Christmas in California

Berkeley and I decided to drive just the 2 of us to my parents this year and not wait for Todd. I happened to pick the WORST day of the year to drive at night. It rained 4 of the 6 hours and SNOWED for 10 minutes of that as well. I was freaking out when it started snowing, part in excited shock that it was snowing so close to my childhood home, and part because I was fearful for my life! We arrived safely about a week before Christmas. We had lots of time to play in my parents amazing back yard, and hang out with my sisters and Berkeley's cousins. My sister threw a Christmas Poker party with members from her ward, I went to dinner with my friend of 11 years, went Christmas shopping, had a HORRIBLE cold, helped my mom wrap gifts, and then finally Monday night picked up Todd from the airport.

My parents have had this train since I was a little girl and have always gotten it out at Christmas time. Berkeley was in love with it, and always made a bridge for the train to go under.

Berkeley in front of my parents real life barn that is probably about 60 years old.

On December 23rd, we had our big family get together. Our family is so big now my mom decided to have it at a church building in the Relief Society room. My Aunt, Uncle, Grandma, and cousins came, as well as my whole family. We started off with a ham dinner, then each family showed us some of their talents.

Here is one family doing a song for their talent.

My niece singing a church song.

My niece signing to a song.

This is my nephew Braden, who Berkeley took a weird obsession to. She always wanted to sit with him, and she would caress him and hug him constantly. He kept saying "She wont stop hugging me!" It was a crack up.

Then on Christmas Eve we went to my sister Danielle's house. Because we had the traditional ham dinner the night before we decided to have a Mexican dinner with home made Tamales. My aunt brought the delicious tamales, and they were SO good.

My sister Ashley, my sister Danielle, me, and my cousin Katie.

After her house we went back to my parents and did our own little mini Christmas Eve. We opened our Christmas Jammies from Todd's parents, and then read the night before Christmas and a Nativity book to Berkeley.

Then on Christmas day, Todd, Berkeley, and I , along with my parents and my sister enjoyed a low key, sweet Christmas day.Berkeley got a scooter from Santa.

That was followed by my moms traditional Eggs Benedict Breakfast that is probably my favorite thing about Christmas. She has been doing it my whole life, and if you ask any of my 6 siblings what their favorite thing about Christmas is, they would say the same thing.

Besides all the Christmas festivities we really got to spend a lot of time with all my family which was the best part of the trip. Berkeley really had fun hanging out with her grandpa and helping him play his banjo, and helping him feed his cat.

It was a bitter sweet drive home, but Berkeley picked up a souvenir from grandma and grandpas house, so she was ok!