Expecting the Unexpected...

ONE of the many lessons I have learned

over several years of HANGIN' with the Alvord's is...


"EXPECT the UNEXPECTED"

and to prove my point

I will use The Alvord Christmas Day Party...

EXPECTED - Everyone behaves nicely
(at the beginning, anyway - just let us get warmed up)

UNEXPECTED - the discovery of a new talent for Ryan

EXPECTED - Chris refusing to have her picture taken

(last year's photo - didn't even attempt it this year)

EXPECTED - a ceremony of "The Passing of Gifts"

UNEXPECTED - where they are pulled from

(thanks for your help, Brock)

UNEXPECTED - last year Ken was the first
to open the "lacy panties"
(and UNEXPECTEDly surprised us all by putting them on his head)

EXPECTED - this year his son Scott opened the "lacy panties"
and was EXPECTED to put it on his head

(which he did UNEXPECTEDly)

note: I EXPECT NOT to get the "lacy panties" next year!!!

UNEXPECTED - so much merriment from Dave & Becky

(causes us to suspect what is UNEXPECTEDly in their water)

EXPECTED - a little ruckus at sometime during the party
(it's all in fun - for the rest of us - sorry Caden)


UNEXPECTED - I let my son take my picture
MORE UNEXPECTED - I then put it on the blog

(i hate pictures of myself - must be the Alvord coming out it me)

EXPECTED - making Grandma sit down & open presents

EXPECTED - these two boys showing up in a sports jerseys

EXPECTED - Brock brings a football
EXPECTED - a game of tackle with the football in the basement

UNEXPECTED - teenagers dodging the camera
(What happened to posing and begging for pictures?)

EXPECTED - sharing ANY interesting medical condition
EXPECTED - receiving therapy from Kelly
UNEXPECTED - the Pain!!!

(UNEXPECTEDly it was Scott, not Chris this time)

EXPECTED - a game of Hide & Go Seek for the kids
UNEXPECTED - Emilee hides in the toys

(then she can play while she waits to be found - a true MULTItasker)

EXPECTED - Plenty of GOOD food & GREAT company

UNEXPECTED - So many wonderful gifts

from such generous family members

(although this happens every year it is still UNEXPECTED, Thanks!)

EXPECTED - the guys hangin' out

EXPECTED - goofy faces for every picture

UNEXPECTED - my sons are the only ones with the goofy faces

(just a little photo opt overload, ya think!)

UNEXPECTED - a flying monkey is the hit of the party

UNEXPECTED - the birthday girl, Nicole, announces
the baby she is EXPECTING is a BOY - Congrats!!



After all is said and done

the one thing you can always EXPECT

when HANGIN' with the Alvord's

is an UNEXPECTedly good time!

A Christmas Eve Letter...

DEAR Missionary Grandparents,

Christmas was just NOT the same without you HERE.

Although you were sorely MISSED, we did our BEST

to celebrate the season (the way you would if you were here)

surrounded by food, fun and FAMILY.

Pre-dinner activities ENJOYED by all,

kids, parents & great grandparents alike.

The tables set to HOLD the entire family.

Everyone FIT quite nicely.

The food was DELICIOUS!

The family GATHERED for a Christmas Presentation.

Tonight it was evident, that the Christmas TRADITIONS

you have shared THROUGHOUT the years have touched

and planted in the HEARTS of your grandchildren.

Without any parental assistance, THEY re-created the Nativity Story.

You would have been PROUD of them. It was BEAUTIFUL.

THE CAST:

• Joseph - Thomas
• Mary - Abby
• Baby Jesus - Libby (who loved being in the manager)
• Donkey - Kelsie (who carried Mary on her back around the stage)
• Inn keepers - Jessie, Sydnee & Kate
• Stable animals - Riylee, Emilee & Luke
• Shepherd - Carter
• Angels - Sydnee, Kate & Jessie
• True Wise Men - Kelly, Paul & Brett (who gave Baby Jesus a football)
  
  

  

Joseph & Mary with baby Jesus in the manager.

The Nativity scene ended
with the CHILDREN singing "Silent Night".

Our very own ANGELIC Choir.

Thank you for the MEANINGFUL Christmas gifts, you so thoughtfully sent. We appreciate the time you spent choosing such MEANINGFUL tokens. They bore to us the STRENGTH and COMMITMENT of your shining TESTIMONIES during this Season of Celebration.


The rest of our evening was filled with general MERRIMENT and cousinship FUN, which included...


Racing Cars

Hanging Out!

DESSERT!!!

Lego-MANIA in the corner

TWISTER - always MORE fun with Uncle Paul

LOTS of Basketball

Puzzles AND Games

Coloring, paper airplanes & other crafts


and MORE dessert!!


Our clean up crew did a TERRIFIC job

So, although we significantly MISSED celebrating with you THIS year, we are GRATEFUL for the sacrifices and SERVICES you are RENDERING in Germany and throughout Europe. AND just think of the CELEBRATION we will have NEXT year, when YOU are in the CIRCLE of our arms, and not just our HEARTS.

Hugs & Kisses,

Your ETERNAL Family

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow...

I have ONE word (besides the obvious - SHOVEL)

to say about ALL this snow

we have recently RECEIVED in such great abundance.

(Kelly shovelling on Christmas Morning)



And that one word is...

POOP!!

(a month's worth of dog poop to be more specific)




I'm soooooo glad

I'm not on POOPER SCOOPER duty for Rosco.



When the snow finally melts,

it's going to be just like EASTER

COMPLETE with buckets and shovels

only instead of HUNTING for eggs

the KIDS will be hunting for POOP!!

And when that day arrives

my ADVICE to Rosco (as well as myself) is...

HIDE!!

On the Road to Nowhere...

Innocently performing one or more of the following actions

• Picking up my purse
• Wearing shoes in the house
• Walking past the garage door
• Opening the key drawer
• Putting on a sweater

Will PROVOKE a response from Emilee

in the form of this question,

"Mom, WHERE are you going?"


To which I ALWAYS reassuringly reply,

"Nowhere. Mom is going NOWHERE!!"

After repeating this cycle a hundred times (in one day)

Emilee has rephrased her question,

"Mom, Are you going NOWHERE?!?"



So, since you are probably wondering

where I HAVE BEEN lately (obviously not blahging),

I thought I would SHOW you

what going NOWHERE looks like...






FHE - Homemade Soup &

Gingerbread houses

with FRIENDS

Singing at the Mall with

"Kelsie & the Elementary School Choir "

Spending HOURS and HOURS

in the kitchen baking (and tasting)

yummy things

for the neighborhood

Planning,Organizing & Executing

ANOTHER

3rd grade Class Party

Riding the Polar Express to the North Pole to visit Santa:

Performing in a SUPER cute

"Preschool Program by Emilee"

Wishing You a "Merry Christmas"


Receiving a Reflections Award & Trophy

at an EXTREMELY boring awards ceremony

Brock was quoted to say, that if he wins again next year,
"Please don't make me come to another awards ceremony.
I'd rather the office just hand it to me during school."

This is NOT THE END of the journey.

It goes on and on and on...

So check back frequently for further glimpses of our family...

Travelling the road to nowhere... fast!!!!