Happy Holidays

This year we were able to spend Christmas in Snowflake. My brother Chris flew to our house on December 16th, just after finishing his last final for the semester. We spent a day taking it easy and a day in San Francisco (somehow I don't have any pictures of SF). It was fun being in San Francisco when everything was decorated for the holidays. The tree at Pier 39 was enormous! I also confirmed my suspicion that I prefer to have Jordan do the driving in San Francisco. Especially at 5 pm on a Friday afternoon! McKay loved having 'ris' to play with and the two of them came up with lots of games. I enjoyed preparing dinner by myself and uninterrupted!

Saturday morning we packed the car and Chris, McKay and I headed for southern California. Jordan still had to work until Christmas Eve so we left him here. It was sad to have to leave him! We got to Palmdale just in time for a ward Christmas dinner in my Aunt Mary's ward where Chris also served as a missionary. We spent the next couple of days visiting people Chris served with on his mission. It was enjoyable to meet so many people who were so excited and surprised to see Chris. I went to the Spanish branch with him. 2 years of Spanish in high school helped me understand parts of what they were saying but not everything, especially the talks. One Spanish sister even wanted us to come to dinner - she has a daughter she thinks would be PERFECT for Chris! ;)

Monday morning we headed for Snowflake. I was still trying to figure out how to travel with a potty-trained boy who can't 'hold it' for very long as well as dealing with frequent potty stops for this pregnant mama so the drive took FOREVER! About an hour from Snowflake, McKay had had it. He was all smiles though once we got in the house to see everyone. When it was time to drive home on January 2nd, Jordan and I decided to drive straight through rather than stopping in southern California. We stopped twice. The first stop took 6 minutes (according to the GPS) and we just got gas and used the restroom. The second stop was in Kettleman city, pretty much the only place to stop between here and so cal and everyone else had the same idea so it took about an hour. Overall, the drive took 13 hours. McKay was a champ. The last 20 minutes he was upset but as soon as I took him out of his seat to go in the house, he was out cold on my shoulder. Poor kid! The only other thing that happened on our drive back was that just after Bakersfield, we hit a huge patch of dense fog. I think it is the thickest I have ever driven through. We were glad when it cleared up. The DVD player we purchased along with the lunch and snacks my Mom packed for us enabled us to make the drive in the time we did. McKay loved the cucumbers & banana she sent for him.

We didn't quite get to do everything we had planned for our visit (does that EVER work out?) but we did get to do a lot including the following:

• McKay loved getting to help decorate the Christmas tree. Our place is so small we don't have room for a big tree so I just set up a small tree on a table. It takes about 5 minutes to decorate. He enjoyed helping Chris with the lights and finding different decorations to put on 'his spot' of the tree. After he went to sleep, his spot got spread out. :)
• McKay liked having Dustin hold him. He'd put his chin on Dustin's shoulder until one of them was ready for a change. McKay got Dustin's name down right when we got there and anytime we went anywhere, he wanted to go back to 'Dustin's house', including for several days after we got back to California.
• We've discovered McKay loves to play games (YAY!!) 'Yasee' (Yahtzee) and Perudo were games we played a lot while we were there. He was constantly asking to play 'dice' and always had his own cup to shake along with the rest of us. He also enjoyed playing other games that were more for his age and the phrase 'my turn' was added to his vocabulary. Perudo is a game Aunt Mary gave the family for Christmas. Definitely one we'll have to add to our collection!
• Due to circumstances beyond our control, Jordan spent Christmas Eve at the Shereton in Phoenix. He enjoyed seeing the rim and beautiful snow covered mountains on his flight to Show Low Christmas morning. We were so happy when he arrived safely!
  
• The day after Christmas we had family pictures taken. We are excited to see how they turned out. We were also able to attend my cousin David's wedding reception.
  
• Jordan & I celebrated our 4th anniversary by staying a night at a resort in Scottsdale. On the way down, we stopped in Queen Creek at the house we bought with my parents in July so Jordan could see it. We had some great Mexican food and had some pretty awesome pancakes from US Egg. We enjoyed being together, just the two of us. We had been in Arizona long enough McKay didn't want to leave and was perfectly happy to wave 'bye bye' to us so he could stay at Nanna and Papas. When we came back we got a lot of 'hi mamas' and 'hi daddy's but not our usual big hug when we've been gone. We're glad he loves being with Nanna & Papas!
• Nanna took McKay sledding in Heber with his cousins. He wasn't too sure about going down by himself but with Nanna, he was fearless! We met them in Heber at Melinda & Devin's on our way back from the valley.
• Nanna gave McKay a haircut while we were gone. Probably the best haircut he'll get till we go back next year. :)
• I got a much needed haircut and a 1 hour massage Jordan gave me for Christmas. Jordan cashed in his Valentines day gift early and got his first 1 hour massage - and loved it!
• Jordan and I were able to do a session in the Snowflake Temple on New Year's Eve. Wonderful!
• Mom & Dad were in charge of the New Year's Eve party so they had it in the guest house. We had a lot of fun.
• McKay loved spending time with his cousins, aunts, and uncles and I loved that he was so comfortable with everyone and his surroundings that he wasn't constantly by my side.
  
• We played lots of games, watched a few movies, and made lots of memories. McKay loved seeing everyone and was quick to greet them with a cheerful 'hi'. He could even say every one's names, though Chantelle & David were a little harder to recognize.
  

McKay and Uncle Chris watching Brant open his Christmas presents Sunday morning at Aunt Mary's house.

McKay helping Nanna make cookies.

McKay playing a game with Chris on his computer.

Not to be outdone by his uncles or papa, McKay did a few pull ups too. Chris found it was easiest to put McKay on his shoulders and let him do his pull ups from there, complete with grunts and everything.

McKay helping Nanna Anna make labels for goodie plates.

I didn't notice until we had been decorating for a while that McKay was putting all his decorations in the same place!

Watching a show with Uncle David.

Sweeping the floor.

David, Chris, McKay & Papa playing in the Tee pee.

McKay wore them out with his running games. :)

Opening presents Christmas morning.

McKay was so happy to see Daddy and had a blast opening presents. Christmas gets more and more fun each year!

This Elmo shapes/mailbox toy from Nanna and Papa was a huge hit!

Yet ANOTHER train!

Playing Games
Cars, Thin Ice (check out the tongue - lotsa concentration going on there!) and Scooby-Doo dice

Hide & Seek or Gray Wolf. I think they started with one and moved to the other. I am sure it was a variation of the game since they were playing with a 5 year old, a 3 year old, and two 2 year-olds. No peeking here!
Somehow I only got Dustin's feet but all three uncles were playing with the kids.

We wanted to watch a new movie we'd gotten for Christmas but McKay had other plans. HE wanted to play 'yasee'. So we started Yahtzee, then the movie. The movie won his attention but the minute it was over, he was ready to play 'dice'!

Choo Choo!

Hey look! The chairs in the guest house are set up like a train for the New Years Eve party!

McKay, Kindsey, Kenton, and Kardon ready to watch Ice Age in the house. McKay sat on the couch and Kindsey sat right next to him soon followed by her brothers. There's room for one more! Any takers?? Thanks Dustin and Chantelle for taking care of them while we were at the New Years Eve party!

We enjoyed playing Mad Gab, eating delicious snacks, and doing a white elephant gift exchange. Aunt Sheila really scored this year with an unopened 2008 wolf calendar and a 2XL "Real Plumbers Pump Iron" t-shirt that could fit at least 2 of her in it. (click the collage to get the full effect.) I wonder where that gift came from??!? Maybe it will show up at next years exchange. :) Stewarts also got the fan that has been going around for 20+ years. I'm not sure how they got so lucky! We had a great time with lots of good laughs and memories made. Insert 'Oh my!' from Kimberly.