This was most of the family's first time to meet Samuel.
My sweet mother-in-law always manages to plan and organize the food for the entire herd, which totaled 36 this year.
A beautiful snow fell after we were all safely in town.
This is Jaxon, the son of our sweet niece, Tara, and her husband, Mark.
Kregg's brother brought a game for all of us to play.
Christmas morning is quite a challenge because we have reach critical mass with so many people and presents in Grandma and Grandpa's living room.
Jeremiah thought the light-up Christmas necklace finished off his outfit nicely.
Poor Grandpa has to take a power nap now and then. :)
Every two years, my mother-in-law arranges a huge family portrait while we are there for Christmas. Thankfully, we have "connections" so that we could get inside one of the buildings on the ACU college campus-a place large enough for us all. Of course, furniture had to be moved and rearranged. Hannah was able to get us all organized and posed and we were finished quickly. After the whole group, Hannah took a few of smaller family groups.
Afterwards, we had to put everything back where we had found it. The large rug was the only challenging part.
Another power nap, while holding the newest member of the Conder clan.
One of our favorite traditions when we get together for the holidays is a rousing round of "Chinese Christmas."
This gift with this little hat was a popular gift that was stolen multiple times. The hat is made out of cardboard and can be worn in multiple ways. It was really interesting.
Our nephew, Tim, took this lovely apron home with him. No one felt the need to "steal" it from him.
Kregg had to try on the hat.
Rebekah fell in love with it, being the Origami specialist.
Jeremiah is so silly!
Then, it was Caleb's turn.
And, finally, Mark had to offer his dramatic interpretation of how the hat should be worn, at a jaunty angle.
We are so blessed to have such wonderful family gatherings and are very grateful for the willingness of Kregg's parents to be invaded by such a horde.
It's been a big year for our family. One of the most important things that happened was the birth of our first grandchild, Samuel. He's six months old now and only gets cuter. Yes, we are completely prejudiced.
We got him a nativity. It's just his size and the figures are perfect for little hands.
Everything goes in his mouth, so Jeremiah said, "This puts a new spin on the verse that says, 'Taste and see that the Lord is good.'"
Kregg has always done this with our babies, and so now he is initiating our grandchildren.
It's really a shame we don't have many pictures of him, isn't it?
Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas!!
