I'll like to order the Combination Plate please....

You know when you go to a Chinese Restaurant and you just can't decide on what to have because all of the seriously yummy MSG items are so tempting?  That's my blog entry.  Since the arrival of the twins, we have had a whirlwind of activity around the house.  So this blog is LONG and TASTY and comes with a great FORTUNE cookie of delight, I hope.  I will try to list each item, in random order, because it was too hard to decide which one was my favorite one - and I won't even mind if you leave me a TIP on my comments! (:

THE ANDY ARRIVAL

(not that his mom and dad's visit wasn't highly anticipated

  ....but you know...)

He came in a full package deal of cuteness, his raccoon hat, an appetite for In n Out Fries, and an added bonus of an ear infection and an eye infection.  He was such a trooper though - and he didn't mind sharing a million loves with his Nanna.  Matt enjoyed teaching him so say "Go away" - then made the mistake of saying "Go Away Mommy" - of which Matt's Christmas was reduced to a full piece of coal instead of just the half size.  It was fun to hear Andy communicating more, and looking at me and actually remembering me - that was my Christmas wish - fulfilled.  He also brought with him his baby sister, due in Aprilish - she will come to earth and knock his socks off if he tells mommy to go away anymore.... I can't wait to see her - she'll be BEAUTIFUL!

No... this is not a snit fit - I think he's saying his prayers...

yep - sure of it... I love this little boy SO much!

THE KARIN N KEITH ADVENTURES

We were SO lucky to get to have Karin and Keith with us this year for Christmas - Karin is Del's FAVE sister, and Keith and I are fortunate (choke), oh so lucky (gag and cough) to be recipients of their mother as our mother in law.  Keith - I'll take the bullet for that comment ok?  They bring a great spirit of love and support to our family.  They drove (last radar check in Filmore, Utah was 95 MPH) quickly to Utah from California on Christmas Eve.  Keith having just had shoulder surgery was sitting painless in the passengers side so if they did run off the road - he wouldn't have even felt it!  Lucky for us - they arrived safe and sound and made our Christmas complete and happy.  My kids all love these two, you only have to be around them for a moment to fall in love with them -and we are blessed to have them in our lives.  Christmas Eve brought the end to a 40 hour week and the blessing of having a few days off - in retail that is unheard of - so I was thankful for those that made this possible for me to have.  Another Christmas wish fulfilled.

THE GATHERING OF THE HILLARYS

otherwise known as Christmas Day

It's a rare occasion when we can all get everyone together.  So I appreciated (and give a thank you shout out) all of the kid's In Laws allowing me to steal their children for the day.  We broke up the occasion with them visiting their other families for Christmas Eve and I was so appreciative of the sacrifices that my in law kids made for our family.

We continued our beliefs that Christmas is about family - and that we always just draw one name and enjoy receiving one gift - it keeps it simple, the cost down and the true meaning of the day being love and sharing alive and well.  It was fun to see the things that everyone came up with for the person that they shopped for - it's always 'just right'.  Andy helped everyone this year - he would not only bring the present over to you, but also open it for you - he would say "Openit?" and you couldn't say no to those eyes...

He made sure that every single visible sign of wrapping paper

was removed before you could open the box.... Thanks Andy!

BTW - Thanks Michael - I get to go to Rod Works!!! (:

Matt and Bethany are way cute parents.  Andy is a funny kid

in so many ways.  He LOVES the movie CARS so every toy he

has is Mater, Queen, or Moo - the tipped over tractor.

   Matt and Andy loved playing together

Andy would fall asleep with a car in each hand

and a moo in his snooze.

   Time for a nap (he really sleeps like this) But the party must go on...

THE NEW TRADITION OF HUMILIATION

I told the kids that this year we we going to introduce

a new challenge.  Each couple was assigned a Christmas Carol.

Then they were to act it out - only pump it up on hip hop, or

change the words or totally change the concept - of which they did

(Except for Karin, Keith, Ashley and Mike - total slackers - booooo)

Matt and Bethany did "Up on the Housetop" only it included

Santa and Pirates and stick figures behind a table.  We laughed so hard.

Yo Yo Yo -   Bethany you'll have to help me with the rest of the words!

They were brave to start it out - and really set the bar high on the competition...

Mandy and Ryan had Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer

We totally lost it when they punked themselves out,

Ryan even tanked down his jeans for the ultimate punk look.

Mandy took Carrie Underwood to the limit and we hardly

knew what she was singing because we were all rolling on the floor!

We really felt bad knowing that they had all tried SO

hard - but the champions had to make their statement.

Del and I did "The 12 Days of Christmas"

but we had a twist - with a catch - and a switch.

"The 12 Days of Christmas - Will it Blend?"

(Remember those ground up Barbies?) (Oh Ya!)

We had official safety glasses and lab coats.

Del kept asking me if we had any partridges in a pear tree,

but I could only come up with....

12 gummy wreaths

11 piles of reindeer poop

10 cut in half cherry cordial reindeer

9 marshmallow snowmen

8 lumps of chocolate coal

7 high caloric snacks

6  something something - can't remember

5 very rare golden chocolate coins

4 rubber toy tools

3 marshmallow 'joys'

2 Miley Cyrus stickers

1 Very Big Santa

So I can't rotate this but this is what it looked like,

it was the performance of our lifetime, and we proclaimed

in full song:  "We are the freakin' CHAMPIONS of the world"

Wanna challenge us next year?

Dare ya...

A LAZY AFTERNOON

After we consumed a turkey and a ham... it was time to

listen to violence, gunshots and death, (the new video game)

while putting together peaceful puzzles and visiting...

(Mandy went home with the last 3 pieces of the puzzle - sure, it was just a mistake....)

We did the family picture - for the Christmas Card

that will now become the New Year's Card....

Notice the cute Missionary in the picture.

I had to remind myself that it was actually Christmas Day,

instead of the

DAY THAT MY MISSIONARY COULD CALL HOME!

We were all able to talk to him for about 2 hours.

He sounded WONDERFUL!

More stories to come later - but we shared our

stories and tears and love and laughter.

Another Christmas Wish granted...

He's been very busy fighting off the forces of evil...

ENOUGH PARTY TIME? HAH! NEVER!

The next day we all headed off to see an amazing flick...

and ate outrageous amounts of popcorn,

and pizza afterwards....

THE NEXT DAY? (ARE YOU KIDDING?) (NEVER!)

Lasagna party and more blood and torment on the XBox...

It was time to say good bye to Karin and Keith - a tough

thing to do - they both spoiled us rotton and left their

love and kindness everywhere.....

They were headed to the Rose Parade!

AW COME ONE - JUST ONE MORE PARTY?

BRING IT ON!

Partae some more.... that's what I say.

The BOWEN BUNCH - my side of the family came

for Soup and Bread night - our Bowen Tradition.

We met our newest member Tyler Bradshaw,

my niece Betsy's son....we think he's cute..

The cousin's had a moment in front of the camera,

with their cute spouses, and Ryan's picture of course....

We were all ok about this until we remembered that

Ashley was upstairs asleep because she's a preggie momma

and she was tired!  Mike was home sick also - so I'll include

their picture here....

wait - I meant to use this one...

that's more like it...

and a 3 generation....

 The Almost 2 year olds - set up their

territories quickly - right next to the train

around the tree - They kept looking for

Thomas the Train - but it was just

Grandpas Santamotion...

and then we were partied out.....

But I sure love my kids for making it such a fun season.

Over the 5 days we must have fed 12 - 15 people per meal,

laughed 'till we peed, played games until our thumbs bled,

consumed 10 12 packs of diet Pepsi, took a million pics,

and most of all created many many memories.

On New Years Eve, Ashley and Mike were in Vegas,

Mandy and Ryan were being merry and the Merrimans,

Bethany and Matt took Del and I and Bethany's parents to dinner

after Andy's first sleigh riding adventure,

Karin and Keith were entertaining 'Pre Rose Parade' Style,

and Ryan - was dedicated being Elder Hillary.

Del and I lit the candles on my 400 year old ancestors

in the Salt Lake City Cemetery (a wonderfully creepy place

in the absolute dark....but it's tradition!)

Time to call it a 'New Year!"

 

To which I say,

".... and to all a good night".

I promised you Fortune Cookies so here they are...

2 NEW BABIES IN 2010!

NEW HOUSE FOR MATT AND BETHANY!

MISSIONARY HOME FOR NEXT CHRISTMAS!

2 BYU BACHELOR GRADUATES!

LAW SCHOOL LOCATION ANNOUNCEMENT

1 UOFU MASTERS GRADUATE!

GREEN BERET?! AND SERVICE TO FOR OUR COUNTRY

(ok -so I'm not looking forward to that one because I love Mike SO much)

DAD AND I ARE SELLING ALL WE HAVE AND

MOVING TO FRANCE....

(just seeing if you were still with me)

HAPPY NEW YEAR!