Christmas Eve at Grandma Tess and Papa Steve's house

Circling around the "White Elephant Gift Exchange."
 This year's theme: Camping.

The children opened each gift(taking turns youngest to olderst) and with the help of an adult
decided if they wanted to keep it or exchange it.

Grace waited her turn to open the cast iron griddle for a camp stove.
 Her family will put that to good use this summer.

Next on the agenda: read scriptures wearing Nativity scene costumes.
Isla didn't like the idea. She wanted to  be Mary without wearing the costume.
 She is adorable even in tears.

Autumn orchestrated the scriptures and songs.
Ava is using her Dad's cell phone to sing along
(reading the lyrics-modern technology...Toooo FUN)

Ava(1st grade) and Kaela (2nd grade) read from Luke

Joseph and Mary
 (A.K.A. Gabriel soon to be 5yrs and Grac
 3 1/2 years old).

Grace kept encouraging Gabriel to kiss baby Jesus.

Ava wanted to hold Baby Jesus.
 Damon is in the background using his cell phone to take pictures.

After the nativity reading, we opened gifts.
The grandchildren received  pajamas(homemade by me) and a book.
It was great fun.

Needless to say,I was relieved that all the pajamas fit.
 I am a blessed  mother and grandmother.
Their smiles tell the story....love, peace, and happiness!

Thanksgiving with the Wilstead and Perez families

Thanksgiving 2012 at Clarissa's house.
The Perez family joined the fun.

Manuel, Autumn and Manuel's father-Francisco Perez

Activities included story telling by Ava

Papa brought Balsam wood airplanes.
Papa, Clarissa and Kaela displays the airplane.

Gabriel using the hand puppets in a skit

Isla on the ground, others showing their puppets to the camera

Grace loves the dinosaur hand puppets.

The day after Thanksgiving the Wilstead girls helped me set up the
Christmas decorations. My mom (Grandma Ginner) crocheted these many years ago. 

She also gave these to me a few years before she passed away.

This year I added a nativity created in Montana in honor of Elle.
She's serving a mission in Montana; she'll be home June 2013.

Ava delights in the little people in the city.
Usually Elle does the decorating;their help was greatly appreciated.

At the end of the day, Papa is in heaven watching a movie
with his side kick Ava.

Grand Canyon - Family Vacation 2012

Jarod's family gasped at the Great White!

Damon is so brave; he fights off the shark with his bare fist!

We make so much noise it annoyed the shark.Look at his teeth!

Family Fun began in Las Vegas at the Shark Reef July 2,2012

The prices were reasonable.It is a great exhibition.

Standing in line to purchase our tickets. Papa Steve is hugging Carly.

One among the many sharks we saw.

Texans enjoy the petting tank.

I think the octopus tank was Papa Steve's favorite exhibit.

Perhaps the Lion Fish was a close tie for first; Papa Steve enjoyed this exhibit  immensely.

I adore Baby Jarod's smile.

Jarod and his son, Papa Steve, Clarissa, and Grandma Tess

Texans: Carly, Megan, Josh, Jack, Baby Jarod & Jarod.

 AFTER THE SHARK REEF EXPERIENCE, WE SWAM IN THE POOL AT THE FAIRFIELD INN, LAS VEGAS. MY WEREN'T WE BRAVE!!!

Damon holding Ava (5 yrs) with Kaela(7 yrs) in background.

Clarissa holding Isla Belle (3 yrs)

It was 108 and everyone was in the HOT tub. Toooo fun!

Papa Steve at our hotel(Mariott) with Kaela.Stylin' pajamas Kaela!

Kaela wrote Carly a sweet note: I love Carly. Oh yes I do.

THE NEXT MORNING (AFTER OUR FREE GOURMET BREAKFAST) WE DROVE TO THE KOA IN WILLIAMS, ARIZONA. JOSH AND AVA RODE IN OUR CAR.

Ava watches Josh play on Ava's Leapster. It's no secret that I adopted children because of the  kindness Jarod and Clarissa demonstrated on a daily basis. They were so compatible and thoughtful, I just knew all children were like them. 

Williams, Arizona KOA or as Elle used to call it: A OK.

Jarod was 13 or so when we went to the first KOA and now he is 33. How did 20 years go by so quickly.

Papa Steve and his guitar. I'm carrying Jarod's guitar. You can't have a campfire without music.

Hanging out at Mieka and Don's cabin.

We found 4 more children to join our fun. They represented Elle, Autumn, Emmerson and Navarre. Don't you worry, we asked Cole (younger of the two brothers) if he knew how many quarters were in a dollar!

We had a boy pinata (pirate) and a girl pinata (pink flower). There were tooooo many children for just one pinata. It was filled with necklaces and rings for the girls and the boys had army men and mini fingerboards.

Isla might be tiny but she is mighy.

THE NEXT DAY WE WENT TO WILLIAMS, ARIZONA FOR THE JULY 4TH COMMUNITY PARADE.

 It is located on the famous Route 66.

I always get choked up when Veterans carry the flag in parades.

It was so diverse!

Jarod with his sons Josh and Jack.

Bagpipes- what a great parade!

I love Josh's patriotism! 

Matt Ryan was running for senator. We had to take Matt and Ryan's picture! Toooo fun!!!

                        THE NEXT DAY WE WENT TO THE GRAND CANYON.

I can't help myself....I enjoy dressing the same. I guess it comes from fond childhood memories.

We wore our red shirts the previous day; Jarod made them for us for the family fun in San Diego-2008. I love being a twin and looking like one is even more fun!

We took the bus to the first stop. We hiked from there for 2 miles.

Jarod, Megan, Josh, Carly, Jack

Damon holding Isla, Clarissa, Kaela, Ava

Ben, Kelli, Kate, Ryan, Matt

Don holding Tony, Mieka holding Kyle

Brian and Kristen, Amanda, Zack, Camryn, Karli

Steve, Karon, Rosanne, Andy

The trail we hiked.

Of course, it wouldn't be a vacation unless we were thrown out of a city or ..... kicked off the bus because of Clarissa's stroller was toooooo big. Getting up the hill wasn't the problem, they let us on the bus.  But they wouldn't let us ride back down the hill 3 hours later. WE thought we were going to hike 10 miles back down the road to get to our car. Fortunately, they sent a special bus to pick us up. Thanks Damon for taking the hit for the team!

BACK ROW: Zack, Brian, Don holding Tony, Mieka holding Kyle, Kelli and Ben
FRONT ROW: Amanda, Camryn, Kristen, Karli,Rosanne, Andy, Kate, Ryan and Matt

BACK ROW: Kaela, Damon and Carly
FRONT ROW: Karon, Steve, Megan holding Baby J, Ave, Josh, Jarod holding Jack, Clarissa holding Isla

WE ENDED THE VACATION AT CAFE RIO- ISLA'S 3RD BIRTHDAY.

Clarissa and Jarod love Cafe Rio.  Clarissa is so excited I had to take her picture at the door.

Yummy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's Isla's 3rd  birthday, but our week long vacation wiped her out!!!