It just wouldn't be Christmas

Happy New Year's Eve, everyone! This is my last blog entry for 2012. I'll close with some more photos from the cousin Christmas gathering... a bit of this, and a bit of that.

It wouldn't be Christmas without a theme for the HGE

It wouldn't be Christmas without cookies....

or without balls (thanks to Grandma Doreen!)...

... or without LOTS of noise at the dinner table!

 It wouldn't be Christmas without reading, reading, and more reading.

 It wouldn't be Christmas without new technology, 

and new uses for technology...

...like the personal video letters from Santa that captured the magic of Christmas for these sweet little kiddos, thanks to Auntie Angie.

It wouldn't be a cousin visit of any kind without 

watching 'toonies on Gpappy and Gma's bed.

It wouldn't be Christmas be without vampire teeth. What????

 

It wouldn't be Christmas be without Uncle Evan's latkes 
and Gpappy's grilled brats,

or without lighting the menorah, even though Hanukkah is over.

It wouldn't be Christmas without a very clever present arriving 

late, after everyone has gone home. I added the beer bottle as a prop for those of you who might not know what the glass is for. Ha ha! Thanks, Evan!

And of course it just wouldn't be Christmas without Elisabeth, Evan, Hannah, Vivian, Charlie, Angie, Ethan, Owen, Annie, Tanner, Miles, and Weston. 

We love you all.  Smooches all around, and

on to 2013! 

(Don't forget to check the previous four entries for more cousin photos!)

No time like snow time

Mother Nature sprinkled snow on us while Hannah and Vivian were here, giving the Carolina cousins opportunities to test out the cold white stuff with their Minnesota cousins.

Hannah

Vivi

Miles and Hannah, tummy-sliding

 Vivian, with Uncle Abominable Snowman

Snowcousins Owen, Hannah, and Ethan

Auntie Annie and Westy, chillin' together in the winter weather

  Hurray for snow!

(Don't forget to check the previous three entries for more cousin photos!)

A convergence of Potts cousins

The Earth managed to survive the Mayan prediction of the world coming to an end on December 22, allowing the planets to realign on December 23 for a Potts family convention. Uncle Don & Aunt Janet, Dan & Camille, Mike & Amber, and Kasey & Allie came to play, laugh, eat, and catch up on what's going on with everyone. 

The shorter cousins included four 2-year-olds, two 3-year-olds, and two 5-year-olds. Don is right that Grandma Doodie would have enjoyed all the cuteness and chaos! 

They're here!

And the fun begins!

Miles, Owen, and Hannah are fascinated by Camille's snorkeling adventures.

Grandpappy and Grandpa Uncle Don

Here's Vivi, enjoying lunch with Dan, Camille, Dad/Larry, and Uncle Don.

Hi Mike!

Tanner, Westy, Amber, Mike, Annie, Allie, and Aunt Janet

Aunt Janet demonstrates the Triple Tickle with Westy, Allie, and Kasey,

then she gathers a few more cousins together to read a story.

 

What's so funny?!
Front: Ethan, Weston, Miles, Owen
Back: Hannah, Vivian, Kasey, Allie

 
Thanks for coming to visit!

Cousins open their presents

The cousins opened their Christmas gifts on the afternoon of Christmas Eve.  As in past years, all of them volunteered to be elves--this time in mustache teeshirts and reindeer antlers.

 Here's a rear view of the elves.

This year, the presents from Gma and Gpappy had numbers, starting with

 #1 for Hannah (the oldest cousin) through #6 for Westy (the youngest cousin). 

"Busytown" is a great game for cousins! Hannah looks ready to play...

and so does Miles. 

Vivi showed a bit of concern over the sound of coins rattling 

in her new coin bank. 

Ethan looked especially "bright" wearing a new headband head lamp.

Owen had the package-opening technique under control. 

 Westy enjoyed modeling a Clump-o-Lump bee and frog combo.

For anyone unfamiliar with zip-apart Clump-o-Lumps, here are all six of them, with complimentary books for reading fun. The critters asked to pose together before they parted company to go live with the cousins.

And here's a pyramid of coin banks, waiting to be filled by cousins.

The afternoon was full of fun, excitement, 

wrapping paper, kisses, hugs, and thank-yous.

Don't forget to check the previous two entries for more pictures.

A morning at the museum

We spent the morning at the Children's Museum of Southern Minnesota in Mankato. What a great place for kids with imaginations! Here is a sampling of how Hannah, Owen, Ethan, and Vivian kept busy.

There were beads to squish,

 boats to build,

and boats to float.

 There were magnifying glasses and bugs,

nails to pound into tree stumps,

and farm equipment to drive.

There were strings to pluck,

 a refrigerator to stock,

 and a veterinarian's office with pets to care for.

  There was a supermarket for busy shoppers

with a hard-working grocery clerk.

It was a fun morning for kids AND adults!

I'm going to do my best to add a new blog post each day through December 31 to share the fun of having the cousins together this past week, so stay tuned!