time we were there.

Here was most of our group, pretty far back in the train even. We had close to 25 with us there that night. :)Ryken and Justin got front row seats and here we were going thru the tunnel with lights, Ryken loved all of it, Train ride + Christmas lights= An awesome time in Ryken's eyes. :)

The cute train in the front of the park. Ryken and Cy weren't to happy when I was trying to take the pic. lol

At the other family party we got to go on a fun hayride/caroling around a neighborhood by my uncles house. It was lots of fun. Chilly but fun.

Justin and Cy all bundled up before the ride. (ryken of course wouldn't let me take his picture)

We also did a gift exchange at both parties, and the last few years we just do the gift exchange along with a story. So as you listen to the story you have to pass your presents around the circle. It gets kinda tricky and funny when the little ones all try to do it. But they all seem to have fun, especially since there is a present at the end of it for them. :)

Here are some of the kiddos in the circle ready to start the passing of gifts.

Ryken got something that he LOVED, color wonder stuff!

We got the chance to take a few fun pictures while with everyone too.

Myself and Justin with the boys and also my parents and grandparents.

Mom and dad in the cute nativity cut out...

And Justin and myself too. lol

Then of course we got to have one more family party with my parents, brother's and all of their families. And this year it was lots of fun cause Mickey, Kelly and the girls came from Vegas to share in the fun!

Ryken getting ready to rip into his present...

And he got another winner, Gator Golf!

Cy was asleep when we did gifts so Tatum opened his and he got himself...

A musical turtle. :) That both him and Ryken of course LOVE.

The kiddos also got to have fun by frosting some sugar cookies, and they had lots of fun decorating the cookies and eating the cookies and frosting. :)

Here was Ryken and his masterpiece. Did it with some help from aunt Nicole. :)

Cy had fun at the party with his Uncle Mickey and all his girls as well as all the other aunts, uncles and cousins

Ryken joined in on the Karaoke fun, and sang his ABC's. :)

Since all of my parents grandkids were here this year they had to take the chance to get a picture with all of them, so here they are with all 11 grandkids and they have one more on the way. :)

Then we also got the chance to take the boys to see Santa at the Mall since we missed out at the train park. Ryken was so excited to see Santa and sit on his lap and that is all he talked about on the way to the mall. But of course once we got there and he saw him it was a different story. So it was a good thing there wasn't any other kids in line so we were able to chat with Santa and then Ryken decided it was ok to sit on his lap and talk to him too. After that it was tons of fun for him. :) And Cy, well he doesn't know much different yet. But we did get a pretty cute picture out of the visit.

Cute right? I sure think so. Hope you all have a Merry Christmas!!