December 2014

Here's a few pictures of our very busy, extra fun filled December!

Joy School Nativity program

Benson was Joseph

Gingerbread houses at school with Spencer!

Lilly and her handsome dance partner! She loves to dance!

Erika, one of my Young Women, came over one night and we tested some Egg Nog recipes. Neither one of us had ever made it before, but we tried two different recipes. One of them tasted like warm milk and the other tasted like real egg nog! Success!

A friend of ours had her baby so we took their daughter while she was in the hospital. I hadn't planned on her that day and had several errands to run so we just took her with us! I could definitely handle twins (at least when they are two!) With Benson as a helper, everything is easier!

One of our dear friends moved away, we threw her a birthday/going away party! Fun to get together, but sad to see her leave! She will truly be missed!

Then off to Arizona! We flew into Phoenix and spent the weekend with some of our Grad school friends. It took the boys a minute to remember their friends, but they played like long lost brothers all weekend!

This is in front of the new temple in north Phoenix.

We soaked in as much sun as possible! 

They took us to a holiday light train. We rode around on these little trains through a big field and saw a ton of Christmas lights. We were expecting a short little ride, but it was a 20 minute ride! The boys loved it, Lilly fell asleep! :)

Here's the whole gang! Just missing the Palmer boys now!

We rented a small car so everyone was nice and snug. I expected more fighting, but I love to see this sibling love! Sneaky, sneaky!

After a weekend in the warmth we headed up to Flagstaff to celebrate Christmas with Brooks' family. We finally got to meet our new nephews! Benson LOVED to hold the baby!!! He just couldn't get enough.

The kids loved time with their cousins . . . 

Time with Grandma and Grandpa . . . 

Good old fashion fun!

Christmas morning . . . 

Old traditions. . . 

and new traditions . . .

 All in all it was an awesome trip! It's hard to leave.

Especially when you leave this green grass and blue sky to go back to cold and overcast Minnesota!

We got home in time to celebrate New Years with the Hardings and the Kowalis'!  We rang in the new year a couple hours early so the kids could get back on a some what normal routine! None of the kids even knew!

2014 was an amazing year! I said to someone last Christmas, "I feel like 2014 is going to be a great year!" I wasn't sure why, I just had that feeling. Looking back, I think it really was. We had a great year with many fun and exciting memories!! Here's to another great year!