Christmas Break 2012

This year for Christmas, we switched our original plans and went up North with Matt's family so he could take a CNA course over the break instead of trying to fit it into his class schedule. It was such a fun trip! I had some really fun afternoons with my mother in law, grandma in law, and roommate from last year. 

Matt's classes were 10 hours long for the first week, and then he had the next week of clinical hours, so he was pretty busy! We still found time to go on fun dates, though. One night we drove out to West Jordan to Matt's old neighborhood. It was fun to get him telling stories about growing up, and be able to put pictures with stories he's already told me about his friends house, or climbing out of his room window onto the roof. Another night we went to Tucano's and to the Salt Lake Temple for a session (which I've been dying to do. Ever since my roommate, Chelsi, and I went to the SLC Temple for baptisms I couldn't wait to see the rest of the temple! It was so beautiful! Just like the outside. :) ) One of our other dates was riding Trax (Matt made fun of me for thinking that was a cool adventure) to Temple square to see the lights, and get hot chocolate. When we found a place across the street from the Temple that had hot chocolate, the girl working there talked us into getting hot icecream instead. It's just melted chocolate ice cream, so really really thick, rich hot chocolate. :p Good for the first few sips, but too rich to finish a whole cup of it! At least it kept our hands warm. ;)

I loved these lanterns! So cute!

Chelsi and I met up the first day I was there and we did some last minute Christmas shopping, and had lunch, and visited her mom. (I love Chelsi's mom. She all but adopted me when I stayed with their family last year for Conference.) One of the other days I hung out with Chelsi, we ran some errands, grabbed lunch and watched a movie until her nephew got home. It was really nice to catch up, since we haven't seen each other since we moved out last May! (Well. Ok, so technically we saw each other at my reception... but who has time to talk in the line?) Our last catch up day, we went to Dickey's Barbecue for lunch (because her brother in law works there and always gives us free food. :) ) and visited some more. (of course. :) We're girls! Talking's what we do best!)

I spent one afternoon with Grandma Lola, which was such a fun day! I think I wore her out a little, but I think she still likes me. ;) She insisted on taking me out to lunch, so we went to Olive Garden for some soup and breadsticks. I hadn't ever been inside a Win Co store, so she proudly showed one off to me. :) They are pretty marvelous places! I felt a little giddy in the bulk section. (That's how you know when you're growing up and getting boring. Buying things in bulk is exciting, and looking at all the tags that tell you how much you save is like an ice cream cone!) After we got home from our adventerous drive, I asked her to tell me some stories from all the scrap books she has. It was really cool to see their family history, and to get to know a little bit more about Grandpa Benson, who passed away before Matt and I were married. Grandma Benson (Lola) came back to Mike and Vicki's, and helped me make dinner. She is such a funny lady! I've really grown to love her even more, especially over the break. I'm truly blessed to have married into such a great family.

(I wish i would have taken pictures of our adventures. :) )

Matt and I went to Eagle Mountain for Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day to celebrate with Mike and Jennifer and all the kids. I love hanging out with all the sibs, but especially the younger ones. They're so entertaining with all the funny things they say. :) While we were there, it finally snowed! (I was waiting for snow all month long and it never really snowed a ton until we got up there for Christmas.) Matt, Kennedy, Enoch and I bundled up and went sledding Christmas Eve Morning, and then pretty much bummed around all day. The night before Christmas Eve, or "Christmas Adam" as Carson called it, we decorated sugar cookies that Jennifer made, with Uncle Dan and his kids. (Heather was home re doing cupboards). It's fun to watch all the little cousins giggle and play together. It reminds me of my cousins when we were little and writing silly plays or being 'huskies'. :) Family is so fun, isn't it?

Christmas Eve, all the kids squished mattresses down to the basement and watched Elf together. It was definitely cozy, but a fun memory. :)

After opening all the gifts we headed off to Grandma Wilde's house to skype with her (she's on a second mission in Washington) and have a brunch with all the Aunts and Uncles and cousins. That's when we got our most treasured possession, personalized 'red neck wine glasses' along with a bottle of apple cider, and some cheese and crackers. Snack pack style. :p Seriously, it was the funnest gift to open and hear all the reactions. (all the married couples in the family got some.)

The cookie decorating crew

Enoch's creations. (Note how his sweater
is inside out and backwards. :) Haha
I so love this kid!)

Kenner's cookies

My cute cousin Maddison :)

And this, children, is why you don't eat too much sugar. ;)

Braxton's extremely sprinkled cookie. :)

Enoch brought down his bunny and blanket, which
sparked the conversation of how Jen still has Matt's
bunny and blanket, so of course we had to bring them
up. :) His bunny started out looking like Enochs....
I guess it was well loved. ;)

SNOW!!!! :D  Let the sledding begin!

Kennedy

Matt and Enoch

Kenners, Enoch and Matt

Is he not the cutest 8 year old you know??

I would just like to note, that I was wearing a collaboration of
what was in the coat closet. The coffin family is a tall
family. I am not. :p But I was toasty!

Squish :p

Kennedy and me, I think she was scared I was gonna
kill us. :p

Christmas Morning, Carson trying on his new sweater

Kell opening her new camera!

Mike and Jennifer :)

And of course, Foster got in on the celebration

Kade opening his gifts

And Matt and I opening our gifts to each other.

Mike got Enoch and Kennedy these reacher/grabber things,
and I think they played with these more than their other
presents! :p

Matt and I spent the rest of the afternoon visiting Aunt Cindy, and then meeting up with Mike's (Gallegos) side of the family. His mother is the cutest, sweetest little lady. As soon as we walked in she came up to Matt saying, "My guy! My guy's here" and giving him big hugs. :) And Mike's dad is this adorable little man who occasionally gets up to sing for everyone, and kisses my hand.

Later in the week after paying a visit to instacare (I had this super weird super annoying rash since the day after we got there.) we went to Mike and Jennifer's to celebrate Matt's birthday a little late. It's always so lively at that house, you're always laughing. :) My mother in law, Jennifer, is a cake master, and all the kids know it! So they request a certain kind of cake every year and she always creates this masterpiece! This year, I had shown Matt a picture of a 2 year old's cake on the pinternet, and so he had me email it to Jennifer for his birthday creation. She didn't let us down! Jennifer put together such a cute little construction cake. Brianna, Dan's youngest, loved it! She's a trucks and dirt kind of girl I guess. 

Matt's fun birthday cake!

Carson, doing his brotherly duties.

Cutest girl, Brianna. I promise, someday she'll like me. :p

The Coffin family gave Matt this mini generator thing.
It can jumpstart your car, has lights on it, you can charge
your phones on it, it has an air hose... we're set between
our 72 hour kit, and this handy little gadget!

I'm learning the joys of having brothers. :p It's all foreign
to me. 

Aunt Deb (the giver of the awesome redneck wine glasses)
Miquelle, and Enoch.

The next day we had a Gallegos family Christmas party, and I finally got to meet all of Mike's kids. I really enjoyed being able to visit with all of them, and help Vicki make her delicious chicken enchaladas. Mike and Vicki are the most giving, kind people I know! We really had two Christmases this year! It's pretty rare for all of Mike's (Gallegos) and Vicki's kids to be together so we took some family pictures. Here are the ones from my camera. (pretend they're better quality :p my camera struggles with lighting.)

(Top left to bottom right: Daniel, Whitney, Shay, Dustin,
Courtney, Matt, Me, Jason, Mallorie, Matt H.,
Grandma Benson, Mike, Brady, Vicki, and Morgan)
Shay's husband, Mike, was busy that night, and Dustin's
girlfriend had to work, but I think that's all we were missing!

Of course we had to take a silly one. :)

We really loved being able to spend so much time with Matt's side of the family, since we don't get to as often. I can't wait to get up there and visit again! Especially now that Morgan has had her baby. :)

He was born on the 16th, and I've been so jealous of
all the cute pictures of family holding this cute little chub :)

Isn't he darling??