More Montgomery family Christmas

More snapshots of family:

This picture certainly has an interesting effect.  We really don't let our child play with fire.  She is actually playing with an LED flashlight from Nana and Papa (which she loves by the way) that she got in her stocking.  Somehow, the camera caught the movement of the light in the flashlight as she moved it apparently but nothing else in the picture is blurred (moving).  Anyway, all that to say, she's not playing with a cigarette lighter here though that's what it looks like.

I thought this was an interesting and cute perspective - John taking a picture of Rach and Wyatt.

I just have to tell this:  When Emilee had been asked  before Christmas about a miniature slinky (if she liked or would play with it) , she said, "I would like it as a stocking stuffer but not really as a main gift."  I don't know why, but it just struck me so funny when I heard her say that that's what she told Joy about it.

These are BY FAR some of my favorite pictures from this past Christmas season!  Papa was sitting off to the side a bit eating corn chips while all the action was happening.  Kaelyn went over there (she was probably going off to her own little world) and she spotted the corn chips - which she loves too.  Papa was quick to share and thankfully, we caught this cute moment.

I mentioned in my last blog post that the "bigger" boys enjoyed the cool tops as much as the little boys.  :-)

Jon C.

Nana and Baby Courtney (and Kevin practicing with some of the special features on our camera).

Aaron and his girl (one of his girls that is) :-)

Joy thinking about making a get-away with a bunch of loot. 

 :-)

Me and Kay-Kay

Christmas Abroad Continued :-)

This will be the first part of a bunch of snapshots of us opening presents at my parents.  Kevin took most all of the pictures here and he got quite a wide variety of people and shots.  He also did a lot of experimenting with some effects on our camera so you might see a few strange looking ones (not counting all the ones with strange people in them.  Ha ha!  Just kidding!):

All the kids watching a movie (except for Wyatt).

This photo was a challenge to get and while not perfect, certainly precious!

This was more like what most of the photo shoot was like. 

:-)

Leah all pregnant and cute.

Me and my sweetie.

My other sweetie.  :-)

She must've been trying to look like Grumpy here (minus a grumpy looking face).

Sometimes we'll compromise and let her leave her arms up if she will just smile.  :-)

Rach and John, a sleeping boy, and a sleeping dog waiting to do stockings New Year's Eve day.

We entertained ourselves various ways while we waited for everyone to get ready.  John was playing a word game on someone's droid here I believe.

Aaron and his three oldest kids checking out a stocking stuffer.

A special effect of our camera - black and white with just one color singled out.

Cool "disco" tops that Nana and Papa got for the boys - the little boys.  However, as you will see in later pictures, the bigger boys enjoyed them as well!  :-)

Austin playing with his top.

Kay opening her stocking presents.

Sorry guys!  I just had to post this one - you all look so enthusiastic.  :-)  (You can double click on the picture and enlarge it to see the great facial expressions better.)

And the excitement continues.  :-)  No seriously, I just thought this was a good one because it has so many in the shot.

Finally Emilee's turn for her stocking.

My pretty niece.  I'll end with this one for now and pick up where I left off in my next post.

Sledding (or more Christmas Abroad for you Rach)

Kaelyn desperately wanted to be able to play in snow when we went to New York.  Normally, there is already a lot on the ground and it always snows quite a bit while we are there but this time there was not really that much accumulated on the ground.  It finally started snowing Tuesday afternoon when we were headed out to Kevin's parents.  The snow flakes were so fine that we couldn't tell if it was actually snowing at first or if the wind was just blowing around the snow that WAS on the trees and ground.  Kaelyn was so excited when it started coming down enough that we could tell it was snowing.  It was so windy and in the teens though so we didn't last outside very long.  When we got to Massena, there was quite a bit of snow on the ground.  The weather was in the 30's and 40's while we were there so it wasn't really that unpleasant.  Wednesday, almost all of us went to a local park and went sledding.  I had not been sledding in YEARS.  I have to admit I was a little bit afraid I was going to wipe out badly or something but it was a pretty small hill so I decided to be brave.  :-D  I ended up going down lots of times as did Kevin and Kaelyn and most of the others.  I had SO much fun!  If we would've had a chance, we probably would've taken Kaelyn again.  So here is our great sledding adventure :  :-)

Joy and Kaelyn get a "push-off" from my dad.

Kaelyn getting ready to go down with Kevin.  John T. is "assisting" them.

Kevin and Kay going down the hill.

Kay and I getting ready to go.

Kevin and I were getting ready to go down and Kaelyn was trying to give us a push. :-)

(I love this picture by the way!  I think it's great in a very informal sort of way.)

This one makes me smile.  :-)  We always have so much fun together! 

Kev and I.

Wyatt wasn't sure about the cold weather and being all bundled up and he DEFINITELY wasn't sure about the sledding although he did go down a couple times with me toward the end.  He didn't cry but he didn't act like it was the best thing he had ever done either.  :-)

Kev and Kay.

Bud and John decided to try to make a train - sort of.  They used the two snow boogie boards as you can see.  It worked and they stayed like this most the way down I think.  :-)

Whenever Kay got to the bottom of the hill if she went by herself, she just sat there.  She would wait till someone came and helped her get up off the sled, then she would walk back up the hill.  :-)

Kaelyn and Emilee take another turn together.  I'm not sure how I missed pictures of Austin and Bryce going down.

Joy helping Toni.

Some of "the gang".

Joy and Emilee go belly down.

Joy talked Kevin into going down on his stomach on one of the boogie boards.  He was a little nervous but I think his conclusion after trying it was that it was the most fun that way.

Bud decided to try one of the sleds "snow board style".  Amazingly, he stayed up fairly well.  :-)

John, Joy, and Austin.  Quite a ride as you can see.

:-)

My legs are a little longish.  :-)

Worn out and cold when we got back to the car.

Both of us so happy after having so much fun!