CHRISTMAS 2015

This year we decided to head to Texas to spend Christmas with my family since we were with Kolby's family last year, and Japan the year before that. And next year we'll have 2 babies to travel with which will make it harder.

I can't believe how warm it was in Texas! I had to turn the AC on at night because I got so hot...it was so weird to step outside and feel warmth. We're used to the 20 degree temps in Utah! Anyways, Kai had a slightly hard time being away from home but he loved all of his time spent with grandma. She basically took care of him the whole time while Kolby and I got to rest a lot :) He became quite the grandma's boy and preferred her to me most days while we were there.

Christmas Eve my family has traditions where we sit around the fireplace, play games, watch A Christmas Story, hot tub, eat fun appetizers, and write stocking mail (my all time favorite tradition, where we each sit down and write meaningful notes to each member of the family, which they get to read when they open their stocking Christmas morning). Along with all the fun snacks we had, Kolby and I decided to try making fruit sushi from a video which I had seen on facebook. It took lots of time but was pretty dang tasty. I'll post the recipe in a separate post :) We also took time to read and talk about the story of Jesus's birth, which is the most important part of Christmas for me. I'm so glad we got to go to a live nativity earlier this month, because it brought tears to my eyes and really set me in the Christmas spirit. I'm excited to start traditions with our children that help them focus on the Savior during Christmas.

I'm happy we got to spend some time with my brother Cooper and meet his girlfriend Kayela. The only person missing was Parker, who's living it up in Japan right now.

Christmas Eve morning we went with Cooper, Kayela, and Syd to see Star Wars. I ended up liking it a lot, much to my surprise. I got quite busy wrapping presents that night and before I knew it it was already 10:30 pm. I was excited to see Kai and Kolby open their presents from me in the morning, but as it turned out Kai was not in a good mood, wanted nothing to do with presents, and we ended up putting him back to sleep just an hour after he woke up. We tried later to help him open presents but once again he got grumpy. I guess he just doesn't like presents...? Funny boy that one.

It was fun sitting around the tree with my family and seeing everyone open their gifts. We go pretty slow and have each family member take turns opening one at a time. I love it this way because then Christmas morning usually drags out until 11 or 12.

I'm so grateful I got to spend time with my family. That was the best present of all, especially since Kolby sacrificed a lot and drove the entire 19 hours to get there. I'm also grateful for my mom for making it such a fun experience for us, as always. We lounged around watching movies together, played games, went shopping, ate the yummiest food and lots of puppy chow/reindeer droppings (if you don't know what that is then please contact me immediately), ate the best ramen I've had since Japan (great restaurant right by our house), and had fun just watching Kai. He's so animated and crazy and does the funniest things. My mom also made the most delicious chicken cordon bleu for Christmas dinner. What a fun 10 days we got to spend with them!

We got Kai a basketball hoop, BYU sweatshirt, Mickey mouse stuff, puzzle, books, and fake food. My mom got him some adorable clothes, a puppy that sings and talks, and stacking cups. His favorite things are the puppy and stacking cups! My mom always seems to guess right with him.

Trying to be  Ralphie from A Christmas Story

 Father and son :)

Always giving grandma the biggest kisses

Grandpa time

He played with these stacking cups from grandma all morning!

A WEEKEND IN VEGAS

Last month while on the phone with my mom we talked about how fun it would be if BYU was in the Las Vegas bowl and we all met up there (since Kolby and I can drive there in 5 hours). Well, our dreams came true. Not only did BYU get chosen for the Vegas bowl, but also the University of Utah, their arch rivals (and my favorite football game to watch every year). My dad hurried and got tickets before ticket prices skyrocketed, and we actually considered re-selling them and just going shopping since we could make $200 a ticket, but we decided to keep them :)t

The first 2 quarters of the game made me want to leave, since we had 6 turnovers in a row. It was painfully embarrassing...but BYU showed up and started to play, and it ended up being such a fun game to watch, especially with my #1 little BYU fan. He is OBSESSED with everything BYU and points out a Y any chance he gets. He also sings the fight song, and it's the cutest thing ever. He also looked adorable decked out in BYU swag. BYU ended up losing, but only by one touchdown, which is pretty amazing considering it was 35-0 at half time!

It was so fun to have weekend with my family, especially since Kai just adores them. He is the biggest grandma's boy ever, and cries anytime she leaves the room. He's also insanely spoiled by them since he's the first/only grandchild. 

Kai got to meet Mickey and Minnie for the first time, and he LOVED them. I smell a Disneyland trip for this kid in the near future! The second he spotted them he was reaching for them! Unfortunately they were slightly evil/creepy Mickeys, asking for more money over and over after we gave them some. 

We had fun walking the strip and stopping to watch the Bellagio fountain show. While walking, we noticed 15 ambulances and a huge area of the main street blocked off. We later saw on the news that a crazy lady intentionally ran over a bunch of pedestrians, killing 1 and injuring 30 others. We were so close when it happened (but didn't see it happen) and it easily could have been us. If that isn't the scariest thing ever...

 I'll definitely be hugging my loved ones much tighter tonight. Seriously, sometimes I never want to leave my house. Can I just keep my babies in a bubble?

Kai couldn't get enough of these polar bears we saw in one of the hotels. 

I told him to give it a kiss and this is what he did... 

We also went to a buffet and pigged out, and Kai lovvveddd the ice cream. If you notice me looking hefty the next month, I blame this buffet entirely. 

Early Monday morning we said goodbye to Kai and left him to fly home with my family while Kolby and I  started the 19 hour drive to Texas. We did it straight through without stopping at a hotel which was rough, but we made it safely, and Kolby was a saint by driving the entire way! So grateful for him and that he drove me so far to spend Christmas with my family :)

CHRISTMAS WITH A TODDLER

This Christmas season has already been so much better than any other Christmas thanks to that little elf pictured up above ^^

Seriously, I can't get enough of him! He points out Christmas trees any and everywhere we go. I think it's his first word...he'll say DA-DA-DA and point excitedly anytime he sees one. We even had pandora on and the little cd cover was floating around our tv screen, and there was a tiny christmas tree on it. He saw it from far away, pointed, and said "DA-DA-DA!"

He melts me right into a puddle, that one. I've also been teaching him words like Santa, stockings, star, snowman, and he just loves all of it. When he's wearing his striped santa jammies, I'll say where's santa? and he'll point to it on his shirt. It's so incredible how fast he learns and picks up on things.

Oh and don't worry, we have plans to cut his hair when we go to Texas. I think my mom will do a good job and he'll tolerate it way better than he would with me. (The first time we tried 4 months ago he screamed bloody murder anytime we went near his head). 

I didn't feel like sorting through all of these pics so I pretty much just uploaded all of them. I think some are repeated but really, I could look at these all day long. 

I've said it before and I'll say it again, he is my Christmas morning, every morning. 

 This face you guys...he makes it all the time and it kills me.

What fun things are on your  Christmas checklist? We've got:

1. See a live nativity (check!...we went to one in Pleasant Grove with my grandparents and I loved it)

2. Put up the tree and decorate the house with all things Christmas! (check!)

2. Meet Santa

3. Drive through or visit a Christmas lights display (I heard Ogden has the best one!)

4. See the lights at temple square

5. Make gingerbread houses

6. Get matching Christmas-y jammies and drink hot chocolate while watching a Christmas movie together

7. Make Christmas shaped sugar cookies and deliver them to neighbors and friends

We're excited to leave for Texas next week to spend some much needed time with my family! They love Kai so much and he gets so spoiled there, since he's the first  and only grandchild :)