Layton Family Christmas Party

I don't know what it is about living back in the States, but I'm just not as attached to my camera anymore. I just don't think to take it with me anywhere. Ever.

Well, I do think about it, but only after we've already left the house and/or arrived at our destination and/or see something really cool and/or cute.

Last night was our Layton Family Christmas party. It's an annual party where we all get together and do Christmas-y things. This year, however, it wasn't on an ideal date. See, finals week is approaching so things are kind of stressful and I just am switching jobs so am working like 4 jobs at once here and am slightly losing my mind...but...

I really wanted to go so after deliberating it all day, at 5:30 I said to Andrew, "Let's go!" I had already kind of gotten ready to go, in case I decided to go, but I wasn't sure if I would feel like I had the time. I probably didn't, but it was good to spend some time with my family.

So Andrew and I got up there and I said, "We forgot the camera." So, no pictures. Sorry, folks.

We have our Christmas party at the "Elk Lodge." It's some Lion's club hangout place and is easier to clean up at than if the party is held at someone's house (we used to do it at Uncle Ken and Aunt Bev's place). They already had it all decorated for Christmas, with a Christmas tree and pretty little decorations all around, and when Andrew and I got there all the tables were set up already.

While we were sitting around waiting for people to get there, some random people walked in...Aunt Bev's eyes were bulging as they explained that they wanted to set up for their Christmas party, which was the following evening. We comprimised with them: we'd leave the tables and chairs up so that they wouldn't have to set up as much after we left. Hard deal for us, we didn't have to take down the tables and chairs...

Anyway, as more people got there, it started to liven up a bit. Aunt Bev had set up some chimes in the front of the room so we were all playing around on them, trying to plink out some Christmas carols.

After everyone was well past starving to death we blessed the food and ate. It was pretty funny because Uncle Bob (who welcomed us all there) said, referring to Grandpa, "Dad, will you bless the food?" Uncle Ken said, "You have to say Grandpa. There are too many dads here." Then a few of the grandkids, who have their own kids, said, "There are too many grandpas here."

Anyway, we had a delicious pot luck meal.

I ate with one of the twins on my lap, while Kelli wrestled with the other. Quite frankly, I don't remember who had who. All I know is that whoever I had spit up all over the front of me so I was nice and...wet the rest of the evening. I thought they were past that stage!

After dinner we played "Name that Tune" with the chimes. Two people went up to play the chimes while everyone tried to guess what they were trying to play. The first person to guess the carol got to choose a white elephant gift. Andrew won a DVD of cartoons (PopEye, Superman, etc).

It was getting late too quickly, so we passed out the Bingo cards and played Bingo until everyone had won a white elephant gift. It was pretty fun. Even Patrick had fun, although he didn't even get a Bingo until some people had called "Blackout." He was the very last person to choose a present.

What was more fun though, was to watch the great-grandkids. They were just so funny. Tabitha's little girl, Lexi (1), was just fascinated with the twins. She kept looking back and forth and desperately trying to share her toys with them (multiple time-outs didn't make her a happy girl. Sharing is such a hard thing to learn)! The twins were really tormenting the older great-grandchildren...

Jaden's birthday was yesterday. He just turned 2. He brought with him his brand new remote control car. Sabrina, who has gotten to be quite swift on her four little limbs, thouroughly enjoyed chasing it. Jaden didn't enjoy this so much. In fact, a few times when he saw her coming he would run past her and sit on the car just so that she couldn't get it. It was quite comical.

Kelli kept telling Josie (12) and Rosie (9) to go play with the "other" kids. This, I'm sure was awkward for them 1, because Josie is a grandchild, not a great-grandchild (Rosie is a great one); and 2, because the next oldest child there was Jaden, and he's two. But, I think that Josie and Rosie did a pretty good job of entertaining themselves anyway.

At this point we all started cleaning up, and Andrew and I escaped to do, what else? More homework, work on my poor book, edit some things...we stayed up much too late in order to recover from the time we took to go to the party, but I think it was worth it.