Just 6.5 hours after leaving the Hickle Christmas Party
we woke from our short night's sleep,
and headed out on the road
for our 17+ hour drive to Wisconsin!
we woke from our short night's sleep,
and headed out on the road
for our 17+ hour drive to Wisconsin!
We stayed the night in Minnesota on our way,
and the kids did SO WELL in the car!
and the kids did SO WELL in the car!
We are quite grateful!
Then we rolled into town JUST 15 minutes
before the Christmas Eve service started as church.
before the Christmas Eve service started as church.
It was fun to be a part of that service,
to meet many of the church folk,
do dinner together with Neil's family
and then head to the house where we stayed,
and get the kids all set up to go to sleep!
That night Neil and I drove to Milwaukee to
pick up the rest of the Gowan crew
and then we all hit the hay!
to meet many of the church folk,
do dinner together with Neil's family
and then head to the house where we stayed,
and get the kids all set up to go to sleep!
That night Neil and I drove to Milwaukee to
pick up the rest of the Gowan crew
and then we all hit the hay!
The next day we "pretended" it was Christmas Eve,
opened presents that evening as is Gowan tradition,
and then woke up the next morning to see
that Santa had played along with our belated-by-one-day Christmas
and stuffed our stockings to the brim!
opened presents that evening as is Gowan tradition,
and then woke up the next morning to see
that Santa had played along with our belated-by-one-day Christmas
and stuffed our stockings to the brim!
What a huge gift to get to be together,
and to enjoy one another as much as we do!
and to enjoy one another as much as we do!
The first time all seven cousins were together in one place!
Mom made these fun stockings
with personalized "toppers" for each of us.And with 15 of us now
we had to be creative about where we could hang them!
Seven little monkeys sittin' on a couch
Buela made these awesome personalized pillows for each grandkid!
All from typical Guatemalan fabrics and designs.
Uncle Caleb visited the middle east in his latest deployment
so he brought back
authentic head dresses to keep the sun off one's neck in the desert!
so he brought back
authentic head dresses to keep the sun off one's neck in the desert!
Jacob was in 7th Heaven with his new toolset!
(Perfect timing for us buying a new house this month!
Maybe he'll be our go-to fix-it man!)
Maybe he'll be our go-to fix-it man!)
Opening many surprises from our stockings
Mani-Pedi time
with all that stocking loot!
with all that stocking loot!
Soaking up the Sibling time!
Photo Op
Born only three days apart
it's fun to watch their friendship grow!
it's fun to watch their friendship grow!
I love them!
I don't usually feel "short" but around these two I do!
These grandparents love their grandkids so very well!
We got to stay in and watch a big family movie
on the big screen downstairs!
One night we did Live Action Cinderella,
and another afternoon we did
Inside Out.
So fun!
on the big screen downstairs!
One night we did Live Action Cinderella,
and another afternoon we did
Inside Out.
So fun!
We got in a few rounds of
Catan
Catan
Siblings!
The ladies took a stroll downtown while the guys kept the kids,
then we watched the kids while the guys went to Star Wars!
then we watched the kids while the guys went to Star Wars!
Happy New Year 2016 from the Gowan Clan!
I love these people
and I'm proud to call them "family"!
and I'm proud to call them "family"!
