Trip To California: Part 3 (Family and Friends!)

After finding out that Daron had relapsed our family quickly decided that we needed to spend some quality time together so we made last minute arrangements to all be together (sans kids) for Christmas.

I headed to California on Wednesday so they could do the collection. Victor joined me Friday which was great because he was there for the stem cell collection and port placement.  Mom, Dad, Kevin, and Colin all came Saturday.

Marshmallow blasters!

So, we had about 48 hours with all 8 adults together.  It was great to be together.  We mainly hung out at Daron and Feifei's apartment (thanks for hosting!), ate lots of excellent food,  walked, played cards and Wii.  My favorite meal was the one I ate my first night out there - thank you for cooking Feifei!

Oh Colin, how I love your sense of humor!

Feifei, Victor, Kevin, Colin, and I went bowling one night too which was fun even if I came in 5th (only by a couple of points)!

Siblings by age

While Victor and I were gone my amazing neighbors and friends stepped in and watched the kids.  My aunt Barbara and cousin Aliza were going to come from Kansas to watch them the first 3 nights but a massive blizzard and the stomach flu prevented them from coming at the very last minute.

So my neighbors' au pair along with a host of friends provided wonderful child care for my 3 kids while we were gone (Thursday evening - Tuesday morning).  I really can not ever thank them enough. '

Aom watched the kids while we were gone.

She is our neighbor's au pair.  She's wonderful!

She took the kids up to DC to the museums, over to Christi's (her house) 

and made gingerbread houses and cookies,  over to Casey's (another neighbor) for a special lunch too.

They had Christmas eve dinner at Christi's as well.

My friends and neighbors Catie, Mirelle, and Lauren helped out as well.

We are so blessed!

Thank you thank you everyone!

I hope you have all had a wonderful Christmas!