Our Quick Trip to Utah

I was pretty excited to hear that Todd's company Christmas party was going to be held in Utah this year and they were actually going to fly us down for it!  Dream come true!  We decided to take Oliver along with us and Grandpa and Nana were nice enough to stay out our house with the other kiddos.  From what I can tell, they had a grand time while we were gone.  I'm so grateful for them to have our kids so we could go!  It was was wonderful quick trip.

Oliver really liked being on the airplane.  He was amazingly good.  He climbed right up into his seat, put his seatbelt on and smiled staying seated the whole time.  It was awesome.  He thought the whole thing was really cool!

He loved watching the planes too, of course!

 Utah, here we come!

 It was really fun to see my parents and spend some time with them while Todd worked on Friday.  We went out to breakfast and Raelynn joined us and it was relaxed and happy and fun.

Friday night was the work party.  I had fun getting ready and dressing up!  Fancy festive parties are fun to get ready for!

 And when your date is a good looking as mine, it's even more fun!

 The next day was AMAZING!  Missy was nice enough to have her baby while we were in Utah and she let us visit her in the hospital.  I got to hold Harvey for 30 minutes and it was heaven.  New babies are so incredible.  It was a neat experience.  I wish I could hold him all the time and watch him grow up being next door.  But oh, it sure was nice to get some new baby snuggles on our visit.

 No amount of time with my sister is enough, but any amount of time is awesome.  I sure love Raelynn.  She is such an example to me in so many ways.  I always feel motivated to be better when I'm with her and perfectly good enough just how I am at the same time.

I also had fun visiting our old ward.  Hearing Jessica play her viola (my favorite!) and talking briefly with friends.

The flight home was late.  And then delayed.  Oliver ended up going to bed over four hours later than normal.  I was amazed at how well he did.  Never cried or complained very much at all.  Just sat in his seat with his buckle and pushed through.  What a trooper!  He loved the trip.  Lots of time being spoiled and loved with no one competing for attention.

It was a quick fun trip and I loved it.  I wish I could go on quick trips like that every month.  Now THAT would be awesome!

Ethan's Birthday

He slept so bad the night before.  He was too excited!  I told him he was just practicing to sleep bad on Christmas Eve.  Lol!

 We sent him on a little hunt to find his main gift.  He's been wanting this for a year!  He was beyond excited.

 Blueberry pie for breakfast!  I didn't complain about that one.

 And the ice on the roads made school have a two hour late start.  It was an awesome birthday surprise.  So Ethan went right to building after breakfast.

 While he was at school, I made his cake!  I think it kind of looks armored.  :)

He liked it

 More fun with Grandpa and Nana in the evening.  Pizza and presents.  Plus talking to Michael on the phone!

 Happy Birthday to you!

 I love you Ethan.  So much!

It was an easy wonderful day and he said it couldn't have been better.  I loved it too.

Happy Birthday Ethan!

11 years ago, you made me a mother!

 And I can't figure out how it's actually been 11 years.  How did you grow up so fast?

 You have such a good heart and I am so pleased with your testimony.  I love hearing you pray.

 Your piano playing is awesome!  I'm so glad you like basketball.  And in all my days, I'll never be able to read as many books as you.

 Happy Birthday Ethan.  The best Christmas gift I've ever received is you!

Hello, I'm cute!

SNOW!!!

People around here keep saying it hasn't snowed for years.  And Ethan is convinced it snowed for us. I think he's right because the snow has done nothing but make us happy!  It feels like Christmastime now and we sure have had fun playing in our yard and sledding down our hill.  It's been magical and festive and Christmasy and cold and wonderful fun!

 Cooper has done the most sledding.  Going out any chance he can get, alone or with siblings.  He loves every minute of it!

 But lets be honest, we all do!

 We had a pretty epic snowball fight too

 And Oliver loved wading through the snow.

 Buried in snow!

 The kiddos even had a snow day!  The roads were so icy, school was out!  Party in the SNOW!

WE LOVE IT!  Merry Christmas!

Fun!

She loves wearing the tree skirt while we decorate the tree!  SO CUTE!

 And the three of us try to be silly at least once a day.

 We went on a horse drawn carriage ride the other night.

 Coopey thought it was cool!

 And these two boys of mine are cute.

 We also had a pie party with Grandpa and Nana since we missed Thanksgiving with them.

 Because, you know, 8 people totally need 5 pies...

 Berry, Vanilla Cream, Pumpkin, Pecan, and Cherry!

 And here are all my cute kiddos with their new Christmas bedding curtesy of Mimi!  THANKS MIMI!!

Christmas Magic

Christmas is magical any way you look at it, but when you have a two year old and a four year old, it really is.

 These boys are completely enamored by the Christmas trees.  Especially our "kid tree" downstairs. This tree is filled with preschool and homemade ornaments and memories.  All the kids decorated it all by themselves and once they were done, these two boys just pulled over chairs and sat staring at it.

 They couldn't stop smiling.  Oliver kept clapping.  I just sat behind them on the couch and watched.  Every few minutes, Oliver would clap again.  They touched the ornaments and took them off and put them back on.  And laughed and smiled and talked to each other about the tree.

Yep, it was the cutest thing I ever saw.