Stockings

"The stockings were hung by the chimney with care..."

Our stack of stockings keeps getting bigger and bigger! This year, there were 9 of us at Mom and Dad's for Christmas morning.

Waiting

We look very alert for 8 a.m., don't we?

Digging in!

Esther opening some gift or another...

Look at that rock!

Justin told Esther that he was giving her a gift that would put him into her good books for the next 10 years. Somehow, I don't think this is the rock she was thinking he was going to get her!

Relaxing in the mess

Carl, Dad, and Aunt Mavis hanging out in the living room after all the presents were opened. Carl's in his fancy new media chair, which I'm sure will be the bane of Mom's existence, but which was oh-so-fun to get from L.A. to Calgary!

Boxing Day

Waiting for presents on Boxing Day: Doug, Dad, Justin, Esther, and Lucille.

Rowdy kids (and uncles)

The kids (and Uncle Kinne) being rowdy and silly on Boxing Day.

Present time!

Colin opening gifts on Boxing Day at Doug and Tammy's house.

How does this work?

Mom and Dad, Lucille and Kinne, and Doug and Tammy got Aunt Mavis a digital picture frame. When Colin and Dad were reading through the manual, she made us all pose like we were trying hard to figure out how to work it, except that Colin looks a little more like he's examining my fingernails.

The picture frame

By the end of the night, it was all loaded with family pictures and the pictures from Christmas Day and Boxing Day, which she was quite impressed with.

Uncle Joel and the Wii

We wrapped Uncle Joel's Wii in 13 layers of wrapping paper (one from each of us who contributed), and he stuck every tag to his shirt as he opened the gifts.

The Wii!

Carl helped him open the box, but it didn't get set up, since it was getting kind of late.

The cousins

The cousin lineup. The order changes as the three youngest continue growing; since the lineup at Christmas 2005, Brittany has passed both Carl and Esther.

Becky (19), Alida (25), Jessica (22), Brittany (15), Carl (19), Esther (22), Michael (12), and Zachary (10).

Squishy cousins!

The 7-cousin lineup, all squished together. How many people can you hug at once?

The longer lineup

Adding the in-laws to the cousin lineup--this will just keep getting longer and longer as more of the cousins get married.

Grown-ups?

The "elder" generation with Aunt Mavis, attempting to be silly.