Oh, yes, we have TALENT!

I love these Idaho guys (Tony's family)! Pictrured below are semi-traditional events: family talent show & white-elephant exchange!

Star #1: Dina doing her 'Dance-Work-Out-Routine' Can't be beat!

Star #2: Jaydon (good sports played their piano pieces at least 4 times while on vacation for various adoring fans!)

Stars #3 & 4: Ahem, us swing dancing (photo compliments of Jaydon :)

Other stars w/out pictured talents:

Mom Dayton: interpretive dance, Sarah: clogging & Andy: totally cool airplane model out of wire!

Star #5: Garett, trumpet solo

Star #6: Carson on violin

Star #7: Jaxon, beautiful water-color

Star #8: Jyson at the piano

Star #8: Kelsi, what-the-I'm-so-jealous...she is 5 & can hula with not just 1, 2, but THREE hula hoops! Seeing as my hips refuse to hold a hula, I was in absolute awe...

Wow, what a family I married into--score!!

Christmas Eve & "The Day"

Our Christmas Eve seemed to be about food preparations (above is us peeling 30 lbs of potatoes)...& basketball (which if you know my family, isn't the norm)...the family is so big now (extended & such) that this was the first year we decided to have it at the church 2 doors down. So, we trundled off w/ all the fixings & boy, what a feast! My favorite part of the evening was the live 'nativity' we threw together. We had it on the stage, which was the perfect touch I might add. Cousin Hannah played the angel behind the curtain (there was a set of stairs on the stage--perfect for the 'above' effect) ready to fling them open when her presence was needed, Jaydon was the innkeeper, Jyson & cousin Neal were 'wise men' indeed, cousin Rebekah & Savanah were shepherds, & Tony again played the beast -of-burden, though this year Joseph (Spencer) rode (sort of) the donkey because Mary (Meagan) had just given birth & really was in no shape to sit on a moving Tony-donkey across the stage. Nana Cobia was the off-stage assistance to give Baby "Jesus" (though the little boys made sure the bow was OFF her head before taking the stage, since Baby Jesus surely did not wear one!) to Mary when the time was right. It was totally awesome.

Jyson

Jaydon

Christmas Eve & the next morning were spent w/ my family & then we headed off for "Part 2" on Christmas day w/Tony's family.

Tradition: ALL siblings sleep in the same room (spouses were invited :)...luckily my parents' renters were thoughtful enough to move out of the apartment (attached to the house) in time for all of us to sleep there Christmas Eve. Meagan was a trooper...she slept husband-less in the other room with 1 week-old Sienna! This pic is the morning of, when we're wondering if it was such a good idea for all us old-adults to sleep on the floor all night...& the spouses were wondering what kind of family they married into

Tradition: wait-in-the-hall-lined-up-youngest-to-oldest-for-FOREVER-while-the-fire-is-being-built

Tradition: picture of cute boys

Not tradition, but may need to be based on her temperament: strap babe-Ari into her booster so she can enjoy the festivities w/out destroying the festivities!

Here we have Uncle Devin w/ Jaydon, the pillow fight around the Christmas tree (smart) & my new haircut--love it!

The Wild Rumpus

It all started w/ a beautiful new addition to the family...my little (uh, 6'3) brother, Spencer became a father! Little Sienna Rose was born the very day we pulled into Rexburg (my poor Mother was worried she was going to miss it because we were driving back while Meagan was in labor). She is a beautiful baby, but how could she not be w/ her models-for-parents--I mean, who looks that good right after labor (you too, Spence)?!

G'ma & Great G'ma (my Mom & Grandma) on Sienna's blessing day when she was only a week old (we had it at my grandparents because everyone was in town & Meagan's parents are moving out of the country soon)

Two days after Sienna was born, Spencer graduated with his bachelor's in Accounting at BYU-Idaho (now they're off in Virginia doing an internship)! This is the first family pic all together after seriously like 3 years? (well, Meagan had to rush back home to be with her sweet little 2-day old--but yes, she was there! And of course, Tony wasn't there yet)

Now on to the fun stuff...building Nana's little table train...

LIFE w/ Uncle Devy-poo

All of my siblings (& spouses) came for Christmas (sorry Dev, you're not quite there yet...he's a newly returned missionary, no rush! :) & it was so FUN! Sarin & Jared were good to keep us active & the boys decided on some fantastic "must-do Idaho activities," i.e. Craigo's, watching "Gahoole" w/ cousins on BOTH sides @ G & G's, playing in the snow, making their favorite foods, Twizlberry, etc so we really had no dull moments!

The tennisball picture shows the intense 4-man juggling match.


And pictured are 'action' shots of when we went to the church gym to play b-raquetball, b-ball, volleyball & in Ari's case...chase-the-ball

Below shows Jyson, who, instead of playing, decided he wanted to be the official "ball chaser." So, he ran from the foosball table to the airhockey because you see, at our house, balls/pucks don't stay on the tables...

Idaho Christmas

The "getting there..."

Saying good-bye to Daddy (he came a week later), at the airport & being with Grammie (this was her first experience listening to a song an iPod...very blogworthy)

Christmas Music Program 2010

Our little musicians...too bad you couldn't get any great pictures (the lights were only on the stage), but darling none-the-less

Out with the old, in with the new...happy 2011!

Old Mr. Albert vs. New Ms. Clarissa...we LOVE our van (good trade, I must say--sorry Tony)