Christmas-The Utah Portion

After making a safe journey to Utah we relaxed for a while!!  Jared's parents kindly watched the kids for us a couple different nights so we could meet up with my family one night for dinner near Salt Lake (and got to check out my sister's apartment) and another night to go out for a date night.  Lillian joined the ranks with a stomach flu one night. Poor thing got it really bad and brought our total to 3/4 kids sick.  The kids played in the snow with cousins then made candy trains and scarves with Grandma.

The Grandkids with the completed scarves

Making Scarves with Grandma

We could not do the scarf project without Kristina's crafting expertise

Making Candy Trains

Candy Trains with Grandpa

Candy Train girls

 Another day we met up with a bunch of Jared's extended family at Soldier Hollow to go down the longest tubing lanes in Utah.  It was so much fun to be a kid again and tube down with my kids (and I did not even have to drag the tubes back up the hill since they had a lift that you just clipped onto!!)  I was crying I was laughing so hard down one run when we tried to go with a group of 20 of us. Jared's sister got disconnected and off her tube (which was with us) and had to run down the hill after us.  We had to take a respite in the lodge when Lillian's cheek started looking white and numb because it was so cold.  Jared's mom was a champ and offered to stay home with the toddlers so the rest of us could live it up.

After sledding at Soldier Hollow

Jocelyn playing in the snow

Lillian sledding out back

Building a snowman with cousins

The Three musketeers in the snow

 However, Emma and her cousin Finnley gave grandma a run for her money while we were gone sledding.  Emma had been showing off all week that she could "lock" grandma Diana's doors.  We had talked with her, put her on time out and she knew better but thought she was so clever.  Well, of course, that night right when Jared's mom walked down the hall to get a diaper for the 1 year old she was watching, she heard Emma and her 2 year old cousin run the other direction and lock themselves in the master bedroom.  Diana tried to coax them out, bribe them out, ask nice, ask mean, and Emma kept telling her "No. I won't unlock the door."  Then Diana heard them start to fill up the big bathtub with water and really started freaking out.  She was picturing herself knocking the door in and was trying to pop the lock with a pen, etc. and finally started to talk the 2 year old into opening the door.  She finally succeeded at that and made it in to the girls before any major catastrophes occurred but talk about a heart attack!!  Emma-the little stinker was definitely in trouble when we got home.

The two little door locking culprits with Grandpa

  Another night we had a "Just Dance" competition. Complete with cheer leading.  Good times! 

The boys doing just dance

 

 On Christmas Eve we joined everyone at Jared's Grandparents house for appetizers and the opening of the Christmas jammies. And when I say everyone I mean wall to wall relatives!!  I do not think I got an adequate picture, but Jared's mom has continued the tradition and here are all of her grandkids with their jammies once we returned to their house. The older girls had matching nightgowns for their dolls which was really cute, and the kids all got a beanie-boo from Grandpa which they were thrilled about.  My sister Kelsey joined us late that night and Christmas morning was completely surreal.  It had snowed all night and the kids woke to a white Christmas!!!

Our family with Jared's Grandparents

The view on the back porch

Otter Grandkids Christmas Jammies (missing Claire)

My sister joined us at my in-laws for Christmas eve and christmas 

Beanie Boos and Jammies Christmas Morning

We were also able to meet up with some friends that used to live in California and have moved to Utah.  Also the Woolfords which we failed to get pictures with! We felt like we were on a house tour visiting all their new houses while we were in town.