Keeping Up With The Keims: Christmas with Grandma and Grandad

Thursday before we headed to Branson, we had some very special visitors. Phin and his mom and dad, Sean and Susan, came to see us. We have been praying for Phin since February when he was diagnosed with leukemia. He is a few days older than Layton and Sean is one of Kris' best friends from when he was in Australia. We have prayed many a prayer for this little guy. Praise the Lord, he had a bone marrow transplant and is doing GREAT! We were so thankful to see them.

After they left that afternoon, we got on our way. We had to stop a couple of times because we had Dash with us. I think it was around 8:30 p.m. when we finally got to Branson. We were meeting Bryon and Julie, some coworkers of Kris', at Golden Corral for supper. They were staying in a time share condo of Julie's dad's that night and had an extra room. They insisted that we stay with them. Right before we got to the restaurant, Layton threw up every where! He got car sick. This seems to happen every few trips by one of the kids. Those curvy roads on the way to Branson are NO fun! Anyway, we cleaned him up, ate dinner, and went back to the condo.

I wasn't sure how Mr. Dash was going to do. He is a WONDERFUL traveler. He is just so good, but I didn't know how we would work it with him in his crate all night inside. He is an outside dog, afterall. We put him in his crate in the bathroom and he slept without a peep from 10:30 to 5:30. I didn't sleep all that well that night because I was worried about the little guy. I hated the thought of him needing to go to the bathroom and not being able to because he probably wouldn't go in his crate. So, finally at 5:30 a.m. I got up and took him out. He went straight and did his business and went right back up and went to sleep. He was so good! He did the same thing at Grandma and Grandad's. He would stay in the house in his crate at night because it was super cold there. I would get up and take him outside and he would go and then go right back to sleep. During the day, he would either run around by himself some or stay in a dog pen outside that they have. I was just so proud of our Dashy!!!

Saturday morning after cousin Isabel had gotten there, some of us went for a walk out in the pasture.

Hannah and Isabel.

Aren't they cute?!

Awwww!!! Lincoln and his faces. Oh me.

Poor Dash.

Lindsey had brought a gingerbread house for the kids to do. However, the adults had trouble getting it to stand up. They worked and worked at it. It was so stubborn.

How many people does it take to put together a gingerbread house??

They finally got it up long enough to decorate it a bit.

And then, poof! It fell down!!! Oh well. :0

I love this picture of the girls with Layt.

The rest of the family came for supper that night. Before we ate, we opened presents from Grandma and Grandad. Here is Kurt and Kris.

Lincoln and Austin playing with the Ipad.

Again, Layton needed a little encouragement to get his presents open.

A cool remote control car from Grandma and Grandad for Lincoln! It was a hit!

More Ipad playing for Alex and Austin.

Hannah got a little handheld sewing machine from Grandma and Grandad. She was excited!

Isabel got one too. She was ecstatic. Apparently she loves the show Project Runway on tv and was in heaven on a recent trip to New York City where she got to go to the store Mood Designer Fabrics--a fashion designer discount fabric store. I know she will love using her sewing machine!!

More present opening after supper!

Playing ball with the basketball that went with Lincoln's new Spiderman basketball goal.

Hannah got a Bead Weaving Loom from Uncle Les and Aunt Carol. Aunt Carol helped her make a super cool bracelet the next day.

Glow in the dark fingernail polish from Isabel.

Grandad thought it was so funny that Les and Carol got him a goat. Actually they bought a goat in his name for a needy family in another country. Great idea!!!

No telling what these two were cutting up about. They are crazy together.

Hannah got some new boots and a really cute outfit to go with them from Aunt Mona!

I just love their reaction to the kids' picture!

We got Lindsey a luggage set for Christmas/Graduation. We have gotten each of the grandkids a luggage set when they've graduated from high school. Lindsey will graduate this year and she is the last one until Hannah!! I can not believe Lindsey is graduating!!! She was the flower girl in our wedding!!! Such a great girl and so so good with our kids!