Sunday 10

1.  What a week!  I'm not even sure where to start.  I guess I'll start with Michelle's family coming into town last Thursday evening, November 20.  That was the kickoff to our week of Freebairn Family excitement.  Neil and Dani also got in that night but they were staying at Cindy's, so we didn't see them until the next day.  We had dinner and got the beds all set up, and the kids had a blast playing together until we finally had to force bedtime.

2.  Friday morning we got together with Cindy and Neil and Dani and their kids at the play area at the mall, where Michelle was also meeting up with some local friends.  We had a family dinner that evening at Cindy's and had fun hanging out and letting the kids all get to know each other.  After the kids went to bed, Michelle, Cindy, Dani and I went shopping to finish getting stuff for family pictures.  We stayed out way too late, but we were definitely productive!

3.  Saturday we all met up at the Children's Museum.  We stayed long enough for Cooper to get way beyond tired, and then I took my kids home while everyone else stayed a little longer.  Michelle's family went to visit some of Roy's family that night, while the rest of us had another family dinner.  My parents and Cami got in that night and the family reunion officially began!

4.  Sunday we went to church, where Roy blessed baby Andrew.  We had a big lunch here after, followed by lots of hanging out until dinner.  So much food.  :)

5.  Monday my kids went to school, Tyson to preschool, and Michelle and Roy did their own thing while my mom and I did some grocery shopping.  After the kids got home from school we got ready for family pictures.  They went relatively smoothly, until Brynne fell and scraped up her lip, and Cooper decided he was absolutely finished with producing his normally photogenic cheeser face.

6.  That night Ariel and Melissa Singleton, our childhood pen pals from Kaysville, came to visit.  It was so fun to see them!  My mom decided to have all the kids open up their traditional Christmas Eve pajamas since they were all together.

Lydia 

Cooper, Neilsen, and Sam. 

Mor Mor, Andrew, Holly and Alli 

All 14 cousins with Mor Mor and Far Far!

7.  We let the kids miss school on Tuesday, and we all went to the Bean Museum.  A Santa Rosa friend, Melissa, met up with us there with her 4 year old son, Vaughn.  I took my kids to the BYU Bookstore afterward, then went home and got dinner ready.  Another family dinner that night, then preparation for Fakesgiving, as we dubbed it, began.

 Hailey, Sam, Tyson, Logan, Vaughn, and Cooper

8.  Wednesday was our big Fakesgiving!  We had everyone over here, along with Mambo, Carla, Dan, Jenn, and Jared, and Dani's brother Devin.  Everything went really well, and it was fun and crowded!

Sam, Tyson, and Logan - born within 4 months of each other. 

Abby and Brynne, 2 months apart. 

Cooper loved the turkey cupcakes Cindy made. 

My grandma and her 3 living children. 

Cooper was super happy, obviously.

 Luckily he cheered up with a little help from Far Far.

9.  Thursday morning everyone left.  It was so so so much fun to have everyone together and I'm so grateful that we could make that work.  I can't wait for the next time.

10.  I got back from taking Michelle's family to the airport and I got right to work making rolls for the Stoddard family Thanksgiving.  We spent the afternoon and evening there.  Another amazing meal, more cousin play time, and a hilarious game of Telestrations with the adults who stayed.  We are so very blessed to have such fun, supportive, and loyal families on both sides.  I love this time of year for the extra chances it gives us to think about our blessings.  We have many.  I'm so grateful.