Christmas 2012

This holiday season was "different" for us.  In some ways good and in some ways not as good.  Because of a family wedding 3 days after Christmas, we ended up staying home this year instead of going to Oregon.  It is nice to stay home and not have to pack up presents and drive far, but we were all alone for the first time EVER, since we've been married.  ALONE!  This may not seem like a big deal to most, but we are used to our holidays involving family and more family.  So Christmas eve, we ate our array of food, then we put together some goodie baskets and made some deliveries.  This supposed to be fun event was overshadowed by grumpy, fighting kids.  I felt like I was on an episode of "the middle" (If you haven't seen this show you MUST watch) We came back home and had a little talent show/program, the kids opened up one gift and were off to bed.  We used to do jammies for our one gift, but the boys refuse to wear pajamas..they prefer the underwear only kind of sleeping.  So the boys got a new board game and the girls got pajamas.

Our Charlie brown Christmas tree. Mark my words, this is the LAST year that i will be cheap, cutting down our own tree in the forest to save $20.  I am ready for a big, full, beautiful tree.

Malia playing dress-up with claire.  The hair is...interesting, but she's so cute it doesn't matter

Christmas morning, we woke up at 6:30 and opened stockings.  Had a breakfast of monkey bread and fruit, then opened the rest of our presents.  I do love Christmas morning at home, we took our time and had a great morning.  The hardest part of the day was having Christmas dinner alone.  Let me tell you, between making a smorgasborg of food for Christmas eve, and then making the whole Christmas dinner and making treats for goodie baskets. I was exhausted.  Doing Christmas alone is a lot of work.  The highlight of the day was the afternoon, when Brent and I pretended we had forgotten one present.  They opened up the Wii that they thought they would never get.  We spent the rest of the afternoon playing the wii. :) The only thing that would have made this holiday better is if we had been able to share it with some family~

The next day was Brent's birthday.  Having a birthday the day after Christmas is hard.  This birthday happened to take the cake as the lamest birthday in history, of ALL time, the lamest. Even Brent will admit this!  He did get his breakfast in bed, but that's where the fun ended.  We were getting ready to leave for Utah at 4:30 the next morning.  We literally spent the whole day cleaning the house, getting the car ready and packed, and running a few errands.  We had hoped to at least go out for dinner, but we were so busy getting ready and so exhausted that we didn't have time.  We had Christmas day leftovers and no cake.  He's a good sport, but I promise next year we will make up for this lame birthday and have the best birthday EVER.

We left for Utah at 5:00 the next morning.  I was so worried about this trip and how Dallin would do.  Brent had everything "figured out" and had the kids strategically placed with activities, etc.  Um..didn't work.  He had Dallin in the very back seat between two kids and me in the front seat.  Needless to say, the seating arrangements changed quickly. It's the thought that counts hon. The trip was great, weather was mostly good and Dallin was great.  We drove with Brent's brother Logan, so on one leg of the trip we switched some kids around.  I think that helped the trip go by faster.  We arrived in Utah on the 27th and stayed with my sister in Orem.  She was a great hostess.  She fed us well and the kids had a great time playing with their cousins, logan and Lexi.

Andrew and Jenna were married the next day in the Oquirrh Mt temple.  It was freezing, but sunny and they looked very happy.  

This also happened to be Malia and I's birthday.  I love sharing my birthday with Malia.  I think it was a little hard for her because it didn't really feel like a birthday.  We had opened our presents before we left, so we didn't have to travel with them.  But the good news is that we were surrounded by our family all day and that was fun.  We had a fun luncheon at a church in South Jordan.  We of course had to perform in a talent show.  I always complain about this, I hate performing in front of people.  BUT, it did make the luncheon fun and I am glad we do it.  (although it would be nice if everyone but me performed)

We finished up the day with a reception...by the time we got home that night we were exhausted. But it was a great day.  We are excited to have Jenna in the family.

The rest of the time we were there we, went to the BYU bookstore and out to burger surpreme, the kids went to see "the guardian", went to temple square to see the lights, I was able to visit with an old friend, Tracey Christensen, and we were able to walk through the model home that my sister and her husband are hoping to build. It was so great to spend time with Deyce and Garrick.  They are amazing people. 

Temple square was so beautiful.  We got there just a few minutes before the lights turned on.  As we were posing for a picture, everything lit up.  The kids thought that was pretty cool.  It was FREEZING, but well worth the trip.

                                             

Dallin all bundled up at temple square.  This kid is an amazing baby.  Although he's a little slower than all the other kids.  He's 5 1/2 months and still doesn't roll over.  He's the chunkiest thing you've ever seen and I love him!

                                              

 New years eve day, we drove to Eden, UT to stay the night with some family before we headed home.

A picture of Eden, UT.  It was so beautiful driving away from there...it made me want to move there.  I'm sure there are plenty of jobs in Eden.  Start lookin ' honey