Winter Break Festivities

A few highlights from the kids' time off school included all sorts of fun outings around town, playdates, Grandma visiting, movies with friends, baking and hikes.  Anna, Evelyn and I saw the Nutcracker- a favorite tradition.  This year Evelyn sat with friends who needed an extra helping hand with so many kids!  So Anna and I sat with the Douds.  Anna had the time of her life with her little bestie although at times they fought over who was a certain ballerina in the show.  Most coveted ballerina was the sugarplum fairy.  They engaged in this activity last year too- ha!  Evelyn proclaimed at the end that she was maybe "over" going to see the Nutcracker!  I'm not ready to let the tradition die so we'll have to figure something out for next year.  The kids and I met up with friends to walk Candy Cane Lane and then enjoyed hot chocolate and cinnamon biscuits.  This is a tradition we've done the past few years and one of our favorites.  We have a lot of Christmas traditions- ha!  The week after Christmas break we headed down to Old Town with the Brinkleys.  It was seriously such a fun day!  Everyone enjoyed the Mormon Battalion and learned a lot.  The Sister missionaries even gave their family a Book Of Mormon!  It was a wonderful afternoon.  We had fun eating Mexican food for lunch, searching for the perfect ukele, dipping candles, visiting the train museum and eating taffy from the Old Fashioned Candy store.  Love hanging out with the Brinkleys.  It was such a fun couple of weeks off school that it was hard to see it all end.  I was surprised on Monday night as I tucked the boys into bed.  I'm used to Dane getting a little emotional at the end of a fun break, but he was all smiles.  When I questioned this behavior, he said it was because he knew Grammy and Papa were coming to town this week!  They are staying the month of January and already it's been so wonderful.  A great ending to a wonderful few weeks of break.