Christmas in Utah

Since moving to Texas we have always spent Christmas here at home. But this year (motivated by the fact that my brother was getting married in Utah on Dec. 30th) we broke tradition and drove up to Utah to spend the holiday with my family.

We've never done a multi-day road trip with our whole family, so I was a little nervous about how it would go. Happily, the girls were AMAZING travellers. The fact that we put bunches of movies on their tablets and let them watch as much as they wanted may have had something to do with that!

Russ had to work through Dec. 22nd, but we left right after work and knocked out the first 5 hours of the journey. The following day we did about 10 hours. We debated about just pushing through the rest of the way (there was some concern about a predicted snowstorm hitting the next day), but in the end we chose to stop for the night. The girls were sure happy we did - the hotel we stayed in was SO fun! They had their own little curtained-off room with bunk beds, a TV, movies, and video games.

We brought along some little gifts the girls could open throughout the trip. One of the favorites was a Crocodile Dentist game Russ found. We took turns pushing down on the crocodile's teeth until he CHOMPED. It was easy to pass around the car so we could all participate.

Because of the storm that was supposed to hit Utah in the afternoon we left eary from our hotel on Christmas Eve to finish out the final 6 hours and hopefully miss the bad weather. Driving out of Cortez, Colorado that morning was one of my most memorable parts of the trip. There was a beautiful sunrise as we drove through quiet mountain roads surrounded by snow-dusted farms listening to our favorite Christmas music. It was magical.

We made it to my parent's house in Orem without trouble and got in before the snows did. 

One of the highlights was being able to meet my sister's baby Isaac, who was born in October. 

All the cousins were together for Christmas Eve, which will probably never happen again since we're spread all over the country (and the world now). Here are the stars of our Nativity play.

And here's what the kids woke up to on Christmas morning! Since McKell was born in Texas, she's never really experienced snow. It was slightly humorous to watch her discover that snow is COLD. 

Brenna got the tablet she'd been asking Santa Claus for, and this is pretty much how she spent her whole week of holiday vacation.

Here are our lovely ladies all ready for church on Christmas Day.

Grandpa's big breakfasts are always a highlight of being with the Waltons.

We went up to Temple Square one evening to see the lights. 

McKell spent more time playing in the snow than looking at the lights. :)

McKell decided her gummy lifesavers would make excellent toe rings.

Cousin Audrey made an amazing fish at our "Finding Dory" movie party.

Darling Eliza was pretty fascinated with baby Isaac.

And here are some pictures from the wedding day!

   

I took a picture of the salad I had at the wedding luncheon because it was SO pretty. And you can see the hand of the little thief that stole all my berries!

We started our drive home on New Year's Eve, the day after the wedding. It went well, aside from the flat tire we woke up to on New Year's Day. Thankfully, Walmart tire center is open on Sundays and holidays. We got home early, early on January 2nd. We were EXHAUSTED, but happy we were able to spend the holidays with family, and be together for my brother's wedding.