Family of Angels

So every year in the Allred family, we're supposed to take a "halo" picture. I'm not sure when this tradition started, but we've been taking halo pictures for at least 10 years now.

This one was taken in 2006 when Lance was about 15 months old.

See? Here I am about 5 years ago, too.

Apparently it's been going on a lot longer than I remember because I found this picture taken about 22 years ago of my brother Stephen.

Even the animals got their picture taken...

...okay, Mr. Knightley refused to wear it. Scrooge. (Both pictures taken in 2007)

Awww. Little Lance just two years old. How time flies!

So, of course we had to take our halo pictures this year, too. It's just something you can't pass up.

Lance--6 years and 3 months old.

 

Jude--2 years old to the day!

George--28 years old.

Heather--28 years old.

Baby Glass--35 weeks.

Apparently Jude wanted his "baby" to wear the halo, too.

After Christmas Blues

Really, that should read "After Christmas 'Reds" because most of the week following Christmas we spent with the Allred side of the family.

Lance spent the week at his dad's house playing with friends and while there was usually something planned each day of the week, the rest of us mostly hung out and relaxed.

Jude couldn't get enough of his Wedgits and would sit there with these little square block things and build, build, build.

Glenn didn't make a dessert for our "competition" the night before, so Wednesday he made some homemade pizza with his new pizza stone (a gift from Chad).

Jude thought it was neat to watch Grandpa make the dough. The pizza turned out really well!

One night my family went to the DC temple. It was nice to be there together and the lights were beautiful as they are every year. Chad and Jason were superstars and stayed at home to watch Jude and Mason.

Santa brought the Glass family the game Telestrations and we had a great time playing it! It's like a cross between Pictionary and "Telephone" that you play with a large group of people. Hilarity ensued. It is definitely a game we will get out a lot!

Every year my Allred grandparents send my mom a check to be distributed amongst the grandkids. For the past several years we've decided to use that money to go to one of our favorite restaurants as a family--Nagoya's. It's a Hibachi grill in Ashburn and is always always wonderful. Thanks, Grandma and Grandpa!

We wanted Uncle Chad to give Jude a haircut while he was there, and after watching him trim up Jason and Stephen, he seemed ready. Until he was in the chair. And then he wanted nothing to do with a haircut at all. Oh well. Honestly, his hair grows so slowly that he just needs a tiny trim around his ears. I guess I can do that another time.

So, instead of a haircut, Jude opted to try to clip my nails instead. Thanks, buddy.

It was a good week, full of family. It was really nice to spend so much time with my brothers that live so far away most of the year. I am so lucky to be part of a family that actually enjoys being together. I hope I can cultivate that in my own home with my children so they can have a great relationship with their siblings, too. It truly is priceless.

Christmas Dinner with the Allred family

The rest of December 26th (after I dropped Lance off at his dad's house) was spent trying to spend our Christmas money from my mom. Each year she gives all the adults a certain amount of money that we are require to spend the day after Christmas--anything left over is collected and given back to Mom. We also get together at the end of the day and show everyone what we got with the money. It's a great tradition Mom's been doing for three years now.

Jude and George enjoying some dinner at Tyson's Corner mall.

After our shopping, we gathered at my mom's house to show our spoils. George got a bunch of stuff for his new Sodastream machine and I got some earrings and a pair of 5-finger toe shoes. I can't wait to start training for the Tough Mudder in October!

The next day (27th) was full of baking. Because we can never find a time on Christmas Eve or Christmas day when everyone can make it, my mom usually has Christmas dinner another evening. 

We also started a new family tradition of having a dessert bake-off/competition on the same night. We each pick a dessert we've never made before, bake it and then everyone gets to try the creations that night.

Needless to say, there was a lot of cooking going on that day!

Amy working hard on her blondie/cream cheese icing sandwiches.

While waiting for kitchen space, George and Stephen enjoyed some "Jeeves and Wooster".

This was my job for our (mine and George's) creation--I got to make the crepes.

Whipping up some pastry cream.

George was the mastermind and builder behind our crepe cake.

Stephen made some wassail for his contribution.

Chad and Jason teaming up on some peacan pie bars.

Jude was the official sampler.

I made some rolls for dinner that night. They turned out great! I used the recipe from "Our Best Bites". Fabulous!

Amy and Jason peeling potatoes for the dinner.

Cornish game hens in the oven--our family Christmas tradition!

Dinner was wonderful! We were completely stuffed, so had to wait a couple hours before we could do the dessert competition. Here are the contenders:

Amy's blondie sandwiches.

George's and my crepe cake

Mom's cherry puff pastry creation.

Chad and Jason's pie bars.

Laura and Tyler's peanut butter cup cheesecake.

Okay, so we didn't really decide a winner. Everything was tasty, sweet, and very filling... the perfect end to a great meal!

George cutting our crepe cake.

It was filled with pastry cream between each crepe, topped with berries, and then drizzled with some great sauces George made.

I may be a little biased, but in my eyes we totally won!

Santa was good to Lance this year

December 26th was another busy day. Lance and I woke up early so we could get his "halo" picture at Grandma's house.

It's a tradition each year, so it had to be done. :) 

We loaded up in the car and drove to Aunt Linda's house in Potomac, MD to take care of the puppies and cats one last time before the family came home from Utah.

Oh, Falcon.

Then it was on to Lance's dad's house where Lance would spend the next week.

Apparently, Santa had made a stop at that house, too, and I was invited to stay and watch/take pictures of Lance opening his Dahlquist gifts.

Legos! Sweet!

I think this was a gift to himself or it was from Grandpa Bob.

Had to have some BYU paraphernalia. Lance may need to grow a bit, though.

Lance got to do the Star Wars Lego advent at his dad's house, too. I thought it was the cutest set! I mean, look at that mini X-wing!

Lance's gift to his dad: a Cafe Rio gift card. It was even mostly his idea. When I asked Lance what we should get for his dad, we talked about getting something that the other person likes. "Lance, what does your dad like?" "Uh, he really likes Cafe Rio." Great idea! Scott thought so, too.

And of course we had to get him an up-to-date picture of Lance (taken by my fabulous friend Emily Jones).

Stratego! I can't say I've ever played this game, but Lance and his dad played it a lot and Lance thought it was great.

Lego Star Wars books.

I think Lance's Bomb Bird family is complete now--large, medium and small.

Lego X-Wing. You can't buy these anymore, so Lance is a very lucky boy!

Australian Shepherd calendar

A new CTR ring.

Tie.

Uh, what's in the box, Lance?

Love the look on Lance's face.

Perry the Platypus shirt.

Can we say gift overload?

Lance has got to be the luckiest kid I know. Every Christmas and Birthday is the same--truckloads of gifts from all his family. 

So blessed.