![\"\"](\"http:\/\/lisankevin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/IMG_5025.jpg\" "\\"Xmas11\\"")
<\/a><\/p>\nJess and Kevin trying to get Mars and Lola acquainted. I’m sure they’ll be best buds before you know it!<\/em><\/p>\n We had a non-traditional Chinese buffet for dinner that filled us up just right and a delicious assortment of See’s candies and brownies for dessert.\u00a0 Some photos from our evening…<\/p>\n Jess and Auntie Tina<\/em><\/p>\n Jess, Auntie Tina, and Uncle Joey<\/em><\/p>\n Me and Tina<\/em><\/p>\n Most of the group: Jess, Tina, Steve and his daughter Lacey and his grandson Christian, Uncle Joey, and Derek<\/em><\/p>\n Santas Jessie and Derek<\/em><\/p>\n Derek and his new ukulele<\/em><\/p>\n One of the highlights of the night was when the Delmar kids presented my mom with the gift of a song.\u00a0 Every year she tells us that all she wants from us is a song, no gifts, so this year we took her up on it.\u00a0 We decided to sing the theme song of the old cartoon “David the Gnome”<\/a> that used to show on Nickelodeon and that we used to love <\/strong>as kids.\u00a0 After a couple days of rehearsing we were ready for our big debut!\u00a0 Here’s the link<\/a> to the video of us singing on YouTube!<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n We woke up bright and early to accompany Thomas for a drive up the 91 freeway to pick up our adorable niece Sophie to spend Christmas Day with the family!<\/p>\n The little lady ready to celebrate with the Edmonds!<\/em><\/p>\n She loved taking photos with my camera, here’s a self-portrait and a photo of her dad Thomas in the rear view mirror (can you see her?)<\/em><\/p>\n Goofy picture of me, thanks to Sophie the photographer<\/em><\/p>\n Silly photo!<\/em><\/p>\n Say “Cheese!”<\/em><\/p>\n After making it home it was all fun and games until the feast was ready.\u00a0 Lola sure got a workout with Sophie and Katelyn around…<\/em><\/p>\n Sophie with Aunt Sarah and Rob<\/em><\/p>\n Me and my adopted kiddos, Joshua and Katelyn<\/em><\/p>\n We spent a good hour or so opening tons of gifts…<\/p>\n Kevin with his gift card to Best Buy…such a creative way to give a gift card (from our brother-in-law Luke)!<\/em><\/p>\n A few last photos outside before Sophie had to go back home…<\/p>\n Me ‘n Sarah with Sophie and Lola<\/em><\/p>\n Sophie showing off her Cinderella toy<\/em><\/p>\n Last goofy photo of the day!<\/em><\/p>\n Brianne, Brian, Brian’s sister Lisa, Kevin, Lola and I went on a nice long hike in the Whittier Hills the day after Christmas to burn off some of that holiday feasting we all took part of.<\/p>\n B & B overlooking the amazing skyline with Palos Verdes at one end (and Catalina even further off, out of frame) and downtown LA at the other end<\/em><\/p>\n Big hills and winding trails made for a very fun (and tiring) hike<\/em><\/p>\n A beautiful Buddhist temple in the Rose Hills Memorial Park<\/em><\/p>\n A quick little detour we took to visit a huge water tower…<\/em><\/p>\n …covered in graffiti.<\/em><\/p>\n The “slide” Kevin and Brian took down the hill (just kidding)<\/em><\/p>\n On Tuesday night we made it to our annual Chinese massage with my mom, this time accompanied with Jessie, Derek, and my mom’s boyfriend Steve too.\u00a0 I didn’t get the full treatment this time around, though, because of the little bebe in utero but the masseuse did a mighty fine job of working out the kinks in my shoulders, arms, legs, and feet.\u00a0 Kevin got beyond <\/em>the full treatment from a little lady who was working on him (NOT what you’re thinking…he was in the massage bed right beside mine of course).\u00a0 Here’s what I’m talking about…<\/p>\n Linda (yes, her name was Linda) walking all over Kevin<\/em><\/p>\n Then we went across the parking lot to chow down on some Vietnamese food (which, unfortunately, was not as good as we had had in years past.\u00a0 I ordered a crab soup and the pieces of meat were anything but crab and Kevin actually got food poisoning from it!\u00a0 Blech.)<\/p>\n On Wednesday I spent the entire day with my mom and Jessie.\u00a0 We spent the morning in LA exploring Grand Central Market<\/a>–a really neat, open market with tons of food stalls.<\/p>\n Jess enjoying the market!<\/em><\/p>\n A really neat chalk drawing at MF Gourmet<\/a> (where I had lunch)<\/em><\/p>\n Can you tell we’re related?? That night we met up with Derek, Steve and his grandson Christian at At Last Cafe<\/a> in Long Beach for some grub.<\/p>\n The Delmar kids: Derek’s beer, Jessie’s wine, and my lemonade (can’t wait to partake in some yummy, non-pregnant drinks in the near-ish future<\/em>)<\/p>\n Christian goofing off (encouraged by Jessie and Derek, of course)<\/em><\/p>\n Me, Derek, and mama (notice Christian’s photo bomb? Haha!)<\/em><\/p>\n Piggy back ride!<\/em><\/p>\n After dinner we dropped Derek off at his new place and took a quick tour through the house.\u00a0 We then took a gander at his motorcycle (he’s had it for a while but I had yet to see it for myself)…<\/p>\n Jess, Derek, and Vanna White checking out the bike<\/em><\/p>\n My mom: “Jesus, I have a big head” (hahaha!)<\/em><\/p>\n Fast-forward a few days…we met up with my Aunt Kathy and Uncle Clay (my dad’s sister) on Saturday morning for a nice visit.\u00a0 We always enjoy spending time with them and we were so happy we were able to squeeze in a quick visit with them.\u00a0 We talked lots about teaching (since they’re both teachers) and also about family history (since Kevin’s really interested in genealogy and my Aunt Kathy is a wealth of information).\u00a0 Afterwards we met up with my mom, Tina, Steve, and Derek for lunch down the street.<\/p>\n Kev, mama, Tina and me<\/em><\/p>\n Part of our Christmas gift for our nephew and niece was to take them out for a morning of getting their butts whooped in miniature golf (or at least that’s what I told them in the beginning).\u00a0 We used to spend a lot of time with those knuckleheads but since we moved up to the Bay Area we don’t get to spend as much one-on-one time with them as before and I miss ’em a bunch so it was a great opportunity to spend some time with them during our visit.<\/p>\n Mini golf courses crack me up<\/em><\/p>\n The creepiest metal monkey you will ever see<\/em><\/p>\n Pancho’s Fish Tacos, anyone?<\/em><\/p>\n Joshua taking his turn, Kevin looking dapper<\/em><\/p>\n My beautiful niece…she’s getting so big! Nerding it up…me and Katelyn pretending to look out at the pirate using our golf clubs (although it looks more like Katelyn is playing the flute, but I’ll forgive her this time)<\/em><\/p>\n Working on my form<\/em><\/p>\n Me taking an awesome shot<\/em><\/p>\n Kevin and Joshua were obviously impressed by Katelyn’s amazing form<\/em><\/p>\n Our group’s rainbow assortment of golf balls<\/em><\/p>\n Proof that Joshua’s butt didn’t get whooped too bad (at least by me, anyways). Katelyn, on the other hand…<\/em><\/p>\n I love that these three always go along with my crazy suggestions<\/em><\/p>\n After a round of golf we met up with almost the rest of the Edmonds family at Lucille’s for a lunchtime feast at one of me and Kevin’s favorite places.\u00a0 Dorothy, George, Judith and Luke met us to enjoy each other’s company at the end of our week’s visit.<\/p>\n We spent a fairly quiet evening at Kevin’s parent’s house with the folks and our good friend Alison as well.\u00a0 We enjoyed some dinner then got started on some board games that kept us entertained (and awake!) until midnight.\u00a0 On the game menu for the evening: Bananagrams<\/a> and Sequence<\/a>.<\/p>\n About as exciting as our evening got!<\/em><\/p>\n Lola, reluctantly waking up for the countdown<\/em><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\nChristmas Day with the Edmonds<\/h3>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\nHike in Whittier Hills<\/h3>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\nMore fun with the Delmar family<\/h3>\n
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\n<\/em><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\nMiniature golfing date with Joshua and Katelyn<\/h3>\n
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\n<\/em><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\nRinging in the new year<\/h3>\n
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