Susan Gravell Family Christmas

We're back home to stay, for a little while that is! Sorry, for not letting you all know that we would be out of town and we were at a Mountain House with no reception or Internet, that is the reason I missed my Monday post! We went to CA last Friday and just returned home today. The kids and I stayed the night at Grandpa Ernie's & Grandma Debi's on Friday night. The kids always enjoy spending time with them and Max was exceptionally happy this last visit because grandpa gave Max his Chino Football Hat, which he wants to wear everyday now! Van with Grandma Debi. On Saturday, I got to visit with my friends Laurie and Emily. Emily is now 16 and driving, I started babysitting Emily when she was just 3 weeks old, now I feel a bit old, I had a lot fun visiting with the two of them! Then Danny came and picked us up from my dad's. After which, we went to Murrieta to have a Christmas dinner with Grandma Michaelson at B.J.'s. All her kids and most of her grandchildren were there and that was a lot of fun seeing everyone! We spent the night at Grandma Mike's house and went to church with my Aunt & Uncle on Sunday and then we headed out to Mt. Julian. It is a beautiful Mountain in San Diego County. My sister's partners mother owens a Big Beautiful Mountain home at the top of Lake Cuyamuca and is so kind to let our family visit there. All of my siblings and their kids came and stayed for my mom's family Christmas. (My brother Kurt and daughter Skye from Utah, Rebbecca, Kristine & Baxter from San Diego, Michael from Las Vegas, my brother Greg from San Diego and my mom & my family from Vegas). The kids had fun throwing snowballs at each other the first day, while some snow lasted from a storm a few days prior. Then on Monday we had mom's "Christmas Eve". We had a big dinner with prime rib and turkey...After dinner the cousins exchanged gifts and then we had our favorite family tradition that started way before I was born... SANTA (my brother Greg) came and brought jammies for all the kids. I thought this was great when I was a kid, but now being a mom I'm not sure how much I like it. Last year Max opened his gift so excited to find out it was only p.j.'s, and he still kept a smile. I felt so bad the next day when he asked, "I thought Santa was going to bring my light saber." Then I had to make up a story. This year I just told him before hand that Santa brings his big gift on Christmas when we are sleeping; he was happy about the jammies this year! When Hanna first saw Santa she started to cry and then she hurried and said, "I'm not scared of Santa, I like Santa!" And when it was her turn to sit on his lap she was Happy Hanna! Van wasn't sure what to think of Santa, weather he should laugh or cry. We had plans for the adults to exchange gifts, but a few siblings just brought cash, so we didn't end up doing it. I had brought my rag quilt to exchange (yes, I finished my first quilt and I have no picture to show of it, I'll have to have my sister take one and send it to me), so ended up getting a gift card to Target and gave my sister the rag quilt. My sweet brother Greg gave us a really cute hand-stitched "Families Are Forever" embroidery. The kids had fun with their cousins and grandma and we had fun playing games as adults at night! All and all we all had a wonderful time, we are now happy to be home for Christmas and for the next little while!