Christmas in Calgary with the McAllister Clan!

Despite the 10 hour drive up to Calgary with 3 small children, I am still so glad that we were able to be together with the whole group. And looking on the bright side of things, we didn't have to be there for the whole month of December to feel like it was worth the flight money, didn't have to deal with a 3 hour time change or airports at all and the roads were amazing!!! So I'll take the 10hr drive for sure.

Both Parker and Leo were sick before we arrived and my kids were super healthy. Here are the boys that are all just a few months apart all hanging out. Oh the things they will do!

Here are the kiddos ready in their Christmas Jammies for the long drive up to Mema and Papa's. I had my ugly Christmas sweater on that Mike bought me and santa socks and Mike had his ugly Christmas jersey on. We were ready with Christmas movies, music and games. (It was still a loooong drive)

The weather was super warm. Here we are on Christmas Eve Day!

A Christmas Eve bonfire...what?

A Christmas Eve family hot tub

Our nativity story cast...we're missing a few members, but we need older grandkids. 2years from now. lol.

A delicious Christmas dinner with poppers, table confetti and this year we did rotisserie chickens instead of turkey and it was a hit!!! Plus much easier.

The tradition of Christmas Eve Jammies...I tried to get the kids bums, but it didn't work so well and I tried to get all the cousins together and Parker was not into it because Vienna was making him sit with her. We tried.

Luckily for Mema's story of "Teach the Children" the kids really quieted down and listened...I love this story and will always tell it on Christmas Eve. Everett was being Mema's "helper"

Auntie Lanae doing a reindeer hand Christmas craft, she is such a great Auntie!

Some of the Christmas morning events. We had a great morning!

My mom squirted the whipcream all over herself, it was pretty hilarious!

Here is what we woke up to. Santa was very good to us this year.

Uncle Trevor taking the time to read one of Lincoln's new books to him. Thanks uncle Trev!

 We each take a dinner night and this time we did auntie Cindy's sloppy Joe's, a coconut coleslaw and brussel sprouts. My husband basically did it all. Here is this sexy man putting those muscles to work.

Auntie Nae's last craft...the snowflakes. This one is so cute and such a keeper. 

All in all, even though the nights got progressively more sleepless as each child got more and more sick and Lincoln got more and more homesick, it was still worth the memories, the game nights, the bustle of family photos, kids exploring outside, Vienna's walk with Papa that she still talks about and having adult time at night. Despite all the work and the fact that everyone has gotten sick, I hope everyone else feels the same way we do...it was more than worth it and looking forward to another gathering!