Pennsylvania Family Time

 Awww this is what it's all about. Hanging out in jammies, chilling on the squishy green couches, spending time with family. Cami is in serious want of a baby brother. Can you tell? :)

On Sunday, we all dressed up in our Christmas Sunday best, and went to church at my parent's ward in York. Mom graciously signed us up to SING in front of everyone in sacrament. Me, Bree, Brittney and Nathan sang "Gloria", with Mom on piano. It was actually really fun to sing together again, and sounded beautiful if I don't say so myself. The kids were a little crazy during the whole sacrament meeting, and it didn't help that we were sitting on the front row. It was like, Hello, we're the Toones! Look at us, look at us! But it was fun to see some familiar faces, and go to Relief Society with Mama Dear.

After church, Lexi did this adorable pose.

 And the kids enjoyed that Amish Marble Works. Great purchase, Dad!

 Me and my main squeeze

 And all the pretty girls! I love this picture of Katelyn and Ellie! And Cami and Ari's hand holding is precious.

 Sure do love these two!

 The Original 6, as we call it. Oh how blessed we are to have David, Jake, and Allison in our family, and oodles of kiddos and Cass and Sadie the dog. :) P.S. Isn't Brittney such a model??

 Mom will gasp when she sees this picture, and say "UGH, don't show a picture of that ugly basement carpet!" Too late. :) This is where the kids spent LOTS of their time...playing Sorry and other rousing board games, building with Legos, dancing, running around, and not caring one bit about that ugly old orange church carpet.

 Nathan is one of a kind, I tell ya. He is so hands-on and fun with the kids, especially his girls. He and Katelyn are best buddies, and speak pretty much only Russian with each other. Which is amazing.

 And so is THIS!

 Nate had been sporting a beard on his vacation, and decided to shave it off for family pictures on Monday. He couldn't do it without leaving handlebars first. Creepy!

Family pictures were one of the main reasons Mom wanted us all to be together. When would we ALL be together again for one big family photo? So she got a really good friend photographer who lives in York to take our pictures at a park on Monday. We all coordinated outfits to follow a blue/tan/creme color scheme. It's a lot of work to get everyone matching but not matching! But Cami looked adorable in her borrowed dress from Ari. And curled hair- I should use a curling iron more often.

The day was clear skies but FREEZING! The poor kids were shivering and teeth were chattering and cheeks were turning purple. But everyone smiled! And we got tons of cute pictures of everyone. It was such a fun time, and I'm so glad we got to document this time together!

 Um hello beautiful shiny Allison hair! While Mom and Dad were getting pictures taken together, the kids warmed up in their coats and were kept happy with popcorn!

 What better way to celebrate a successful photo shoot than with pizza! LOTS of pizza. You know how Dad is. :) You ask for 3 and he gets 6. Bless his heart.

 Since this was Bree's last night before flying home, she had promised the girls a date with Auntie Bree. She played games with them, read books, danced, ate candy, and once again proved that she's the funnest aunt ever. Look at all that pretty hair!

 My absolute favorite part of the trip was Monday night, for family night, when we all sat down together in the living room. Gathered around the Christmas tree, we had a family testimony meeting and expressed our love for each other and for the Gospel. It was amazing. I love my family so much.

Cami even chimed in by saying her part from the primary program (John 3:16) :) Katelyn bore her testimony and started talking about the Christmas tree and other random things that made us all laugh, but it was adorable and so sweet. Bryan is getting so grown up- he gave a really sweet testimony. Such an awesome experience.

 Cami and Matt playing with Colby

 Bree talking while Lexi hangs on her lovingly. :)

 One of my OTHER favorite parts was when Mom brought a box upstairs that she had found. It held all of our old stories that we'd written in Elementary School. These are awesome little books, bound and laminated and awarded and loved for so many years! Such fun memories. The kids loved them even more.

 Uncle Nathan read some of the books to the kids, much to their delight.

 Cami even stayed up late in our room upstairs, reading my stories that I had written when I was 5, 6, 7, etc. I told her she would get to do that someday too! She and Ari started writing their own stories in their spare time after that.

It was fun to get to meet this little guy for the first time, and get to see his cute little personality. I can't believe my little brother has 3 kids!

 Cute little Lexi Lou with morning face, holding her newest cousin.

More family fun on the way!