Over the River and Through the Woods...

{The Columbia River and the Great Northwest Woods}
...To Dee Dee and Pop Pop's house we went.

Christmas was pretty awesome this year.
It was a Lee year and it was great.
We had so much fun spending time with my parents, Brett, and of course, the Walkers.
We even got to talk to Elder Matty on Christmas day so it was extra awesome.

Except for the sickies...
{I think everyone suffered some version of a cold--and poor Jake and Ben even visited the Instacare--Jake got to go twice, and little Ben has since been diagnosed with RSV. Poor little guy.}

So this was our hilarious attempt at the Nativity Scene on Christmas Eve.
My mom was so excited about this (and I'll admit, I was too) and it couldn't have been a bigger disaster.

Ben was our happy baby Jesus, until Mary (Kaiya) whacked him in the face.

Brett was a perfect donkey for Mary.
Here he is trying hard not to correct my mom as she told the story of the baby Jesus being put in a basket and sent down the river to the inkeeper's palace.
I told you it was awesome.



The donkey and the sheep.
My mom has had these costumes and hats for as long as I can remember. (Although she was definitely missing quite a few animals. We couldn't find them all.)



Joseph (Jake) played the traditional Jewish recorder during the spectacle.



My dad held a sad little angel (Sarah).
Although she had lost her wings and her halo--which my dad donned proudly.
See?... awesome.

Opening Christmas Eve jammies.
I love that Michelle and I brought back this tradition this year.

I'm not sure where Jake's pants went. Oh well.

Bath-time... getting ready for Santa.

Here we are Christmas morning.
Sarah loves this doll my mom bought her for Christmas--despite its super creepy non-stop laughing.

I should have taken some pictures of Jake playing with his favorite toys (I can't believe I didn't): a Thomas train set from Santa, and his Lightning McQueen suitcase from Dee Dee and Pop Pop.

She was actually pretty cute about it.

Some of the mayhem...

My mom's Nutcracker collection.

A few days after Christmas we ventured to Astoria and Cannon Beach.
There's a rule that if you go to Astoria you HAVE to eat at The Wet Dog.

My parents are the greatest. Ever.

Bretty.

Jake, Sarah, and Blaine shoveling it in. :)

I'm reading Stephen King's Duma Key right now and this picture is totally freaking me out.

I love this little town.

Brett and Jakey.

This picture is hilarious.
It was so cold, windy, and dark by the time we got to Cannon Beach that we didn't even get the kids out of the car. Michelle and I handed our cameras to Blaine so we could "prove it" and then we jumped back inside the heated cars.

All in all. A great time.