Monday, January 16, 2012

Oh Christmas Tree

Heading to church




Mom and her new bling bling


picture of Mom and Dad's rings


Ugly sweaters

The Crew

Austin 1st place Tyler 2nd place

Austin and Brett's annual awkward photo... that's never planned


Ballif party

Me, Nash, and Scott's fingers haha he ruined our cute picture


Dad was laughing his head off, he was trying to tell a joke and thought he was SO funny he couldn't even breath. It was HILARIOUS just seeing him try to tell the joke




The kids in their nativity clothes



We had an awesome Christmas this year. Shannon and Jordan came up and got here in time for the Ballif Family Party which was a blast as always. We had some chick fil a for dinner, played the dart game, and Grandpa showed us a great spiritual movie. We got home from our cruise the Sunday before Christmas and it worked out perfectly. Christmas morning Austin had to work so I woke up and went to my parents to watch Mitch and Nash open their presents, then came back home to meet up with Austin to go to his sisters church during the afternoon. After church we headed to the Hoffmann's to give his parents and siblings their gifts, then off to the Garner's for dinner and presents. After dinner we headed to Grandma Hoffmann's for a little bit, then back out to my parents, then we decided to come home and watch the Grinch together before heading to bed... we ended up going to bed at like 8:30 :) Holidays have become very long days with both of our families living so close to each other, but we wouldn't change it. We might not be able to go so many places once we have kids, but we'll keep doing it until it gets to be too much. Overall Christmas was an awesome day. This year my Dad surprised my mom majorly. Ever since Grandma Garner passed away and Mom got her ring I've been telling my dad to take it to a jeweler and have him make a new setting with Grandma's diamonds and after a few years he finally decided to do it. Before our cruise my Dad and I went to his friend Greg Norton's to pick out a new setting. It was so much fun. While we were there Dad decided he also wanted a new ring with the diamonds from Grandpa's ring. So on Christmas with everyone their Mom opened her new ring that she had no clue she was getting, and dad put on his new ring. It was so much fun helping my dad surprise her. We ended up also getting her some diamond earrings with leftover diamonds from Grandpa's ring that Dad's new ring didn't need.
Such a good Christmas surprise.



Before we left on our cruise we went to our favorite Crew Annual Ugly Sweater Party. It was a blast as always. Austin and I were pumped because we randomly went to the DI in November and scored with some major ugly sweaters that we knew would have to be in the running for the contest... we were right. Austin won the ugly sweater contest and gets his name added to the trophy. (Scott and Jen borrowed our ugly sweaters for a party they were going to and Austin's sweater won again at their party haha ) We had dinner, treats, watched some sports, played with all the cute babies and got some sweet white elephants. Thanks to the Greenwell's for always putting together such a fun party.

1 comment:

Al and Eli said...

Weird how I know that Crew.... they all look so different. How fun to grow up! Keep blogging Jeni it's fun to stay in touch this way :)