Christmas and New Year's 2013

Christmas day was a quiet affair with just Clay, Penny, Casey, Chris and Cheryl.  We opened gifts, walked in the snow, and got silly making e-cards on jib-jab.  The day before, we had Brandon and Jenn's family here for our traditional soup and reading of the Christmas story.
Ethan Ormsby and family came up on the night of the 23rd and worked through the wee hours finishing the bunk room.  It came out great!
Just before New Year's, things began to pick up when Chelsea and Russell came in from New York and Brooke came in from Chicago.  Brooke almost didn't make it because she lost her license just before flying but was able to sneak through security. Chelsea almost didn't make it because her ticket said "Parrish" but she hadn't legally changed her name yet.
On the 29th, Russell got up and did yoga with us, went snowshoeing, then snowmobiling, then came home and made dinner for 12, then had family night, then finally said he wasn't feeling well and went to bed early.  A little later Chelsea said she was worried about him because his stomach was hurting and he had a slight fever.  Clay gave him a blessing wherein he blessed him that they would take him to the right facility where he would be seen by the right doctor and diagnosed and made well.  I was surprised because usually these kinds of illnesses work out fine with a little Pepto Bismo and some sleep.  After the blessing, he took Russell down to the hospital in Heber and he was diagnosed with appendicitis!  He had surgery that night and was released the next day.