Well, Howdy.

I've recovered from our two week holiday vacation to find that we are in a new year, I still have too much stuff in my house (despite all efforts to purge in 2008) and I am so far behind on this blog that maybe i'll skip the 'catch up post' and move on from today.  Or maybe not. Penny's first christmas seems like something i should document for the Chamberlain 2008 blog book.  

Sooo, here we go.  Warning: It'll be a long-y. (great word, eh?)

First leg of tour de chrismas was up to Utah for a week with Grandma Chamberlain and Doug's siblings. This is the view that welcomed us to Lehi . Beautiful and freezing. So christmasey and freezing. did i mention freezing?



Oh, there were games and food, lots  and lots of cousins, and some really spiritual moments (because doug's mom is a conduit straight to heaven, I swear.) It was all really, really wonderful.  

During the Christmas party we also had a white elephant exchange that ended super great for us because Doug and i conspired and took home this:  (the gift we brought)  

and the much coveted Nerf basketball hoop Rossy brought to the party.   Yeah, us.  

We also read last years predictions and wrote down our predictions for 2009, to be read during next year's christmas party.  The greatest surprise this year was that Scott predicted that Doug would have a baby and name it after a monetary unit.  Wow, he's good!

Christmas morning:

This is grandma's present from Owen.  He picked it out at the December shop at school.  She looks really excited to play it. 

This is where penny opened christmas presents.  on the side of the breakfast table with out her mom, who desperately needed a nap.  the 3 hours of sleep she got before the kids woke up on Christmas morning just wasn't enough.  

Owen's beloved wall-e.  

Sophie got a digital camera. She was really surprised, can you tell?  This is the cute, purple camera's first pic.  (oops, I didn't turn that one. Sorry, soph)

Awesome picture of a collective christmas morning coma. Need sleepy. 

We also got to see some friends we haven't seen in a very long time. We had dinner at Bombay House with the powell's, the hatfields, the christensens, the jonssons...of course, no pics but delicious food and great conversation. 

And then went up to SLC to see the Pias.  Oh, how we love the Pias!  They're the people you've known forever and rarely see but when you do it's like no time has passed at all. So much fun! We got there at 9pm and left at nearly 1am. So, i guess we had a little bit to chat about. Highlight was the Twilight spoof Julie pulled up on YouTube. I nearly wet my pants.  Go check it out!   Seriously, right now. It's that funny. 

I'm stealing pics off Julie's blog because i don't have any pics of that either.  ( can you tell i wasn't in charge of the camera this time around?)

Me and Julie

 Mason and Owen - Don't they have the exact same hair color?

Joe, Doug and Penny.  She was slightly naughty that night. 

Berkley and Sophie -  Aren't they cute? 

All the kids were great, actually.  I never liked it when my mom and dad made us play with random kids i didn't know. But these guys played like we lived down the street. 

There are other Chamberlain side highlights but i'll have to post when i get a hold of Doug's camera.  Looks like i'll have to do this in 2 parts, Penny's going nuts. 

By the way, Congrats to Scott and Karin!  they just had a little baby boy this morning! 

Indie Glenn Chamberlain.  Can't wait to meet him.