Our Christmas Vacation

We visited: and:
We watched:

and some Jeopardy, of course: We played (indoors):

We played (outdoors):

(before Benjamin's faceplant):

(after Benjamin's faceplant): We met up with Amy (Ryan's sister) and her girls for some sledding:
Can you see Charlie hidden in that picture above? Here's a close up:
I got to wear my dad's awesome snowmobile suit:Mom and Dad even came to watch:

Pocatello has an outdoor ice rink during the winter. It started to melt one of the last days we were there so we hurried to get some time on the ice.
We ate: (that is a turkey roll my sister-in-law made. It was a LOT of work and was very delicious, even if Ryan said it looked like some kind of giant larva. Don't worry Natalie, I think that only added to his enjoyment of it.)

We got to hang out with my parents and all five of my siblings . . .

The Baer Family portrait:

(Sorry siblings if these aren't the most flattering pictures. I was trying to find some individual shots.)

. . . as well as some other aunts, uncles, and cousins:

Benjamin and Erin enjoyed telling each other stories:

We also succeeded in sharing our germs and giving a few people colds. Sorry Josh and Mom.
Since we've been home we have been taking down Christmas decorations, vacuuming pine needles, sorting toys and organizing closets, vacuuming more pine needles, and having a lot less fun than we had the previous two weeks.

calling all Sorensenites

Were you aware of this website?

We like to dance

And some of us like to ham it up for the camera.

one of my favorites

I keep thinking about posting one of my favorite Christmas songs or a clip from a favorite Christmas movie. There's Linus's speech from Charlie Brown of course, or the LDS Nativity movie. I always get a little teary eyed in that one when the wise man sees the new star for the first time. But I can't stop thinking about this video. It's from cjane's blog, and it makes me laugh every time. I hope I'm not laughing too much at the expense of someone else. I like to think that this particular Grandpa is unintentionally bringing joy to many. The video is at the bottom of her post. The camera work is a little shaky, but if you can stand it I think you'll like the end.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Christmastime pics

Just some various pictures from the last few weeks. These are from the ward party.

This is as close as Charlie would get to this Santa, and only because he had the candy cane.
None of my pictures of the program turned out, but I think the kids look like ewoks or something with their beady eyes.

This Santa visited Benjamin's preschool. He is by far the best I've ever seen. He doesn't pressure the kids to sit on his lap, he shows them some reindeer bells, he passes around his magic key that lets him into houses without chimneys, and when asked about the naughty/nice list, he tells them there is no such thing as a "bad" kid - that kids make mistakes sometimes just like adults.

And here's one of Charlie.

Ryan's golfball

While I was helping in Benjamin's class the other day, I overheard a conversation a few of the kids were having:

Kid #1: My dad is really strong.

Kid #2: My dad has big muscles.

Kid #3: My dad has HUGE muscles.

Benjamin: Well my dad has . . . a GOLFBALL!

And here it is:

Alex and Ben singing

My friend Judy posted a clip from our ward Christmas party of the primary children singing. You can see Benjamin and Alex in the background.
It's here.