Our (Pre) Christmas Vacation

(WARNING: This is going to be a long post!) We packed up the car and headed to Utah for a week! After a 14 hour drive, we finally made it. The ride really wasn't as bad as I expected, the boys did really great. The weather even cooperated on the way up ...coming home was a little trickier! And while it may have very well been the busiest week of our lives, it was REALLY so much fun!

Both Jackson and Harrison would beg to go outside and play as soon as they were dressed! They spent most of their time in the shady spots of Grandma and Papa's backyard where there was some trace of snow! I thought the cold would slow them down, but no such luck! They were really excited to see snow. It made me laugh!

Patrick got to go rope for the first time in like 3 or 4 years. Saying he misses it would be an understatement!!!

The boys got to go ride too, which they loved, even in the freezing cold!
We got to see so many of our friends too, it was a blast! And there was a lot of playing. Thanks so much to all of you who planned around us so we could visit! It is a busy time of year and we seriously appreciate you letting us invade! (I somehow managed to not get any pictures, that's kind of a bummer!)

We got together with our families too, we spent Wed. night over at Heather's house with most of the Swain family. It was a pizza party! There were lots of kids, so of course the boys were having a blast!

We also had a game night on Saturday at Swain's before we had to pack up. And the boys had spent the night, so they had their own party. Thurs. was a fun filled day with the Salisbury family. We got to go with Grams and my sister-in-law and nieces to the Treehouse Museum. (The boys have only been there once before, right before we moved, and Jackson has never stopped talking about it!) They had so much fun! These kids LOVE to play together! And Jackson especially, has missed his cousins! Then later that night we all packed on the layers to go to SLC for dinner and the lights at Temple Square. I totally regret to say that I have never taken either of my kids to see them, and now that we live 2 hours from the nearest temple, I am kicking myself! It was the one thing I really wanted to do while we were there! We rode tracks from dinner to the lights, which made Harrison's year! And then we hurried to see as much as we could, it was like 18 degrees outside! haha. Jackson could have seriously walked around forever, he really loved it! He was super excited to see where his mom and dad got married. (He has been learning about eternal families and temples in Primary.) It was great, freezing cold, but exactly what I had hoped for!

We got to have a game night Friday with the Salisbury's too! It was a lot of fun to hang out like that again. I don't have any pictures, but Patrick finally won at Settlers, so maybe it won't be like pulling teeth to get him to play next time! haha.

We seriously had to plan down to the minute, and we stayed busy and running all week! But it was SO worth it! Exhausted and sleep deprived, we headed home on Sunday morning for another 14 hour drive... this time in the snow! Yuck! Our car hasn't been this dirty in a year! This was I-15 in Utah County, nice I know! I was afraid the stress was going to cause labor! haha. So I tried to sleep through some of it! (The first 4 or 5 hours of the drive looked pretty similar!)
But we made it, safe and sound and without any major issues! It was bittersweet to leave. We missed our home and our beds, but it was really hard to say goodbye again! And while the timing wasn't ideal with the holidays and being 8 months pregnant, I'm SO glad we got to do it!!! Plus we got loaded up with tons of baby cloths and Christmas presents! :) We have the very best family and friends! Merry (early) Christmas everyone, we love and miss you all!