Happy New Year!!!!

As we do every year we headed up the mountain for some fun in the snow on new years eve.
The kids love this tradition so much that they ask us all year
"when are we going to the the cabin with our cousins?"
This year however our cousins would not be joining us until New Years Day. We still had just as much fun as ever.

Ski Bowl at night.

Oh happy day.

Our neighbor Ron got some pictures of us caroling Christmas eve.

Christmas Day

Christmas Eve

I wish I had taken some other pictures of our Christmas eve festivities ,but I didn't and this is all I have. Just My cat enjoying the silent night after the kids were asleep.

This year was the same as every year we are in town for Christmas we celebrated with Cindy and Lorin on Christmas Eve And as always it was lovely. The kids love the time we get with them and of course we have fun too.
But this year after we wrapped things up at the house we headed over to our friends house to go caroling - a first for our family. But I think we all had a good time... even Jeff. This may just have to become a new tradition.

McCumber Christmas

As you may know due to the intricate nature of our family we have Christmas on the 23th so that we can all be together and everyone can be with their other families on the 24th and 25th. This year since it would be the last year Kenzie would be living at home we had Christmas at the Bergs. It was wonder full as always.

Our baby brother Richard got home from his trip to Bali just in time for Christmas.

The Christmas jamas

Th Bergs got all the kids pillow pets this year

The youngest was having a good time with all the paper

Dad opening his gift from his kids
Look his hair is all back

The girls opening the dolls we got them

I think Moe likes hers

Thank you Aunt Becky

The Bergs beautiful tree.

My dad being funny

Kiling Time

As you know I don't like just setting around the house and Christmas brake starts to get long for me at about 4 pm the first day of the brake. So by the 22nd I'm looking for anything to do with the kids so that I will survive the day. To day we just had to go see how hie the river had gotin from all the rain.

We're in The Statesman Journal again

http://www.statesmanjournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=201012190304

Columnist Mary Louise VanNatta

Boys and Girls Aid Gala of Trees

It was a virtual Christmas tree forest at the Salem Conference Center for the 2010 Boys and Girls Aid Gala of Trees. Not to be confused with the Boys and Girls "Club," Boys and Girls Aid helps children find safe and permanent homes. One of their most popular fundraisers of the year is the Gala of Trees.

Amazingly festive, the event put everyone in the holiday mood. After being properly oriented by Jennifer Kinkade, Lena Prine and Joanie Fohn, I went on to the lobby, which was filled with tabletop trees and wreaths for silent auction. I had my eye on "Bling Me Home for Christmas," a tree covered with shiny décor. It was decorated by Savanna Courtney and Sharon Hoffer and sponsored by Blackberries. I bid on a wreath designed by one of the Boys and Girls Aid Cherry Branch Auxiliary Presidents, AnnMarie DuFault, who shares the leadership job with Lisa Plechl-Phillips.

The banquet hall was surrounded by 13 majestic trees, waiting for auction. Each tree was sponsored by local businesses and decorated by the organization's supporters. One of the favorites was the "Star Wars"-themed tree, decorated by Leanna Thayer and sponsored by law firm Gatti, Gatti, Maier, Sayer, Thayer, Smith and Associates.

Firm members and spouses, Ryan Jennings, Heather Latham, Mike and Elizabeth Smith, and Leanna's husband, Jeff Thayer, showed me many of the tree's special features, which included a round, lit "death star" tree topper. Leanna said she spent hundreds of hours on the tree, but it paid off. The top bidder took it home for $5,000.

One of my favorite trees was "Days of December," sponsored by Performance Health Technology. I had a chance to visit with Holly Tindall and Amy Barnwell from the company. Sponsor Mountain West Investment Corporation was represented by Gayle Lundmark, who attended with cousin Jacqueline Denison. Sponsors Bud and Selma Pierce, and his organization, Hematology Oncology of Salem, made possible the "Polar Express" tree, which featured an authentic Lionel electric O-gauge train circling the base.

It was nice to learn about Boys and Girls Aid, founded in Portland in 1885. The group is one of Oregon's most established adoption agencies for both infants and children in foster care. Their work also includes creating safe places for homeless and runaway youth as well as helping young people who are transitioning into adulthood without family support or resources. For more information, go to www.Boysandgirlsaid.org.

Ryan Jennings, Heather Latham, Mike Smith, and Leanna and Jeff Thayer stand in front of the Gatti, Gatti Maier, Sayer, Thayer, Smith and Associates law firm tree at the Boys and Girls Aid Gala of Trees. (Mary Louise VanNatta | Special to the SJ)

Off to see the reel Santa

If you ask my kids thae will tell you that all the santas out there are just santas helper. You know cus he cant be every were at one time and anyway this is the besest time of year for him, But the Santa at Daddys office is Santa. He is not there every day just Thursday throw Sunday from the Saterday after thanksgiving to the weekend befor Christmas so he has time for all the work he has at the north pole. So we make shor to get over and see the reel Santa at lest one time every year.

another besyest day

We received a breakfast with Santa at the water front carousel with the tree we purchased this year.
It was at 8am witch was a little early for us, but we got there and it was fantastic.

My boy just LOVES to make funny faces

Ains look like she needs an other cup of coco

This would have been our Christmas card pic if everyone had been looking at the camera and smiling

All the kids got punch cards from Santa. thae had to brake them out of ice because it gets so cold on Santa's slay.

Getting no the carousel with Santa and Mr. Candouter.

Emers Loves the carousel

Santa tiling the kids the story of legal tinder and why he is palling the slay

Oh to be the mouse in Santa's pocket.

I LOVE the book that Santa gave Jackson.

That one knows just what she wants and has no problem telling him.

She had to go back after this just to ride the hours that her book was about

Oh she was just so existed. I bet she peed a litte

all the kids got bells too

Latter that night was the live Nativity at our church. We had our friend and their 3 kids come with us and sated so much longer than Jeff and I wanted to, But it was a good night.

Live baby this year too.