Extended Showalter Christmas

Saturday after Christmas has always been the traditional date to gather the "big" Showalter family at the Kalona Mennonite Church hosted by Aunt Dorothy and Uncle/Aunt Darrel and Janet.  Darrel and Dorothy are the remaining siblings of this extended family.  41 members of the family gathered for this year's get together.

A dinner table full of little boys.

More boys (and parents)

Sarah with little Josie, the newest member of the family.

Eating, eating, snacking!

Group photo time
Dorothy with great and great-great nieces and nephews

Darrel and Dorothy with nephews and niece

The whole group!

Time for presents - Owen can't wait.

Cade and Landon 

Kasen with his new car.

The Showalters Arrive for Christmas

Brent, April, Cade and Kasen arrived on Thursday, December 27 in time for supper, some play time and bed.  They spent the Christmas weekend in Kansas and now it's time for the Iowa family.

Cade loves the basketball blanket!

Good night, sweet Kasen

Friday - Time to Play!

Checking out the presents!

Time for hoops

And race cars

And Candyland

And ramps

And cars!

Running off some energy at the Wellman Y

Lots of made baskets for Cade

Christmas Eve & Day

Christmas Eve

We were invited to the Kahlers in Cedar Rapids for the annual Christmas Eve gathering there.  Landon and Owen had both been sick but were fever free for 24 hours so we got to go.  We attended their church's Christmas Eve service at 4:15.  Then back to the Kahler's house for supper.

"May I have a cookie?  Please!"

YUM

New big boxes made into a "fort" in the play room 

Cuddle time - Owen still wasn't feeling well.

Landon reading the Christmas story

The Kahlers

Tracking Santa!

Christmas Day
We hosted the Christmas Day gathering.  This is the year that our kids/grandkids are at their in-laws.  We invited my mom & dad, sister Judy and Jim, Aunt Dorothy, and Aunt & Uncle Darrel and Janet.  These are all very special people to us!  Dinner, visiting, watching sports on tv, and playing games consumed our day.  A special visit from my nephew Matt, Bethany and little Kaden completed our day.

Mom, dad and Judy

Darrel, Don and Dorothy

Jim and Janet

Many games of Sequence and then Farkle

Matt, Bethany and Kaden

Kaden with his great grandparents

Dad at 85 and mom at 82!  

Christmas of Long Ago!

I found these Christmas cards from my childhood years.  Such precious memories of Christmas as I was growing up.

My brother and I on the stairs - a family tradition

twin sisters Judy and Jane, me and brother Bob - 1956

My family!
notice the matching dresses that mom made us

Jane, Bob, me, Judy

Christmas is Coming!

Christmas photos!  What FUN!

The Kahlers

Landon (almost 7) and Owen (3 1/2) 

Our "dear" Owen!

Sweet "snowman" Landon

Scott and Melissa!

Landon with Melissa

The Kahlers in Christmas costume!

Our littlest "snowman" Kasen

Cade (4 1/2) and Kasen (2 1/2)

"Dear" Cade with "Santa" Brent

April and Brent