Christmas vacation was so nice and relaxing. We headed out to Tooele on Friday night (Dec.23) after work and got to Kyle's Dad's house to stay for the night on our way to Idaho. I was able to meet some extended family staying there that I had yet to meet, so it was fun to get to meet Tara and Mike and their kids. We also got to see Russ and Bev there too!
Saturday we headed to my parents house and made it for a lovely Christmas Eve Dinner with my Mom & Dad, Ginny & Papa, Carli, and Kyle & I. Of course the food was delicious - some of my favorites were the Prime Rib Dad cooked and the yummy sticky buns, and of course my favorite dish...mashed potatoes and gravy! YUUUUMMMMMMYY! It was great to get to catch up with everyone.

 After dinner, Dad read to us "The Story of Christ." It was a great way to feel of the Spirit and to remember what Christmas is all about. We often get a little too distracted with buying gifts and making sure all of these crazy ideas go through well and it was nice to sit back and listen to a beautiful story about our Savior. I am so grateful for the things that I know and the things that I was taught since I was a little girl.

Christmas morning,  I was the first one up of course. I can't remember a Christmas at home where I wasn't?! Anyways, we got up and opened a few gifts together and then hurried off to get ready for church. It was so nice to have Christmas on a Sunday. Since it was though, they had a lovely Christmas program that one of the members had put together a beautiful depiction of what took place the night that Jesus was born. It was filled with stories and pretty musical numbers. It was great to see so many familiar faces in the ward while we were there too. I have so many great memories with so many of them. It is a little crazy to see some of the people around my age with multiple children...aparently I am definately slacking in that department. After church we went home and started making my favorite breakfast...Biscuts and gravy! It was soooo good. I really need to learn how to master it the way mom and ginny do. We finished opening up gifts with one another. We were seriously spoiled by our family! Holy cow we are so lucky to have such wonderful parents, brothers and sisters, and grandparents who love us so much. We truly are so blessed in our life. We couldn't be more grateful for all that they do for us continually. LOVE YOU ALL. Later on Aunt Denise and Uncle Greg and Tyler came up too. It was so great to get to see them! It is so fun that she is so much closer and get to see her that much more often!

Since there wasn't any snow anywhere, we decided to take the horses out and go for a ride. Kyle & I, Papa, Carli, and Tyler all went out on the loop from our house and down the draw by the river and back up and around. It was fun  to get out...even though it was FREEZING. As we were riding we went by where Kyle proposed to me...ahhh such great memories! :) It always is so great to be back on Maggie. I miss riding so much...so so much!

We went and stayed at the house in Boise for a few days. We caught up with Grandma Vera and went to see the new Mission Impossible movie and went to dinner over at the Olive Garden. The movie was really good...super intense the whole time. Grandma said she isn't letting dad pick the movie next time. :) It was fun to get to see her and catch up. We went over to her house after and hung out. She gave me some of the dishcloths and hangers she makes. She was so funny and made us all for Christmas this year "Bronco" slippers. Usually it is a surprise at the color we get, but this year it was all Orange and Blue! We love them! She is so talented in doing that stuff.

The next day we caught up with Grandpa Al and went to lunch with him at PF Changs. Love this place. So yummy. It was good to see him and catch up. We went over to the office and hung out for a while afterwards and hear about all thats going on. We eneded up going to the mall and made the returns we needed to and then just went back home and hung out. We watched the movie Columbiana. Holy cow that was crazy...I can't imagine a life that way. I enjoyed watching it though. A friend of Carli and I's came by. It has been forever since I had seen Adolfo. He is seriously the nicest kid ever.

When we got back home we got to help Dad and Ty move some cows to a different field too. Kyle like to have something going on when we are riding rather than just "walking the horses" as he puts it. He is so funny sometimes. Always moving. However he had to do a lot of studying over the break for his biig GMAT test that he has to take here soon. He is so dedicted to studying and doing well on this placement test. I know that he will do great! I am so proud of him.

Hung out for a few more days in GF and then stopped half way in Tooele at Kyle's Dad's house for the rest of the weekend before back to STG.

Rebecca, Megan and I decided to make Megan a upholstered headboard for her new bedroom. Holy cow...it looks so fantastic! I forgot to get a picture, but I will have to have Megan send me one of it. I really was impressed with how awesome it turned out. Now, when I have extra arms around here I will have to attempt! :) We had such a great and relaxing vacation. Now back to reality and our busy crazy hectic life!!! :)