A Christmas too good to forget...

Christmas 2011 was quite spectacular, and lest I forget some of the great moments, I am following up on a resolution made many times over to chronicle our lives on this blog. These picture folders have been sitting on my desktop since the beginning of the year, and, motivated once more by a recent Relief Society meeting, I am blogging once more.

 First of all, a joke that circulated around our house this season: What do you call the day before Christmas Eve? Answer: Christmas Adam! (Get it...? Because Adam came before Eve.)

Christmas Eve morning found us in full preparations to move Christmas (presents, clothing, toiletries, air beds, sleeping bags, and children) from one Wride home to another. The entire Wride clan was joining together and Grandma and Grandpa's house, and we didn't want to miss out on the fun. True to tradition, we came with plans to spend one night and then ended up hanging out in the basement for many more so we could enjoy late night games, movies, and fun with Adam's family. Once we were finally loaded, we headed over meet up with all the cousins for the Polar Express Party, a recent Wride tradition.

The kids all boarded the Polar Express "train," each clutching their golden ticket and ready for adventure. After following Grandma around the kitchen, hallway, living, and dining room with the Polar Express music blasting and each kid taking a turn blowing the train whistle, they settled in for some fun.

But first, an expert conductor had to punch their tickets. Grandpa masterfully punched JOY in each ticket.

The cousins took turns throwing "coal" into the firebox of the Polar Express.

John was a little stressed at the sight of an entire clan of Wrides looping the house with train whistles sounding, but he was all smiles when it came time to throw a ball through a hole. Other unpictured activities: candy trains (think frosting and all the confections you could imagine carefully placed on paper plates), a mega gingerbread house for the adults to decorate, and hot cocoa so think it tastes like melted chocolate bars. Yup, this Polar Express party is a keeper! It's the perfect way to spend the day while waiting anxiously for Christmas Eve to arrive.

With the onset of evening, come the famous Cummings chimichangas. Melinda was frying up the good stuff this year.

There were lots of helpers in Grammy's beautiful new kitchen. Grandpa Bezzant comes out for Christmas, and I love getting to visit with him over an extended holiday. Grandpa always does enough loads of dishes to last him a year, and then comes back and does it again the following year. He is one hard worker, good conversationalist, and altogether lovely fellow. Sarah (also pictured) is such a spectacular aunt and pays special attention to John, which he loves. Those two are buddies.

Look how much table space there is in Grammy's new kitchen. Perfect for a Cummings family feast!

This is a magical music box purchased at the Kennedy Center that shows scenes from "The Nutcracker." The stage rotates to show the different scenes, and it kept John, Emma, and Trina engaged for an impressive amount of time. We love our Trina; she is one awesome aunt and playmate. Thank you, Aunt Janet, for sharing this very popular treasure.

Here are my three wise men, dressed up for the Nativity play. (John, Adam, Spencer). The beards, dug up from the catacombs of basement dress-up, cost Adam an allergy attack later that evening, but I think it was well worth it. They certainly looked the part.

And a cast photo: John, Adam, Sarah, Melinda, Dan, Heather, Spencer, Emma, Joel, Trina (back to front, left to right).

*Ok, family, help me out here. What did Dan say during the Nativity that had us all irreverently chuckling? Something about taxes...

 An action shot of wise man, Spencer.

The most angelic shepherd I have ever seen.