Christmas Eve Extraordinaire

Every other year, our entire immediate family - 

our 5 kids, their spouses and 24 grandkids - 

get together a few days after Christmas 

and celebrate through New Years.

Each family has their Christmas in their own home, 

then drive or fly to our gathering.

Our 2013 Celebration together was in Mesa,

hosted by our daughter, Stacy, and family

and our son, Ryan, and family.

Stacy invited Roger and I to be with their family on Christmas.

So, Christmas Eve day, 

with a car loaded with Christmas gifts,

we headed to Mesa.

But the night before we left, 

we attended my sister, Kay's, Keynote Christmas Program 

in the St. George Tabernacle.

I say it every year, but it was the best one yet!

Truly gorgeous music!

we arrived in Scottsdale just in time 

to meet up with our two families at Benihana.

It has been a tradition with the Youngs to eat

at Benihana on Christmas Eve for years,

partly inspired by A Christmas Story.

(Remember Ralphie and Ralphie's dad 

and the turkey and the dog 

and the Chinese restaurant - fa ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra?)

The kids love the grand show at Benihana,

watching their food being cooked in front of them.

It is Ryan's family's tradition on Christmas Eve to cook empanadas,

a food both Ryan and his wife enjoyed 

on their Chilean and Argentinian missions.

They prepared the empanadas that day

(which we enjoyed later), 

but decided to join us for dinner

so we could all be together.

Everyone was in a hurry to get back to Ryan and Emily's

for the Nativity to be acted out, but Sarah Kate 

wanted to eat every yummy bite of her ice cream.

Can you blame her?

When Grandpa asked what they wanted for Christmas, 

Max and Becca proudly showed us!

 When we got to Ryan's home, 

we gave Pete his belated birthday present.

When we saw this book, What It Means To Be A Cougar, 

we knew it was for him!

What a tall, gorgeous Christmas tree!

Grandpa was asked to be the narrator of The Christmas Story.

Luke is Joseph and Sarah Kate is Mary.

But wait, what's this?

Do we have two Marys riding on the donkey?

Shepherd Londyn

Wisemen Ben and Max

Full cast of characters

Father and son

Grandma Pam with our precious oldest granddaughter, Sydney

A hug from "Joseph" for Grandpa Roger

Pal and Susan Gilbert, Emily's parents,

stopped by to see The Nativity.

Then we drove to Stacy and Tom's home,

about five minutes away,

and had to take pics of their beautiful Christmas decor.

Lots of Christmas cards

(during our stay, they received many more, 

and they lined both walls on the sides!)

decorated her Craft Room doors.

This tree is in the 50's Diner Family Room,

and it is where Santa left his gifts on Christmas morning.

Each kid got to open one gift from Mom and Dad . . .

. . . Christmas jammies!

Now, go to bed so Santa can come!

(Stay tuned . . .)