Since we’ve been back from Utah, I’ve slowly come to the realization that “vacationing” with kids isn’t really vacationing at all. I remember the good old days when we’d show up in Utah, plop down our two bags with just OUR stuff, take Bandit out for long walks, go to movies, go shopping, eat, watch TV, and pretty much do whatever we wanted without much advanced planning. Now, with the twins, we make packing lists, discuss the logistics of getting out of the house with the girls, and bark out orders like generals…report to high chair station at 0700 for oatmeal and prunes! Let’s go, go, go!
With the girls being sick and waking up at night all week long, the only thing that made it a “vacation” in any sense of the word was the fact that there were so many extra arms willing to hold the girls. And did I mention lots of extra people to help take photos? We need a minimum of five people to get any decent photos of the girls these days now that they are crawling. One photographer, one drool wiper-upper, one assistant to pick them up and put them back when they start to crawl away, one person to jump up and down to make them smile and one person in charge of wardrobe changes/accessory readjustments.
Pre-Christmas photos!
What a ham.
Amelia Bedelia.
So sad and yet so cute! I love Santa and Mrs. Clause photobombing Amelia.
Amelia (or “Petunia” as Great Grandpa calls her).
Samantha and Great Grandpa.
The girls loved “eating” at the grown-up table with Grandma. It was amazing having dinner cooked for us AND being able to sit down and eat without holding babies!
Bandit and his sisters.
Out for a walk in the cold with Daddy while Aunt Sarah, Grandma and I were at the outlets doing some damage. Seriously, why weren’t the Lehi Outlets in existence when I was growing up?
For such a short trip, we made it around to see lots of family and friends, including the girls’ friends, Alec, Ava and Beckham, along with their parents, Carlos and Sarah. The girls napped most of the time their friends were over, so I didn’t get any pictures, but it was nice to visit and we were grateful for the winter clothes Sarah brought over so that we won’t need to buy any next time we’re in Utah.
Grandpa, Aunt Sarah and I took the girls to see family friends, Rachel and George, whom we hadn’t seen in ages. Rachel was our nanny when we were little and it’s been fun to keep her updated every few years on graduations, weddings, and now, babies! Why do I have the sudden urge to break out singing “The Circle of Life”?!
We also visited Grandma Celeste, Uncle Andrew, Aunt Heather and Cousin Chloee. Celeste’s broken foot didn’t keep her from cuddling these two little monkeys.
Make that three little monkeys! Since Grandma Celeste had 12 kids (as in TWELVE KIDS) of her own, I’m sure this was a piece of cake!
The girls were too wiggly to get any pics of the three of them playing together, but they sure were cute! Samantha enjoyed talking with Chloee and getting all her latest tips on where to find cute bows and headbands!
Back at Grandma’s…Daddy thought it was time to start styling Samantha’s hair into little curls. The girls look like boys right now with their hair so flat and bowl-cut, so Jake thought a little mousse might make their hair curly. FAIL.
Old-school toys from when we were little are the best! The freaky, alien-like noises emanating from the horse when in full gallop was definitely not annoying or anything.
Samantha was not as much of a natural equestrian as Amelia.
Ride ’em cowboy!
Pooped. We felt the same way, girls!
Lots of love,
