Well, I really wanted to get our Christmas vacation to Meeker into the last 'What You Missed' post... but after downloading 1,000 pictures, and then sorting and weeding out the good ones down to only about 300, I knew that just wasn't going to be possible! But don't worry, I did manage to make another round of cuts, but I still had to split them up into two posts. Regardless, here they all are... so enjoy our crazy memorable adventure to Colorado for the Holidays!
So it would probably be a huge understatement to say our trip didn't start off all that well or definitely how we envisioned it going! Our health & safety was never in danger... well, now that I think about it... and how I wanted to make it all in one shot after working through the night and not getting any sleep (can you tell?!), our health & safety probably was in danger! But after a mega long day on the road, breaking down in the middle of nowhere, and an unplanned overnight stay in Grand Junction...
We finally made it to Meeker
where Dad-Oh & Jack were thrilled to see each other!
It was so good to see Mandi & her family...
which included Jason's parents, Peg & John too.
Sammy was so excited about us finally being there,
that he just couldn't resist playing his makeshift drums for us!
It wasn't long before it was happy hour...
and the belly laughs ensued!
Allen and his new best friend.
With these four boys all together... it was nothing but silliness!
Jack had never ridden a horse before... or even seen one up close for that matter, but Moe-Joe took care of that when she sat him on Gabe for a wild ride around the house.
Mandi & Dad-Oh... happy we're all together for the Holidays!
Although not all that mobile, Jason was there, alert, and happy to see a bunch of family invade his space and give him ridiculous amounts of love!
While everyone else was socializing and catching up...
I helped out Hamp with his diving touchdown catches.
Finally, Moe-Joe & her Grandsons all
under one roof together... hard not to smile about that!
Hamp presses pause on all the silliness...
to tell Jack how much he loves him.
It was only Christmas Eve morning... but there was no way Hamp & Sam were going to miss Santa Claus leave presents and eat cookies in their house!
It may have been cold, but there was a bunch of snow on the ground... which meant the boys had to get out of the house and play!
And play they certainly did!
My excuse was having to hold the camera and take pictures. So not real sure what Dad-Oh's excuse was for not sledding down the hill with the boys!?!?
Meanwhile back at home, Jack & Aunt Moo
enjoy a quiet happy morning together.
That afternoon Jack and his favorite two ladies
take a short cold stroll around the block.
But it was only a matter of time before Allen
stole Moe-Joe away to play with him in the snow.
He even got his Momma in on the sledding action!
I handed over the camera and joined in on all the fun!
I could've watched these two clowns sled down that hill all day!
No sledding for Jack this time, but he certainly did
enjoy watching everyone else go down the hill!
As the sun went down that evening, Sammy went
upside-down and showed off all of his gymnastics skills!
Dad-Oh was the King of the Internet, which he loved...
for when he started clickin, the boys came a runnin!
Not sure if it was just the Christmas Spirit, being all together with family, or if it was a little bit of both... but whatever it was sure did make our two boys the happiest little fellas we could ask for!
Leave it to Moe-Joe to get the Boys matching Christmas PJ's!
Jackie-Poo wasn't quite walking on his own yet,
so sweet Sammy tried his best to teach his younger Cousin.
And then all of a sudden... things got weird! Dad-Oh pulled a knife on Hamp, and then Hamp pulled out a gun and told Dad-Oh not to bring a knife to a gun fight!
After things deescalated a little,
it was time to capture some Christmas Eve cuteness.
It was early Christmas morning... and instead of tearing into presents, Aunt Moo & Jack checked out the latest news in the paper.
Hard to tell if Allen completely grasped the whole Christmas morning/Santa leaving presents for him & his Cousins concept... but he definitely enjoyed seeing brand new toys laid out that he had never seen before - not to mention playing with them, whether they were his or not!
Helping Hamp with his new Lego set Santa gave him...
Still a kid at heart!
Sammy helped Jack empty out his stocking...
While Allen dumped his out in his lap and then basked
in the glory of all his toys, snacks, and candy!
Legos aficionados!
With everyone awake, dressed and fed... and all of Santa's gifts seen and played with, it was finally time for the family to sit down and get into the meat & potatoes of Christmas morning.
The Boys... eager as ever to rip into some presents!
Jack had no clue what was going on... but just like his Brother & his Cousins, he too had a big pile of presents to open!
Allen and his new Hungry Hippo game...
definitely smile worthy!
Poor Gabe wasn't all that pleased
when we told him none of those presents were for him.
No doubt they preferred to be opening presents themselves... but Hamp & Sam showed great restraint & patience while their Cousins opened theirs.
That's certainly one toy we didn't
have to worry about them fighting over!
have to worry about them fighting over!
Nothing like a set of rules...
to remind us how to live our lives by.
The kids weren't the only ones excited
about their Christmas presents!
Intensely focused these two are...
when it comes to putting toys together.
Allen may have finally gotten out of his PJ's... but that didn't mean he had to stop playing with all of his toys the rest of the day.
Before we knew it... Christmas morning was long over with, all the presents had been opened and played with, happy hour had begun, and Christmas dinner was being prepared.
Dinner was just about served... but not before we
gathered around the table for a big family picture.
Fortunately Jason was feeling well enough to join us for the big meal, a special Christmas present, and of course some High-Ridge silliness!
Turkey... so... good... but... so... very... tired!
Although Jason didn't get to participate much in all of the Christmas festivities, we were all delighted to see and be with him during the short time that he did get to hang-out with his family.
Well, it was definitely not our normal Etheridge Christmas we would've had in Florida... in a non-rented house, with just the ten of us, and with Jason being healthy as a horse, but we just weren't dealt those cards this year. But I think besides the few issues we had getting there, we made the best out of the situation, and had a really happy, fun and memorable Christmas together!
