The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

the christmas season really is the most wonderful time of the year. i don't know if it is because all of the family is finally together again, or if it is somehow related to the relief felt once all of the finals are over.



i choose to believe that it's both.

however you may define the most wonderful time of the year, i hope that in some ways it was as memorable and event-filled as mine.

after saying my goodbyes to anna (she is headed to london for four months with byu study abroad) and wrapping up my fifth and most difficult final, i met my parents at my apartment and packed for the next eight days. rather than spending the holiday in frigid, baren, snow covered daho with the extended family, we chose to venture to the sunny, beautiful and deseret filled warmth of arizona to visit dallen, kally and their boys.

we left late thursday afternoon and drove all the way to vegas before stopping for the night. after much persuasion, i convinced my mom and dad to take the detour down to the strip at eleven o'clock at night. they hadn't been in years, and though we were only there for a little over an hour, we were able to see the majority of the landmarks, take in the fountains (complete with christmas music) and stroll through the bellagio gardens where as many of you may know, change season to season. they were beautiful and we couldn't help but take pictures



friday we arrived in chandler after another four hour drive. it was a warm seventy degrees and a drastic change from the below freezing temperatures of provo. we were so happy to see their family. they moved to chandler a year and a half ago so dallen could attend school at the golf academy. it was something that he has always dreamed of doing, so for the past year and a half he has been going to school nonstop. due to distance and busy schedules, we don't see them nearly as much as we would like. that night we went out to dinner with kally's parents, who were in town for dallen's graduation as well as lincoln's baby blessing.

saturday was the official graduation. it took place at a very nice country club, unlike any i have ever seen. they they served a formal dinner of steak, chicken cordon bleu and pasta before commencement began. dallen graduated at the top of his class, receiving highest honors, the president's award and numerous other awards for his efforts. all of us, especially kally, were very proud of his efforts and diligence. we look forward with anticipation to see where his career in the golf field leads. congratulations brother.



that night we made a trip to see santa claus for jaxon and austin. they had already been one time before, but we all wanted to take them one last time before christmas. they were so brave, and asked santa for animals and guns. later jaxon said he asked santa for a new golf bag... but that was just an accident because i already have one."



after seeing santa, we ate dinner at cracker barrel, (where i learned a great honesty lesson from my dad). the restaurant had been very busy that night and the waitress was struggling to get our food order right and to the table on time. after about an hour of eating and talking, she finally brought us our ticket. it just so happened that she had undercharged us. by a lot. we were all in a hurry to get out of there so we could head to see the lights at the mesa temple. he could've simply just paid and not worried too much about it, but he did the honest thing, even though it took an extra twenty minutes. the waitress happened to be lds and thanked him for his honesty. it was just our luck that later in the week it also happened. he was honest again. thanks for setting an example in the subtlest way.



christmas was in fully swing at the temple grounds in mesa. their lights at the temple are very comparable to the lights in salt lake. in some ways better because we didn't have to brave the freezing temperatures to enjoy the christmas season. the kids absolutely loved them and as we drove to and from the temple, they recited all the bible stories. jonah, moses, ammon, moroni, nephi and noah. when i asked jaxon how many animals noah put into the ark, he thought for about thirty seconds, then said, "i don't know... probably about eleven." we laughed the whole night and were in awe at how much he and austin know.



sunday brought even warmer weather and a special day for dallen's family. lincoln's baby blessing was that morning, and it was a great opportunity to finally be a part of a blessing. the two other boys' occurred when i was in mexico, so i was lucky to be a part of their special day. kally's parents went home that afternoon and we spent the rest of the day packing their things into boxes to move to their new condo. they didn't necessarily want to move before christmas, but we insisted that they did because we were there to help. it took the whole day monday to move and organize their things into their new place. we finished just in time to spend the rest of the evening with mike and heidi who flew in to phoenix that night.

the remainder of the days were spent relaxing, both outside and around the house. we had done enough moving and working for one week and the vacation time officially started tuesday and lasted until saturday morning.

tuesday we didn't leave the house. we spent the day making sugar cookies, watching disney movies, reading books, napping and playing many games. one of which was scrabble. we have never really been a scrabble family, but tuesday night was the start of a family tradition in the making. we played every night after. on teams of course. however, i was left with jaxon and austin because i don't have a spouse. needless to say, i didn't win.



wednesday, mike, heidi and i babysat the three nephews while dallen, kally and my parents went to a session at the temple. it was such a fun morning as we ate waffles, bathed, watched movies, read what felt like hundreds of books and played outside. they are a lot of work. later that night we went to the phoenix suns game. dallen was able to get us all free tickets, for which we are all very grateful. :) the only other nba game that i had been to was the utah jazz, so it was a fun experience to have the whole family attend the game. they played the oklahoma thunder, or as i like to call them, the "oklahoma bombers." the suns are mike's favorite team and though they ended up losing, i believe that the game was the favorite part of his trip. as did the boys, who quite possibly loved the game as much as their hot dogs.



thursday was christmas eve. we relaxed the majority of the day and spent the evening playing more games, eating out (which is a first on the 24th), watching elf, and opening our pajamas. it is tradition, as i am sure it is in most of your families, to open pajamas every christmas eve. thanks mom and dad. i am wearing them as i type.



friday was the big day. santa did in fact come. he even brought presents.



the look on the boys' faces in the morning and the energy that they had made it so much more fun for the rest of us. they got just what they asked for. and so did the rest of us. we were very spoiled, but we were very grateful. christmas has come to mean a lot to me the more i grow. just like my parents have always said, "the memories that we make and share are much more important than the gifts we give or receive." i agree with them completely.

as i was sitting in my pajamas christmas morning, eating wonderful poppyseed bread and laughing with my family, i felt so happy.

happy because all ten of us were together on christmas morning.

happy because we were able to afford to celebrate christmas, when so many are unable.

happy because we watched a christmas message before opening presents reminding us of the true meaning of christmas.

happy because i was in a warm place on christmas, and even though it wasn't white, it was still special.

happy because the whole week really was the most wonderful time of the year for me.



we were sad to leave on saturday morning. jaxon and austin kept telling us all week that they weren't going to cry when they left but reminded us of how grandma patty will because she always does. their prediction was true, and a few tears were shed when we left early that morning.

it's always sad to go, but i am grateful for the christmas break that we shared. i was very lucky.

thanks mom and dad. for the trip, christmas presents, love and support.

thanks dallen, kally and boys. for the hospitality, food, laughs and company.

thanks heidi and mike. for the new baby on the way. can't wait to be an uncle for the fourth time.