Saturday we packed up our 4-wheel-drive sleigh and headed over the river and through the woods to Grandma Good's house, laughing all the way (ha-ha-ha)...thankfully she was NOT run over by a reindeer. (Can you tell I've been listening to lots of Christmas tunes?) She doesn't live that far from us, actually. :) This is one of our most favorite events of the season.
We 
arrived just after 3 pm, in time for the 'craft activity.' This year we all brought something to go in trail mix, and we gathered at the table to make our delicious creations. We've been munching on trail mix here, and it is wonderful. Thanks, Grandma Good, for the wonderful idea!
Afterward, it was time for Caleb Luke to eat. Jessica, Don's wife, also had to feed their son Benjamin, so we hung out together upstairs feeding our little love bugs. When we came back downstairs, everyone was already gathered together in a circle to play the game of gift-giving. This year, Grandma Good did the game a little differently, and I loved it. We usually play "now you have it, now you don't." This time as we drew our numbers, we picked out a gift not to keep but to give to a specific 
person, whose name we had drawn earlier. Then we went back around and could swap our gift for that person if we wanted to. I had Jess' name, Shawn had Jordon's name, Colton had my name, and I don't remember now who had Shawn's name. But, it was fun! The gifts are all wrapped on a big table, so you have NO idea what you're giving any person. Shawn received a plastic container filled with items to wash his car, I opened a package containing a cutting board and hershey kisses, Jess got a f
rying pan and pancake mix and poor Jordon ended up with a huge box of toilet paper. His counterpart Colton got a big box of paper towels. I remember only a few of the other gifts. Austin opened a Sponge Bob pillow, Kelcey opened a container of sodas and coasters (which I had gotten last year or the year before), Kirsten opened towels and hand soap (I think), Phil got the mixed nuts, Kaley got a mini-skiball game and the list goes on. Grandma Good is so creative with buying all the gifts and wrapping them! Thank you so much! 
This year she also had a table where the little kids could each pick out a gift that was unmarked. Joshua picked a container full of foam blocks, and Caleb got a Barrel of Monkeys. Thanks, Grandma Good!
Then it was time to eat...there is always an amazing spread of food laid out in her dining room. She had little mini-hotdogs and hamballs in two different crockpots, shrimp cocktail, crackers & cheese 
& bologna & slim jims, a veggie tray, fruit salad, broccoli salad, subway sandwiches, wraps, potato chips, a pickel tray, salad, and desserts galore. I can't even remember everything that was there! We all chat as we go through the line and then some stay upstairs while others head downstairs (which is where we ended up). We sat at a table with Ashley & Phil, who both crack us up!
Both Aunt Shari & Nonie took turns holding Caleb Luke. Shawn & I took turns watching the Bean (although, I must admit that Daddy did more than me...Joshua just loves his Dad - me, too!). Caleb had fallen asleep in Nonie's arms just before dinner, but after we ate he woke up from his nap hungry. So, once again I took him upstairs to eat.
When I came back downstairs, all the kids were already opening their gifts. By 
sounds, Joshua opened his first one (which was hockey sticks and balls) and wanted to play with them. Why would he want to open others if he was thrilled with this one? Grandma Good is once again so thoughtful. She had come over to our house to go for a walk with my mom (they both lost their loved ones to cancer), and Joshua & Shawn had been playing hockey outside with Shawn's regular size sticks. Joshua actually was doing really well! And now he has some sticks his size to enjoy! 
This is the first year that I didn't catch what the other children got because I was too busy helping my own kiddos.Years past, I used to love as they all shrieked with glee over their new treasures. And, we'd laugh as the adults tried to open the packages and put them together with their batteries. Then it was fun as the excitement started of the playing with all the new toys. I remember Don in particular trying to put together a doll swing for Kaley and not having very good luck and us all teasing him about it.
Joshua also received a new work bench and tool set, which he got the cordless screwdriver out of and immediately put up his nose (silly kid!). He LOVED it! He also got finger 
paints and a puzzle Bible. Caleb received a new hanging toy that plays music (that Joshua hasn't put down yet!), some new bibs that say "Messy but cute...just like Daddy," a toy that has a hammer on it and lights up and counts (which Joshua has also been playing with), a new Max Lucado book that looks similar to Joshua's beloved "Stanley the Stinkbug." There may have been more, but my memory isn't serving me well these days. Both boys also got money toward their college fund. We also received a very generous monetary gift from Grandma Good.
The kids LOVED playing that evening. Joshua was running after Jordon & Colton as they were playing with their remote-controlled cars and having a blast. He got several time-outs throughout the evening for misbehavior, but once again I noticed how overwhelmed
he seems to get in large crowds. He kept calling out "Mommy, where are you? Mommy, Mommy..." then it would be "Daddy, where's Daddy? DADDY!!!" and then he asked about Aunt Missy & Poppy and Nonie at various points in the evening. He did okay, but I'm hoping he gets better each year as he gets more comfortable with his surroundings. Caleb was just okay for his typical calm self, but he was good overall in the grand scheme of babies typical behavior.
On a side note, I'm sincerely impressed by how loving and generous Grandma & Grandpa Good have always been. Between them, they have four kids: Mike, Jim, Jeff and Gayle. Mike has five kids: Missy, Shawn (my handsome husband), Brian, Alicia and Hilary. Shawn has 
two kids (Joshua & Caleb), Brian has two kids (Grant & Jenavieve) and Alicia has one (Jordon). Jim has two kids: Don and Ashley. Don has a son Benjamin. Jeff has one son Austin, and Gayle has four kids: Kirsten, Kelcey, Caley (sp?) and Colton. When you add spouses to that mix, you end up with a LOT of people! However, they both have always gone out of their way to make each one feel loved and welcome. 
I remember my first year of attending this Christmas gathering, they had an envelope with a Christmas card and gift for me. I couldn't believe it! And, as girlfriends and boyfriends have come and gone for some, they have always treated each one like they are special. Now, as we miss Grandpa Good who has gone to heaven, Grandma Good has continued the tradition of the social gatherings. She works tirelessly to make sure everyone has a good time, and she was even leaving the next day for Florida! But, she planned the event so all could be there.
Thank you, Grandma Good, for your generosity and hospitality! We LOVE seeing the whole family over the holidays and are grateful for the many blessings you have poured out on the family over the years. We love you!
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