Okay, so we're home, the kids are back in school, and life is sort of normal so I figured I'd better get to my forever long holiday post.

Warning: this post may be quite lengthy as I haven't written anything for about two weeks and there's a lot to cover. Feel free to read it in two or three sittings, but do me a favor and post a comment when you're done (pretty please!) so I can feel like my work was appreciated =)

Alright...here we go!

The first news would be Nate's layoff. On the 17th Nate was temporarily laid off. His boss wanted to do a "rolling" lay off where everyone takes a turn being laid off this winter instead of just laying off a bunch of people for the entire winter like he usually does. He thinks it will be more fair. Don't get me started on that one.
Anyway...the lay off was supposed to go for two weeks, but we just found out today that Nate doesn't go back to work until the 18th. So, needless to say we've had lots of family time this Christmas!

Christmas Eve was spent at my Mom's house having yummy dinner and opening presents. Being the only grandkids/nephew and nieces on my side of the family, Jonah, Lilly, & Jayne got spoiled like crazy! They love all their fun presents. Thank you everyone!

Jonah's new Cloud Cat....very manly!

Jonah's toy iguana

When we got home that night we hurried into our pajamas so we could get to sleep so Santa could come. Nate spread out some 'reindeer food' that a friend had given us and Jonah set out a plate of cookies for the Big Man that we had made earlier in the day. Then we tucked the kiddos snugly into their beds.

Christmas morning was fun and relaxed. The kids looked out their window to discover reindeer tracks in the snow and the reindeer food all eaten up. Santa had also eaten his cookies, much to the delight of the little ones!
We opened all the presents and the kids started playing right away. I made a yummy breakfast of eggs, bacon, and fruit and we settled in to relax. We have a strict stay home policy for Christmas Day. People are free to come visit us, but we like to stay home and spend the day as a family. My mom and brothers and sisters stopped by to see what Santa had brought the kids. It was a very peaceful and wonderful day!

Lilly's elephants from Aunt Amanda and Aunt Emily

Daddy and Jayne hamming it up for the camera

Jayne's favorite gift was this outfit. She carried it around all morning.

Lilly in her Fairy dress up clothes with her talking doll house

Since Nate was off work, we decided to make a trip to Las Vegas to visit his family. We left early(the alarm went off at 4:30am) the day after Christmas and arrived right around lunch time. I had started to develop a sort of sinus infection cold thingy on Christmas Day and it just got worse. So I was sick and exhausted for most of our time in Las Vegas.
The kids did great on the drive and were so excited to be at Grandma and Grandpa's house. They loved playing with them and with Aunt Emily. They even got to play with their one and only cousin, Quinn, for a while.
A few highlights of our trip included a trip to the temple with Grandma and Grandpa, seeing the fish at the Bass Pro Shop and the Silverton Hotel...


and exploring mine with Tyler and Rebekka. Nate and I and Aunt Emily went on this one without the kids. It was their nap time and we didn't think they would particularly enjoy it. Tyler took us to an abandoned mine tunnel. He and Rebekka and Quinn have explored them before. Tyler went through the mine first to make sure there were no animals lurking inside. Nate stood at the ready at the exit just in case something came rushing out. Not to worry, the place was uninhabited except for some beer bottles and surfing magazines....go figure.

Little Quinn loved the tunnel. He had his flashlight and loved walking through.

Nate and I pushed the boundaries of our claustrophobia. We both don't like tight spaces. I think mine was more the fear of the thing caving in on us or something. But it was pretty cool to walk in there and imagine what it must have been like for the men that had actually worked in there every day.

After we came out of the mine, Nate and Tyler wanted to do a little shooting. They set up some spray paint cans and a pumpkin and some other targets on the hillside and had a grand old time. They were aiming for a blue can of spray paint. As soon as Nate pulled the trigger, a gust of wind came up. He hit the can and blue spray paint got all over him and Tyler! They were little polka dotted smurfs!

After the shooting, we all went out to dinner at Claim Jumper. We ordered dessert first and then dinner. The food was fabulous and so was the company!

We were also in Las Vegas for New Year's Eve. Grandma and Grandpa pulled out some games and we all sat around the table playing. I think the group favorite was Guesstures. I was the only one who had ever played before. It was really fun watching everyone try to act out their words on the cards. After we were done playing games, we blew up some balloons. We gave one to each of the kids and took them outside. They yelled "Happy New Year!" and let the air out of their balloons, which sent them flying in all directions. Then we all turned in nice and early since we were leaving the next day.







Nate had warned me that he wanted to leave pretty early to head home, so I was expecting the 4am wake-up call that I'd gotten on the morning of the drive down. You can imagine my surprise and 'enthusiasm' when the alarm went of at 2:30 in the blessed A.M.! Nevertheless, I rolled myself out of bed and we got loaded up and on the road. We made the drive in 6 hours and only one pit stop thanks to sleeping kids(all except Jayne-she only slept about 45 minutes during the entire drive!). We got home and started unpacking, making lunch, and getting ready for a much needed nap.
Later that night, Nate and I went over to our friends' house and played some Guitar Hero and had pizza. It was really fun to just hang out and visit. Then on Saturday, we crashed.

Let's see, that brings me to Sunday. Don't fret. We're almost done. You're on the home stretch!
Sunday was Nate's first day teaching in primary. He co-teaches our largest class, the 9 year olds. We had 11 there this Sunday and there are 7 more on the roll. His partner wasn't there, so Nate got to do the lesson. The kids loved him! They all raved about him to me after class time.

The kids went back to school today. They both were very excited to see their teachers and friends again. Nate also went back to school today. He is finishing his Bachelor's Degree in Criminal Justice through Weber State. They offer the classes in the evenings at Salt Lake Community College. He'll have class on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday nights. If all goes according to the plan, he'll be finished in August.

Phew! I think that about does it! Thanks for sticking with me!
We hope you all had a wonderful Holiday Season! We're looking forward to 2010 and the challenges and joys it will undoubtedly bring.