Sunriver

50 years ago, Chad's parents married...

They had five kids...

And now have many grandkids...

And thus our trip to Sunriver! Bev and Gene asked that for their 50th wedding anniversary, their kids and families all get together for a week in Sunriver which we did between Christmas and New Year's. We relaxed a lot together, watched movies and football games, took walks, swam, worked out, played cards and other games, and enjoyed each others' company. It was a great five days that went far too quickly!

Nev and me relaxing...oh, it was so nice to just sit! (Nev shared her crown with me :)

Uncle Greg with Kelsey and Sierra

Cade did a great job learning to surf!

 

Cards...Ficek style!

Playing in the snow and having a blast!

Nev got into throwing snowballs!

Nev accidentally gets hit by a snowball and is a bit surprised!

But is soon happy again!

Andy catching a snowball!

Chad tries to pelt Cade!

Team Daddy and Willem vs. Andy and Cade

Gabrielle tried ice skating for the first time and liked it!

Sierra, Pat and Kelsey show off their ice skating moves!

 Big Sky 3!

Christmas Day 2011

We had a great Christmas Day beginning with the kids letting us sleep until 8:00 am! The unwrapping began quickly after that, however! The kids very happy with their gifts and starting playing with them as soon as we were done unwrapping. Genevieve got more and more into it as the unwrapping progressed and, though she took a little longer than her siblings, she had all her gifts unwrapped within about an hour and a half. The rest of us took turns but moved right along :) It was very nice to have the whole morning to relax together until we headed to Chad's parents in the early afternoon where we opened more gifts, ate lots of yummy food and visited/played until about 7:30. This year we went home a little earlier than usual because we were leaving for Sunriver for the week with Chad's family  beginning December 26th! I wish Christmas Day and Christmas break would last a bit longer...it's all going by way too fast! Here are lots of pictures once again. I am having a hard time narrowing my pictures down as I just love all the happy looks on our kids' faces...

 

We all had a good laugh when Cade 'accidentally' opened Chad's gift

O

 

The carnage!

It's become a tradition to take a picture of each kid's gifts from Christmas Eve and Morning (if you can believe it they all got a little more still at Grandma and Grandpa's house later in the afternoon!)...

Cade's favorite was his first ever cell phone!

Willem was so happy to get his and Cade's xbox 360 replaced (the old one broke a couple months ago)

Elle was most excited about her itouch

Nev loved everything!

Off to Grandma and Grandpa's house...

Thanks Auntie Carrie!

Elle and Grandma!

Cousin Marli and Cade checking out his phone

More cousins!

Grandma and Grandpa!

Thanks Uncle Greg!

Elle and Marli

Thank you EJ!

Nev LOVES her Dora chair!

Kisses for Daddy!

The kids played xbox, played and chatted all afternoon

And us grown-ups visited, watched football, ate lots of good food and mostly relaxed and enjoyed each others company!