Christmas in Utah

CHRISTMAS IN UTAH

We are so incredibly grateful to have amazing people in our lives that we call family!  We absolutely love seeing everyone. We love coming to Utah!!!

We went to Kangaroo Zoo which is a jump place to play with cousins.

Here is Grandma's crazy monkeys!

Grandmas favorite circle picture

Pizza Party after all the jumping

Sweet grandma that lives for all her grandkids.  She is a wonderful grandma.

Love you to the moon and back!

Christmas at the Martinson's

Someone is tuckered out

We love this tradition of going to Granny's for breakfast!  Granny, Kelly, Chris, and Gramps treat us so well.  Kelly also keeps the tradition alive by watching Mr. Bean with the kids.

Wow these kids love the snow so much!

It is never too cold to play outside.  They also had Luna to keep them company.

We did so really fun activities at Nana and Grandpa's house.  It is so fun when everyone is together.  We did the a fun challenge of the hot sauces from Hot Ones.  Everyone did a great job and ate spicer than they thought was possible.  The challenger was pretty funny when the 3 ending contestants were Derek, Trevor, and Bethany.  Then it got between Trevor and Bethany.  

What a fun activity!

Now I can't remember- who won???

I love Bethany's face....ha ha

These girls love Luna!

At Nana's house their is some fun crafts- Snowflake making!

Creative Sandwich making

David and Maren are designated to the activities committee.  They spontaneously came up with some fun activities together.  This painting activity was so much fun.  Everyone has so much talent!

Nana was so thoughtful to teach Ashlyn to crochet.  She made a scarf.

Sledding Time!

It was one of those magical moments.  Being in the winter weather, hearing Christmas songs, and having a blast sledding down the hill.  The kids could stay there all day.  It was fun to also have Nana with us! 

(I absolutely enjoyed my heated coat) 

Another fun activity by Maren and David.  Competitive gingerbread house/hotels/churches/outhouse/trees making.  There was some serious competition and creativity.  ALL THE CANDY..............

Spiderman in the house!!!

When we went to visit Grandma and Grandpa Robertson, Carl and Leah gave the girls these really nifty blocks. They had fun building them with Carl and Leah.

It was a lot of fun going ice skating with cousins!

Sawyer is such a sweet guy to Emmett

Our TEXAS doughtnuts!!!

Oh my goodness!!!!

We had a great time going to the movie Sing 2.

I didn't get a picture in time, but it was really cute.  Grandpa ate dinner with all the grandkids!  He was happy, laughing, and bonding with the grandkids. 

Derek had a fun guys date with some of his dental school buddies.  They went to Top Golf and enjoyed each others company.  Derek betting with his friends- so he got a free meal and free top golf.

It was fun to catch up with my mission companions.  We went to lunch and twisted sugar and talked and talked.  It is always fun to catch up

Grandma has a fun tradition where she does the polar express each year.  She is supergrandma for babysitting all the grandkids while us grown kids had a lunch together. 

It was so much fun to talk as adults without kids.  Thank you Mom!

This was one of my favorite parts with my family.

Awkward hug

Diamond dot fun!

It was so much fun to meet Trevor's girlfriend Bethany.  The girls loved her (and so did Derek and I).  Desi would write her tons of notes.  She was well loved.

Of course they love Trevor, but I think he was feeling a little left out because either he didn't get enough notes from Desi or the girls were stealing Bethany's attention.... ha ha jk

Nana is one of many talents!  She was so thoughtful to teach each of the girls how to sew a pillowcase.  She is so patient and make things a lot of fun.  They took an adventure to the fabric store and each picked out their own pattern.  These are some happy girls!

Grandpa was teaching the kids how to play dominos and making paths with the dominos.  It was fun to knock it over.

They did a wonderful job.

Ruth Ann and Scott got a new game for Christmas- the Bird game and it turned out to be really fun!  I must have had first time luck because I whipped everyone!

Grandpa has some hidden talents!  We were all impressed!  Way to go Grandpa!

A special tradition is making Nana's cookies with the one and only NANA!!  It is so much fun and delicious to eat!

Scott and Ruth Ann are the best grandparents to watch the kids (and they don't even miss us because they are having a blast with grandparents)!  We were able to do an overnighter in SLC. We had a great time!  I love being married to my best friend!

I love watching Nana share her talents with the kids and make memories with them doing her talents (sewing, baking, reading, piano playing, and reading)! The music is so beautiful! 

Some of my other memories of when we were there that I didn't get a picture of is Scott sharing about the book he is reading.  He is super excited and I can't wait to read it!  I loved how he was reading Ashlyn's story and sharing his wisdom and advice through what he is learning through his course that he is currently taking.  So so fun!!!

Also MY FAVORITE MEMORIES is just sitting all around and talking with everyone.  I love the conversations that I can have individually with each family member and group discussion that we have with after the kids are in bed.  I love the atmosphere of love, acceptance, honest conversations, and just being together.  I feel incredibly grateful to have amazing in-laws.  I really got lucky!

These are the videos that the kids made for Grandpa and Nana for Christmas