The Fernley Family Comes to Visit!!

A few days after Christmas my brother and his wife texted me asking what the rest of our Christmas break looked like. Well, we had no plans... completely free and clear!! Tickets to Florida were looking pretty cheap and with California's economy on a pretty decent shut-down still they were wanting to get away... so they came!!! We couldn't have been happier!! Oh what a Christmas treat to be with them again!!! For all the fuss about 2020 being so awful, we enjoyed 3 vacations with them!! I'd call that pretty wonderful!!

Nate joked that he flew Dara and the family across the country just to eat in a restaurant. Desperate times call for desperate measures, folks. 

Benny has a favorite. 

Yes, more dining out. As much as we could!!

Instead of adjusting to Florida time, they put us on serious California time! I don't think my kids went to sleep before midnight the entire week!! They were having the time of their lives!! Hide-and-go-seek in the dark in the empty lot across from us at 10:30 at night. Golf cart rides, fishing tournaments, football at midnight, late night movies, etc... They were living their best lives!

We went to Fun Spot!! Hallee is a rollercoaster junkie and she needed her fix! It was a beautiful day and we had a blast!! Benny owned the kid zone and everyone was just the absolute happiest. We stayed until late, ate funnel cake and Hallee, Jake, Baylee and Ivy all rode the sky coaster... a definite highlight!! Benny's ticket came with a free companion rider pass so I could ride anything he was too short to ride himself so I even got to ride the go-karts... my personal favorite. 

We made it home about an hour before midnight. Daniel had picked up some fireworks so we had a little fireworks show. At midnight the kids jumped in the pool (brrrrrr...). It was the perfect way to ring in the New Year!!

We didn't stop here. We went the next day down to Wild Florida and walked around the park and drove through the Safari.  We went bowling the next day. They flew home Sunday and we were so so sad to see them go but also, each of my kids were asleep by 8:00!! They were exhausted. All worth it. I don't think they'll wait another 4 years to come back!!

 

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day!!

We absolutely love our Christmas Eve at Grandma Vicky's. The kids are always so excited for that night. She makes us the most delicious dinner and dessert and we enjoy our gift exchange so much. Usually I send the kids to school with some money to shop for people at the school's Santa shop but they didn't have it this year (Covid). So I took them shopping and they carefully picked out their gift for Grandma, it was fun to watch.  

After Grandma Vicky's its home for bed so Santa can come!! My favorite picture all year is the jammie picture in front of the tree. Rosco joined the picture this year in his Christmas sweatshirt. 

Santa definitely came this year!!! He did not disappoint!

Benny gets the prize for sleeping in the latest on Christmas morning!! Just too exciting for the other kids. They weren't up too early, luckily!! Maybe around 8ish. 

December in-betweens

Some other notable happenings...

The uncles talked Duce and Jett into shaving off their luscious locks!! They instantly regretted it. 

Sleepovers with cuzzies. I hate them, the kids love them.

Sporting new Miami apparel. He may not look thrilled but he was!!

Dangerous antics displayed by the boy cousins. Clearly I wasn't there. Luckily, no one was hurt. 

Be still my heart!! The handsomest men there ever was!!

We had a 3D rendering done of our new house!! Here it is!! I absolutely love it!! So fun to see what it's supposed to look like. We have a few tweaks to make but are really happy with it so far. 

 

Horseback Riding with Rebel

On one of the most beautiful days over Christmas break we went over to the 47 acres to await the arrival of Ryan's new pet... a "domesticated" water buffalo. While we hung around the property, Maddie gave horseback rides to all the kids with Rebel. It was certainly a highlight for them!!

 

Christmas Sunday

I love the Sunday before Christmas. This year was no exception. Our Sunday service was beautiful and with all of Daniel's family still in town from the party we gathered outside around the fire that evening for a special nativity program (thrown together at the last minute by Leah and Shelly who did amazingly with the costumes and Vanessa with the script.) It was adorable. And we sang together and celebrated the true meaning of Christmas and felt the spirit.