Photo Onslaught

Brace yourself.
I haven't blogged in a while. It had something to do with the kids being home the whole week before Christmas break, and then Christmas break, and then a trip to Utah (which I am still having).
We had a lovely Christmas with Nic's family. Alicia and her boyfriend, Tucker, introduced me to Settlers of Catan, and I am now an addict as well as a Rockband addict. CC and Kennedy rock on drums and guitar.
I never did find my camera, but I'm in heaven with my replacement. It may not find it's way back to where it came. Here are some photos of the fun, in the opposite order that they happened, because blogger is dumb and uploads them backwards and I'm too lazy to cut and paste all of them.
I have more, but I'll save that for another night. We are having a fantastic time here in Utah visiting my family. I get overwhelmed with all that I miss not being near my family. I have met two new nieces and am gaining another step sis in law tomorrow night, Ryan is getting married to Johanna.
I went to my home ward and didn't get recognized, I had to introduce myself to my Young Women's leaders. I guess it goes both ways, I saw a kid that I graduated with and his four kids and about flipped out that he was old enough to be a dad of four.....yeah, I know.
The worst thing that happened so far this trip is all my brother and step brother's fault. Their cute boys and new babies are making me crazy baby hungry..... I know... I just need my kids to be rotten and sick for a week and I'll be cured. But the girls have been angels and in heaven with all the aunties and Grandmas and Grandpas and PRESENTS! They are going to think that every trip to Utah comes with a windfall of toys.
So without further ado, the onslaught....

Mischevious Milo, my nephew



Step sis, Stephany, step sis in law, Jo, cousin Kate, and Kennedy



My cousins on my mom's side (well, like a 1/10 of them)



My brother Jake, his beautiful wife Cara, and my nieces Amery and baby Lindy



Shelby, my sister, and Bree (if you can't tell, this kid is a cam ham)



Ava fighting off boredom on the drive to Utah



The gang posing at Grandpa Lyle's tree



Bree estatic on Christmas morning



CC got her mad face on during the drive



Ava looking lovely in her snow white dress on Christmas



Vial's on the stairs, I think this photo is mandatory at Christmas. Some day I'll make a post of all the Christmas stair photos.



CC fell asleep waiting for Santa



Snow of Grandpa Rich's birdhouse



Window view, watching dad cut down our beautiful eucalyptis tree that broke in half during the freeze.



Rich and Paula's vineyard



The frozen apple orchard



Bird on frozen tree in my backyard. I think it's a double breasted boobie bird.



Elmo Studd's. Pretty funny signage. My favorite is during zucchini harvest time, it says "50 lbs. of zucchini free with every purchase, no exceptions."

Day 3 of Artic Blast 2008

I love that you just can't have a "winter storm" anymore. It has to be ARTIC BLAST 2008!!!
The girls are out of school for the second day, and we didn't have church on Sunday. So needless to say, we are a little stir crazy. I have lost my camera again, it's one of those residual effects of childbearing, I have no memory. So no fantastic pictures of Nic on his banshee (really scary 4 wheeler), doing cookies on our street, or CC bundled up resembling the little boy in "A Christmas Story" who couldn't put is arms down. No chummy photo of Kennedy and her friends with their frozen faces and red ears. Nope, but that's alright. I also don't have photos of me still wearing my robe for the third day in a robe (I did shower yesterday, I think). Or Ava and Bree crying hysterically because I wouldn't bundle them up to romp in the snow like their big sisters. We just don't have enough snow clothes to go around. I've never needed gloves or boots for them in the past.
It was a funny sight when we first took Kennedy to Utah for her first winter. We had to borrow gloves and boots from my mom's neighbors, and she wore her columbia rain jacket that was the same color/pattern of her cousin Kate's snow jacket. Different climates.
Anywho, we are surviving. We have playdohed, baked cookies, colored, wrapped presents, unwrapped presents, decorated the tree, and caused mayhem and madness for three days, I'm done. And guess what is going to happen next week, no school for three weeks. The song "It's beginning to look alot like Christmas" comes to mind, especially the line, "And mom and dad can hardly wait for school to start again."
So I salute you ladies in the NW who are finding that entertaining your children 24/7 the week you thought you had free to finish things before you had your kids in your face and crawling all over you for three weeks. Hang in there, and take a deep breathe. I just did a lesson in Relief Society about Pres. Monson's theme of "Joy in the Journey". He said we'd look back at these days and moments and miss them when we are older. So, I'm enjoying this moment and the time I have to snuggle up with my girls, watch movies, be creative, and hold them a little bit closer.
Stay warm, stay happy.
Hailey

Merry Christmas!

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