Christmastime with the Koontz's.....FINALLY!!

You should know that I started writing this on January 8th, and it is getting posted on January 21st...Holy Moly...major blogging slacker...sorry!!

Is Koontz's right, or should it just be Koontz'??  I always wonder that.  Anyway, here is a Christmas post...better late than never, right??

We spent Christmas Eve with the McAllister clan in Huntington Beach.  Instead of the normal gift exchange, and dinner we decided to do a little wine tasting and play a few games.  It took the pressure off to find the perfect gift for everyone, and helped the cash flow situation for many of us also.  It was a great new tradition, that I think we should carry on into the future.  We were each to bring a bottle of wine that was less than $15.  We tasted and cast our vote for the best red wine and white wine, and the winners got a prize.  Then we did a little carol singing...and ate and ate and ate.  It was a super fun time with family, and friends.  Here are some pictures of the evening...the wine, the spread of appetizers and the gang!!



Christmas Day is always the same...we get Leah, and open presents to and from the 3 of us, and Santa.  Then we chill...we stay in PJ's play with our toys and hang out.  It is the best!  We don't go anywhere and we don't have to rush around from place to place!  This year, Leah really wanted a DS, and not just a DS, but a DS-I.  The I is very important, because that one has a camera, and can do other things that the regular DS can't do...can you tell I am not too up on fancy Game Boy type gadgets.  Anyway, she got the DSi, some games and the best part of all, a Nerf cover for the DS that adds about a 1/2 inch of padding.  She has already mastered some of her games and is ready to get a few more.  Michael got a bunch of new parts for his mountain bike and I got a Kindle and new shades.  It was a nice simple, Christmas at home. 

The day after Christmas, we headed to Mountain Center...above Palm Desert to our cousin Amanda's house for all-McAllister family Christmas.  We were all there minus Trevor :(.  It was an awesome time of good food, and good times with a White Elephant Gift Exchange and S'more around the fire pit. 

Leah enjoying her S'more!!

The reason we are all family...Uncle Mike, Aunt Diana, Uncle Jim and Dad (L-R)

The Dan McAllister Family

Me, Dad and Mom

The Cousin, minus Linds and Trevor :(



The Holidays were a great time...and we had a wonderful time relaxing and spending time with our family...we are so blessed!!

Fourth of July

Like we have for the past few years, we went to the cabin for the 4th of July! The Koontz clan (me, Michael, Leah and our pups), my parents and my cousins Amanda and fam were there. Leah was very excited to spend time with her "real" cousins!! They were inseparable the whole weekend, and it was great to hang with the family. The best part was the fireworks show over the lake on the 4th. We all got out on the boat and it felt like the fireworks were going to land on us!! Here are some highlights, in no particular order!!

Leah and I waiting for the fireworks to start!!

Silly Grandpa Dan!!

Charley and Moses, best doggie friends!!

Leah ready to go!!

Jack taking in the view of the lake!

Leah on the boat waiting to go tubing! The Cousins, Leah, Gunner and Allison

She is at home on the water!!

Moses checking out the scenery along the way!

Fireworks over the lake!!

Easter Fun!

Easter time means spring time! Yay!! It is also a great time to celebrate the season of Jesus' life and the evidence of His love for us! In the Koontz household it means something a little different apparently. Leah was eager to celebrate Easter, but in her mind it means dyeing Easter eggs!! We had a collection of egg dyeing kits and we chose the good ol' traditional color tablet and vinegar one! Here are some pictures to commemorate the season:

Here are few of our eggs, getting their color!

Leah humoring me by stopping the process to smile for a picture!!

The "men": too cool for egg dyeing!!



"Look, it says something!!" (Currently, I forget what it said, something "Easter-y" I'm sure!)

The Munchkin with the finished product!

We had a great Easter day. We went to church and it was a Family Sunday...meaning no Sunday School and I have realized how grateful I am for Kids Church. I feel lucky to live down the street from a good church...it is pretty big, but good worship and good preaching. Something about celebrating the Resurrection with a full orchestra and a 100-person choir gave me the chills. Later we went to Grandma Carol's and Grandpa Dan's for a little Wii playing, family dinner and a nice little Easter-day Earthquake. What does it say about the McAllister's if we all thought it was the effects of the wine?? Luckily Leah and Auntie Em used their brains and went to "duck and cover". The rest of us just held onto our wine glasses!! :) Wish I had a picture of it!!

Happy Easter!!