Christmas in Reno

Phew!

We somehow survived the cross-country flight from Baltimore to Reno. We had two stops along the way, but first I have to say that I am never doing a 7am flight EVER again. The airport shuttle van picked us up just before 5 am, and the kids were NOT too happy to be woken up. Anyway, it all seems so long ago now. I remember we waited an hour on the tarmac to be de-iced before we even left BWI. It was no big deal though, since we were to have a 3 hour layover in Kansas City. So, that wait was a little less. But not much less. We had to wait there as well to be de-iced. All the flights were full as well- no elbow room at all. As Jim likes to call it "butt-cheek to butt-cheek". The worst part is the KC airport is so pudunk that you have to go through security just to get to your next gate. Jim hated that! Imagine having to go through that twice in one day with two wriggly toddlers. Then we stopped in Phoenix too, but we didn't have to get off, thank goodness. We finally made it to Reno after 8 pm. (11 pm our time) The kids were way too excited to go to sleep.

It was so worth it, though. We had a great two weeks in Reno.

I think the influenza virus has morphed into a bigger monster than anyone's immune system in the world has been up against. Everyone I know was sick over Christmas. We all got it in Reno. In fact, the entire ward had it right after the ward party. A lovely one-day flu. From what I hear, people across the country had to deal with stuff. A one-day epidemic! Luckily, we all took turns being sick so we could take turns taking care of each other. But nobody was sick on Christmas! What a blessing!

Christmas eve we had our traditional program, where everyone shares something, be it a story a song or whatever. Here's my dad playing the guitar. Even the little bitty ones joined in when Grandpa played twinkle, twinkle- which could be construed as a Christmas song! My bro Jason is on the left. You can't tell from the picture, but ladies- he's a hottie! (Only if you're available, of course.)



Elena wanted to sit in her carseat in its travel bag for our program. Funny kid. Probably really comfy, though...



Here are the three cousins on Christmas Eve. From left to Right is Aaron (15months), Elena (29 months) and Jackson (28 months at the time). Looking a mite sleepy, aren't we?


And here's the beautiful 16-foot high Christmas Tree. It produced many mystified oohs and aahs from the kids.

Aaron and Daddy.

This was our table setting on Christmas Eve. Sorry it's so blurry. It was so fun to have all my siblings present (there are 4 of us). And my sister's little family too. Harold and cousin Jackson. We're still waiting for my two bros to find significant others.

We woke up nice and late at 9 am on Christmas day. Yippee! We are relishing the Christmases when we can sleep in, for we know that won't last much longer! Here are a few of us opening gifts Christmas day. Doesn't Aaron look like that baby from the Labrynth? "You remind me of the babe..."


Elena got a baby doll whose eyes close when she's laying down. She thought it was so cool. She ran off to the stairs once it was open to examine it all alone where nobody could bother her.


Then she pretended to sleep too. So cute!


So much cool new stuff!
We also awoke Christmas Day to a foot or so of snow. At the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains this is not uncommon, however it has been quite some time since there has been a white Christmas. So, Jim wanted some exercise later on when all the unwrapping was done. Even though nobody had to go anywhere he wanted to shovel the snow off the driveway. Elena wanted to go out too. She LOVED the snow!



She loved grabbing handfuls of it and throwing it in the air to make it snow again. Aaron, on the other hand, HATED it.



'Nuff said.



Here's my attempt at a magical windowpane photo with the snow sticking to it. Until I have a camera that costs a million dollars, that's the best I can do. By the time we left on New Years' Day all the snow was pretty much gone and the temperature was in the high 50's. I quite enjoyed that, even thought the snow was nice.

This was pretty long so thanks for sticking with me!

To be continued....