Christmas 2011

Christmas was a lot of fun this year. My parents are currently serving a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They are serving in the Family History Mission in Salt Lake City. The plan was for them to come home in October 2011, but my dad was called to be a counselor in the mission presidency, which means they are now staying until the end of June 2012. Because of this change in plans, the mission president allowed my parents to come home to SC for Christmas for 10 days! Yeah!

Paul was unable to get an entire week off work, so Olivia and I flew from Atlanta to Myrtle Beach so that she and I could spend as much time with my parents as we could. Paul drove to Camden, SC the Thursday evening before Christmas and spent some time with his family who were there before driving the rest of the way on Friday to Myrtle Beach.

Here is our Christmas vacation in pictures (with a few blurbs)...

Liam, Ginnie, Olivia, and Wyatt participating in what Ginnie coined "Toddler Races." Olivia and Wyatt sat in toy strollers as Liam and Ginnie raced to push them first through the kitchen.

Enjoying cousin Alexis

Since her daddy wasn't around for a week, Uncle Bryan was who she liked to run to (Mallory is also in this picture)

Olivia and Mallory walking around the house holding hands before we left for church

Annual Christmas baking

Mallory and Olivia loved playing together

Most of the younger grandkids huddled around Granddaddy to play the basketball game

Liv and I didn't get a chance to see them, but Paul saw his sister, Carrie, and her family when he was in Camden

Paul with his dad and sisters at his grandmother's house

Opening presents at my grandma Stalvey's house

My brother, Bryan, went oystering one day with our uncle and cousins, so we had to roast some to enjoy. I'm not quite sure if I'm allowed to have oysters or not since I'm pregnant, but I figured just a few wouldn't hurt :)

My grandma had 5 great-grandchildren born within 7 weeks of each other. We took this picture of them in July 2010. (Born April 11, May 3, May 17, and May 29)

Here they are lined up in the same order from oldest to youngest on Christmas Eve '11 (Mallory: brother Bryan's, Wyatt: sister Tiffany's, Lucy & Logan: cousin Perry's twins, and Olivia)

Olivia was a cookie thief at Christmas Eve dinner. She somehow reached up high enough to snatch the snickerdoodles off the counter. Sneaky!

Christmas morning

My parents, siblings, siblings' spouses, and all the kids after church on Christmas Day (Back: Dad, Nathan, Matt, Paul, Mallory, Bryan/Middle: Courtney, Alexis, Wyatt, Victor, Tiffany, Mom, Heather, Lucas, Me, Olivia, Lily, Rebecca/Front: Liam, Ginnie

My parents with all their grandchildren thus far: Wyatt, Alexis & Courtney (my sister, Tiffany's), Lily (my brother, Bryan's), Lucas (my brother, Matt's), Olivia, Mallory (my brother, Bryan's), Ginnie & Liam (my sister, Tiffany's), Nathan (my brother, Matt's)

Our little family on Christmas Day

Playing with new Christmas toys

Mallory's kitchen set was a big hit

We had brunch the day after Christmas at Elizabeth's house (one of Paul's sisters). She made delicious food! It was sooo good!

Olivia enjoyed Granddaddy Crolley feeding her spoonfuls of whipped cream.

Eating a cookie with Grandma Jayne

Me and Olivia

Paul and Olivia

Paul's mom, Jayne, and her husband, Otis, standing outside their front door looking sharp

I don't have a picture of it, but I had to make a note of this. My dad loves taking his grandkids outside and the kids learn this quickly. Every time my dad was about to go outside, they would all want to follow. They definitely had lots of fun running around the yard with him and each other.

We had lots of food and played lots of games. We sang Christmas songs and read about the birth of our Savior. It was sad to say goodbye to everyone - it always is for me - but at least I know we'll all see each other again. It was a great Christmas.