PaRtY,pArTy,PaRtY!!!

Let the Christmas parties begin.  We were supposed to have Grandpa Steve's party Monday night but we were snowed in so we at the last minute cancelled and moved it to Tuesday night.  We had a great time.  We had prime rib which I had started to cook on Monday so we quit cooking it and recooked on Tuesday,  I thought it would make it tough but it was actually still pretty good.  Everyone was in attendance except for Brock and Mandy.  Brock had his gall-bladder out at 12:30 today so they didn't make it.  Melanee brought their kids. Melissa and Tyler had the flu so they weren't there.   We did the $20 exchange game and as usual there were about 3 gifts everyone fought over.  Kendall tried to put rules on the game but no one let him.  Next year definite rules. 

  

The kids love getting presents.

Kassidy (Mandy's)

Cole (Marcy's) Jade looking on

Trajen (Sha'Nell's)

Matthew (Ryan's)

Ezra (Ryan's)

Matthew, Brevin and Kaysen watching Kreed open his present

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Brevin was so excited to open presents.

Kaysen and Kelten.

On to the next party.  We had Christmas Eve at Ryan and Melissa's.

Todd always hiding from the camera

Brevin smiling for the camera.

Rachel and Kendall modeling Kendall's Christmas jammies around his neck.

Brevin really cheesing it for the camera.  He loves opening presents

Todd of course causing trouble somewhere.

Everyone waiting for present opening to begin.

It was a great night.  The adults swapped food storage this year.  

Christmas........Finally!!! New Traditions???

Yes the Robisons finally have a Christmas tree.  Thank heavens there was plenty of help to decorate it.  Decorating trees is not my favorite thing to do so I got out the stuff and let them go at it.  Brenan, Allie and Rachel did a great job.

Here is Brenan with his crazy cat and yes he is crazy.  Brenan takes good care of him even though the cat has bit him at least 4 times.  

We started a new family tradition this year.  We decided to have a gingerbread house competition.  In order to get the guys involved you have to make it a competition.  Brenan and Allie working hard on their house

Kaden doing his own house.  He didn't have any help from the female persuasion and he faired really well.  He is quite the creative little soul.

Rachel bossing Kendall around.  Rachel had even been on the internet looking for gingerbread house ideas.  

Everyone working hard to make theirs the very best.

Rachel and Kendall's

Kaden's

Brenan and Allie's

Our three gingerbread houses don't they look great!

Kaden and his finished house!!!

Brenan and Allie and their finished house!!!

Rachel and Kendall and their finished house!!

We had a lot of fun.  I think this is one tradition that is going to stick so hold us to it next year.

To finish the evening off.  Kendall and Brenan put Kaden in some weird wrestling body stretch thing.  True brotherly love!!!

Night of the Nativity

Well the big night has arrived.  The ward activity committee decided they wanted the primary to do a nativity for the ward Christmas party.  So guess who was in charge.  I feel like I have done nothing but this since the first of the month.  We don't even have a tree yet.  I just haven't had time, but today that is on the agenda.  Anyway back to the nativity.  I don't have any pictures because I forgot my camera.  Can you believe that.  It was a great success.  Tuesday night we had sat up 150 chairs well we had to set up 3 or 4 more rows last night.  We involved a lot of people.  We had everyone singing.  The kids were so excited and I guess that is what tells you it was a true success.  We even had non members, less active members and people we did not even know show up.  The activities committee sent flyers home from the school and handed them out everywhere.  It was great and none of our cows (sunbeams) and sheep (CTR5) fell off the stage even though there were a couple that were close.  We even had a pushing match going on at one point.  There were donuts and wasail afterwards.  Christmas can now begin at the Robison house.

Matt being transferred

I found out today that Matt is being transferred to Rapid City, SD. He is going to be the Assistant to the President. His address will be at the mission home which is:
Elder Matt Robison
2525 W Main St STE 311
Rapid City, SD 57702-2443
He said to make sure and put both his first and last name on the letter because there are other Elder Robison's. Hopefully we will hear from him soon.

Thanksgiving in Texas

Well I was really planning on getting these posted right as soon as we got home.  I have been running ever since and have not had a minute so they are a little late.  We left for San Antonio on Monday, November 24th.  We had an absolutely great time.  

Here we are our first day in the warm weather.  It was great weather.  We landed in the afternoon and found our hotel and then went on a walk to the river walk.  This is us on the river walk.  Dave isn't the best photographer in the world.

More pictures on the river walk.

The second day there we went to the Alamo.  Rachel and I had been there but we had to show the guys.  We enjoyed seeing a bit of history.  Of course Kaden kept complaining that you shouldn't have to learn anything on a vacation.  Heaven forbid.  

Here we are eating.  We did pretty good at this .

On the river walk tour.  It was great fun and very relaxing.

Dave counting his golf score.

Dave cheering after a great shot.  We searched for an inexpensive golf course.  We found one on the internet that was under $50.  We drove and drove to get there and then this is what we got.  The grass was dead everywhere except around the greens and it was muddy.  It was kind of like playing in a cow pasture but you can see they still had fun.

Then the big turkey day.  We went to Doug and Cheri's(Dave's brother) house.  They were great to feed us.  We had a great Thanksgiving day.

Rachel and Kendall getting ready for dinner.

The boys waiting for the feast.

Dave, Doug, and Cheri putting the final touches on.

Kendall, Rachel and I got up a little early on Friday and walked to see San Fernando Cathedral.  It was pretty cool.  It is one of the oldest cathedrals still in use.  We walked out of our hotel and it was overcast and cloudy.  In Idaho it would have been cold.  The humidity hit us immediately.  You could feel it on your skin a mist was everywhere.  There was no reason for me to take a shower today.  By the time we got here I was in full sweat and my hair had turned into a frizzy mess.  Then we were off to Sea World.  Pull the hair back and enjoy the day.

Here is Lyndon, Doug and Cheri's grandson, Destiny and Gordon's son.  

Brenan, Rachel, Kendall, Kaden, Sterling, Cheri, Dave, Lyndon, Destiny, Gordon, Maddie

Everyone at Sea World.  It was so weird to hear Chrismas music playing and seeing all the decorations when it was so warm outside.

Kaden and Sterling trying to call the dolphins over.

Lyndon looking at the fish.

Finally getting the dolphins close enough to touch.

In one of the shows they were singing Christmas songs to the audience.  They sang to Destiny and Lyndon.  This is them on the big screen.  Lyndon never cracked a smile he just kept looking at himself on the big screen.

Here we are on the river ride at Sea World

The end of the day getting ready to go.  Here we are in front of the Anheiser Busch horse stable.

We went to the river walk Chritmas parade.  It was Friday night the lit it all up and had a parade on the river.  It wasn't the greatest thing but here we are waiting for it to start.

In the airport waiting to catch our flight home.

We had a great time.  My boys were great.  They never complained at all.  They did their fair share of teasing and fighting like boys do along with Kendall but we had a great time.  The boys really enjoyed Lyndon and played and teased him constantly.  They would get him so wound up Destiny probably wanted to wring their necks.  He loved them.  He kept calling them his brothers.  I want to thank Doug and Cheri for entertaining us for a week of wonderful time together.  We truly did love this vacation.  Thanks Doug, Cheri, Sterling, Gordon, Destiny, and Lyndon.  You guys are the greatest.  It was wonderful seeing you.  

Tag your it!!!

A fun tag, tag your it if you look at my blog.
To participate, just copy and paste in your own blog, and bold and italicize all of the things you have done.
1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Ran a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Seen Mount Rushmore in person
101. Learned to play an instrument
Have fun!