Christmas Vacation

If you recognize some of the pictures on this blog post because it came from your facebook page...SORRY! :)  I went on a picture stealing rampage because we didn't use our camera NEARLY enough while were in America.  Lets get started, shall we?

We had Christmas at Mimi's house with all of my siblings except for Lara and Rebecca.  Lara CLAIMED she couldn't come because she had newborn baby girl twins in the NICU (I think she just wasn't trying hard enough).  Rebecca CLAIMED her hubby had to work...Whatever Rebecca.  Choose your husband over me??  Psht. 

Ok, so I was bummed that Lara and Becca and their families couldn't be there.  But we did get to spend the week before Christmas with Rebecca, Alex, and Ben.  We also got to see Lara and her fam the week after Christmas.

Anyways,

Owen, Hallie, Chase, and Olivia got to open presents together on Christmas morning and they were 4 happy, spoiled children. 

Matt and Hallie went out to try the new (bigger) bike Hallie got for Christmas.  Isn't it the cutest bike you've ever seen?  She rode it like a pro.

Her puppy went along for the ride.

While Hallie rode, Chase tested out his light sabre. 

The day after Christmas 9 of us loaded up into my parents 12 passenger van and drove up to Utah.  My parents and 4 of my younger siblings (David, Mary, Elizabeth, and Michael) went to stay with Lara and help out while Lara and Steve spent their time at the NICU with their new babies Samantha and Sophia.  It worked out perfectly so we could hitch a ride to go and spend a week with Matt's family.  The day we got there we had a one day late Christmas with the Horrocks family...this is what the scene looked like (above).  Happy, good times.

Of course I couldn't wait to get to the hospital and get my hands on these sweet new babies.  They were born 5 1/2 weeks early and were each 5 pounds.  They are so so perfect and made me feel like Paige was a blimp.  haha. 

I would tell you if this is Samantha or Sophia if I knew....but I don't.  We'll call her Samphia.

The girls got to come home a few days before we left to go back to Cali.  Hallie was in twinpreemiebabygirl HEAVEN. 

We spent one night walking around temple square to see the Christmas light with both of our families.  It was nice to get to be with Matt's family and my Family all at once. 

Proof I was there.  All I can tell you is this:  3 months post partum body=me deleting almost all pictures of myself in a crying angry tantrum.

David was good enough to carry my kids around on his shoulders when the whining about walking got to be too much to handle.  They love seeing the world from 8 feet high.

Matt's sister Jess, her hubby Scott, and their son Broadie.  My kids LOVED getting to spend 7 straight days with their cousin Broadie.  He is so good to them.

Matt's brother Zach and his wife Laura.

I love the Salt Lake Temple....it's so beautiful.

My pretty sisters Elizabeth and Mary and my adorable nephews Max and Jackson.

This is the only thing Hallie cared about doing for our whole vacation...riding Matt's sisters horse, Buster.  She was in horsie heaven.

Chase loved it too.

This is Chase's special face. haha. 

Check out Hallie's kicks.  Kadi bought her these authentic cowgirl boots, she loves loves them.

Matt decided to make Chase into a man take him pheasant hunting.  At one point during the hunt, Chase had a melt down and cried "I'm being attacked by NATURE!"  haha.  Poor boy.

However they did come home with all these birds (which were cooked up for dinner...tastes like chicken).

The hunting party.

Here is Matt's Grandma Dona chatting away with Paige. 

We love Grandma Dona.

And we love Grandma Pat too! 

Since we were in Utah with my family and Matt's family we decided it would be a good time to bless Paige and be able to have the most family members there possible.  It was such a nice evening.  My Mom made this blessing dress, and it is GORGEOUS.  She made a matching blanket too.  I love them so so much.

The baby in the dress is also pretty gorgeous.  She makes me so happy.

My sister in law Alicia took some better pictures of Paige in the blessing dress that I'm dying to see. (hint hint alicia.  haha.)

My husband the lumberjack.  Whenever he doesn't have to work he grows out his beard, just because he CAN.

Somehow Matt's sister Kadi managed to avoid my camera lens the whole time we were in Utah... So I stole this off her facebook page.

After a fun, busy week in Utah we headed back to Cali for a few days before making the trek back to Germany.  It was 80 degrees.  Yup, that right, 80.  We went to the beach.  Matt's went surfing.  I was in my happy place.  This is my Mom with little miss Paige.

I stole these pics from my brothers instagram photos.  I love them.

Hottie hubby.

Now all we have to figure out is how to wake up the kids so they will eat their dinner.  This is what jet lags looks like on a 4 and 6 year old....and it isn't pretty.