Ojai Family Christmas

Every year my Aunt Alice hosts a family Christmas party for her siblings and their kids. Over the years, that has expanded out to some of her friends or in-laws of the nieces but it's still a good group. The set up is the same every year. LOTS of food, gingerbread decorating contest, a walk through the citrus fields and lots of visiting and catching up with each other. Most of these family members I only get to see when we go to this party. We've been able to go about every other year and I miss the times when we don't get to go. I love Ojai and wish we could spend more time there but it never quite works out because the boys are in school and we already miss to go to Disneyland. One time we will make a lengthy trip to visit there, maybe over summer. The boys love going and playing in the dirt with the chickens, catching snails, and picking up the citrus that has fallen off the trees. This year the only other kid there was Abigail (Lacy's daughter) so they had to find ways to keep themselves entertained. The hotel we stayed in was a nice quiet place and was super close to Alice's house. It was a good day with lots of fun memories.

 On the way from Orange County to Ojai we stopped in Oxnard to eat at Habit Burger. It sure made daddy happy. 

 By the time we had gotten to the hotel Friday night we were all exhausted. It had been a long day filled with driving, shopping, a movie, more driving, unloading into the hotel, a late dinner in Ojai and we were ready for bed! Logan fell asleep on the bench at the restaurant after he ordered and before his food even came. He was out like a light. Cute boys cuddling to stay warm. 

Ellie found his way the first night back to us in the hotel. It looks like he had a long night of games or movies on Logan's iPad. 

 Playing with chickens. The city mama had to let my germaphobe self relax and let the boys be boys. 

 The boys did a great job on their cookies. They did  them 100% by themselves. They are getting better every year. 

 This was my crazy cookie. 

 These are all the cookies that competed. I think this was by far the best year and most creative. 

The judges of the cookies. It was serious business. 

 Aunt Alice and Mom

 All the Berry sisters. (Kree, Alice and Gail)

 Added in one of the brothers - Uncle Kim. 

 Traditional family picture in the orange fields. 

 Logan and a lemon. 

 Sally and Ryan

 My handsome boys.

 Lincoln did a little modeling shoot for me but he wasn't that into it. 

 Lincoln, Abigail and Logan

 My cousin Sally and me. 

 Me and my cousin Lacy

 Elfie was having way too much fun in our hotel room at night. After the second night we found him in Ricky's shoe being pulled by trains that were connected to the laces. Pretty wild guy Elfie is. 

We always love to try and eat at some of our old favorite places when we go back to CA. Pickup Stix is one of those places. It made for a perfect lunch stop during our drive home and gave the boys a chance to finish all of their homework from missing a few days of school.