Getting out of town

Christmas Day........ Jerry's much deserved martini!

After the gifts were open and the stockings raided we got in the car and headed for Plam Springs with a small pit stop in Vegas. We had Christmas Dinner at Jerry's favorite Steak Place Delmonico's. We left a foot of snow back in Provo and started towards the sun. The kids had a great day of circus circus before our final jaunt to the desert.

The teenage years.... They have begun. Pure torture to be forced onto a merry-go-round with his little sisters.

So I am making up for lost time....

This was the year of "Alex". He scored. Although the last few years have been about the two red-heads this year Alex was the big winner. From guitar hero to technology stuff that I cannot identify these items to name a few put a big smile on his face.







These were a few gifts that escaped the early un-authorized gift- unwrapping session.

Christmas Eve 2007

Traditions are meant to change and this year we breakfast-ed with the Shepherd's followed by a wonderful evening with the family- and Patti too. The kids are genuinely dis-appointed when their Christmas eve gift is only PJ's. Every year its the same thing don't they remember from year to year? although Samantha last year through a major temper tantrum over this very tradition. Are all tradition of a somewhat torturous nature? I believe so. In the Shepherd home this dog-pile was 9 deep. Oxygen was in short supply near the bottom of the pile. But none-the-less this tradition was strictly adhered to on christmas eve.

A few photos of the night

Holiday Cocktail-ing at Riverside

What a great way to escape the holiday mayhem. Yes drinking at Riverside always a treat. But then you take a couple dozen of the most fabulous people and you have yourself one hell of a good time. Particularly when the gift exchange comes out. Okay so this was not any ordinary gift exchange. These items were of the ADULT nature. I am certain that riverside has some kind of bylaws not allowing these types of TOOLS if you will... to be brought into their/our fine establishment. But hey we were in good company. Our gathering of people spanned multiple states and we have been told that permit would be required should we decide to engage in anything of this nature next year. Bravo I say to all of you who do not live in Utah county we have just as much fun as you do!