ranch Christmas 2017

After our little family Christmas was done, we drove out to the ranch for Terry's family Christmas lunch with his folks and Shari's family.

We began with stockings. This was nearly the first photo I took with my new camera. I hadn't (and still haven't) had the time to learn much about it so I just pointed and shot. It could tell it was letting in more light in Auto mode. 

Grace, Evie, and Noah going after it.

Oh, I also took these shots to showcase the new carpet and furniture that they did this last fall. Luna has to stay home now a days.

Terry showing the boys how the Pez dispensers worked.

Poor Jesse woke up pretty sick that morning but stuck it out for the day at the ranch. 

After a delicious lunch we went into the newly carpeted and painted sunroom for presents. It's a pretty good family photo!

Little Rebekah could tell right away what her gift was. She immediately plopped down in it.

It's a chair! She was lugging that thing everywhere. She has a hard time climbing up on a couch or chair so this is perfect for her.

Sarah opening her little activity center. I'm still learning how to focus the camera...

Ezra opening his super cheap and much loved mini-Thomas battery train track.

Samuel's Hot Wheels car track. 

Evie and Grace are equally obsessed with Shopkins, though perhaps Grace a little more so.

When Evie was opening her present she said, "I hope this is IT!" She was super happy about that Lego set, which was the third thing on her list. Terry said, "Was that it Evie?" She was like, "This is it." So from then on, we said everything everyone opened was "it." It was funny.

Noah's Pokemon card set was also it. Oh and I just noticed/remembered how Terry and Noah changed their clothes from that morning so they could wear their matching shirts.

The final of the three Six Pack books I made was finally opened. It was gratifying to see Jerry looking through it a little later in the afternoon. Again, they were so much work.

Terry got his mom a superfluous Menards mug for Christmas (because she has so many already). He had joked with her that he was going to get her one when he saw they were "free" with a rebate equal to their cost. 

She thought it was hilarious. The mug was also it. Terry's been drinking from his at home too.

We all contributed to this sound bar for Jerry and Alice.

It was a pretty small group of presents this year so it was done quickly. Rebekah laid down on her chair since she was tired.

Evie helped those girls set up the Shopkins house since she had done her own earlier that day.

Putting together the littles' tracks.

Evie couldn't wait until we got home to put together her Lego house. We were proud of Noah though. He didn't even ask or whine about not being able to put his new huge Lego AT-AT together because he knew it would take too long. He was content to wait until the following day. He's matured!

Seriously this $20 track is so fun. It's been a great gift.

Samuel's car track was also battery operated. It swings the cars around those big loops and every once in a while they crash. That's why Samuel is blurry. He was laughing so loud and jumping all over the place. It was hilarious to him.

Terry got the sound bar all ready to go.

For the remaining afternoon we played cards. Noah played with us for the very first time! We even got Jerry to play also. This game was Up The River and was a ton of fun. We played Rook next, then had a small dinner, and went home late. What a big day, but a good day.

Evie and the girls were playing with this White Elephant gift from a couple Youth Group parties ago that we finally gave her. It was a winner.