This year we Cooks decided to get together for an after-Christmas party. We hoped that by getting together on the Saturday after Christmas, it wouldn't cause any extra stress before Christmas and that my brothers still in school could come during the holiday break. It worked perfectly! The weather was perfect and everyone was healthy- which is rare. My mom and Brad and Brittany came to spend Friday night with us and helped us get ready for the party, which was at our house!
Well, Elliott and Brad just played together - but they are so good together!
Yay for family parties!
On Saturday afternoon, everyone started arriving and there was time to sit around and visit. We have a huge crawl space in the basement that the kids could play in so the house wasn't so crowded and loud.
That gave us adults plenty of time to chat.
David and Dewey relaxing.
Dewey and Brittany.
Mom, Gaylene, David, Liz and Ruby.
Craig, Jeffrey, Emily, Holly, Liz, Dewey, Cathy Gorski and Mom.
Eddie Gorski, David and Nancy.
The Gorski's knew my dad on his mission in North Carolina and were surprised to meet Nancy in their Tooele UT ward and find out she is related to my dad. They brought pictures and stories and were pleased to meet our family. It was neat to listen to them.
Cathy Gorski, Mom, Jake, Cindy, Eileen and Brittany.
Mom, Jake, Caleb, Cindy, Eileen, Brittany, Brad, Jennie and Ben.
We had planned on eating a potato bar and ham lunch at 3 and wouldn't you know, we prayed and started eating at 3:01! The "kid table."
Ephraim, Ruby, Emily, Ben, Will, Joselyn and Enoch.
The littlest kids, Caleb and Jeffrey.
After lunch we decorated sugar cookies!
Ruby and Enoch using the candy.
Joselyn and Emily - they were cute little buddies all day!
Ben loading on the candy and Jeffrey isn't sure what to do with his cookie.
My lighthouse cookie with orange frosting looks plain, but I don't like candy or sprinkles on my cookies!
Elliott protecting his gummy bear cookie.
Jennie decorating the train cookies!
By now, Keith and Rachael arrived and we could have the family gift exchange. The kids were so excited to open more presents - as always!
Cute minion cousins, Caleb and Jeffrey - hats made by Rachael.
I had Brad for Christmas this year and he's excited to open a BIG box.
I think he likes his firetruck quilt made just for him!
Then we had some famous Cook Christmas pudding, but the smaller kids opted for good old chocolate cake. Elliott mostly just licked all the frosting off his piece. It's a small miracle no one threw up from all the sweets consumed this day!
Then the party broke up and people started leaving. But the party didn't end there -NO! Dewey and Liz and family and Keith and Rachael and family and mom and Brittany and Brad all spent the night and went to church with us the next morning where Brian just happened to be giving a talk. So to calm all the kids down, we got everyone in jammies and laid out sleeping bags and watched Despicable Me 2.
After everyone left on Sunday after lunch, we put a movie on for Elliott and collapsed to take naps. It was a tiring weekend, but so wonderful! We are blessed to have a large home that is close enough for us all to gather. I love spending time with our ever growing family!
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