All that other stuff!

I promise this is the last post about our trip!! I know it's a doozy, but I didn't post for three weeks while we were gone! What were you expecting when I got back, really? :)

Besides Christmas and New Years, there were plenty of activities filling up our time in between!

It's become tradition for some families from the "Y" to go riding in the desert the day after Christmas. I like four wheeling as much as the next guy (well maybe not that much) but even better is just eating and visiting with everyone. I must be a true girl.

Don't know what happened with this picture splitting... but I just loved hanging out with my adorable younger sis, Marcie.

Kan Jam anyone? It was a blast teaching my friend LaRee about this game. If you know LaRee, you know she is a shaken can of soda ready to pop. Before she even knew all the rules, she'd be screaming REBUTTAL!! and exclaiming how fun it was. It had been WAY too long since I'd seen this girl.

LaRee is on the left and Julie is on the right. I was so excited to spend some time with them.This may be one of my favorite pictures of our trip. The sunset, smiles, Kan Jam in the background, haha. Collin sure loves his Mema!

We saw a few movies too.....
Here we are at Alvin and the Chipmunks, the Squeakquel! Oh, how thrilled I was to finally see this movie! And oh how unthrilled Trav was. From the moment I saw the first preview I knew I was in love. It had me from Squeakquel. Remember my adoration for animals acting like humans? Sigh. We also saw The Blind Side. Seriously good movie. I would own it. It made me want to be a better person and gave me faith in the humanity of others. The last blockbuster we hit up wasn't so great, Avatar. I'm disappointed in myself for seeing it in the first place. When I heard it cost $300 million to make it, I was sick. Just a reminder how ridiculous and unimportant Hollywood is. My reasons for disliking this movie are threefold. #1- Too Stinkin' Long!! I must have looked at my watch 10+ times. #2- I don't appreciate Liberal, tree hugging agenda's fed to me, especially from Hollywood. #3- Call me a prude (and I know I am) but just because you have a flat nose and a tail, doesn't make you any less human-like, and therefore inappropriate to watch running around in loin cloths for three hours. Roll your eyes, but it's the darn truth! Ok, I think I'm done venting, back to happy thoughts of chipmunks singing "All the Single Ladies!" :)

On New Year's day, we went out past Johnson Ranch, (yes, far) to go shooting with Trav's family.

I must say, I enjoy shooting a gun.

The kids "camp" was set up across the road where Grandma kept a good eye on them :)

My, I have some handsome boys.

Other celebrations included some birthdays....

Craig turned 9. I walked up the stairs that morning to find Trav wrapping him up as a present.

And my mother-in-law turned... well, I'm not too sure, but she celebrated a birthday! That morning we took family pictures at Freestone park and that night we played Bunco. The night before we got together for a progressive dinner. This is the picture we took at Reddin and Karen's house. Trav's brother and sister got back from missions this past semester so this is the first time the whole family has been together again for a few years!

The Saturday before we left, I went to lunch with my sisters and mom to Cracker's and Co. Mmmm. So yummy. I'm so blessed with an amazing mom and awesome sisters. I could sit and talk with them for hours and hours. And we did. :)

Then, on the last Sunday, we got to see our newest nephew, Rusty, be blessed. Such a beautiful blessing and family!

Hmmm, they must be sisters or something.That night, both families gathered for some dessert and... what's that in the background?

Oh, ya, Kan Jam. The brothers-in-law vs. fathers-in-law. Trav looks pretty nervous.

Well, besides all the {scheduled} activities, we still found some time to be silly.....

Or maybe we were just going batty from all the fun...

Ok, listen up if you want to hear about a seriously fun game! Carrie gave it to us for Christmas and it's only for those willing to make complete fools of themselves. It's called Quelf and crazy times were had by all that played. Including: Trevor putting 5 ice cubes down his pants, me trying my darnedest to lick my elbow, then licking someone else's, Paula pretending her chair was a toilet and making the appropriate noises.... you get the picture :)

Ugh, can't be another Kan Jam picture. Just wanted to point out the firepit that was needed for that awful 50 degree night. :) To be honest, by the end of our trip, I really did think that was chilly. It only took three weeks to lose my tough skin!

Impromtu game of Speed. Even mom joined in the fun!

Got to hang out with the fam in the nursery for a couple of weeks. I was cracking up when I saw the latex glove for snack time. All the kids got a squirt of hand sanitizer before eating too.

Collin had fun playing in his new Sunday duds.

Time with gRaNdMa!

We were loving having the grandma's around to help out with Collin. My mom is very {organic} and Collin was pampered with homemade soups, organic baby food, and all natural lotions and oils.

But sometimes we would come home to this....

I think the basket ride was the funniest. Of course she just walked around with him in it. Once we got there, Trav had more adventurous ideas of actually riding the bike. My mom couldn't watch.

I really don't know how we could have had a better trip. I wouldn't have traded it in for the most exotic, expensive vacation you could find. I think you truly learn to appreciate your family when you don't have the luxury of being around them all the time. And we have some really wonderful families. Thank you all for the fun times and good eats. We are blessed! (And I am officially done posting. You're welcome.)