Holiday Review ~ part two

{Holiday Celebrations}

This year we attended several Holiday parties all within a week of Christmas. Our first holiday celebration was at Buca de Beppo with a group of friends that Chris works with on December 19th. Sadly, I forgot to bring my camera to take pictures of this fun group of couples! This was our third year attending and while Ryan got a night out with aunt Geneva, Kara tagged along with us (she is still going through a "don't want to be with anyone but mommy and daddy stage). We had a great dinner in the Pope Room and it was great just spending time with other adults...even if the conversations were mostly about our children! A big THANK YOU to Derek and Kelly for planning this get together each year. We can't wait for next year...we will definitely make sure a babysitter is lined up (for both kiddies!) so we can stay out and enjoy the fun longer!

A few days later on December 21st, we celebrated our Annual Friends Christmas Party hosted at the Gaston Family house this year. I think we need to come up with a fun name for this party...how about RICHIGAS? If we want to be like the Hollywood celeb couples...that would be a combination of our last names! What do you think Jammers and Wendell? You like?

This tradition got started way back in 2002 when we hosted the first dinner at our cute little apartment in Exeter. We take turns hosting dinner each year. Owen (Wendy and Chris' son)was only 5 months old that first year and of course the only baby in attendance. Boy has the crew grown since then! We now have 5 energy-filled children in the group. Gone are the quiet, candle lit dinners. We are now lucky to get through the dinner without a cup spilling or having to tell the kids to sit down and eat 10 million times! It's a crazy fun adventure and we look forward to spending time with the Richards and Gaston families each year. Below are a few pictures from this night:

Wendy is on the left and Jamye is to the right. All the boys in the middle (not sure where Jaylin is). I am taking this picture while feeding Kara on a comfy rocking chair in the corner. And of course all the hubbies are in the other room watching tv.

Ryan got a cool Diego car from aunt Jamye and awesome Wonder Pets figurines from aunt Wendy. Kara got clothes (yay!), a doll and hippo ball toy. Ryan loved that he got to open his gifts and Kara's too.

There's little miss Jaylin! Isn't she a cutie! Love the boa girly! She got a ton of dress up items for Christmas this year.

Here is Jaylin and Kara. Jaylin was so excited when she found out I was having girl. They are going to be best buds (just like their mamas are!) as they grow up. This is a cute shot where Kara is not crying....we took at least 10 more where she is screaming her head off. I can't wait for this stranger (and family/friends!) anxiety goes away for good.

Ryan and I playing doctor. He is very good at checking my vitals. His prescription each time to "make the sick go away" is drink your cocoa and you feel better, ok mama. We still don't know where he heard this expression but it makes me laugh each time he says it.

But the real doctor in the house was Dr. Caleb. Doesn't he look so professional in that coat and mask? He double checked my vitals and told me I needed a shot! Oh no, not the needle!

Our entertainment for the evening was by cha-cha Jaylin! We got her this adorable Dora dress up for Christmas. She loved it but later said "oooo, it's itchy. take it off!" Too funny.


Here's the Gaston kiddies all dressed up. This picture kinda reminds me of Halloween not Christmas! I just realized that we didn't get many photos of Owen. He had gotten two new Nintendo DS games from the gift exchange so he was pretty much out of sight the rest of the evening playing his video games!

We can't wait for next year!


Up next: Christmas Eve