The Holidays

Going back a long way, in late fall, the day before the first big snow storm, we all had cabin fever.  We'd all been sick for a long time and were anxious to get out.  From our house we can see a road up at the top of the mountain above us; I don't know what it's called, but Jared and I have been up there a few times before.  We picked up a pizza and drove up the canyon.  Once we were on the twisty, dirt road the kids and I got really car sick (we all had been sick for days and I was also morning sick).

We got there just in time for sunset, which was beautiful, and it was just enough time to look down on the city to spot our new house.

The next day it snowed a ton and knocked down trees and stuff, but our house looks beautiful in the snow.

Sho enuff, Thanksgiving came.   Every year my family gets together and we all cook the big meal.  This year Hannah ruined it and had to have her baby right then, so my parents were in Denver with them and we were on our own.  I didn't want to cook a whole big meal for just us, since my kids probably wouldn't eat most of it anyway.  We decided to go to Golden Corral for dinner.  There was a huge wait, weird strangers, and mushy stuffing.  The kids were able to eat pizza, tons of gummi bears, and there was a chocolate fountain, so they liked it.  We over-ate of course, and with my being in the first trimester, barfed it all up when we got home.  It was not awesome.

I mentioned it in the last post, but forgot to expound on it, Jared went on a couple of fun man-trips.  He went to Virginia International Raceway for a work thing and got to drive the Arial Atom, a car that he's been talking about for years.  It was a great experience, although it came at a terrible time, just a few days after moving in and right when I found out I was pregnant.

Shortly after that he went to SEMA, a big car thing in Vegas, I guess it's a pretty big deal.  He went with a bunch of friends and looked and talked about cars for a weekend.  He took a ton of pictures of really cool cars, but this is the only one that the kids and I cared about.  It's Grave Digger, the monster truck.

Lily was awarded the "Citizen of the Month" for her class.  There was an assembly, she sat up on the stage, the principal read her name and everything.  It was very exciting.  He described the award as "being a great friend"; being a kind, friendly, helping, sharing, etc.  This is no surprise to us, she really is an amazingly great and kind kid.

Annie has discovered the miracle of markers.  She makes great swirly designs.

This picture is terrible, but it cracks me up.  There is a little nook at the top of our stairs, it's small and useless and only the cats and kids can get to it, so the cats like to nap there.  Jack was setting up a picture of him cuddling Jamal and right as I snapped the picture (with my phone, hence the blurring) Jamal decided to bolt.

The snow has been fun.  The chickens don't like it, but they have a nice little covered area.  Lily decided to bring them out anyway, which is sad (for them, fun for kids) because they won't walk in the snow and they just hold still.  Here is Sizzles on a sled ride.

Annie likes the snow, but only if we layer her hands with thick socks.  We have several pairs of mittens, but they don't stay on.  Every time we put a sock on her hand she waves it and says "Hello" in a high pitched, funny voice, as if it were sock puppet.

A few days before Christmas I was able to find out the gender of our baby.  I had the ultrasound lady write it in an envelope so that I could open it up with all of my family there, it was pretty fun.  We were hoping for a boy, only because we don't know where we're going to put this baby in our house, and Jack could share his room.  We opened it up and sure enough, it's a GIRL!  Growing up in a 3 girl family, I always thought it would be fun to have three girls and I'm very excited to buy matching dresses for them.  Jack is happy either way, and I've always thought that boys with sisters are always the nicest.

Christmas came right on schedule.  I vowed to take it easy this year, and actually managed to do it; I honestly didn't feel any Christmas-specific stress.  We put up a fake tree for the first time ever, didn't put up all of our decorations, bought only a few presents and got it done in one shopping trip, and it was great.  Here are the sleepy kids on Christmas morning.

Lily had a Christmas play at school for the 1st graders, "The Little Engine That Could".  She was adorable as a clown.

This years big excitement was that Hannah and Eric came for Christmas!  This has not happened since they moved to Denver, 6-ish years ago.  We got to meet Hannah's lovely little 5 week old boy, Aaron.  He's sweet and he looks like his dad.  Jack asked to hold the baby, unprompted; he's a softy.

Papa and Grandma did one of the most difficult and stressful Christmas activities, "decorating" cookies.  The whole thing is really just about licking as much frosting off your fingers as possible.  Here is Annie while decorating.  Those are pipe cleaner reindeer antlers, if you can't tell.

Another activity which is really just about mass frosting intake: making a gingerbread house. I did this with the kids and it was a fiasco, but whatever.  Here they are after finally getting the go ahead to eat it.

Hannah is notorious for always wanting to have "a program" during family get-togethers.  We tease, but it's a good thing.  Here are the kids and Grandma after the Nativity program requested by Han.  Lily was a reindeer/star/angel, Jack was Joseph, Annie an Angel who just seemed confused, Grandma a very loud shepard, and cousin Cate was Mary holding her precious "B" (a bunny), as baby Jesus.  It was pretty great.

I love this picture so much.  This is a really tough Joseph protecting his woman and baby bunny.

After the nativity Grandma dressed up the girls in me and my sister's old matching red nightgowns.  See what I mean?  Matching little girls are adorable!

Annie liked to blow on the tree, I think to make things sparkle.

Christmas morning was great.  We opened presents, Lily did not get the real horse or the two kittens she'd asked Santa for, but overall everyone was very pleased with the loot.  Annie got the most presents because I just wrapped up old toys that have been put away for a few years.  Jared and I gave each other house presents.  We got new granite counter tops, Jared painted kitchen cabinets, etc.

After presents we went to Grandma and Papa's where Jared and I made a deluxe breakfast, the Burrough specialty.  Jared even made candied bacon, did I just blow your mind?

The next few days were full of fun and leftovers.  I did have to go to the ER one night after a major baby-scare, but everything was alright.  The next day we went sledding.  I've noticed that I am always sledding with a baby, or pregnant, and I'm always thinking that I maybe shouldn't be doing this, but whatever.

After sledding, the kids all hopped in the bath to warm up.  The take a bath together every time Cate is in town.  It was way too crowded, I don't know how much longer that can last.

A few days after Christmas Jared and I had to use a 1 night stay at the Homestead that we'd bought for our Anniversary and never used (it expired Dec 31st).  The Homestead is in Midway, up in the mountains, and it's pretty.  It was nice and relaxing, but the best part was a giant cinnamon roll I got for breakfast. I had -no joke- dreamed about cinnamon rolls the night before

Anyway, we did have very, happy holidays.