The rest of Christmas

So, Christmas was awesome. I spent 3 weeks in California with my family.

I had a lot of fun being Aunt Amy and playing with my nieces. I also got to see some of my oldest and dearest friends. I never got a picture with my twin Sara. We met up in my old town and walked around. Joe was actually able to join us for that outing.

I also got to see Betsy. She was my best friend in High School. I am greatful for good friends, even though I am not great at being a good friend.

We also went to some Christmas parties and saw friends from church. Adelynne and Amy got to see Santa that night; they were pretty excited.

Gosh darn it, these girls are cute!

We got to go see Heather in her 1st grade school Christmas program. I didn't get to take any pictures because we were in the back. To be honest, it really wasn't all that great, but it was fun to get to see Heather. She was all dressed up in a scarf and hat and they were telling "snowman" stories. Her bangs were in front of her face, and you could just barely see her toothless smile. She sang the songs so well. And she was so excited to see her cousins. She kept trying to ask her parents in the audience where Adelynne was. We couldn't figure out what she was asking, but we had a good laugh anyway. Love my nieces!

This picture of Joe was taken one night when Amy was telling stories. Apparently it was the same story each time, generally shorter, but the fun was all in the setting up. Here he is with the "daddy" Barbie and some stuffed animals. Amy is in the background with the rest of the storytelling equipment.

For Christmas gifts this year, Joe and had some paper bound and then we decorated then and made personalized coloring books. I had fun raiding my mom's button collection.

I never got a picture taken of Katie with her book, like I did of the other girls.

Heather, age 6 1/2

Amy, age 2 1/2

Adelynne, age 4 1/2

I wish I had actually remembered to write down all the funny things my nieces said during our time together.

One time, I was playing Barbies with Adelynne and Amy. Amy was playing the role of the "daddy" and "mommy" barbie. The daddy would go off to work, come home, make out with the wife, and then go back to work. Repeat. After about 5 rounds of that, mommy barbie got put in time out. She never told me why. I just thought it was funny.

One day while Adelynne was picking out her clothes to wear, she distraughtly yelled to her mother, "I don't want to wear my old clothes! They aren't new!" (She only wanted to wear the new clothes she had gotten for Christmas.)

I don't remember the other funny things, but I loved having the time to spend with them.

Here is Amy and Katie watching "Up" on an ipod. Cute cousins that love being together.

Rachel made all of the nieces colorful tutus. I got to help. It was really fun. While passing them out to the girls, somehow the boys got ahold of them and turned them into hats. We made them pose for a picture. They'll probably hate us for the rest of their lives.

David, Mark, Joe, Dustin

My nieces Heather and Katie really wanted a kitten for Christmas this year. We asked Katie what she would name a kitty if she got it, and she said she would call it "Jared cat." This is funny because my sister-in-law Rachel, their mom, was 8 1/2 months pregnant at the time, and if she had a boy they were going to name him Jared.

Turns out, Santa got their letter and they got this adorable kitten Christmas morning.

He didn't get named Jared. Actually, we named him Bruce, because he liked to perch on things like Batman, and he had tuffs on his ears like the Batman mask. He was super cute!

He did get really sick, and we were worried he wouldn't make it. Joe and my mom did a lot to nurse him to health, and actually had to force feed him with a syringe. He finally perked up as we were heading back to Utah, and has since returned to his playful kitty self.

Joe had a hard time saying goodbye to Bruce. They were buds.

I guess I'll end my Christmas post with cute pictures of Heather and Adelynne with their suckers.

I loved being with my family. I am so grateful for the time I have to spend with them, and of course, wish I could be with them more. I hope everyone else had a wonderful Christmas season!