New Years and Impromptu trip to Boston

We were able to spend New Year's Eve at my aunt and uncle's house. Several of my cousins were in town so it was fun to see them.  Later that week we were able to celebrate my cousin's wedding with them and see my sister and parents for a split second while they were there. So fun to catch up with everyone and see the cousins playing.

Cait and Jess with girls

Kids with noise makers

Fiesta food!

Ryan and Brittany's wedding

Cousins dancing at the wedding party

On Friday that week Jared found out that he would need to go to Boston in order to represent wagner blecher at an event where one of their clients would be presenting their product to the public.  His boss said that he wasn't really interested in going so maybe Jared could take me along, and that the firm would cover the cost.  I told Jared initially that it was a whole lot to plan and arrange for only a few days of freezing cold weather, but we both agreed we couldn't pass up a free trip together.  My parents kindly came down to hold down the fort here and I hired a girl in our ward on semester break from college to be the chauffeur for the week. Several friends offered to watch kids for the day, and take them for play dates so I tried to arrange everything so my mom wouldn't have to handle all four kids together all day or take them out and about.  It sounded like they all did really well here and we had an AMAZING time in Boston.

On the flight

At the hotel after shopping KID-FREE

Walking around Boston Harbor

Bundling up on our walk to Dinner

Faneuil Hall right by the hotel

At body world's vital

We kept joking that we were going on a reverse vacation...From the warm to the cold.  There was a polar vortex happening back East and we were in the middle of it!  Brrr. I quickly realized that here in CA we wear scarves and jackets for accessories and back East they wear them for REALS!  Boston common was only a mile from our hotel so I figured I'd walk to it one day while Jared was out and about working.  I barely survived. I had to duck into a Starbucks halfway there to defrost, bundle up again and brave the rest of the trip.  Another day when Jared was working from the hotel I went out and got us some lunch and brought it back.  Then I told him I was going to explore and check back in with him.  After a couple hours he called and said "Is everything ok? I haven't heard from you..." I told him "heck yeah!  I am just shopping at Faneuil Hall KID FREE!!" I got souvenirs for the kids and of course missed them, but it was so great to sleep when we wanted, eat what we wanted (since it was on the company dime) and go where we wanted without accounting for any little one's needs.  We walked around Boston Harbor, went to an Imax movie at the aquarium, we went to Body Worlds Vital, went out to Ruth's Chris Steakhouse, shopping at Faneuil hall, went to a race photo exhibit at Suffolk University and just relaxed.  It was such a great break.  And, it was the first time in the past 8 years that I wasn't pregnant or nursing (with the exception of 5 months in between Lillian and Jonas).  Such a great break and so grateful to all my friends and family who took care of everything at home so I could just enjoy my time with Jared instead of worrying about kiddos!  We came back refreshed and ready to face the rest of the school year.

When we came back we celebrated my 32nd birthday.  Jared took good care of me...cooked me breakfast and let me hire Cybill Pace to drive my kids to all their obligations so I could stay home and get some things crossed off my to-do list. He also got some thai food takeout on the way home so I didn't have to cook and, best of all, I caught up with friends and family who called and texted.