HOME FOR CHRISTMAS........THE RUDY'S

Wendy, William, Jordan and Emily live here in Toledo with us, so we get to visit with each other all the time. Getting "ready" for Christmas was no small task and thankfully we had helping hands to do most of the heavy lifting...Will and Wendy!

...and most of the "picking up and cleaning up" during everyone's visit during Christmas, and;

...all of the 'clean up' and putting away of decorations and everything else while we were in Las Vegas.

Coming home finally from Vegas after delaying our departure for two days because Allen and I were "dying dog sick" (and still are)...we came in our home hacking and coughing to find everything in order and clean...which is not at all how we left it. So, a big THANK YOU to Wendy and Will is definitely overdue and they helped make the way better and more fun for everyone.

Of course, there was always some action going on during the holiday week as the kids came in at various times...and the Rudy's were in the middle of it all...

A game of chess with William resulted in a tough 'draw' and took us so long we didn't go back for seconds 'yet'....lol. Wendy's first "auntie hold" of Ean didn't have Ean looking too sure about this North Pacific Auntie of his, but by the time we all went on to the wedding...Auntie Wendy was just fine with him...cuddles and all...

Emily and Ean of course loved the puppies of various sizes, but I think the little Golden Lab "Yazie" was a definite favorite. Ean would go to the door time and time again saying "Doggies" and if Emily were around, she would open it for him and then they would wonder what to do when surrounded by the pack?

Will brought out his guns and the guys did some target practice, Joey shot a gun for the 'first time' in his life and noticed the bruise on his shoulder from the kick soon after...but Will is a crack shot so the target got quite a beating at that. Of course, when it came to the 'frog eating contest'...William was going to win 'hands down'...seems none of the City Slickers were 'up' for that 'challenge'. lol

One of the greatest things about big family 'get togethers' is getting the 'cousins' to hang out and have fun together. These events make for lifetime memories and relationships. I can still remember the fun of hanging out with my cousins over the years and I still treasure those times we had together as 'relatives'...with that common past and family. It just isn't quite the same as with 'pals' since cousins are 'lifetimers' and if they are close, they are 'lifetime close pals'.

Of course, the little one always wants to follow the bigger one, and at the top of the food chain around here is Jordan and Tommy...Sierra wants to be with Jordan and Tommy, Emily wants to be with Sierra, and Ean is almost ready to follow Emily around...but is still more interested in sticking his finger in a light socket if possible and Ben is three months old so all the movement is exciting to him...human or otherwise....but give em a few years and it should be a 'chain reaction' of considerable fun.

It was late in the game when Emily discovered the 'Laster Guns' but once she did, everyone around her was 'fair game'...she laid her Dad out quite a few times, but had a little bigger challenge with her Aunt Lindsay...as they ran around the house shooting at each other...it really made me laugh to see the 'little girl' come out of Lindsay for awhile. No matter how old your children get...you still have all those memories of the 'little one' in them because they made you laugh and cry so many times over the years...so watching my grand daughter's 'new adventure' was awesome...but watching Lindsay's 'little inside girl' play...well, that was 'priceless'.