The annual Christmas Eve Family Dinner

We had a busy week getting ready for Christmas. I took Thursday off, and Jim and I went to Idaho Falls to do some last minute shopping. Sarah picked Dave up at the airport and they did some shopping too. Andrew stayed home and played video games. Later in the evening I got all of our Christmas presents wrapped and under the tree and it looked like Santa had already come! It was nice to get it all done ahead of time though.
Every year Mom and Dad treat us to a family dinner at the Shilling house on Christmas Eve. That way no one has to cook, and we can visit with family we don't get to see very often. It's been Mom and Dad's Christmas present to us all for the last I don't know how many years. But every year it seems the number of people there is less and less. This year, with colds and flu, and with the roads being terrible we had even fewer there than normal. Nancy and I were the only sisters there!! But all 3 of my brothers made it. Andrew had to work at Walgreen's unfortunatley, but he had Christmas day off which was better.
It turned out nice and was fun to see everyone that made it! The food was good and we got a lot of photo's taken. And Sarah and Dave were hilarious. They went to the D.I. and bought ugly Christmas sweaters, and wore them to our family party. They said it was going to become a tradition for them every year! Those two, you can always count on a laugh when they are around,and I think they were made for each other.


Jim and I getting ready to chow down!

Sarah and Dave making "don't you love our sweaters" faces.....

Jared and Karlie

MaKella (Brian and Jennifer's youngest)

Whitney (Jill and Jared's new baby)

Kim and Angela

Jill

Brian, Jordan, Bridger, Jennifer, Dillon, Kylie (holding Whitney) Mom, Mia(Jon's daughter), and Dad

Nancy, Jeff, Jon and Ashley (sitting) and Gary and Carol behind them

Karlie, Brook, and MaKella

Karlie, Brooke, MaKella, Mia, and Whitney (crawling away)


Me, Dave, Sarah and Jim

Jim (I told him to look happy for a picture for a change and this is what I got)

Mom and Dad--the hosts of the party!! They do an awesome job!

Gary and Mia

Jesse (Angela's Dad) and Jim in a deep conversation!

Baby Whitney

Sarah and Dave

Kylie, Sarah, and Jordan

After the party, everyone left to do last minute shopping and other things. Jim and I went to Walgreen's to say hi to Andy and Sarah and Dave did too. They found us back trying on reading glasses and tried some on too.

hahaha.... Dave and his glasses remind me of someone on "Napolean Dynamite"
We had a good afternoon, then later we had Clam Chowder and had Mom and Dad over for dinner.
In our house it's tradition to open a couple of presents on Christmas Eve. I always get the kids pajama's and Christmas ornaments. I started giving them ornaments since Sarah was in 7th grade. I thought it would be nice that they have some when they went away to college or had a house and their own tree. (so far the ornaments are all still on my tree! I will be sad when the kids move out and take them) This year since Dave was here, I got him some too. We had a nice Christmas Eve.




Thanks Mom and Dad for a fun party every year!