My CRAZY Thanksgiving/Christmas week!

***WARNING*** Long post ahead

The Plumb Family:

So this past week has been CRAZY!!!! With a capital1 “K”! We will start with Saturday (the 17th). Jared got back from China that day, but I was in Logan for Chelsea’s endowment. Which, by the way, was beautiful. And after her endowment we all went to Ike and Jenny’s for a DELICIOUS dutch oven dinner (no pictures). Thanks again Jenny for watching Xander while I went to the temple.

Sunday was a normal church Sunday, but because Jared had such serious jet lag I made him stay home with Xander, and I enjoyed a child-free church. But I got home and had a TON of laundry to do for Jared so he had clean clothes for work the next day (I guess that’s what happens when you go over two weeks).

Monday, I spent the day cleaning my house up, and getting the rooms ready for people to come and stay. Then Monday night Leisa and her hubby Wally came and stayed and we went “present” shopping for my sisters wedding night. We got her a ton of fun items.

Tuesday we Chelsea’s wedding day, and it turned out WONDERFULLY! She was a gorgeous bride. She got married in the Salt Lake temple, and it was a beautiful wedding. The luncheon afterwards was just as yummy! Here are the pictures from that:



Mom and Xander waiting for the Bride and groom:

Westin and Chelsea
Xander being cute waiting during pictures

Xander copying Dad as he squatted down to Xander's level
Ike, Jenny and their two girls.

Wednesday was the first day family was coming, so I had a LOT to do. I finished washing sheets, and getting the basement ready for people to sleep in. I cleaned my house, and did a LOT of cooking prep work. People started arriving at about 4:00 p.m. and the fun began. ALL Jared’s family came, for a TOTAL of 23 people in our home. The first day we made Indian Headbands, and on each feather they had to write one thing they were thankful for.

Here Kathleen is starting her headband

Xander with his headband on

Brandon in his headband
Cody in his
Kaylee, and Kathleen and Xander helping prepare food for Thanksgiving
Here are Faith, Logan and Alicia playing together.
Xander and Jordan

The favorite toy was, of course, the Wii. Here Alyssa, Kaylee, and Kathleen play together.
Jaden and Brandon
Thursday was turkey day. Some people went out back and had a turkey bowl. Here are pictures of that:

Ryan throwing the ball
Bradley catching the ball
Everyone chillin' out back.

More Wii pictures.
The kids playing with Peanut Butter Playdough
Alicia and her playdough.
Xander LOVED his Aunties and Uncles playing with him. Here he is on Aunt Alyssa's lap.
Here he is with Uncle Boo.

For the Thanksgiving Feast we had such yummy food! I even made my first apple pie, and I thought it tasted really good (and was surprisingly easy). Here is a view of the food. We had SOOO MUCH FOOD! It was great!
Then of course we had to get the family pictures. Lisa (Jared's mom) has been trying to get a family picture with everyone in a puruple shirt for YEARS! She FINALLY got her wish (thanks to my parents who dropped in just in time to snap these photos.)

Friday we celebrated as Christmas Eve (so we could celebrate both holidays while the family was together). We had so much fun. We made Sugar Cookies, Snowmen, and set-up the Christmas tree for activities. Here are more pictures:

Us setting up the tree:

Then we decorated Sugar Cookies

For the Christmas Eve program we all got together. Grandma and Grandpa got gifts for all the grandkids, so we got a picture of them with all of them (Xander screamed the whole time. I guess there is always one who won't cooperate)
Then all the girls (adult girls) got Christmas socks from Grandpa

We also played the "Candy Game" which is apparently a tradition in Jared's family, but I don't have pictures of that. Then we ready "The Christmas Story" out of the bible. Thanks Brad for reading that for us, and for the great gifts!

Then at bedtime, I went to lay Xander down, but he and Cody were playing too cute together. So I let him stay up a few minutes longer to play with Cody.
Christmas morning (Saturday) was good to us. Here is a picture of the presents under the tree.

Here is Emily, Josh and their kids opening their presents.
Jon, Ashley and their kids opening their presents.
Grandma and Grandpa opening theirs
Ang and Ryan opening their presents.
Then we all got together and made Gingerbread houses before everyone left.

Here are Jared and Xander making one:

Grandma and Kaylee
Bradley helped Faith with hers.
Brandon being caught "sneaking" a piece of candy.
Jaden and Emily with their house.
Josh working on his house.

Kaylee working on her house.
Tanner working on his house.
Bradley and Faith with the finished house.
Some of the houses:
Then at around 11:30 most of the family went home. Ang, Ryan and their kids were the only ones left here. We cleaned up the house, and just relaxed and played games. It was a lot of fun to have one on one time with them.

Sunday we got up and got ready for church. They came with us to Sacrament, then left to go home. After church we were all so tired, we took a long nap. Then I got up and picked up the house.

Today I have spent the day scrubbing my home. It isn’t that Jared’s family is dirty, it is just that we had a month worth of people in our home in one week. So there were just lots of floors to be vacuumed, sheets and towels to be washed, etc. etc. etc. Tomorrow, I have bathrooms to scrub, then I think I have my house back to “normal”. Sigh. I’m tired. So thats all for now. Thanks again to Jared’s family for all sacrificing to come so we could all get together again. A special thanks to Ang (Jared’s sister) who not only helped pay for the food, but was amazing at helping keeping the kitchen, and house cleaned and organized amongst the millions of people.