The Kenison Chaos: December 2009

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Santa Came!!!!

With 11 people in the house for Christmas Santa had to split the presents between two of the trees downstairs... The kids tree and Mommy's tree. The gold wrapped ones are from Santa.

The stockings (and gift bags) were hung by the stairs with care???

What fun it was to have so many together for Christmas - the garbage man is going to hate us!

Is it time???? Is it time??? The kids were SOOOO excited to come downstairs.

The waiting was just driving the kids nuts!!!! We wanted everyone to be awake and downstairs before they opened presents! The kids were all sporting their new Steelers PJ's from Nana too.

I just look at this picture and the song from the commercial keeps ringing in my head..."I'm a big girl now!" The picture says it all... but now I think I better go since Reese just took one look at the picture and then ran off says - "I want to go make a mess again!!!!" she had a really sneaky smile too... better run to find her!

The 2009 Tree Hunt

So we have to tell first how this years crazy adventure started. We left home around 4:30pm thinking that we would get to Boone around 7pm just in time for some dinner and an evening at the hotel pool. After a long day - who couldn't use some time in the water to get all the wiggles out. Well - that was the PLAN... UNTIL... the highway was closed and had a detour. We started on the detour for about a 1/2 and hour and then the GPS system in the Yukon kept on giving us other options to follow. Feeling like we were following the blind on the detour, we thought we would just follow the GPS instead. WELL.. first lesson learned... what looks good may not be good. We turned on the road the GPS said and went for another 15 minutes or so and then it said we need to turn right on Sampson Road. Well... after about 5 miles, Sampson Road became dirt / gravel Sampson Road. For 30 miles.... and TWO ADDITIONAL HOURS we followed Sampson Road... which became a single lane, winding, twisting, turning road that literally went over the mountains. I have never prayed so much and so desperately in my life! I was terrified! One side would be a cliff drop off and the other a shear bank straight up plastered with ice from the runoff. Not a place to be with a family of seven.. when it's 19 DEGREES outside and it is not 9:30 at night. All I could think of was - why did I not think to bring extra snacks and water in the car this time and I REALLY hope that Mark paid the renewal fee on the On Star subscription. At least if we fell off the cliff, the On Star system would know and hopefully someone would find us before we froze to death. I know I'm such a worrier! When Sampson Road finally came to an end, it told us to turn onto another road which literally drove us straight into someones driveway!!!! Ha! And this is the most up to date CD in the GPS system. THIS IS CRAZY!!!!!! Well after much frustration and many wrong turns we found our way back to the Blue Ridge Parkway and stopped along side the road. Brennan suggested we stop and say a prayer - what a great kid he is! Why didn't we stop a long time ago and do that! Well - our prayers were answered and we finally made our way down into the little town of Boone..at 10pm that night! After three different hotel rooms - the first had no heat - the second had swine flu I am sure... it smelled like throw up SO BAD... and finally the third we crashed in for the night! The kids swam the next morning and then we all bundled up and headed out for the real adventure of the trip!

The chosen one! - After much debate!

TIMBER!!!!

It was a little bit too cold for great smiles for the camera! The kids were soooo disappointed this year that it did not snow while we were there.

The whole family .. and still smiling after everyone had the perfect tree picked out. It's a little hard to choose the winner from seven completely different choices! ha ha! One of these years we will be able to vote in a civilized manner!

O.K. - We just had to show everyone exactly where our little tree farm is... yep... it's in MEAT CAMP, NC!!!! This is the sign right next to the farm for the the beautiful little white chapel that sits on the hillside next to the farm. We think this part of the country is absolutely beautiful, but I'm not sure that I can bring myself to live in a town called Meat Camp!

We are always thankful for the delicious hot chocolate, hot cider and cookies that Mrs. Clawson has for us when we are done. Oh and the heated building feels really nice too!

Keep growing little trees - we'll be back for one of you next year!

Sunday, December 20, 2009

A Few Family Pictures...

Put on a happy face... no fighting allowed for this picture!

Mommy and her little princess! She loved the fact that her tights had a bear on the butt... she kept on saying.. see my "bear butt!"

Smile honey... the kids are all sitting still for one minute!

Ah... just the two of us! The kids were most likely rolling around in the mud at this point!

Like my boots? Reese was fascinated with the zippers on her boots... She thought she was one styling chic in this outfit! We are SOOOO in trouble when she gets older!

Ah - those eyes!!!! This reminded me so much of her birth announcement picture... same little face and smile... just longer hair! (oh and notice the nice little goose egg on her noggin... it just wouldn't be picture day without someone having a bump on the head!)