can't wait to do it again

This was our first family vacation in a LONG time, and I can't wait to do it again...maybe next week.  The kids were great and it was nice to just sit, relax, enjoy and not have all the normal distractions of life.  I will NOT miss bundling the kids up to play in the snow.  I will NOT miss the kids getting in the car taking off their jackets and boots just as we pull up to where we are going and I have to get them redressed.  I will NOT miss the mess the snow made EVERYWHERE.  I do not envy those who live in the snow...I am an Arizona girl through and through.  One week a year is PERFECT!!! 

I loved playing games as a family.

The kids loved "their" loft space...they played the Wii, watched movies, played games, colored and were mostly just happy...what more could you want?

Dax especially loved when we bundled him all up for the snow...no wonder he hated going out there, he couldn't move...

Hadyn loved playing on the stairs, 

 in the little niches, closets or any other little fun spot she could find.

Dax also LOVED the stairs...he would crawl up, we would carry him back down and then he would crawl back up...there was a baby gate but he would scream and scream if you blocked him from his entertainment.  This child does not like to be fenced in...he NEEDS his freedom.

Vacations are always fun...but it is always good to come home.  After a long drive home it felt SO good to walk in our door.  I walked in with the first load from the car, took one look around the house in complete shock...my house was SPOTLESS.  I honestly don't remember how I left it (nor do I want to) but, I know it was not THAT clean.  At first I was embarrassed but then as the night wore on I was just extremely grateful!  I will forever be indebted to the cleaning club!!  

sleigh ride

We drove over to Greer on Monday afternoon (after Owen worked all morning, talked on the phone until he lost service, and then worked again when we got home...no I'm not bitter...without the business we would live in a cardboard box...right??) and took the kids on a sleigh ride.  

It was a perfect day and the area we rode through was picturesque.  The kids had a blast sitting up front with the guide.  My only complaint was that the guide would give us NO warning when the horses would start galloping faster and I about lost Dax 3 times...but it was worth it listening to the kids laugh while we were going fast.  Memories...

At the stables the kids played on the swing set...can you guess which trail is Hadyn's?  

snowy snack

I made my favorite snow treat for the kids while we were at the cabin.  This is my favorite memory of the snow as a kid, besides missing weeks of school...can't really beat that. 

 

 Anyway, all you need is some fresh WHITE snow,

and maple syrup.

Mix and enjoy!!  Owen kept making fun of me while I was making it for the kids...and then he tried it...yes, that is what I thought. 

snowflake temple

On Sunday afternoon we decided to take a drive to Snowflake to see the temple.  We didn't know where exactly the temple was in Snowflake but figured we could find it.  After driving through town and not seeing anything, we were about to call for an address, when I looked over my shoulder and saw it in the distance on the hill...it was stunning.

The view was beautiful...this picture really doesn't do it justice.

So, as we are driving up the temple we take a turn and bang there is this HUGE house built right underneath the temple.  Now seriously, WHY would someone build this monstrous home that, I feel, takes away from the beauty of this temple?  I won't delve into my anger...but, I was REALLY bothered by this.  I just don't understand some people.

snow fun

When Owen informed me a couple weeks before Christmas that he was closing the shop for the WHOLE week in between Christmas and New Years I was ecstatic and quickly rented a cabin to get us out of town, so he couldn't find excuses to go into work.  We left for Show low the day after Christmas.  When we arrived we found a perfect cabin, with the perfect amount of snow on the ground with the perfect sledding hills on the golf course right behind the cabin...it was...perfect!!!

 

The kids...and us, had a blast in the snow.  They couldn't get enough of sledding.  Dax didn't particularly like being all bundled up but as soon as we were heading down the hills he would stop crying and would be laughing by the end.

Taryn and Drake loved going over the jump.

another christmas come and gone

And it was another fabulous day, even though it felt a little empty without Avery and Alyssa.   But, we did enjoy having Tim, Jill, Quinn...

and my mom and dad over.  We opened presents, ate a yummy breakfast (Thanks Tim!!), played games, ate, played with new toys, and ate some more.

Dax loved his stocking...he was so cute digging in it.  He was pretty much in awe the whole day, enjoying all the ribbons and wrapping paper.  Which was good since he only got 1 present...ahh to be the fourth.

Drake loves his pirate stuff,

Owen loves his Carter's ice cream shirt...if you haven't heard this story you just haven't spent enough time with Owen (I am pretty sure everyone has heard it 3 times, since I have heard it well over 100).  

Hadyn loves her princess microphone, this was her gift from Santa that was hidden in the dryer.  For some reason she came out with it before we had even opened stockings!!!  What kid is looking in the dryer Christmas morning???  Needless to say Taryn and Drake quickly searched for their Santa gifts too...so much for the darn cute poems Santa wrote.

And Taryn loves her furreal kitty.  She wanted another real cat but since once was enough for me...this was the next best thing.  She seems pretty content.

 

Time seems to pass all too quickly and we once again didn't send out Christmas cards this year.  But we are grateful for all of our wonderful friends and family.  We are so blessed and are constantly reminded of that everyday!  We hope you all had a wonderful christmas too, and wish you the best for the coming new year!!

One for love!!!!

an arizona christmas eve

Most people have a nice dinner and program on Christmas eve, open christmas pjs, put cookies and milk out for santa, sing carols, and enjoy family time.  We do all those things on Christmas eve too...but our favorite tradition is swimming.  My parents heat up the hot tub and we all jump in, just one of the perks of living in Arizona!!

 

Then there are some crazy people who think it is fun to jump in the freezing cold pool...I think I got my big toe in before I stopped...

After dinner everyone was zonked...another reason why swimming is a fabulous christmas tradition, it wears everyone out.

After bringing everyone home, opening christmas jammies, putting out milk and cookies then reputting everyone to bed, Owen and I, for the first time in I don't know how many years, watched a movie and went to bed before midnight...yes, I had NO wrapping to do.   Thank you wrapping club, my favorite NEW Christmas tradition!  

How can you not LOVE christmas??

how many...

lollipops can you fit in your mouth at once?

wilson family christmas party

We hosted the annual Wilson family christmas party again this year and it was another fabulous night.  After filling our bellies with LOTS of yummy food we had our own little nativity scene...one of the cutest I've seen...  

We read passages from the scriptures and sang christmas songs as the children acted out the story of Jesus' birth.

In typical Hadyn fashion, Hadyn would strip while we sang (Tara, I just don't get what you taught in dance class...my poor innocent child).  And yes, Hadyn is wearing a sundress in the middle of winter...

 

Of course, no Wilson Christmas party would be complete without a visit from Santa...some keen children this year thought it was interesting that Grandpa and Santa wore the same glasses...hmmm???

Santa's little helpers

Even all the big kids got to tell Santa all their desires...well, maybe only their desire for some chocolate...

It may be a little choatic having 50+ people in your home.  But, I do look forward to this fun tradition and can't wait until next year!!!