Christmas and News Years recap!

This Christmas was spent with my family in Portland and let me tell you, it was a fabulous one!! Taylor and I, as most of you know had to come home early from Thailand, because of protests in Bangkok, so we got to spend THREE WEEKS in Portland! I soaked up every minute of it, Taylor was about done being around kids by the time we left, but he hasn't really spent a lot of time around a big family like mine, so we'll just give him time. He plays so well with my nieces and nephews, it's quite adorable to watch.

We did a bunch of really fun activities together while we were there, we went ice skating (which I dub a new family tradition), we made ginger bread houses, Lisa and I went and saw a couple movies together, which is always fun, and my favorite was going to the Temple together as a family to do baptisms for the dead. We had a few family meals together, including Joann's fabulous finger steaks, a big ham dinner (with Mom's delightful ham sauce), chimichnagas, and our traditional big breakfast on Christmas morning. Monica made some amazing tamales and peach pastries, which Taylor and I had the privilege of gorging ourselves with (I also dub a tradition, thanks Kent and Moni).

New years was another story, we spent the day before New years eve and New Years eve day sicker than dogs and driving for 24 hours to Arizona, where we will be living for the next five months while I attend school. When we got to Taylor's parent's house we crashed on the floor by the heater and then passed out just after the clock struck twelve. At least we made it right?!?! We finally recovered the day after New Years day and I have to say that it is so wonderful to be here with Taylor's family. They have been so wonderful to us by opening there houses and sharing lasagna, to treating us to a movie and an awesome turkey dinner with the works!! Natalie has introduced me to a whole new way of grocery shopping and I have gotten a lot of food for very Little money! Thanks Nat!!!

We have been spoiled rotten!!! We had so much fun crashing at your houses and watching movies (Thanks Moni and Kent) and in your beds (Thanks Mom, Dad, Lisa, and Jason), Christmas is really about all of you! Thanks to all of you family (not gonna name all of you) for everything, for sharing your food with us and making us feel so loved! We love each and every one of you to pieces!