We spent Christmas this year with Don's family in Colorado Springs. We had such a great time hanging out with all of Don's siblings, playing games, talking, and enjoying the amazingly sunny weather. All of Don's siblings are just starting their families (Wendi is pregnant, due in March, April has two boys, and Christine in due in April) so it is really fun to swap knowledge and experiences since we're all in the same stage of life. It is also so great for Sam to have all these cousins who will be so close in age on Don's side. He has tons of cousins (19, to be exact) on my side, but most are older.
We drove down to the Springs on Thursday, December 23rd. Immediately, the fun began. Sam and Isaac started running around together, giggling, and playing. They have a great time together and I anticipate lots of double trouble in the years to come.
We slept the first night in the room with Sam, but he was up a good portion of the night, so we let him sleep in the computer room and Don and I slept in the living room the rest of the time. Sam slept through the night from there on out, so we were all happy.
While we were there, we played lots of fun games including telephone pictionary (my favorite!), things in a box, and the newly wed game. I think I was pretty dictatorial about the game playing. Every night when we'd be deciding what to do, I would insist we play a game. Despite my bossiness, I actually think we got to know each other a lot better during this gathering than ever before because we sat and talked and played and laughed. That is my kind of fun! Don and I had a narrow victory over April and Brian in the newlywed game but we were called out since I kept the score (and wrote the game). I still claim that victory with pride, though, no matter what they say! :) I think this was my favorite gathering with the Conkey Clan yet, and that says something. We always have a blast together.
Don's parents' house is perfect for the grandkids. Well, the yard is perfect, anyway: 2 1/2 acres of ponderosa forest! So many places to play! The house is on it's way; once it's remodeled, it will be great, too. Sam had so much fun running around digging in the dirt with sticks and throwing pine cones. He also loved all the wagon rides with Grandpy and mommy and daddy.
He would get nervous about being by himself in the wagon, so we would take turns riding with him and once, we made Don's dad pull us all around.
The weather was so nice the whole time we were there. We had a brown Christmas, but I was able to run a couple times and once, Don and I even got to go out together on Christmas day, so I didn't mind the lack of snow at all.
We all took turns making dinner, which was also a really good time. It is a great way to split up the burden of cooking/cleaning and a fun way to learn new recipes.
Christine and Josh making the enchiladas for our Christmas Eve feast! Yum!
Per Conkey tradition, we had our Mexican style Christmas Eve. When I tell people that we have a Mexican Christmas, they wonder why...a bunch of white people eating enchiladas and making homemade pinatas? Don's mom's family has a lot of links to Mexico - Don's maternal grandfather was a Spanish teacher and spent a lot of time south of the border and while Don's mom was growing up, they had a few foreign exchange students live with them. Also several of Don's aunts and uncles studied as foreign exchange students in Mexico and Don's aunt is a Spanish teacher. So, the tradition began in the Cooper family and is now a Conkey tradition.
Our Mexican feast!
And it is fun! For several days before Christmas, at least once a day, a few of us add a layer of paper maiche to the pinatas, which are built around balloons. We go through a lot of paste and newspaper; we make these babies thick and nearly indestructible. Everyone usually gets to hit the pinata twice before it breaks. That's 10 adults and 60 attempts at hitting it (we each get three swings)! Yes, the Conkeys make a mean pinata!
On Christmas Eve when the pinatas are finally all dry, we have a decorating contest. Two years ago we did boys vs. girls. This time we did pregnant couples vs. non-pregnant couples. We were on a team with April and Brian and we made the best looking Susan Boyle (family joke) pinata in the history of the world!
Decorating the pinata. I built Susan's buxom bosoms and worked on her head, pearl necklace, and earrings (which I made out of paper clips and yarn). Don was the painter. April and Brian were the masterminds behind the body and dress. Hilarious!
Grant watching on with admiration at our made pinata skills.
Don, Sam, and Brian looking at Susan drying in the shower before her big debut.
The reveal!
Wendi, Ben, Christine, and Josh made the spitting image of Don's dad. When it comes to all things art, whoever has Wendi on their team has a huge advantage since she is a fabulous artist and an art teacher, to boot.
We were still proud of Susan, though. She was beautiful!
After our traditional enchilada dinner (they're fried! They're so delicious!), we went down and took turns beating the pinatas to bits. Then, we all scrambled to gather the loot. Sam didn't much like all the violence with hitting the pinatas. It was awfully loud and we like him all the better because he didn't want to hit a pinata that looked just like his grandpa. We didn't have any qualms about beating pinata Curtis to a pulp, though. :)
Christmas morning was fantastic! We got a really nice crepe pan (we love to make crepes!) from Christine and Josh and we gave them a super swanky baby hiking backpack that I negotiated for a steal from some guy on Craigslist. I don't think I've ever been more excited about a present for someone other than Don. It was just so cool! I couldn't believe the guy actually let me buy it for $50!
We bought Sam a tricycle but he was so excited about his blocks, he hardly noticed the trike for a few hours. He still can't pedal it but he loves to be pushed around it on it while he rings the bell.
I got Don new running shoes (boring, I know, but he needed them!) and he got me a backpacking backpack which I wore all through Europe.
It was a great Christmas all around!
Christmas breakfast
Sam first thing after waking up. He was a little overwhelmed by all the excitement. The remote control helped though. There is nothing so calming as playing with the remote...
Present time!
Our awesome crepe pan. We've been amazed at how well it works!
New books!
A "Sam" bear and book from Grandma.
The baby backpack!
Sam's favorite present were these blocks we gave him. He is such a little problem solver. He'll probably end up being an engineer like his daddy.
Don's dad bought and built mom this swing. She loved it!
Ben and Wendi gave Don's parents Beatles Rock Band and mom bought Curtis a couple guitars, so we rocked out most afternoons.
Sam was fascinated with the drums. Uncle Ben showed him how it was done and then Sam wanted to play all the time.
We had fun running around in the yard tossing the football...
...and I loved playing with the cattails. They were so fluffy!
I made sugar cookies with the kids. Isaac loves to cut things out of dough with cookie cutters, so he was excited about this (for about 3 minutes). :)
And we took some family pictures. Here is the Conkey Clan! L to R - Christine, Josh, and Rodrigo, me, Sam, Don, Mom, Dad, April (holding Grant), Brian (holding Isaac), Wendi, and Ben.
And here we are!
