At long last... Part II

So sorry... I know calling something "part 1" strongly implies that there is a "part 2," and I intended that there would be. I guess I've just been too busy living my life to stop and write about it, so I will try to briefly (somewhat) catch up now.


We took off from Troy the Friday evening before Christmas. Arthur told his boss that he would be taking Monday (Christmas Eve) off. Apparently, the carpenter's union does not consider Christmas Eve as big of a holiday as Labor Day. Yet another 6 hour drive and we were at mom and dad's house. We opened presents with my parents on Saturday morning. Tony and Brenda and their kids came down to open presents with us. Tony is what I call my "almost brother". He moved in with us when I was 5 and lived with us for about 3 and a half years. He lived nearby and worked for my dad until just a few years ago. Sunday morning we went to church and ate dinner at my Grandma Jane's. The original plan was to have Chrstmas with Arthur's relatives on Monday morning, but there was a change of plans because one of his aunts had to work, so we headed up to his grandparents' in Independence, which was about an hour away. We opened presents with them that night. Tony and Brenda had told us that we could stay at their house if it was too crowded at Arthur's grandparents. There was quite a crowd, so we headed that way. When we got there, the house was dark and empty. They had thought we decided against staying there, so they decided to stay at mom and dad's one more night. :-) I have other relatives in town that probably would have put us up for the night, but it was really late, and we didn't want to wake them. So, we headed back to Arthur's grandparents. We got there just in time to see his mom pulling out. In the few minutes we'd been gone, his grandpa had had an episode with his pacemaker, so they took him to the hospital for the night. They found a place to squeeze us in and we went to bed. The next day, we had Christmas dinner there, then headed back to OK to my grandma Jane's house. Arthur and the guys played paintball at mom and dad's house while we wives sat inside with the babies and chatted. We had Christmas at Grandma's with all my mom's side of the family that Monday night. Of course, it was kicked off with a huge supper. I was sooooo full of yummy Christmas food after two big meals in a row! We had to come back to MO Christmas day, because Arthur had to work the next day. It was kind of weird not to go to my Grandpa Don's house at all. We usually went there the day before Christmas Eve. Most of the family got together with his wife and two daughters on New Year's Eve, but again, Arthur had to work, so we couldn't be there. We did have a nice little New Year's Party here with friends and family.


Anyways, the weekend after Christmas was the big Schaper Christmas- for which we made yet another 6 hour road trip. As long as I can remember, that has been the highlight of my year. I was really looking forward to it this year, since we couldn't go down for Thanksgiving. It's funny, even as a kid, knowing that there would be fewer presents there than anywhere else I went for Christmas, I still looked forward to it all year. It's not that I don't enjoy the other gatherings. I really do, but this gathering is special for a number of reasons. My dad is one of SEVEN children. One of those seven, Uncle Steve, is the dean of a high school dorm. We all gather there every year on the weekend after Christmas (we used to gather at my Aunt Ruth's house, but we outgrew that long ago. The last few times we were there, people slept all kinds of places, scattered on the floor all over the house). Some of my cousins I see a lot of, but other's I only get to see at weddings, funerals, and family gatherings like this. At the family Christmas, we get 2-3 days to do nothing but enjoy each other's company and catch up. There are kids roller skating everywhere, running races, and playing school. (There's usually over 80 people in all). There is food EVERYWHERE! There are basketball games, volleyball games, and football games. There are puzzles, scrabble, rook, monopoly, and catch phrase. Did I mention there's a lot of GREAT food? There is the state of the family address, which is every bit as long as the state of the union address. My grandma used to do every single bit of it, but in recent years, we've mixed it up a bit. Two of my cousins did it a year ago and did it completely in rhyme. That was impressive. This year was really neat. Someone from each of the seven families came up and told about all of their family. You see, the State of the Family Address is where they tell a little bit about what each and every family member has been up to in the past year. It's a way to get a quick update on everyone, even the little bitty guys. This year we heard about successes in school, music classes, plays, birthday parties, new jobs, new boyfriends and girlfriends, new spouses, new babies, and all sorts of other great things.


After that comes another one of my favorite parts. We have our own little Christmas program. All the kids say their parts from their church or school programs or sing a song or share some other talent. For instance, one cousin plays the harmonica. Another is great at guitar. One little cousin, Kristyn, sang Away in a Manger again and again and again. :-) She kept getting lost, so it went something like this, "Away in a Manger no crib for a bed, the little Lord Jesus lay down his sweet head, the stars in the sky no crib for a bed, the little Lord Jesus lay down his sweet head," and so on. We also exchange presents. Grandma and Grandpa get something for everyone, and everyone gets something for them. Other than that, we each draw a name and buy something for that person, so everyone generally gets about two gifts. Overall, we just really enjoy each other's company. I don't know many other families that spend several full days and nights together a couple of times a year and actually enjoy it thoroughly. It really helps keep us all close. I know I could depend on any of my aunts, uncles or cousins if I ever needed them. We're a family, and that's what it's about. Brett, Mom, and Dad Justin, Lindsey, and Brenda
Tony, Brooke, and Sami Grandma Rogers and Chig



Valerie, Lance, and "Mom Baber"
Uncle Nate always plays the part of "Santa Claus."
He tells all the little kids who to take the presents to, and they deliver them. Aunt Diane, Grandma, and Aunt Naomi wathcing Dawson move blocks
with his new tractor. Jenna had too much fun. Aunt Della holding Megan and telling about her family. Kristyn and Hailey are
showing everyone how much the Albert Schaper branch of the family loves each other. :-) Nathaniel and Dawson are enjoying their Christmas Dinner
Kyle and Mandy brought baby Ava the day she came home from the hospital.
Here she is, obviously enjoying her very first family Christmas. Wyatt borrowed his Uncle Brad's paddle to play ping pong with his Papa Nate. Noah worked hard to pull Nathaniel, Shayla, Kaycee, Kaitlynn, and Kayli on this sheet.
One of many Monopoly games
Dawson, Wyatt, Jenna, Nathaniel, and Noah posing for the camera Who knew that foosball was a spectator sport? My Dad and Uncle Steve working on what seemed to be one of the world's hardest puzzles. One of many Rook games Jared enjoying his Papa Steve's famous mashed potatoes and gravy