Forever Young: December through New Year's and our 10th Anniversary

The first weekend in December we set up for Christmas. This year we splurged on a new tree. Our original one bit the dust last Christmas.

Morgan and the kids added lights to the kids room. They sure loved that.

Noel is such a good big sister to Evelyn.

Noel went to her first activity for Activity Days. They decorated sugar cookies.

She had so much fun!

Evelyn snuggling up to Noel who was reading her a book.

More snuggles.

Evelyn had her 15 month check up (@ 16 months old). She is getting so big.

Sam lost his first tooth!

He actually had his permanent tooth already coming in behind the loose tooth.

Here's Morgan after finishing the smaller deck late one night.

We haven't had very much snow this winter! It's been a fairly warm winter here so far.

Gingerbread Houses!

Sam's drawing of an elk. Haha! I love it!

One of our family traditions we do around the holidays is go see the Festival of Lights right here in Spanish Fork. It's always so magical.

The finished deck!! Morgan finished just before we left for California for Christmas.

It looks so good! Now on to more projects!

Sister time.

I found this on the whiteboard one day. It says, "I am so glad that I was born into this family and is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints". She also drew the Nativity scene.

The kids decorated the downstairs/basement for a "Winter Wonderland Christmas Party" that they threw for all of their stuffed animals. It was too cute. Here is their sign leading to the downstairs.

Some of their decorations.

Noel made this fun snow globe at school.

And then we were off to California. While traveling through the salt flats we went

through a small sandstorm.

Sam's stuffed lion had a very interesting seat in the van for the ride to California.

Evelyn did really well most of the time on the drive to and from California. The times that she wasn't so happy, all she would need was a hand to hold and she'd stop crying. It was so cute I had to take a picture of Evelyn holding Noel's hand.

On our way into town, before going to Morgan's parents home we went to a house that was decked out in Cameron Park/Rescue that I had heard about via Facebook. There was a whole light show with 3 different songs that we tuned to the radio for. It was so cool!

There's a fun tradition that we do with Morgan's parents where we go to this home in Diamond Springs that decorates their yard with over 350 blow up Christmas decorations. It's insanely cool!

We also went to a Bounce Town type place. We had a blast!

Evelyn with a balloon wrapped around her head.

Grandma Young made the cutest "Pin the heart on the grinch" and everyone participated. Even all the adults:)

Evelyn and I snuggling during nap time. There's something about holding a sleeping child.

Christmas Eve at Grandma and Grandpa Watkins. Here's Grandpa Watkins reading to the kiddos.

Evelyn opening up the traditional pj's on Christmas Eve.

Sam with his pj's.

Noel with her pj's.

Yay for Christmas Eve jammies!

Before bed the kids made food for Santa's reindeer with Grandma.

Christmas morning. So much excitement.

So much cuteness.

Silly Sam.

In the hallway just before going out to see what Santa had brought them.

Evelyn and Grandpa.

Evelyn snuggling her big teddy bear she got from Santa.

Opening up presents.

The kids got gifts for each other this year. I love that they are such good little buddies.

Morgan and Brian dancing.

Then we stayed at my parents house next. Grandma K. was there too! It was so nice to spend some time with her.

My parents opening up a gift from Noel and Sam.

Ugly sweaters!!

Hot tub time with Grandpa Watkins.

My parents live near a place that sells THEE BEST DONUTS ON THE PLANET! It's tradition that whenever we are in town we get some.

Hot tub time with Daddy.

Love that cute little smile.

The Reynolds took us all out to Mongolian BBQ.

Morgan and I went away for one night to celebrate our upcoming 10th Anniversary. It had been 3 1/2 years since we had any kind of get away with just Morgan and I. My parents watched the kids Thursday and overnight to Friday and then the kids went to Grandma and Grandpa Young's

on Friday morning.

Noel and Sam helped Grandma and Grandpa Young with some yard work the morning that we left. They each actually used the leaf blower. Normally they get nervous around loud machines.

I was so proud!

Grandma and Grandpa with Evelyn.

Me and my little Evelyn just before Morgan and I left.

Morgan and I on a whim rented a Toyota Tacoma for our 1 night get away. Man, that was an amazing truck! It's always been my dream to own a Tacoma. We stayed at the same place we stayed the first night of our honeymoon, Lake Natoma Inn in Old Folsom.

My mom sent me these pictures while we were away.

It was Grandma's turn in the hot tub with the kids! The kids sure love the hot tub.

They also went to our family friends, the Gomm's, and had a little fire, played with chickens and goats.

Meanwhile, Morgan and I had the most amazing get away even if it was only for 1 night and 1 1/2 days. It was so good to just spend time with my hubby and to reflect on the last 10 amazing years with him.

We ate at BJ's Restaurant in Folsom 2 times because it was so good and they have such a variety of food there!

We actually went to the movies 2 times as well! We saw "Jumanji 2" and "The Greatest Showman".

We got these taken at the movie theatre in one of those fun photo booths. I'm so glad we did because it's now on our refrigerator and when I see this, I remember how amazing it was to just be us on our getaway.

We went to the batting cages in Folsom.

And lastly, before picking up the kids we walked around Cameron Park Lake as dusk was approaching. It was so romantic. Those 2 days with my hubby were absolutely perfect.

When we picked up the kids from Grandma and Grandpa Young's that evening we were quickly brought back to reality and out of the clouds as we found out that Sam developed the stomach flu that very morning. Poor guy. My parents and Morgan's parents were so sweet to not tell us (and I really mean that) because it would've ended Morgan's and my time together way sooner than planned. Thank you so much Mom and Dad and Mary and Gary for watching the kids for us so we could get away and for taking care of sick little Sam while we were gone! You guys could've got the very same thing and you guys risked that for us! We are so grateful to you! We love you!

Evelyn knew that Sam wasn't feeling so well and would go over to him and hold his hand. Yes, my germaphobe self had a fit but I let it happen a few times, can you believe it?! It was just too sweet to stop it from happening.

The next day (our last day in CA), Sam was feeling a lot better and my parents started a fire in the backyard to make s'mores.

Noel jumping on the trampoline.

Before we knew it we were home. The trip home was a little difficult. Morgan developed what Sam had the night before we left but it was bearable to where we could still travel. We got home around 10:30pm on New Years Eve. We went to bed a 5 to 10 minutes before

midnight because we were so tired.

The next day, the kids made forts with their homemade fort kits that I made for them for Christmas.

Evelyn has been so fun. She is at a fun stage. She is walking all the time now, dances, and talks a lot. I just love her. She's my little buddy.

Sam got a lot of legos for Christmas and has been busy putting them all together.

Lego trucks/vehicles.

We officially hit our 10 year mark on January 4th. I made this for Morgan for when he came home from work.

We ate Culver's (an amazing burger joint here in Utah) under candlelight that evening after the kids went down and watched a chick flick called "An Hour Behind". It was actually pretty cute!