Christmas-palooza 2012--Frisco, CO
This year was the first year our whole family was together for Christmas since about 2008. It has been a reunion in the making (for a year). Jordan came home from his mission on 12/12/12 and the whole family trickled in from UT, ID, and TX after that. I drove home with Emily and my boys on Friday so Saturday I got to spend the day with my mom and Charity making cookies for our caroling tradition on Sunday. I got to catch up with my high school friends on Tuesday which was great, I just wish we could have had more time together to gossip and look at old high school pictures. David flew in on Thursday because his last day of class was the 19th then Friday morning my dad flew with Grandma Heeb home from FL and we headed up to Frisco that afternoon.
Saturday was an eventful day. My parents treated everyone to a guided snow mobile ride. Well, everyone who wanted to go. David opted out saying he would find a way to hurt himself if he went, and Joy decided to stay behind. It was a fun outing as a Christmas present from my parents and it was great. I went out with the afternoon group and it was a beautiful and fun ride:
Saturday was an eventful day. My parents treated everyone to a guided snow mobile ride. Well, everyone who wanted to go. David opted out saying he would find a way to hurt himself if he went, and Joy decided to stay behind. It was a fun outing as a Christmas present from my parents and it was great. I went out with the afternoon group and it was a beautiful and fun ride:
Sunday we went to church and just hung out around the house. Monday was Christmas Eve. The morning we went out as a family to a sledding hill and had a blast. That evening we went on a sleigh ride to dinner and entertainment--this was my favorite part of the whole trip. The snow was falling, the sleigh ride was just long enough filled with our family caroling in harmonies, the dinner was charming, the entertainment was lively and spirited, and the best part was we did the whole thing as a family. That evening we did our nativity play and opened a Christmas Eve gift which was either a book, game, or movie, and we all got Santa nightcaps from Grandma Hayman.
Christmas morning started at 6am for us. We begin with buddy presents and go to Santa gifts/gift to mom and dad/each other and end with stockings. Lots of gifts and love given this year. The rest of the day was filled playing with toys, naps, and a delicious meal. The next day we took family pictures then hung out(family pics to come). Thursday we got everything packed up and left. It was definitely a fantastic and most memorable Christmas!
Thanksgiving 2012--Denver, CO
Every year since David and I have been married we've gone home to Colorado for the holidays. This year was no different. The Thanksgiving feast was great, the (10) pies were delicious, and the company was wonderful. David did a better job of documenting this holiday using his iPhone and on instagram. But here are a few pictures from the holiday before our family reunion.
Mom's Denver Trip With the Boys
On Wednesday, Oct. 3, 2012, Jacob, Caleb, and I went on a trip home to Colorado with Caroline and Dallen. It was just a nice vacation to visit with family and introduce Caleb to his Wells grandparents. The drive out took 10 hours because we stopped twice--once for lunch and once for a wiggle break at a park. We got there and spent time running errands and enjoying being away from our daily cares. Poor Dallen got sick the first day we were there and was pretty miserable but he improved and we all got to enjoy his laughs and giggles. Unfortunately that meant we were all susceptible to the flu so of course Caleb and I have the sniffles. Somehow whenever our family get together someone is sick and we end up infecting at least one other person. Hopefully we can keep that to a minimum at Christmas time.
While we were home General Conference was going on. This was David's and mine first conference away from each other since we were engaged which was sad but I left him some cinnamon rolls and orange rolls for Sunday morning conference. A few years ago we started a tradition of french toast Saturday morning and cinnamon rolls on Sunday morning so I carried on that tradition at home. The cinnamon rolls were made from scratch and were a hit! I might have to make them for Christmas.
I also tried a new recipe while home. I brought some grocery store, bakery made, pumpkin chocolate chip cookies and let my dad and Claire try it. Come to find out, Dad loves pumpkin so I decided to find a pumpkin chocolate chip cookie recipe online. They were devoured! Joy kept telling me how much she like them. I'll have to teach her how to make them and keep them as a fall treat tradition.
Aside from the yummy things I made, we went to Claire's work which is a play gym for kids. We went for the free hour of play where Jacob had fun in the ball pit, the slides, blancing, climbing, and tumbling in the barrel. We also went to great grandma Judy's house to play with trains and to see the model trains downstairs which is always a highlight in Jacob's visit. We got to see Grandma and Grandpa Wells, Aunt Rachel and Uncle Bill, and all the cousins--Oskar, Ales, Hunter, and Colin. Our time spent there was full of running around racing and wrestling. Caleb was cooing and oohing at everyone when he was happy and everyone loved it.
I'll be honest, I don't feel like I got much from conference this time. The only thing I was able to listen to at conference was Elder Holland's talk and most of Elder Oak's talk. I hope to turn on the talks and listen to them online to really be uplifted. From what I did hear I did enjoy.
We'll be back to Colorado for Thanksgiving and then our big family reunion for Christmas. I can't wait!
While we were home General Conference was going on. This was David's and mine first conference away from each other since we were engaged which was sad but I left him some cinnamon rolls and orange rolls for Sunday morning conference. A few years ago we started a tradition of french toast Saturday morning and cinnamon rolls on Sunday morning so I carried on that tradition at home. The cinnamon rolls were made from scratch and were a hit! I might have to make them for Christmas.
I also tried a new recipe while home. I brought some grocery store, bakery made, pumpkin chocolate chip cookies and let my dad and Claire try it. Come to find out, Dad loves pumpkin so I decided to find a pumpkin chocolate chip cookie recipe online. They were devoured! Joy kept telling me how much she like them. I'll have to teach her how to make them and keep them as a fall treat tradition.
Aside from the yummy things I made, we went to Claire's work which is a play gym for kids. We went for the free hour of play where Jacob had fun in the ball pit, the slides, blancing, climbing, and tumbling in the barrel. We also went to great grandma Judy's house to play with trains and to see the model trains downstairs which is always a highlight in Jacob's visit. We got to see Grandma and Grandpa Wells, Aunt Rachel and Uncle Bill, and all the cousins--Oskar, Ales, Hunter, and Colin. Our time spent there was full of running around racing and wrestling. Caleb was cooing and oohing at everyone when he was happy and everyone loved it.
I'll be honest, I don't feel like I got much from conference this time. The only thing I was able to listen to at conference was Elder Holland's talk and most of Elder Oak's talk. I hope to turn on the talks and listen to them online to really be uplifted. From what I did hear I did enjoy.
We'll be back to Colorado for Thanksgiving and then our big family reunion for Christmas. I can't wait!
A Family Blog
This is a website for our friends and family to read and keep up with the things happening on our lives. It'll be somewhat of a journal to help document our family memories.