Picture catch-up

Here's Super-Awesome-Dental-Hygienist-Trainee-Aunt-Lindsay cleaning Jethro's teeth before we left. We hadn't had the kids teeth cleaned for too long, so Lindsay saved the day and brought her tools home and cleaned them. It was pretty awesome. At first Hazel cried and was too scared, and then Ethne went and showed her how to be brave and then she finally did it too. Good times.

Thanks Lindsay, you're my hero.

This is all the kids at Grandma's house on Christmas Eve. Only three families, so a pretty poor showing as for numbers. But jolly good fun nonetheless.

Aunt Lindsay and Uncle Ethan. Awww.

Uncle Ethan being beat up by Aunt Megan and Aunt Amy and Anders. Awww.

My kids in their Christmas p.j.'s (Jethro wasn't impressed with his).

This was at a little impromptu program some of the little nieces put on. It's Hazel and Ethne singing "Away in a Manger." Plain freaky.

So a little while before Christmas, Brett and I had a very serious talk with Jethro, Hazel, and Ethne. We explained how we were moving to Switzerland right after Christmas and had very little room, so they probably would only be getting one small present for Christmas. And they had to remember that not everybody else that was going to be at Grandma's house would be going to Switzerland, so they might get more and bigger things than them, but they wouldn't be able to go to Switzerland, and going to Switzerland's awesome and is kindof a part of their Christmas presents. (We really had more than one present for the kids, and we knew they'd get things from grandparents etc., but we wanted them to have small expectations and be pleasantly surprised by anything else.) So anyhow, as we were walking out of the room (this being at night after we had put them to bed), we heard Hazel sniffling and whimpering and she said to Jethro, "I didn't even want to go to Switzerland!" Ha ha ahaa!! It was so funny. And sad. We're so mean.

Anyway, I think all the kids were pretty happy on Christmas morning. Among other things, Hazel got Barbies,

Ethne got a purse with sunglasses and pretend make-up and Tinkerbell shoes (she was very stylin', as I think you would agree),

Jethro got a mini remote-controlled car,

and Talmage went from person to person stealing chocolates and candy from their stocking and stuffing his face with it. Seriously ALL morning.

This is the girls and Aunt Krissy.

And these are just cute. I like them because Ethne is cute in the morning eating her cereal.

And this is on the plane to Switzerland. Talmage is actually asleep, which was a rarity on the flights, and Jethro is watching Cars. We were over the Atlantic right then.

This was Ethne conked out, and Hazel was on the other side and I couldn't even see her because she was covered in a blanket.

And Brett.

And with that, good night.