Holiday Happenings

Last year after our Thanksgiving spent in Disneyland I thought to myself that we will never be able to top that Thanksgiving and now I find myself saying the same thing again. I could write a 5,000 word essay on all of the things we did....but frankly I don't have time. I have a nursery to set up! So I asked each member of our family their top three activities (keep in mind they would probably tell me something different if I asked today) and here is what I got:

SADIE

1) A Christmas Carol at the Hale Center Theatre. Simply amazing! Thanks Dad and Myrna.....an unforgettable Christmas gift! Fun to have Grandpa and Aunt Mary along as well. We were thinking of Grandma...it was her birthday and we all miss her so much!

2) Sunday brunch at the Little American Ballroom. Festive music, all you can eat food and good company. We ate breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert all in one sitting. Pic above is the kiddos anxiously awaiting the feast in the hotel lobby. Sadie visited the shrimp table more than once. Yes, she loves shrimp!

3) Playing in the snow! Check out this big guy! Aunt Aly is a good sport!

DEKLAN

1) Riding his new scooter at the church. And my bros were there to teach their nephews about football. I don't think Deklan stopped grinning. I have awesome brothers!!! And Deklan rode the scooter like he'd been doing it his whole life.

2) Playing in the snow....sound familiar? My kids couldn't stop eating it...too bad it wasn't packed with vitamins and minerals!

3) Santa Claus! I guess after having eight kids you have the hook-up with Santa. And my amazing mom pulled some strings so that Santa came Sunday night for a personal visit. The only downside? Your kids tell Santa what they want and you've never ever heard those words leave their mouths before. Even the adults sat on his lap and I seriously could not stop laughing.

ERIK

1) Snow! (Again?) No, snow did not make my list.

2) The Spoken Word (a weekly TV and radio broadcast of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir) that we were able to view LIVE. Thanks to Dad and Myrna for taking the six grandkids into the theatre room so we could all attend. Taken from my phone so it doesn't do it justice...but it was gorgeous!

3) Vernal. Doesn't really narrow it down since that is where we spent the 23rd-27th but my sister and her husband once again shared their Danish Christmas traditions with us. We love it!!!!

STEPHANIE

I'm sorry, but I just can't follow my rules of coming up with the top three things. But being with my sisters and my mom always top the list. Seeing Brittany's new baby Koy was a real treat. Myrna's fabulous Christmas dinner and Christmas brunch were very yummy along with their Christmas gifts to us: A Christmas Carol, sledding at Soldier Hollow, The Spoken Word and brunch after, presents for the kids....definitely gifts of the heart to bring the family together. The Danish dinner, late night games, the Spanish Fork lights, shopping, movies, pedis with the girls........have I reached my 5,000 words already????

And less you think the whole vacation was flawless, let me just mention that I DO NOT have the hook-up with Santa and for some reason a very large "bag" of my kids' Christmas presents were accidently left in AZ. I remembered all the gifts from E & I and Santa brought the big Santa presents but p.j.'s forgot, stocking stuffers forgot, small gifts forgot. I didn't cry, even though I felt like it, but my feelings towards Wal-Mart have drastically changed since the Wal-Mart in Vernal really came through on Christmas Eve. And of course my sister pulled out some "extra" things to give my kids as well. I think we were able to replace everything except some things from Bath and Body Works (NOT in Vernal). And now I have 8, yes 8, stores to visit for returns. YUCK!

I could say more....much much more but like I mentioned at the beginning of this post....I have a nursery to get set-up! Which, by the way, my hubby finished painting this weekend and once I finish decorating you will get to see the finished product.

Happy New Year!