New years Eve 2013-2014

New years Eve was a blast with my parents and Mark's family.  I love my nieces and nephews and love having them around.  Mark's kids are great!  We had Oleobolin, which is delicious, way too much food, and a great time playing Just Dance and games.

A wonderful farewell party for Bill and women's basketball

Saturday we met up with David and Mark's family and went to the BYU women's basketball game.  The kids did not want to go watch women play basketball.  I told them we might be able to get on t.v.

so they were excited.  Bridie made a sign.  We wore our blue and cheered so loudly that we made it onto the juno torn a couple of times and Bridie got to go down on the floor and say what she gave and what she got for Christmas.  Such a fun time!  Then we came home just in time for the extended Harkness Family party Saturday night.  It was wonderful. So many people were here having a great time.  Little did we know this was a farewell party for Bill.  He collapsed the next day and died shortly after so this party was the last time many of the family saw Bill alive.  I love hosting parties at my house!  It is so much fun!  Below is the last picture of Bill.

Christmas Day 2013

A couple of days before Christmas James took all the kids to a movie and out to lunch while I did Santa wrapping.  I hid things away in bags.  So Christmas Eve Gordon stared to bring up bags while I stuffed stockings.  After finishing with the stockings I placed presents under the tree.  I finished and stood back to look and there wasn't much there.  I thought 'I know we wanted a small Christmas, but when you have 7 kids it adds up fast.'  I went to bed not thinking much of it.  Christmas morning The kids divvy up the presents and then unwrap their pile.  Well, James had 2 presents and Eleanor had no presents.  I told Gordon to go look down stairs and see if Santa had left presents under the tree in the basement.  Sure enough Gordon brought up 2 more black garbage bags full of presents and everyone was happy.  It was a weird Christmas knowing that anything that James was given would only be used for a couple for months.  Christmas this year was wonderful because everyone came.  Ali's parents had flown out their family because her parents are serving a mission and wanted  to see all their kids before they left.  Melissa was already coming and so Gordon and Bridget flew out Rob and Janelle.  So everyone was here for Christmas on the Harkness side.  David and Marilyn came, Christina was her, Mark came after Christmas, and Julia's family came. So Christmas break was filled with lots of cousins and parties.  Christmas day we went to my parents at 11 for the DeBry party and then 4 o'clock was the Harkness family party.  Such a great day.  I am beginning to realize what a blessing it is to have close families and that it my be crazy for a couple of days, it is worth the craziness for the wonderful memories.

Christmas Eve 2013

Christmas Eve was especially wonderful as I knew this would be our last Christmas together for at least 2 years.  I thought of James' stocking hanging on the mantle next year all alone while all the others are stuffed waiting for Christmas morning.  I got a little sad and then I decided to enjoy this year and everyone being there.

The DeBry family party

The DeBry party was great again.  It was at Circe's house and we were all asked to bring a dessert and money to pay for pizza.  It is always so good to see my cousins.  James was a little bored and asked if he could be Santa.  He was great.  I loved seeing my other kids sit on James' lap.  Everyone figured it out eventually.  "Santa" gave Matthew a hard time about not being a good boy this past year.  I wanted to give James a few tips before he was Santa but I couldn't get to him before he was called and he was so wonderful!