Thanksgiving.
Since it is so hard to go home every other Christmas when you start to have children, and since most my sisters live in Utah right by their in-laws, my sisters and I decided it would be a good idea to spend every Thanksgiving with our family and every Christmas at home. Last year we all drove out to my parents and it was so many people that they rented a couple RV's and parked them in the driveway to accommodate everyone. It was so so fun, but I think my parents felt a little guilty that all their children had to drive with little kids in the car for 12 hours when they are only just two people that could easily fly out to visit us over the holidays, so that's what they did.
My parents decided to rent a cabin up at Sundance so that we could all come stay together in one house over Thanksgiving. I had been looking forward to it for months because it just sounded so fun and I love to be with my family. Olive is at an age where she just LIVES to be with her cousins and she loves it so much. It's fun to watch her make these memories and I don't think she realizes how lucky she is to get to live by and interact with so many cousins all the time. She even got to sleep in bed with some of her girl cousins one night and i think it made her whole life haha, she loves spending the night with cousins... almost as much as she loves sleeping in bed with her mom and dad haha. She loves vacations for that reason, she loves to get to be in bed with KC and I, it's really cute. Elijah was so good to sleep in his portacrib even though he realized immediately that he could easily get out of it haha.
We the cabin for Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday night. On Wednesday night there was a big snowstorm and we had to wait it out a bit before we headed up. Olive had gone up earlier with her cousins (she couldn't wait for me when she would be losing time with cousin) and so Kc and I headed up with Elijah when Kc got off work. I was worried he would not want to see his grandma since last time he saw her his mom left for a week, but he was SO EXCITED to see her. It was really cute. He loves her so much and would always run over and give her hugs and kisses and cuddle. Elijah loves both his Grandmas so much and he is so lucky to get interact with them. Each person that loves a child unconditionally gives them confidence in themselves, a confidence that extends throughout their whole lives. I love that both my children are surrounded by grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins that they have positive interactions with almost every week whom give them so much love and security in who they are.
The cabin had a hot tub outside which we turned down so the kids could all get in and play. I hadn't thought about bringing a swim diaper for Elijah so I just let him go in naked. He LOVED that hot tub and woke up every morning enthusiastically signing "swim" and didn't stop signing it all day until I let him go in. We spent lots of time talking and playing games and eating delicious food. I think Elijah had a little too much yummy food because without any warning or acting sick at all he threw up A TON and then just went on his merry way again and played as though nothing had happened... what? I think maybe he had swallowed to much hot tub water or something, so weird. My in-laws serendipitously had gone up with my mother in-laws side of the family for one night at Timp Lodge at Sundance so they had decided to rent a cabin up there for a couple nights as well. Their cabin came with a key to a really fun little area with an outdoor fireplace, big tree swing, and a zipline. It was really a magical place and we went down and hung out with them for a while and it was SO SO fun.
We had a wonderful Thanksgiving Holiday and I left feeling full of gratitude for my family; a group of people with a lot of imperfections that are doing the best they can and really do love one another. And that's all we can ask for from anyone, right? Happy Thanksgiving!
Since it is so hard to go home every other Christmas when you start to have children, and since most my sisters live in Utah right by their in-laws, my sisters and I decided it would be a good idea to spend every Thanksgiving with our family and every Christmas at home. Last year we all drove out to my parents and it was so many people that they rented a couple RV's and parked them in the driveway to accommodate everyone. It was so so fun, but I think my parents felt a little guilty that all their children had to drive with little kids in the car for 12 hours when they are only just two people that could easily fly out to visit us over the holidays, so that's what they did.
My parents decided to rent a cabin up at Sundance so that we could all come stay together in one house over Thanksgiving. I had been looking forward to it for months because it just sounded so fun and I love to be with my family. Olive is at an age where she just LIVES to be with her cousins and she loves it so much. It's fun to watch her make these memories and I don't think she realizes how lucky she is to get to live by and interact with so many cousins all the time. She even got to sleep in bed with some of her girl cousins one night and i think it made her whole life haha, she loves spending the night with cousins... almost as much as she loves sleeping in bed with her mom and dad haha. She loves vacations for that reason, she loves to get to be in bed with KC and I, it's really cute. Elijah was so good to sleep in his portacrib even though he realized immediately that he could easily get out of it haha.
We the cabin for Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday night. On Wednesday night there was a big snowstorm and we had to wait it out a bit before we headed up. Olive had gone up earlier with her cousins (she couldn't wait for me when she would be losing time with cousin) and so Kc and I headed up with Elijah when Kc got off work. I was worried he would not want to see his grandma since last time he saw her his mom left for a week, but he was SO EXCITED to see her. It was really cute. He loves her so much and would always run over and give her hugs and kisses and cuddle. Elijah loves both his Grandmas so much and he is so lucky to get interact with them. Each person that loves a child unconditionally gives them confidence in themselves, a confidence that extends throughout their whole lives. I love that both my children are surrounded by grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins that they have positive interactions with almost every week whom give them so much love and security in who they are.
The cabin had a hot tub outside which we turned down so the kids could all get in and play. I hadn't thought about bringing a swim diaper for Elijah so I just let him go in naked. He LOVED that hot tub and woke up every morning enthusiastically signing "swim" and didn't stop signing it all day until I let him go in. We spent lots of time talking and playing games and eating delicious food. I think Elijah had a little too much yummy food because without any warning or acting sick at all he threw up A TON and then just went on his merry way again and played as though nothing had happened... what? I think maybe he had swallowed to much hot tub water or something, so weird. My in-laws serendipitously had gone up with my mother in-laws side of the family for one night at Timp Lodge at Sundance so they had decided to rent a cabin up there for a couple nights as well. Their cabin came with a key to a really fun little area with an outdoor fireplace, big tree swing, and a zipline. It was really a magical place and we went down and hung out with them for a while and it was SO SO fun.
We had a wonderful Thanksgiving Holiday and I left feeling full of gratitude for my family; a group of people with a lot of imperfections that are doing the best they can and really do love one another. And that's all we can ask for from anyone, right? Happy Thanksgiving!
Cutest little turkey butt there ever was.
Getting jumped on. A lot.
For some reason the kids treated me like a human beanbag on multiples occasions. I'm assuming it's cause I'm the "fun" aunt.... or the push over one. Glad it was to the amusement of everyone else around me.
When you are desperately trying to put that backspin on your serve.
I love ping-pong.
