The holidays have passed, so why am I revisiting them with Christmas party pictures? Because, my blog my rules. Besides, I didn't get time to post them before the end of the year since I wanted to make sure the near overthrow of our house by Darth Vader was documented. So here is the re-cap...capping (?) of the holiday season, comlete with blood-shot eyes and documented at 1:30 in the morning while only having had 2 hours of sleep. So you know only half of it may be true.
We start off at G-pa Cloward's yearly shindig. Except there wasn't any dancing. This is when everyone is getting their cameras ready to take pictures of the grand kids playing the left right game. That game where someone reads a story and every time "left" or "right" is said you pass the present in that direction. One of these years I hope someone gets a new story like a football story. "He ran left, then he stutter-stepped right, then he passed the ball". At this time everyone throws their presents at the person across from them.
This is the reaction I usually get after I tell them one of my ideas.
After all of the fumbling around (that just gave me another great idea to go with the football story) you finally get to open up the present and find out that you all got the same thing. Just think of how much more fun it would be to watch when someone said the word fumble. I can imagine it now, all the kids throw their presents in to the middle then there is a giant dog pile trying to get that present back.
See! Alyssa likes my idea. Or she is just excited for the next phase of the party. Bigger presents.
But wait there lyssypoo. First we get to do the white elephant dance. Everyone gets to bring a present, or more likely some bit of garbage they haven't been able to throw away for the last 10 years, and give it to some other poor sap to store in their house. Or possibly a gag gift, your choice.
It was pretty tame this year. Nobody seemed to want to trade or steal from each other. There were some good things however. Jared's girlfriend got the bag of goldfish that Ryan and Denise brought. But the best one I saw was what Ryan got. He's trying to hide it or make it less obvious but if you look real close (even if you look real close you can't tell what it is) you can see it is a tube of hemorrhoid creme.
The party then took a turn down "Minute to win it" road as the grand kids tried to snag candy canes with a make-shift fishing pole.
Now it's time for the big presents. This is when Santa usually makes an appearance but he called at the last minute with some lame story about Blitzen and a broken antler throwing off his equilibrium. No wonder the reindeer tied him up, that guy is shady. I know she doesn't look it but she's excited.
It was a very DS party for the kids.
It's a picture of the kids playing a game. No crazy story, I might be getting too tired, better refill my Coke before I start the next party.
We move on to Sherry's house for the Christensen soiree (look it up). All the girl cousins liked to hang out together and put their legs on each other. Girls are so weird. And Jacob, he's one of the girls too.
In the other corner the boy cousins are playing a dreidle game for candy.
I get the feeling KC is a gamer. Just a hunch.
Woo hoo food! The best part of any family party. We are the salad and dessert people so this year we shook it up a little bit by taking a pasta salad. I know, crazy huh? Totally took everyone by surprise, especially when they found out how potent the red onion was. We are sooooo unpredictable.
Katie is still happy to get to see Alyssa.
I don't know what it is about Jim but kids seem to like him. I, however, have the opposite effect on them. I know, it's my rugged good looks.
I present to you the Steven table. You can (or must, I'm not quite clear on this rule) sit here if your name is Steven. I guess it's a good thing Kelli wasn't here this year or the table would be really crowded.
And now I present to you the lazy guy couch. We will revisit this again later.
The second half of the party was the fun present part. All the grand kids brought a $10 gift card from one of their favorite places and stuck it to a candy bar of their choice.
The gift cards and candy bars were placed in a basket and given to KC. He was of course happy to receive them and thought this was a great present from all of the other grand kids.
Until we told him that wasn't part of the game.
Sherry gathered all of us into the family room to explain the rules of the game. None of which included KC getting all of the gift cards. Sorry KC, I was pulling for you dude. Here we are carefully listening to the rules. See that guy in the red sweater sitting in the chair? You know him as G-pa Christensen. Watch closely for the next few pictures.
Here is Sherry explaining the rules while everyone is carefully listening. Except for the guys on the lazy guy couch, they are trying to watch the game but Sherry keeps talking and standing in front of the T.V.
The rules are similar to the white elephant game we played at G-pa Clowards. What? I didn't explain the rules at the last party? Sherry had all of the kids pick a number out of a bowl and then we went in order of lowest to highest number. When your number is called you can either steal a gift card from one of your cousins and hope they don't punch you or you can try to steal a card and candy bar from the bowl that KC is holding. You decide which one is scarier.
There was a bit more stealing at this party. What does that say about our family? Now, remember what I told you to keep an eye on? See the head slowly tilting more to the right? Keep watching. Oh! And notice there are still only guys on the guy couch. We totally rule the comfy places.
And we nearly have full comatose-i-ness. What did I say about comfy places?
Well at least Kelsie was happy with her gift card and candy bar combo.
We start off at G-pa Cloward's yearly shindig. Except there wasn't any dancing. This is when everyone is getting their cameras ready to take pictures of the grand kids playing the left right game. That game where someone reads a story and every time "left" or "right" is said you pass the present in that direction. One of these years I hope someone gets a new story like a football story. "He ran left, then he stutter-stepped right, then he passed the ball". At this time everyone throws their presents at the person across from them. 
This is the reaction I usually get after I tell them one of my ideas. 
After all of the fumbling around (that just gave me another great idea to go with the football story) you finally get to open up the present and find out that you all got the same thing. Just think of how much more fun it would be to watch when someone said the word fumble. I can imagine it now, all the kids throw their presents in to the middle then there is a giant dog pile trying to get that present back. 
See! Alyssa likes my idea. Or she is just excited for the next phase of the party. Bigger presents.
But wait there lyssypoo. First we get to do the white elephant dance. Everyone gets to bring a present, or more likely some bit of garbage they haven't been able to throw away for the last 10 years, and give it to some other poor sap to store in their house. Or possibly a gag gift, your choice.
It was pretty tame this year. Nobody seemed to want to trade or steal from each other. There were some good things however. Jared's girlfriend got the bag of goldfish that Ryan and Denise brought. But the best one I saw was what Ryan got. He's trying to hide it or make it less obvious but if you look real close (even if you look real close you can't tell what it is) you can see it is a tube of hemorrhoid creme.
The party then took a turn down "Minute to win it" road as the grand kids tried to snag candy canes with a make-shift fishing pole.
Now it's time for the big presents. This is when Santa usually makes an appearance but he called at the last minute with some lame story about Blitzen and a broken antler throwing off his equilibrium. No wonder the reindeer tied him up, that guy is shady. I know she doesn't look it but she's excited.
It was a very DS party for the kids.
It's a picture of the kids playing a game. No crazy story, I might be getting too tired, better refill my Coke before I start the next party.
We move on to Sherry's house for the Christensen soiree (look it up). All the girl cousins liked to hang out together and put their legs on each other. Girls are so weird. And Jacob, he's one of the girls too.
In the other corner the boy cousins are playing a dreidle game for candy.
I get the feeling KC is a gamer. Just a hunch.
Woo hoo food! The best part of any family party. We are the salad and dessert people so this year we shook it up a little bit by taking a pasta salad. I know, crazy huh? Totally took everyone by surprise, especially when they found out how potent the red onion was. We are sooooo unpredictable.
Katie is still happy to get to see Alyssa.
I don't know what it is about Jim but kids seem to like him. I, however, have the opposite effect on them. I know, it's my rugged good looks.
I present to you the Steven table. You can (or must, I'm not quite clear on this rule) sit here if your name is Steven. I guess it's a good thing Kelli wasn't here this year or the table would be really crowded. 
And now I present to you the lazy guy couch. We will revisit this again later.
The second half of the party was the fun present part. All the grand kids brought a $10 gift card from one of their favorite places and stuck it to a candy bar of their choice. 
The gift cards and candy bars were placed in a basket and given to KC. He was of course happy to receive them and thought this was a great present from all of the other grand kids.
Until we told him that wasn't part of the game.
Sherry gathered all of us into the family room to explain the rules of the game. None of which included KC getting all of the gift cards. Sorry KC, I was pulling for you dude. Here we are carefully listening to the rules. See that guy in the red sweater sitting in the chair? You know him as G-pa Christensen. Watch closely for the next few pictures.
Here is Sherry explaining the rules while everyone is carefully listening. Except for the guys on the lazy guy couch, they are trying to watch the game but Sherry keeps talking and standing in front of the T.V.
The rules are similar to the white elephant game we played at G-pa Clowards. What? I didn't explain the rules at the last party? Sherry had all of the kids pick a number out of a bowl and then we went in order of lowest to highest number. When your number is called you can either steal a gift card from one of your cousins and hope they don't punch you or you can try to steal a card and candy bar from the bowl that KC is holding. You decide which one is scarier.
There was a bit more stealing at this party. What does that say about our family? Now, remember what I told you to keep an eye on? See the head slowly tilting more to the right? Keep watching. Oh! And notice there are still only guys on the guy couch. We totally rule the comfy places.
And we nearly have full comatose-i-ness. What did I say about comfy places? 
Well at least Kelsie was happy with her gift card and candy bar combo.
The faces may change but it remains the lazy guy couch. And who is that? Why I believe it is the king of the comfy lazy guy couch sitting on his G-pa's lap eating an entire package of peanut butter cups. I so envy that guy. The eating the peanut butter cups, not the sitting on Larry's lap. I don't think he would like that.
3 comments:
Thanks for the pictures of the Christmas party. Sure glad someone takes pictures. Fun party.
Thanks for the pictures. I may have to copy for my blog since you did such a good job.
I am glad you photo-documented the Christmas party, it makes us feel as though we were there. Steve would like to join the Steven table next time!
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