Heather had everyone over to watch the Boat Parade on Balboa. It was fun. The night before we had a "girls only" sleepover. We had dinner at Fashion Island and then went back to Heather's and hung out (I of course fell asleep!). The next day in the afternoon we took the ferry across and walked to the Balboa Pier and got shakes at Ruby's and then headed back for everyone to come. We decorated the outside with lights and ornaments. Lisa organized dinner and we had soups, salad, hot chocolate, hot apple cider and a bunch of deserts. Cory and I went and saved our spot on the sand. It was a lot easier then saving our spot for the Rose Parade!!! Lisa even brought a smore maker so the kids could have smores! It was neat watching all the boats all decorated. The only bummer was getting off the Island when it was over. It took some of our family over an hour just to get off the island!!???
We went ice skating during the day on Christmas Eve and Hillary and Emily came down to join us. Then Joe and I spent Christmas Eve night at Disneyland which has become a tradition of our for the past 4 years. It was the year anniversary of when we got engaged so of course we had to go to "our spot" and reminisce!!! I had to reinact some of our pictures from that night too!!! We also go to Disneyland on Christmas Eve for my grandpa's birthday!! It was his FAVORITE place! Afterwards we headed to my parent's house. The kids were reinacting The Nativity with hand puppets and then Joe and I gave the kids some pajamas for Christmas!
Shauna, Doug, Jaden and Bradli stayed with Joe and I for a couple of weeks. It is a blast having them here. Bradli sure loves Joe and can't get enough of him. He is pretty attached to her too!! Bradli will not sit still with ANYONE..unless it is Joe!!! They would just hang out together on the couch and watch TV! It was fun having the kids here for Christmas morning, it made it so much more fun. We actually got a tree so they would feel at home. It was fun watching them open their gifts from Santa. Afterwards we went to my parents for more presents, then off to Joe's grandma's house and then finished the night at Mike and Shauna's.
I got a late night Christmas present of getting sick and was sick through the New Year so I wasn't able to go to the Rose Parade this year :( I did feel better the day after and the whole family went down to Balboa and rode bikes down to the Wedge. My mom and Lisa both got beach cruisers for Christmas so now I'm not the only one with one! We had a blast cruising down to the Wedge. I think Doug thought he was in the Tour de France because he was going crazy in his surry! It was fun having the whole family together at Christmas. Matt and Brooke were able to come for two weeks too!!
Well, I am sick again :( This time it is a sinus cold which I have never had before. My sinuses are sooo stuffed up it is driving me crazy. I am hoping I am better by tomorrow so I can go and celebrate my Grandma's birthday!!! Here are a few more pictures from the holiday's just hanging out...
