THE ANNUAL "7-11" GAME

For as long as I can remember, the "7-11" game has been an interrgral part of Christmas for the Jordan family. My sisters and I are the only grandchildren on my dad's side of the family. We used to spend Christmas Eve with my mom's family and go visit my dad's parents on Christmas day. On Christmas when we would go visit G&G Jordan we would always play the 7- 11 game.
Over the years, the rules have changed a bit and the presents have improved, but here is the idea........
For example you decide how many presents per person you will have (10 people x 3 presents each = 30 presents). We usually have everyone contribute at least a couple of the presents for a couple of reasons. There will be surprises in there for everyone and not just one person has to pay for all of the presents.
All the presents are wrapped and we let the kids divide them into piles and assign a pile to each person.
Then we all sit in a circle with our presents in front of us. You get 2 dice (or di, is that how you spell dice, plural?) and take turns rolling. You want to roll a "7" or "11" (if you want to move it along a little faster, you can also count doubles). When the right number is rolled, that person can either open one of the presents in front of them or trade one of their presents with someone else. (If you give an unopened present to someone else, they don't get to open it, they have to wait until they roll the right number). Once all of the presents have been opened, a timer is set and you keep going until the time runs out and at that point you get what you have in front of you.
This year our prizes ranged from gifts cards (itunes, restaurants, etc) to DVD's, to coloring books & action figures for the kids.
It is lots of fun! Something that we all look forward to each year.

THE HOLIDAYS WITH FAM & FRIENDS

Christmas was great! I left for Richfield on Saturday Dec. 22 to stay with the folks. We didn't do much, but got in alot of R&R. We played some games, did 2 puzzles, read books, watched some TV, went to church, etc.

Christmas is a lot different when no children are around. We slept in on Christmas morning, woke up and had a nice breakfast, then got around to opening gifts around noon. I scored big time with presents including a couple new coats, 2 new pairs of gloves, slippers, 6 new perfumes, a new stainless steel toaster.

On the 26th, I stayed in Richfield while my parents traveled to SLC to pick up my sister Laura and her 3 kids (Albrechts) who had just flown in from Oklahoma. My youngest sister, Debra, and her husband arrived that evening in Richfield and my parents and the Albrechts got arrived around 8:30, just in time for all of the kids to go to bed.

We had a nice day on Thursday and then on Friday the Maddocks (my oldest sister and her family) showed up in Richfield. (They were supposed to come a day earlier, but the kids were not feeling well). We played the "7-11 game" (see 7-11 game post), always a highlight, decorated sugar cookies.

We watched the movie "STARDUST" which I thought was a huge waste of time!!! It will probably make my "worst movies list." VERY STRANGE in my opinion. Everyone else really liked it. "To each their own."

I knitted a couple of scarfs for me and then one or two of my nieces. They turned out very cute if I do say so myself.

Ryan (Debra's husband) left on Friday to go see his brother before he left town, but Debra stayed and drove back with my on Sunday.

While in Richfield I was able to go to lunch with 2 friends from high school. We had a great time catching up. We also had a girls night out with my mom and the sisters. We left Tom (Angela's husband & grandpa home with all the kids and we left for Winger's where we had a nice meal and enjoyed some asphalt pie.

My parents and the Albrechts came to SLC on New Years Day. We all went bowling (which seems to have become an entertainment trend with my family). We had a great time and then we had a huge slumber party here at my condo. It was a packed house. We slept 7 people in my small little house. Then the Albrechts flew home Wednesday morning and it was back to real life for the rest of us.

Here's to a fabulous 2008 for all of you!