January 2019

We started 2019 off strong, continuing our fun in Utah!

We did our traditional family ski day at Brighton. Not everyone could make it this time, but Gavin & I, Megan, D, Hailey, Jake and my dad spent time together on the slopes. So fun! and so beautiful!

 This picture is a funny memory of the day: I spy my dad sliding down this hill! He fell and lost his ski at the very top of this hill, and the ski went all the way down the hill until someone caught it! So he had to slide down the hill on his butt because he only had one ski.

Side note: Gavin had an awesome fall in this exact spot. He didn't lose his skis, but he slid all the way down this hill on his back!

We also took Owen skiing at Alta. We took him last year but this year went much smoother. Owen was nervous but he actually enjoyed it... as long as we were holding on to him! He loved the free kid's chairlift, which surprised me. I can't wait to take him back!

Then it was back to Dallas! Gavin had a week of paternity leave left so we tried to squeeze in a few more fun things with him.

The third Thursday event and Texas River Ranch Horse Park.

and we went swimming at the Plano Rec Center!

Gavin went back to work (4 days a week), so I had to get used to doing things without him again. It was fun while it lasted haha!

Can you tell that the boys loved having their dad home?

Gavin went back to work, I went back to the day-to-day grocery story runs,

Trips to the park,

Getting outside,

and playing at home.

Owen started up joy school again, and started swim lessons!

(joy school bake sale complete with Owen's choice: shark cupcakes)

(giving farm animals a bath)

I'm sure I missed some things because January was a fun and eventful month! I wish I got more pictures of my boys with our families while we were in Utah, but we'll be back soon (6 weeks soon)!

December in Utah 2018

We spent half the month in Utah- celebrating Christmas with family, and taking advantage of what Utah has to offer in the winter! Here are some of the fun things we did while in Utah during December...

We took Owen Ice Skating! This was one thing he was so excited to do! Last year, Owen was really scared to go Ice Skating, so we were glad he didn't really remember that experience, and had fun this time around! We went to the new outdoor rink in Herriman.

We took family pictures with the McCleary family. We did take family photos at a studio, but the picture we stopped and took at Costco is the photo that made the Christmas card.

We caught up with friends and family we hadn't seen in a while...

Grandma and Grandpa Cook at my mom's house:

My girl friends at Bahama Buck's:

Gavin's friends (and the Miles baby who is the same age as J) at Cubby's:

I dressed up for our annual Mocktail Party at Brent Devey's house. My "fun" goal for the year was to dye my hair pink, so I had to make that happen before the year ended!

We took Owen sledding at a little hill in Riverton. We really had to coax/talk/force him into it at first. He's a nervous kid! but he ended up loving it and got braver and braver as time went on. I think sledding ended up being his favorite part of being in Utah!

We went sledding again a few days later with my siblings at the hill in Sandy where we grew up sledding. It was a blast! Owen got really brave and he played hard!

We did a lot of relaxing, playing, and hanging out.

 And of course we celebrated Christmas! That deserved it's own post!

Christmas 2018

If we didn't love coming to town for Christmas, we wouldn't do it. We love it. and we are very blessed that we have two awesome families to celebrate with. But it is a WHIRLWIND trying to do everything with both our families!

Christmas Eve Breakfast @ Sue's
Sometime Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, both families usually go to a movie. We sat holiday movies out this year.
Christmas Eve Afternoon- Grandma Cook's Christmas Party
Christmas Eve Night- Grandma Jane's Christmas Party
Christmas Eve later @ Night- Open sibling gifts at my parents house
Christmas Eve Late- Gavin & I always open gifts to & from each other
Christmas morning- open our little family's Christmas gifts from Santa
Christmas morning- go to my parents to open gifts from Santa
Christmas morning- every year Gavin's Aunt Lorean hosts a Christmas morning breakfast. This was the first year we missed it.
Christmas afternoon- Gavin's family's Christmas celebration, dinner, & gifts.

Phew! 
Here's some pictures...

Both my boys got ear infections the day we left for Utah. Owen got over his really fast, but J was miserable for a couple weeks, despite shots and antibiotics. Poor baby! If you can't tell in these pictures- his face is all swollen and runny.

My parents always get us matching pajamas on Christmas Eve. It's such a fun tradition! Usually we get pajamas that we love and will wear again and again. No offense mom, but these ones aren't getting worn all too often!

Funny stories about the pajamas-

• At first, Owen REFUSED to put the pajamas on. Gavin said he'd never been so proud in his life. Eventually we got him to put the pajamas on by convincing him that he'd be able to run extra fast in these pajamas because he wasn't wearing pants.
• Because everyone looked the same, people were getting each other mixed up. At one point, I handed Trace my phone, thinking he was Gavin. The funniest is when Hailey came up behind Jake, wrapped her arm in his, and laid her head on his shoulder. Jake let her sit like that for about a whole minute until someone else noticed what was going on.
• Megan's friend from the singles ward came over to my parent's house while we were all there opening presents. It was a little bit awkward. Jake texted the family "why is this guy here?" After the guy left, Jake said "I went to high school with him! Do you know how embarrassing that was?!"

Santa left a bike for Owen at our apartment in Texas. Owen looked over this picture again and again, and examined every inch of the bike. He told everyone he got a bike with a water bottle!

Soo spoiled!

One fun gift my sisters and I all got- tickets to see Wicked in Salt Lake in February! So, Owen and I got a bonus present of plane tickets to come back to Utah, so that I can see Wicked with my family!