DeBoer Family Christmas

Matt's side of the family came out to spend Christmas with us this year. It was awesome having everyone around and really awesome to not fly anywhere this year (especially after last year's fiasco). You'd think I would have been better about blogging more consistently while they were here since I did so well over Thanksgiving when the Klingenmaier's were here... not so. Sorry.

So, I'm back to the "cliff note" version of blogging for this past Christmas. Hope you don't mind.

The planning of everyone coming in to CA could have been a bit better. As it was they all flew in on four different days to four different airports. And on top of it all we had some of the worst rainy weather at least I've ever experienced while living in CA (we heard on the news that this was a 100 year rain, meaning it rains this bad once in 100 years). That did not help the whole traffic/driving situation much. But we were just happy that everyone made it in ok. Matt did the bulk of the shuttling to and from the various airports. Towards the last of the trips he was a bit burnt out of driving, especially in the pouring rain and nasty traffic. He came up with some creative ways to keep his spirits up....

Matt's mom didn't recognize him at first when he met her at the airport!

Once everyone was present and accounted for we started in on the serious business of having a jolly good time! Our first excursion in southern CA, after the rains had subsided a bit, was to go to a few wineries. I was the official designated driver, one of the "perks" of being pregnant (laced with just a little sarcasm). Everyone else had a great time sampling various wines and we ended up having our wine cabinet well stocked for the holiday. And I did have a good time going along, taking pictures, and chatting with family to and from the wineries, so don't feel bad for me that I couldn't partake in the sampling. :)

One of the wineries had a tractor parked out front. Luke thought this was a playground just for him!

When we got back from wine tasting, the women went right to work fixing dinner since Bill and Harriett were coming over that night. It was great to enjoy a nice meal together and continue chatting over coffee and cookies.

Luke, always the little helper, assisting Candice with making cookies. Yum!

Uncle Bill and Aunt Harriett gave Luke his first Christmas gift of the year - a toy truck that lights up and makes noise! Luke was SO excited opening up his present.

You can see the pure joy on his face! He even had to sleep with the truck that night (and several nights since). Thanks Bierlings!

On Christmas Eve the weather had done a complete 180 - no more cold and rainy mess but clear, blue skies and nice warm weather. We had all had our fill of doing 'indoor' activities so we headed into nature, taking a nice little hike in the hills behind Crafton Hills College.

Luke loved being outside and did very well on the hike... even hitching a ride here and there.

Such a boy with his boots and walking stick.

My parents sent us a fire pit for Christmas. It took all three DeBoer men to put it together. (handiness does not run in this family) :)

We went to church together on Christmas Eve - it was a wonderful service by our new pastor. Then came home to a house filled with all sorts of glorious smells - we had a ham cooking, salad, and Eric had made his 'famous' mac and cheese. Mmmmm was it all good.

We opted to put Luke to bed and play games on Christmas eve night rather than follow DeBoer tradition and open presents since it was already getting late and Luke was not in the right frame of mind.

Christmas morning we enjoyed homemade cinnamon rolls, Swedish coffee cake and coffee while we opened the mound of presents under the tree.

Luke probably had as many presents as the rest of the gang combined! Talk about being spoiled!! He was so much fun to watch open his gifts. His excitement and enthusiasm was contagious.

Reading his new Thomas the Train book

Luke received an Elmo puppet from my brother. It was hilarious to watch him open it up. He was extremely excited but held back a bit, almost like there was a celebrity visiting him.. he normally sees Elmo on TV but now here he is in the living room! It didn't take long before Luke warmed up to Elmo and the two became fast friends. :)

Mommy and Luke opening up presents.

Grammie and Luke playing with his new train from Uncle Aaron and Aunt Erika

The rest of the family on Christmas morning

Uncle Jordan, Aunt Andrea and Luke checking out the new fire truck puzzle.

Daddy and Luke opening up the basketball hoop from Uncle Jim and Aunt Julie

I'm pretty sure that Matt and Eric had more fun with the basketball hoop than Luke. Luke got into the action of course, but Matt and Eric pretty much boxed him out and took over playing with the new toy. :)

Even Jung got into the gift-giving/getting action. We got him a snuggie! It was really the perfect gift for him, even if it makes him look like an Asian Martin Luther.

After the presents were all opened and Luke was down for a nap we all set to work again preparing an incredible Christmas day feast - turkey, cranberry salad, stuffing, rolls, Andrea's fabulous potatoes, green beans, and apple pie and cookies for dessert. Delish!

Christmas night consisted of relaxing, playing games, and of course, some serious snuggle time with Luke.

On Sunday, we decided we would don our tourist hats and head into LA/Hollywood to the Chinese Theater, Wax museum, Guinness Book of World Records museum and the 'walk of fame'. It was fun to be able to walk around and do the tourist thing.

Next to a statue of the longest living man.

Luke as the world's heaviest man

Our little family by the Wizard of Oz characters at the Wax Museum

Eric and Austin Powers

With Steve Carell

The Joker... a little creepy

Spider man wasn't so bad

Posing with the Hulk

Funny side story of the wax museum.... I had somehow gotten farther ahead of where most of the family was looking at various wax sculptures and decided to wait for them to catch up. I stood in a corner that lead to a stairway used by the employees so I'd be out of the way of other tourists. One lady apparently thought I was a sculpture at first and completely freaked out when I moved. We both had a pretty good laugh!

Monday was Candice, Eric and Jordan's last day in CA. It was gorgeous day so the crew headed out to Santa Monica Pier. I had my 20 week ultrasound Monday morning so Matt and I met up with them later (thus the lack of good pictures). It was fun to walk around, take in the sights, enjoy the sun and waves (from a distance) and just have some quality family time.

Luke, again, had more fun being swung from arms than walking on his own. Lucky for him there were plenty of hands to hold on to.

Overall, we had a marvelous time with the DeBoer side this Christmas. We are looking forward to all the joyous events to come this year... May= baby #2, July= Andrea and Jordan's wedding, December = Eric and Candice's wedding! It'll be a monumental year for the DeBoer family!