Peanuts

Oh you know how it is...

 anticipation and excitement over the annual family Christmas party.


All your relatives and Santa Claus packed into one small room.


Despite overwhelming noise and chaos, there were some pretty delightful moments.

Like Kylee

and Zac dressed up as shepherds

and Addison too, complete with candy cane shepherds hooks.

Harley holding a "cabbage patch kid" baby Jesus; Grandpa beamed while retelling The Nativity story.

A beautiful Christmas angel.

Maybe my favorite moment might have been watching Griffin cling to his mother, he was less than thrilled about being a wise man.

Or how about when Henry took over as a wise man.

You should have seen the terror in Olivia's face when she met Santa for the first time...

but my favorite moment could have been watching Olivia seek comfort from her Daddy because of that fat scary stranger in the red suit.

Owen was delighted to snuggle up to Henry, who is the great great grandson of Owen's father Chet.

It might have been the wonder of Santa Claus as seen through a child's eyes.

Or watching Olivia and Henry fight over Henry's toy. Olivia loved her new toy from Santa...she just needed Henry's too!

The white elephant present game is always a hit,


especially when Brandon opened his gift and found an IN-N-OUT burger! That most certainly could have been my favorite moment.

Or perhaps it might have been

Unni and Henry

getting to know each other

up close and personal. Makes you wonder what Henry was thinking.

Delighted sisters who can't seem to stop giggling...it's so wonderful to see them both together again.

Olivia found munching on a giant marshmallow Yoda very delightful...but it still wasn't my most favorite.

No...my favorite moment did not come until the end of the family party...when Grandpa Owen suddenly opened up bags of peanuts and started chucking them into the chaos. Peanuts literally rained down on everyone and everywhere! I haven't seen Grandpa Owen this happy in a long time.

Family parties...priceless, and I can't wait until next year!

Merry Christmas to you and yours!