And Then Christmas Continued

The day after we celebrated our family Christmas we headed up to Iowa to celebrate with the extended fam. 

This started with festivities on the 23rd which has always been my family's day to celebrate ever since we were tiny.  It made all the kids jealous when I was in elementary school and may be part of the reason that I never really believed in Santa, at least not that I remember anyhow. 

Here's what the day entailed:

Jumping in the bounce house.

Sam, Max, Evelyn

Napping.

Jack (the boy that loves sleep more than any kid I know), Grandma Cindy

 Discussing the end of the world and politics around the globe.  Seriously, that thing comes out regularly when my family gets together.  We're dorks like that.

Melissa, Jon

 Eating way too many goodies.

Scott, Grandpa John

 I have really pretty sisters.

Melissa

Mary

 And a ham for a daughter.

Bella

 A round of pool.

Scott, Ryan, Jon

Beating the living tar out of your cousins.

Max, Sam, Evelyn

 Do you have some pent up aggression to get out there pup?

Max, Evelyn, Sam

 And trying desperately to rest amidst the chaos.

Abby

That's all before the craziness that is opening gifts for 17 people.  Yup, 17.  That's just immediate family, their spouses and children, and a couple international students that have become family. 

Forget the big stuff, lets play with this egg game.

Scott gave lessons on coffee.

Grandma was really impressed.

Opening gifts is all kinds of hilarity.

Then Evil Santa came.  He makes a yearly visit with all kinds of inside jokes and humor.  This year he brought new red cards to play Apples to Apples with.  So, instead of coming using the cards with nouns and such on them that fit the description given, we were matching family memories and jokes with the given word.  This of course meant we stayed up until 2 a.m. playing.