So last night my older brother Hyrum, his wife Diane, their two boys Spencer and Dallin, and my younger sister Alissa, arrived around 4 or 4:30 yesterday, I had all my errends done and was well on my way to to preparing for the meal. The meal consisted of:

Meatloaf (veal and lamb, covered in bacon)

Garlic Mashed potatoes (not from a box)

baguette from La Mie

white corn

I got distracted a few times during the cooking process, showing Alissa the house, helping Spencer and Dallin some video games, so I didn't get the meatloaf in when I wanted, so the sides were done well before the meatloaf. I have to keep remembering that the directions that I have are a bit off on the time and tempature that it takes to make it the way I like (and so that the meat thermometer says that it's ok to eat). We had to pull an extra chair from downstairs and extend a leaf on the table, so that I could seat all 7 of us. The only help that I really had was I made Hyrum mash the potatoes.

Other then the meatloaf being late, dinner went over pretty well. I got good complements on the food and the bread, although it did break my heart a little when catsup was placed on some of my food (and the bread from La Mie). But they are kids, what can you do?

Also, cause I washed my hands so many times during the night, they actually became quite dry.

I took 'em all out to get some Gellato at the Stam on 42nd Street. I think it was well enjoyed.

Dallin and Spencer have a lot of energy. Running in circles around the main level of the house, playing with cars, scaring Shannon and myself, making us realize how much breakable stuff we actually have. A little after dinner people started heading to bed. Alissia called a gentleman she apprently has been seeing, and he called her right back, saving me money, which is nice, though I guess I wouldn't have much cared if she would've just kept it on my tab.

Sometime during the night, Hyrum's family gave us our present, which they had wrapped up a copy of Charlie and the Chocloate Factory...which, as was previously noted, we had already gotten twice. Apprently Hyrum and Diane had also gotten it twice and Hyrum and Alissa thought it would be funny to give it to us again. Then after the joke was told, they gave us a nice gift certificate to Bed Bath and Beyond. Which was nice too.

While cooking and later when Diane went to bed, Hyrum and I talked about various things, his work, my work, and what not. It was kinda nice.

In the morning, I made Shannon and myself breakfast and then she headed off to work. After another hour, Hyrum got up, and another hour or so after that. Breakfast consisted of FrenchToast (made from Cinnamon Swirl bread from Big Sky Bread Company in Urbandale, La Mie only cooks Challa on the weekend, apprently), scrambled eggs, bacon and eggs. I bought hashbrowns, but apprently I forgot about them. It went over pretty well. I ran out of French Bread stuff when everyone was full, basically no leftovers.

After breakfast cleanup, it was late enough, I played a little Mario Party with Hyrum, Spencer and Dallin. I was interrupted by a page from work...and then a little bit later I took Alissa to the Airport and while Shannon was home for lunch, Hyrum and his family left too...and then we got to relax a little in our house, before Shannon had to go back to work.

There were a few broken things (some from George), a few things that were taken off the tree that shouldn't have been, and a scratch on the coffee table...Oh well it's family and they are rambunxious little boys.

So earlier tonight, I had to make a Target run to get a new stack of CD's so that I could burn off pictures from Christmas for people, and I found the 70th Anniversery edition of Monopoly for 75% off...mmm...10$ so of course I had to buy it...

Gracie still hasn't left our bedroom, having the company has freaked her out, she doesn't do so well with people. She's sleeping on the bed with Shannon now, so that's better then the under the bed, like she has been. We purposfully closed the door to the other bedroom before they came, so she wouldn't try to hide under there, cause I think she would've been really freaked out by that.

Anyways...good two days...