Did you KNOW...

the BEST way,

ACCORDING to Emilee,

to get ALL the grapes

OFF the "sticks"...

..."just TICKLE them"

An Atkinson Family Tradition...

Whenever the cousins from Parker, Colorado come to Utah for a visit, we gather the local cousins, pile into various vehicles and spend the afternoon together at...

CHUCK E CHEESE's

"where a kid can be a kid"

Grandma started the tradition (many grandchildren ago) of planning the family outing and providing ALL the tokens. It has been 6 LONG months since she has left the country and, coincidentally, since our last visit to this MEMORABLE place. Therefore, with INCREDIBLE token coupons (100 tokens for $10 - that's 10 cents a token) and FREE pizza vouchers in hand, we entered the PLAYGROUND of The Gray Mouse (who scares poor Carter to death).

PIzzA TiME

AUSTIN & RYAN, the teenagers (also the oldest cousins)

BROCK & the SUNSHINE sisters, KATE & ABBY

TANNER & EMILEE, new best friends

ROBBY, CARTER & TANNER

LUKE, JESSIE & PAUL (the biggest kid of all)



GaME TiME

TiCKeTS




EMILEE proudly shows a collection of tickets, ALMOST as tall as herself. All together the kids WON hundreds and hundreds of tickets.

Because we had such great coupons, we bought 500 tokens (for 15 kids) and spent every single one. After giving everyone their allotted amount, we still had tons left over. So when their pockets were empty, the kids would come back for more. After a few hours, I started having fun with them, seeing what they would be willing to do to EARN another token. Here are a few of the results...

JUMPING JACKS by Austin & Ryan




"I'm A Little Teapot" by Sydnee & Abby
(complete with actions earning them extra tokens)



BALLET by Ryan & Brock

(is there anything Ryan WON'T do in Public?)

KISSES by "I am just too shy" Luke

(and besides I've got a really sticky face)

BALLET on Video by Ryan, Brock & Robby

(entitled "Future Blackmailing Material" )

MoRe ToKeN eaRNiNG aCTiViTieS:

• Giving creative suggestions for earning more tokens (great way to keep your dignity, Austin.)
  
• Happily skipping around the party room loudly singing "La, la, la, la, la, la."
  
• Refilling your Mom's drink (which worked really well until Ryan started a little extortion of his own by demanding payment up front & then refusing to return the drink until another payment was made - very smart, Ryan)
  
  
  
  

THe PRiZeS

(by unanimous decision)

Rainbow Sucker Sticks

EMILEE, TANNER, CARTER

(who will all go to Kindergarten in August)

& LUKE (who has another year)

Robby, Brock, Carter & Emilee

Luke, Sydnee, Thomas, Robby & Brock

There are two ways to properly eat

a RaiNBow SuCKeR STiCK!

• The Obvious Way - sucking on the end like Emilee
• Corn Cob Style - like Luke (who has already eaten the end)

The GRaNdSoNS
(we missed you, Quinton)

The GRaNDDauGHTeRS
(we missed you, Libby)

And so until next time (which should hopefully be at least another 6 months - if only we could be so lucky) when we meet you all at Chuck E Cheese, for another fun COUSINfest,

GOODBYE!!!

Answer to ONE of Life's Mysteries...

Have you ever wondered what your kids do

INSIDE the playplace at a fast-food restaurant?

In a quest to answer this question, one that every parent

has pondered, Kelsie has taken a camera into the field

and documented for you, a behind the scenes look,

"Into the Playplace."

ENJOY!!

Alvord Kid's Christmas Concert...

I love this time of year, when I officially get to see exactly what I am receiving in return for all the money I have been paying for piano lessons (including the sometimes torturous practice sessions at home).

I was not disappointed!!

So, for the sweet Grandmother to the North (and over a mountain) and the darling Grandparents to the East (and over an ocean), here is the fabulous concert you were unable (with valid reasons) to attend.

KELSIE performed -

• Nuttin' for Christmas - Roy Bennett and Sid Tepper
• Gingerbread Boogie - R. Faber
• Vivace - Fernando Carulli (video)

BROCK performed -

• We Wish You a Merry Christmas - Traditional Carol (video)
• African Elephant - N. Faber
• Malaguena - Pablo de Sarasate

RYAN (in his very LAST piano recital) performed -

• Joy to the World - G.H. Handel

• Apologize - One Republic and Ryan Tedder (video)

and EMILEE (although not officially on the program) performed -

• Bumping into Mom's Arm - Making the video footage shaky
• Climbing all over Dad - Because she can't sit still
• Swinging from the Handrail - So she is in every picture and video footage possible - see if you can spot her

We celebrated the occasion by going home and doing chores, after all it was Saturday and Christmas only a week away :o)

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