Friday night was our ward Christmas party, Saturday and Sunday I had my yoga training, and Monday we flew to Utah... well let me rephrase that, the kids and I flew to Utah. Devin acted like he had to work so he could get out of flying with the kids. It's a dad card pulled out at convenient times. Flying with kids is also terrible. But here's the good news... we made it! No one kicked us off our flight, we didn't have any trouble checking bags or with missing flights, and we had a real ticket, all of us! I've repented of flying stand-by with the kids. And we did make it to Utah to so many beautiful faces!
I love coming to visit over Christmas when everyone has work off. It is wonderful. We always have someone to play with.
My first night there I got to go to a party with a group of my high-school friends. They are awesome. So many good friends. How they stood me through those awkward high school years I have no idea, but I am so glad they still include me in their planning even when I live so far away. It was such a fun throw-back and catch-up kind of night. We exchanged gifts of "our favorite things", we all came with three of our own and left with three of someone else's favorites. It was a great idea and so fun.
My parents house is like unto Disneyland for my kids (a place they have never been but has similar thrills)... chickens, cows, a stream, a four-wheeler and motorcycle... you get what I'm saying, they love it. They tell me all the time how they wish we lived there.
A great perk of going to Utah in December is the snow! There was so much snow this year, so fun for playing in and having a white Christmas is so much better than dreaming about one (VA didn't get any snow in December so we knew what we were doing). Snowmen, snowballs, sledding, snowshoeing, snowmobiling... so many fun winter activities to stuff into a few short weeks.
Devin introduced the kids to snowmobiling. Devin actually purchased a snowmobile, which I was very hesitant about... His plan you see, was to buy one, ride it while we were there, and then sell it. But I remembered something about the money he put into his last snowmobile and just before he sold it he took it for one last disastrous ride...
He got the snowmobile. And he had some really great rides in pretty great Bear Lake snow. Bridger got a thrill ride and decided one ride was enough. I got to go with Devin too, which really is my preference because then I get to experience spinning cookies with the best. It was really cold too and my nose got a tad bit frost bitten.
Mostly we stuck with family on this trip. We just wanted to soak up all the funny, quirky and wonderful family interactions. We love our family so much! Our good friends Adam and Liz are awesome and they did make a trip out to Bear Lake and we got to spend a few hours together (their kids are getting so big!). The Tanners (Nicolina and her kids) drove to N. Ogden to see us as well (my kids miss their best buds!!) And I got to hook up with Bobbi one day for some snowshoeing. So fun! So many truly great people.
On the airplane and at the airport during the layover:
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| Proof that some people actually read the emergency pamphlet. |
At Grandma-and-Grandpa-with-Katey's house:
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| Fishing from the stream |
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| Shooting practice |
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| How to motivate this princess' fingers out of her mouth? |
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| Cute baby Lincoln |
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| Bad days still happen, even when you're somewhere better than Disneyland. |
Work day for Grandpa's Christmas present:
Chopping Wood
Playing in the Snow:
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| Hunting for wabbits |
Picking the perfect Christmas tree:
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| Dudes and Dishes (!) |
White Elephant Exchange:
Some of the funny gifts: horse head, toilet seat hoop, selfie mistletoe stick, Poopouri, bathroom dart game..
Christmas morning:
New Years with the Poulton's:
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| Classic Skating |
More fun things:
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| Snowshoeing with Bobbi |
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| High School Friends |
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| Lava Hot Springs |
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| One terrible game |
Family Pics:
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