For Christmas this year Carrie and I packed up the kids and headed to Chico, CA. We are spending the Christmas to New Year’s Holiday with the Wests, Boulants, Ross, and Jones families in Chico. It was a surprising short drive for us (10 hours) compared to the almost 12 hours from Logan that we have usually done over the last 5 years.
We left Sunday evening about 5:30 PM after doing the Christmas program in the our Ward (I’m the choir director and music coordinator and Carrie and I are both music leaders in Primary so we had a good time preparing the Christmas program for the Ward). We arrived in Chico about 3:30 AM without a hitch…
Christmas Eve was spent making sweet bread (a Jones Family tradition… Mom Jones, if the recipe isn’t a secret you should send it to me and I’ll post it to the blog because it’s worth everyone having) and getting last minute gifts together and wrapped! As the evening approached the rest of the family that lived loaclly came over. Two other family traditions are we all get together and sleep at the Jones house Christmas Eve, and read through the birth of Christ in the New Testament. The tradition of sleeping over started years ago when there wasn’t as big as families but now it’s quite the crowd! I’ll give you an idea of how many people. Sorry if I get ages or names wrong.
Bill and Linda Jones, Allison Jones, Mike and Tiffany Boulant and their 3 kids (Caleb (4), Aubrey(2), and Luke(9) months (they live in Oroville). Annette and Bill Ross (they came from Logan). Jeremy and Valerie West and their six kids, Alana (11), Courtney (9), Caitlyn (7), Jared (5), Dallin (3), Bryn (6 months) live here in Chico. Mike and Carrie Lyman and their 4 kids, Mya (6), Olivia (4), Madalynn (2), Kennedy, (20 months). A total of 24 people (13 kids under the age of 11)! Needless to say it can get a little crazy at times.
Christmas morning was fun and the kids had a great time. Jerry West (as seen to the right) also had a good time playing with his girls new toys ;-)). I’ve posted three videos, and an album for Christmas morning See the links below or look for the albums at the bottom of the post. We ate sweet bread, opened presents, and simply enjoyed being together as a family. I can’t say it any better then the pictures so look through the pictures, enjoy, download, print as needed and let me know if you want any others!
Pictures
Video
After Christmas we mainly hung around with family, played with cousins, helped Valerie and Jerry move into their new home and did some lite shopping. We did go out to the Italian Cottage here in Chico on Thursday night which was enjoyable. We were able to get enojy babysitters for all the kids so it was an adult’s night out.
I hope everyone has had a wonderful Christmas and we wish everyone a Happy and successful New Year!
Photo Album from Christmas Morning
Who was there Christmas morning at the Jones home?
Christmas Vacation 2007 Pictures
I loved seeing pictures of the whole family! I miss all you Jones’ I really feel like you have always been my family. Much love!