My sister and her family alternate Christmas between home and Portland each year. This year was their year to stay home and celebrate with David's family. They came down on December 27 instead, and we continued our celebration by exchanging gifts with them in our traditional "spin the bottle" style. Here's Kieran with the bottle, surrounded by presents:
Nick taking a turn with the bottle:
Nadine is so good about having her kids make presents. Each one of them decorated a frame with a special photo inside:
Nick with his laughing giraffe limbo game he received from his cousins and aunt and uncle:
The week while they were here was bittersweet. While the boys all had a fabulous time together, my aunt fell very ill and died. They kept us from wallowing too much in our sadness, while also being sweet to their grandma.
A cousin sandwich:
Garrett on the bars: 
Kieran and Daniel (this is the photo without the rabbit ears!): 
Following his cousins around ("Daniel, will you go on the slide with me?"):
Silly boys:
Dinner at Grandma and Grandpa's house:
Nadine and David:
Nick taking a turn with the bottle:
Nadine is so good about having her kids make presents. Each one of them decorated a frame with a special photo inside:
Nick with his laughing giraffe limbo game he received from his cousins and aunt and uncle:
The week while they were here was bittersweet. While the boys all had a fabulous time together, my aunt fell very ill and died. They kept us from wallowing too much in our sadness, while also being sweet to their grandma.
One afternoon we took the boys to play at the playground at the school where Nadine and I attended...some things change, and some things stay the same. This metal climbing frame is a relic from our childhood (I'll bet the padding below it is much softer now). This is the spot where Nadine met one of her close childhood friends. She was telling our mom that she didn't have any friends, and Mom advised her to go up and ask someone to be her friend. So she did! She's still close friends with Brenda today!
A cousin sandwich:
Garrett on the bars:
Kieran and Daniel (this is the photo without the rabbit ears!):
Following his cousins around ("Daniel, will you go on the slide with me?"):
Silly boys:
Dinner at Grandma and Grandpa's house:
They stayed to ring in the new year and watch the Rose Bowl with us, and then when they were scheduled to leave, Daniel got very ill--vomiting and fever. They had to put off their departure until the following morning, and then the other boys got it too. Poor things! Garrett (and possibly Ryan) will have to miss the first day back to school tomorrow.
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